Life, family, and music.
I’m a songwriter. The plan wasn’t to start painting. But in March of 2020 I started watching Bob Ross in the afternoons with my kids during lockdown. The more I watched the more I couldn’t stop watching. In a way, painting and songwriting are very similar. They’re both saying one thing using a confined space. […]
Why I Started Painting Read More »
If you don’t mind me asking, how did you go about getting your first record produced? Davis Hi Davis – I don’t mind at all. I was 22, in college studying English, playing gigs whenever I could. I really just wanted to pursue my music. But how do you do that? I didn’t know anyone
AMA: “How did you go about getting your first record produced?” Read More »
Finding your unique songwriting voice is really just a continuation of the stuff you’re already doing, but simply editing it down and changing its form. If you’re having trouble finding your unique songwriting voice, imagine your brain as being a giant rain barrel. The top is open. Everything you take in—experiences, reading, watching TV, whatever—is
On Songwriting: Finding Your Unique Voice Read More »
This question comes from Phaedra (age 6) whose dad relayed her question. “Did you really do the things you sing about doing as a kid in ‘Amazing Incredible Things’? And who is Samson?” Phaedra Hi Phaedra – Those are great questions. I sing about doing a lot of unbelievable stuff in “Amazing Incredible Things,” don’t
Whenever I’m stuck on a song, I imagine my dad and me in the Beltrami Island State forest in northern Minnesota. Growing up, that’s where we’d go on the weekends to hunt partridge. My dad didn’t own a pickup truck, but he used the family minivan as if it were one. We’d go down roads
On Songwriting: How to Get Unstuck Read More »
We celebrate Pizza Friday every week (here’ why) and Heidi makes these breadsticks. It’s her own take on the Olive Garden’s copycat recipe. Try it out and let us know how it goes! Ingredients For the dough: 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons warm water 1 1/2 teaspoons instant yeast 2 tablespoons granulated sugar 3 tablespoons
My Wife Heidi’s Breadstick Recipe for Pizza Friday Read More »
What inspires you to write songs? Louise (Philippines) Hi Louise – I’m inspired to write songs by many things and it changes as I get older. I think I began writing songs (age 16) to express stuff going on inside of me that I couldn’t put into words. I wasn’t a very good communicator. Plus
AMA: “What inspires you to write songs?” Read More »
My Two Favorite Definitions of Success There’s been so much love from “Back to the Beginning” being on the Netflix series After Life. Thank you all for the kind words. Let me show you a funny graph. It’s the number of plays “Back to the Beginning” had on Thursday (spoiler alert: it was 4 plays…possibly
My Two Favorite Definitions of Success Read More »
Here’s how to play my song “Back to the Beginning.” Remember, this is just how I play it. I hope you can take whatever I’m doing and make it your own. I used to love (still do) trying to figure out the guitar parts to my favorite songs. It was always such an education about the instrument–learning
How to Play “Back to the Beginning” Read More »
This Time of the Year by Aaron Espe “Back to the Beginning” by Aaron Espe – Official Lyrics Snow lightly falling on the collar of my coatSilence lies heavy on the pinesFollowing our footsteps back before it gets too coldReaching out, I warm your hand in mine Can I go back there, back to the
“Back to the Beginning” – Official Lyrics Read More »