Songwriting

The other day, I heard a hit songwriter say: “You can’t teach songwriting. You’re either born with it or you’re not.” I’ll be honest—that hit me wrong. There’s a little ring of superiority in that, don’t you think? As if the people who’ve had hits were sprinkled with some kind of magic dust that everyone…

By SongTown Co-founder Marty Dodson I’ve had the privilege of writing songs with many—if not most—of the most successful writers in Nashville. These are people with shelves full of awards, walls lined with gold and platinum records, and calendars booked months in advance. When you’re starting out as a songwriter, that’s the dream, right? To…

by SongTown Co-founder Clay Mills Over the past 10 years of teaching thousands of students in SongTown, I’ve noticed that one of the biggest things holding writers back is what they choose to focus on—both during the writing process and in everything surrounding it. Whether it’s mindset, expectations, or industry myths, these distractions can seriously derail…

by SongTown co-founder Marty Dodson I see it every day: talented songwriters pouring their hearts into songs, only to watch them gather dust on a hard drive. Why? Because 99% of songwriters are shooting in the dark. When I first started writing songs professionally, I was no different. My goal each day was simple —…

By SongTown Co-founder Marty Dodson Years ago, I was doing everything I could to level up my songwriting career. Like a lot of writers trying to break through, I was chasing every opportunity I could find. And there was one particular songwriter in town who was absolutely on fire—cut after cut, hit after hit. Everyone…

By SongTown Co-founder Marty Dodson Years ago, I finally worked up the courage to ask a “big” hit songwriter to write with me. I had been grinding away, developing my skills, and building a catalog of songs I was proud of. For the first time, I felt like I could hold my own in a…

By SongTown Co-founder Marty Dodson There are days I open a blank Google Doc and feel certain I’ve got nothing left to say. I’ve written all the songs I can possibly write—at least that’s what the voice in my head insists. I’ll pick up my guitar and instead of feeling like an old familiar friend,…

by SongTown co-founders Marty Dodson & Clay Mills Every year around this time, we (Marty & Clay) slow down just long enough to take stock of the journey we’re on—this wild, unpredictable, often beautifully messy path called songwriting. And every year, we’re reminded of the same truth: There is so much to be thankful for.…

By SongTown Co-Founder Marty Dodson I’ve been in more co-writing rooms than I can count. And over the years, I’ve come to recognize a moment that happens more often than most people would expect—it’s the moment when a subtle creative tug-of-war begins. If you co-write long enough, you’ll be there too. We’ve all been there.…