3 on Thursday – 1/26/23
In this week’s issue I…
1) share The Making of “Tilt-A-Whirl” (Part I)
2) tell you a very short story about Janice, and
3) reveal a new segment called What Songwriters Talk About at a Bar on Thursday.
Songwriting
This is where I share my process along with things I’ve found helpful.
3 on Thursday – 1/19/23
In this week’s issue I…
1) perform “Paper Route,”
2) share a time lapse video of my watercolor “Paper Route,” and
3) talk to my fellow songwriters about shushing.
3 on Thursday – 1/12/23
In this week’s issue I…
1) answer a question no one’s ever asked me, which is, “Should I get a paper route or a dairy cow?”
2) check in on how my new album Up North is doing on Spotify, and
3) talk to my fellow songwriters about whether they should move to Nashville.
3 on Thursday – 1/5/23
In this week’s issue I…
1) answer an AMA: “What songs did you listen to most last year?”
2) perform a verse and chorus of “Court Report” and
3) talk to my fellow songwriters about when the best time to write is.
3 on Thursday – 12/22/22
In this week’s issue I…
1) answer a FAQ “How’s your hand? Can you play guitar again?
2) share a story about how I think the Court Report became a section of the newspaper, and
3) talk to my fellow songwriters about avoiding the awkward cowriting start.
On Songwriting: It’s Usually the Simplest Way
This happens to me time and time again. I want to say something clever and original. I certainly don’t want to sound cliche. So I go around in circles on a particular line in a song looking for a fresh way to say something. I have to remind myself that cleverness and originality are not …
On Songwriting: Update Your Brain’s Operating System
Every so often I get an iPhone update. I hate updates at first because I don’t like change. Why did they have to do another update? The look is only slightly different; there’s a few new features, but was it worth the bother? After a few days the answer is almost always yes. The changes …
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On Songwriting: Avoiding The Awkward Cowrite Start
Cowriting is a strange activity if you’ve never done it before. Especially with someone new. But here’s something that helps me ease into the write without it feeling too awkward. As you’re getting to know each other, keep track of words and phrases that stick out. Keep track of interesting topics. You don’t have to …
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On Songwriting: Shushing
Songwriting is mostly shushing. You gotta shush people in your head for a good hour or two. “Dumb idea,” says one.“Shush!” you say.“Stupid,” says another.“Shush.” There are about fifteen or so people badmouthing you and they look like your mom and dad. They look like the kid who sat behind you in math class and …
On Songwriting: Is Your Song Any Good?
Is this song any good? That’s a question songwriters ask themselves a lot. But “good” is subjective. What’s less subjective is knowing whether your song is remarkable. Remarkable is the thing you’re after as a songwriter. What do I mean by “remarkable”? I mean someone, of their own volition, remarking about your song. This can’t …