Life, family, and music.
I don’t perform very often, so each time I do, I go through these steps. I used to wing it, but I realized that a lot of my anxiety came from that. Now, here’s what I do. STEP 1: Brainstorm Songs I work backwards from the end result. I’m not just playing songs; I’m serving […]
How I Practice for a Concert: 11 Steps Read More »
Hi Keeth, Great questions! I wasn’t sure how many songs I’ve written—I’ve referenced 800 before—but I checked my PRO (ASCAP) today, December 3, 2024. It looks like I’ve written 1,024 songs (registered), which is more than I thought. There are likely 50 to 100 that I haven’t submitted because I was probably ashamed of them.
Allow me to talk to you for a moment about pocketknives because I bet many of you do not carry one, and you’re missing out. I have had one on my person for the past 15 years. First of all, I like it because when you carry a pocket knife, no one can accuse you
The Joy of Carrying a Pocketknife Read More »
I am six years old and a member of the Old Dutch Potato Chips hockey team. We have orange jerseys with big white letters. Aaron Degerness is our star player. Saturday mornings are game days and this particular morning the stars align: I catch the puck and begin a long breakaway the length of the
The Breakaway: A Hockey Story Read More »
A little clip for you to enjoy raw, stripped-down music. Love,Aaron
Acoustic Performance: “Thank You for Being a Friend” Read More »
First of all, do you keep a calendar? Do you stick to it? Is “songwriting” on there? Every morning at the same time each day, “solo songwriting” is written on my calendar. I almost never write songs just because I feel like it. I do it because it’s on my calendar. You might be thinking,
Hi Greta, Great question. First, for others reading who might not know, here’s a list of albums and EPs: My Whole Life (2005) Songs from a Small Town (2008) Christmas Songs (2008) Three (2012) Tennessee Sky (2012) Through Frozen Forests EP (2012) Safe Enough to Wander (2013) Black Wall Way EP (2016) Passages (2017) This Time of
Greta asks, “What’s your favorite album you’ve made?” Read More »
So, you’re in a slump. Maybe it’s been a while since you’ve had a win—whether that’s commercial success or simply someone complimenting your work.If you find yourself eating an entire bag of Doritos, I get it. I’ve been there. But here’s something to try after you brush those crumbs off your shirt: Go Through the
How to Believe in Yourself When Times Are Tough Read More »
If you’re having difficulty finding creative time because your life is hectic, that’s okay. You’re normal. After having kids, I grew really frustrated by how little I seemed to be able to write songs. Carving out time seemed impossible. Before you give up, try this method. It’s comprised of two parts: Labeling Existing Daily Habits
How to Find Creative Time in a Hectic Schedule Read More »
“So many of your songs evoke strong emotions (joy, sadness, longing etc), as a listener I can feel them with you. What’s one of the strongest memories or feelings from your own life? Have you written a song about it?” Hi Stephen, One example might be “Vacation,” all about my family’s trip to Disney World