Robert Kramer's new release

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Chicagoland musician/indie recording artist Robert Kramer is a failure. At least when measured by major label industry standards. "I've got rejection letters from some of the worlds' biggest record labels, but I don't care..." quips Kramer, who at 51, doesn't seem concerned about hitting the "big time". Wanting instead to target the adult audiences who have been left out in the cold by the youth-oriented popular music of today, the outspoken singer/recording artist writes, produces, records, and independently releases all his own product specifically for those in the over-40 crowd, many of which feel there is a severe lack of quality music available to them.

Statistics & public opinion seem to suggest Kramer isn't far off the mark. Barry Kukes, a member of the over 40-crowd and media director of Evolution Studio Works agrees. "Very little of todays' music is memorable..there are no catchy tunes being written anymore. You used to be able to turn on the radio and hear a variety of really great music. Where are the Billy Joels, the Elton Johns, bands like Styx, Boston, Moody Blues? Noone's writing that kind of quality stuff, and people miss that..."

Kramer echoes this sentiment, and offers that if the record industry is experiencing a downturn in sales, it's because people are getting tired of poorly written, forgettable tunes the major labels are offering today, and says the decline in profits has little to do with illegal downloading. "Who'd want to steal some of the garbage the majors call music anyway??" he continues. "A lot of it's just depressing. People are tired of all the trash, and they're responding by simply not buying. My music is a return to the type of songwriting and singing people don't get anymore."

As a result, Kramers' newly released album, "Legacy Of Love", a collection of fresh, upbeat, catchy tunes that remind the listener of classic rock artists like Sting, Moody Blues, Beatles and Springsteen all rolled into one, seems to be attracting some attention, and not only in the baby-boomer camp. "I have a couple of publishers interested, but I'm not selling out what I believe in...I just want to get the music out to the people who miss this kind of stuff. The over 40 crowds, people who remember what good music was."

According to the Recording Industry Association of America's RIAA Consumer profile, the older segment of the population has steadily increased its share of the music market. In 2001, those 40 and older made up 34 percent of music buyers. But the current fare offered by the majors seems to indicate their choices are limited, and many over 40 fans are finding refuge in indie artists who don't follow the youth-oriented musical trends pushed by top record companies.

Claiming the boomers are among the ones left out by the big labels, Kramer also suggests that the record-buying public in general are hungry for a higher quality of material.

"The public is tired of the poor-quality garbage being forced on them. It's time we got back to real music.."

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