Posts Tagged ‘Articles’
There Are Songs in That Guitar! A Pro Songwriter’s Holiday Reflection
This is my Songwriter’s Holiday Reflection This holiday season, I find myself looking back and remembering people that have been an important part of my life. The winter holidays are a wonderful time for cultivating gratitude. Looking back, there have been people who have been there for me since day one, and there have been…
Read MoreWrite The Song In The Room: The Story Behind The Hit Song “History In The Making” With Darius Rucker
“As a songwriter nothing is more important than writing the song in the room and keeping the songwriting flow alive.” ~Clay Mills “Let’s write a romantic song. Your record is 80% done and there’s no song on it about romance and falling in love.” I said those words to Darius Rucker and producer Frank Rogers…
Read MorePeople To Thank This Thanksgiving: A Songwriter’s Perspective
Being grateful and giving thanks is a discipline that I try to practice daily. 🙏 From a songwriting perspective, here are some things I believe all of us creative types need to be thankful for: The Believers My mom was a huge believer in me and my music. When everyone else was telling me…
Read MoreCommercial Vs. Creative Music: The Debate Goes On
One of the big questions we get over and over is whether writing commercial music requires you to sell your soul, abandon creativity, and forsake all that is good in this world. As if there are two sides at war with each other … Commercial Vs. Creative Music Any time this debate arises, there are…
Read MoreMy Tribe: A Songwriter’s Sanctuary
As a songwriter, I have always felt like I was a little bit “different”. I have never seen things the way other people see them. I related to the story of the “Emperor’s New Clothes” because I think I’m that guy. When everyone else is saying things are clearly “white”, I’m seeing “black”. When things are logically…
Read MoreIt’s Never Too Late When It Comes To Your Songwriting Dreams
I believe that it’s never too late to be what you might have been and to chase your songwriting dreams. In my case, I was in my mid-thirties when I started trying to write professionally. I got a much later start than some others who pursued their songwriting passion right out of high school. But,…
Read MoreSongwriters: How To Increase Your Chances If You Live Outside A Music Center
As a mentor and coach, I am often helping many songwriters that don’t live in a music town. Here are my ideas for increasing your chances of success as a songwriter if you live outside a music center: 1) Visit as often as you can. Even if it’s just once a year. Some wisely planned…
Read MoreMelody Hacks For Lyricist Songwriters
I have been primarily a lyricist for almost 25 years. To survive that long in the music business, I have had to stretch my boundaries to come up with ways to evolve my lyric writing along with changing music landscapes. Over those years, I’ve developed what I like to think of as melody hacks for…
Read MoreWhat Makes A Song Great?
I’m often asked the question, “What makes a song great?” So, here are the answers, in my opinion: A great song will usually be relatable and relevant many years after it was written. So let’s take a look at what makes a song great… A great song connects with people. Timeless songs connect to millions of…
Read MoreIs Songwriting A Dream or A Plan?
In a mentoring session the other day I was helping a young songwriter who felt like she was really floundering around in pursuit of her dream. She talked about how frustrating it was to tell whether or not she was making progress and how difficult it is to tell what she should be doing differently…
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