$25 or less...

• Music! Support music creators with a gift that keeps on giving... a single or a whole album project. Here are 8 places you can purchase music online, or go to an artist's website to order (they make more money that way). Or go all-in with the great sound and look of vinyl! 
• An acoustic cellphone amplifier (yep, google that and you'll find all kinds!
• EarPlanes (for inflight ear discomfort - they work!)
• A camera tripod
• The Singer's Mask 
• Other good quality, comfortable masks to protect them from Covid when they are in public interacting with fans and music industry people.
• The Martian Popping Thing (a.k.a. 'Panic Pete'), I use it to train breath technique; it's also a hand/finger exerciser and a mental stress reliever!
• A neck scarf or shawl for blocking cold air to tender throats.
• My digital or physical 1-CD Power, Path and Performance vocal training course.
• A music theory book 
• A flexible multipositionable cellphone stand  ... great for videoing gigs, youtube performances, doing Facebook live videos, etc! 
• Voice therapist/speech pathologist Joana Cazden's book 'Every Day Voice Care'
• Guitar Tuner or Metronome
• Stage wear bling for clothes or hair
• Mic stand pic holder (maybe add some pics!)
• Instrument strings
• A small percussion instrument (tambourine, egg shaker, etc.)
• Membership for speakers in Toastmasters
• An immune boosting supplement. There are tons of choices, a couple of suggestions I have include this buffered vitamin C powder -easy on the stomach but powerful; and On Guard cough drops from DoTerra.
• Stainless steel, glass or BPA-free water container... and maybe add a 6 pack of Dole's pineapple juice (great throat soother and hydrator for stage and studio)
• Lisa Aschmann's 1,000 Songwriting Ideas 
• Neti Pot (plastic or ceramic, maybe add pkg of neti pot salt and/or herbal wash) 
• A full length mirror (for singers, singer-dancers, musical theater actors, public speakers)
• A humidifier or vaporizer. If you prefer a cool air humidifier, here's one that self cleans.  And here is a unique, small humidifier powered by USB. I prefer warm air vaporizers. But I'm not sure there's a lot of difference. 
• Pack of strings (find a sneaky way to make sure you know the instrumentalists' preference)
• Instrument cleaner, polish or string changing wrench
• Alan Carr's "Easy Way To Stop Smoking" (for the voice and for life)
• A music business staple: Passman's  "All You Need To Know About The Music Business"
• My last album John and Judy Rodman's "Here We Are".

$26 - 65

• Posture trainer - a hunched back is terrible for health and for the voice! This looks like a great little product that gently prods you when you slouch.
• Microphome foam microphone cleaner All of us should have a bottle of this.
• A limited subscription to Netflix or boxed set of a TV series (for idle hours on the tour bus)
• A music "fake book" or sheet music
• Stands - music stand, mic stand, guitar stand
• iPad stand holder
• Tickets to a live concert event
• A mini-trampoline for core and wellness physical workouts all voices need.
• 1/2 hour vocal lesson with me in-person, online or phone (I'll provide gift certificate)
• A thumb drive for music tracks and vocal exercises
• Mp3 speakers (some of the cheap ones sound fine and work with not only iPhones but also Android phones, tablets, laptops, etc.)
• iPhone adapter (for newer iPhones that don't have a phone jack)

$65 - 250

• A JBL Bluetooth Speaker
• A Digital Audio Workstation (DAW) such as ProTools, Studio One, Logic, Reaper.
• My full UPDATED 6-disc Power, Path and Performance vocal training course - plus bonus 30 minute vocal lesson if ordered thru Dec 31, 2021 (email me for gift certificate). Please specify if you want the course on disc, or prefer the files on thumb drive.
• Singing In The Studio course (the ultimate professional level course for any singer who will be recording vocals.) If ordered thru Dec 31, 2021 you get a 50% rebate!
• Vocal Production Workshop (for engineers/producers who want to get the best vocals possible out of their singers) This too...if ordered thru Dec 31, 2021 you get a 50% rebate!
• A course by Bree Noble in music business such as "Profitable House Concerts" (she has several more)
• Music marketing/promotion training by Rick Barker
• A backup hard drive for recording projects
• A Cajon, Djembe or frame drum 
• A new smartphone and/or data package
• Membership(s) in NSAI (for songwriters), AFM (Musician's Union) or SAG/AFTRA (singer/actor union)
• Photoshop Elements (An affordable version to create web banners, flyers, edit photos, all kinds of photo uses)
• Masterwriter software 
• Gym membership and/or personal trainer (for health, looks AND vocal stamina!)
• Acting or dance lessons... Google classes and prices in your area, get recommendations.
• Live performance coaching
• A microphone - spend some time finding out what is needed. Will it be for stage performance or recording? For a speaker, say a lavalier mic system (this is what I have)? A podcast? There are cheap and more expensive mics for all these applications, do some digging around. An economical time-tested stage or rehearsal workhorse is the Shure SM58 or Sennheiser 835.
• Mp3 player or speaker (and if you're dealing with the newer iPhone, you'll need wireless)
• A small mixing board
• A quality pair of headphones  
• A turntable (LP vinyl player - and hey, discriminating ears love vinyl!) 
• An instrument case with wheels, or lightweight gig bag
• One or two hours of vocal lessons with me in office or online (I'll provide gift certificate)
• Digital recorder 
• Surprise your performer at a show with flowers!

$250 and up...

• Mixing board
• A camera, GoPro or camcorder
• The Shure SM7B cardiod dynamic vocal microphone (I am now recording bgvs and my podcast on this). 
• An audio interface - simple, or complex like the Apollo (mine is the Twin - the PC version) which comes with console and plugins.
• A web or Facebook designer
• DragonSpeak - Voice Recognition Software  (for songwriters and speech writers)
• In-ear monitors
• Stage clothes and/or bling
• Wireless mic system
• A photo session
• CD graphics design
• A music marketing seminar or bootcamp
• Funding for my vocal production and/or bgvs (contact me if you'd like to discuss)
• Funding for video shoot
• An instrument.. guitar, keyboard, mandolin, violin, etc
• New road cases
• A series of instrumental or vocal lessons (I'll be happy to provide a gift certificate)
• Home studio recording gear
• A live PA system

• Host an outdoor socially distanced karaoke party or guitar pull!
• Write song charts for your loved one.
• Set them up on a social network they are new to.
• Teach them to use some software you know they need.
• Videotape them for TikTok, Instagram, Youtube Live or Facebook Live.
• Do or better yet, teach them how to do some video or audio editing, such as with Audacity (free software).
• Type up and organize their worktapes and lyrics, or convert them digitally and save.
• Write a song in honor of them them (priceless!)
• Commit to a number of hours of computer work... updating databases, uploading videos and pictures, social network friending, researching, etc. 
• If you have a home studio, record a song demo or worktape on them.
• Carve out special time to listen and critique their song, performance, speech.
• Give them a day of complete voice rest! Do the talking for them.
• Babysit or dog sit while they perform, record or attend someone else's show.
• Attend their online show and invite friends!
• Recommend their music or show on your social network sites

 Or...get creative. Give to a charity in your loved one's name, buy them a star, make a memory spending some time together in a group Zoom, Google Hangout or Skype meeting, or volunteering, helping safely deliver food or other goods to doorsteps of those in need!