This is where I share my process along with things I’ve found helpful.
I’m often asked to write songs for TV commercials. The thing about TV commercials is they’re made by companies. And for the most part companies don’t want to offend anyone or be controversial. They need lyrics with a positive message that speaks to as many walks of life as possible. How do I write a […]
Could Mister Rogers Sing It? Read More »
Do you read books with embarrassing titles? Like How to Win Friends and Influence People or The Four-Hour Workweek or The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People? If you’re anything like me, you stayed clear for as long as possible. The cynic in you despises these titles, having already made a thousand judgments without reading
Read Books with Embarrassing Titles Read More »
My songwriting mentor passed away in 2019. He was one of the most successful songwriters of the last decade, writing and producing hundreds and hundreds of songs, many of which were number-ones. On the flight home from his private memorial service, I realized something. Not one person I talked to mentioned any of his hit
Lessons from a Hit Songwriter’s Funeral Read More »
Hi Jaime, Noah is friends with me, not the other way around! Joking, of course. I met Noah a month before his nineteenth birthday—before he could rock such a great beard. (Still, he had pretty good stubble.) It was December of 2015. He came to Nashville to work on songs for his debut album. My
Jamie asks, “Are you friends with Noah Kahan or is that just a rumor?” Read More »
I’ve listened to some great first albums from artists who put their hearts, time, energy, money––high stakes––on the line. But many of those artists aren’t around anymore. Did they die? Yes. Inside, after not getting the response they had hoped for. I know because I’ve been there. It’s depressing. And humiliating. I used to begin
Create, Share, Learn, Repeat Read More »
8/14/25 – Port Vila, Vanuatu This is currently my morning writing spot. In the corner of a corner bedroom. I like to sit on a pillow on the floor because my bum gets sore after about fifteen minutes. That means it’s time to stop. As many of you know and those who’ve taken my Songwriting
My Current Writing Spot Read More »
Living in Nashville is great, but you start to wonder whether music is even special anymore. Your next-door neighbor plays guitar for so-and-so. Your Uber driver sings better than anyone who’s ever won The Voice. And your Instagram feed is so full of exceptional musicians and artists, you start thinking becoming a plumber might be
How to Remember Music Is Pretty Cool (After Living in Nashville for So Long) Read More »
I used to start abandoning all the work I’d done up until around 2 p.m. every afternoon — words, melodies, guitar takes. Over time, I learned the pattern and realized that if I just took a break, went for a walk, or returned the next day, the work wasn’t nearly as horrible as I’d thought.
Zebra, Zebra, Zebra Read More »
The problem with being a songwriter is you’re likely insecure and sensitive. That’s why you’ve chosen to spend hours alone expressing your feelings while your peers are at the football game. You might think this is a personality flaw, but it will be a superpower later in life. Do we really need songs written by
Get Some Rejection Under Your Belt Read More »
People often get to Nashville and think, “If I could just write with this person or that person, then I’d make it.” But the truth is, if you just hang with your high school class you’ll likely be fine. What do I mean by “high school class”? I like to think of each year in
Hang with Your High School Class Read More »