Jefferson Fox puts a face to the music with online videos

Jefferson Fox has been seen around the world. His face and music have reached thousands of people, and he did it all without a plane ticket overseas.

Putting videos online has allowed him to reach many more people than just his music would have.

When Fox started recording his album "Animule," which was released last year to critical acclaim, an old friend from his high school days in Georgia approached him about doing a video for the song "Nobody's Fault." Tim Gill does professional video for corporations and other projects, and saw the music video as a creative outlet for both him and Fox.

The "Nobody's Fault" video has taken off on Internet sites like MySpace and YouTube, and has made the ballot for this year's 52nd Grammy Awards. Having a professional video has helped Fox reach a new audience.

"Utilizing video allows me to convey exactly what I feel when these songs are written," said Fox, who moved back to Southeast Missouri in 2008. "The key to getting what you want is to find someone you trust to do the video. Discuss what you want with them, and when you trust them, then give them the reins. ... You have to have faith in their instructions, and as long as you keep an open line of communication, you will get fantastic results.

"We always think of the quote, 'Of good, fast and cheap, you can only have two' and we choose 'good and cheap,'" Fox joked. "A quality video may take more time, but in the end, we are elated with what we get."

Besides being an artistic outlet, video lets Fox reach more people from a marketing standpoint.

"People live online now, and hearing music is easy," he said. 'Many times, people will turn on your music but focus on whatever else they may be doing online. Having the video in front of them keeps the focus on my music, and really delivers more than just the sound, but my message as well."

Fox is staying busy throughout the end of the year and beyond. On Tuesday a video for his song "Bad Enough" will be released on his website and his social networking sites, and another for "Simpleton" from the "Animule" album will be released around Christmas.

"I think I will have around six [videos] released this year," Fox said.

And 2010 promises to be a busy year as well.

Fox is releasing a new album after the first of the year. The record, title pending, has been recorded in Los Angeles and produced by Eric Weaver over the last few months. Fox is starting recording on yet another album next month, and there are plans to record a live album in February. He will also be launching his own label, Ursidae Records, focusing on people who are creating art, not just music.

"We are going to record a live DVD that will feature not only my performance, but also Heather Lutrell [former contestant on [StartDouble]Rockstar: INXS"] and Marshall Ruffin. The show will be recorded live in Columbus, Ga., next year," Fox said.

To see Fox's videos and hear his music, visit www.jeffersonfox.com, which also features links to his MySpace, Facebook, YouTube and other online media outlets.