Write Anyway
If writing is the way we discover ourselves then to stop would be the end of beautiful relationship.
Where is the "Justice" in the DoJ?
“I can't help wondering if this may be the moment for the songwriting community to try to make a stand as a united front.”
Greetings From Nashville
"Concept is everything…some writers write themselves into a circle and wait for the main idea. Sometimes they get lucky. But if you have the concept right from the start the songs write themselves.”
#CarlySimon
Many artists sing about their incongruities, their longings, their insecurities. But what she said and how she said it resonated with the girl I was. She gave me my palette.
Father's Day 2016—Since You've Been Gone
As much as I wish you were still here I take comfort in knowing you escaped some very painful times. At least that's what I tell myself when I want to feel better about missing you so much.
Trading Places
What if, just for a few songs, Topliners took the bottom and the Producers got on top—so we could better appreciate each others’ function?
Suddenly...
We get so caught up in our work and then suddenly something happens that makes us take stock.... "Suddenly" from my new memoir...
A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to The Airport....
The streaming revolution has been a gift to users. We can access as much music as we want, whenever and wherever we want it. For ten bucks. And, we can put our selection back on a shelf and opt for something else if for any reason we aren’t satisfied. That’s a pretty good deal. One would think that for an all-you-can-eat buffet, the value of music would have risen, not declined.
Songwriting Camps
A few months ago, my esteemed colleague, producer/songwriter Greg Wells, who hosts a yearly event at a castle in Bordeaux, invited me to France.
My Favorite Gift
The best gifts are truly the ones that don’t come from the mall. Or cost money. Or arrive on a holiday.
Nothing Compared 2 U
If we’re of the age that somebody’s music was the backdrop to our youth, and the one who created it moves on, it's as if our youth gets a little farther away.
Farewell CD
There was just something a bit more tangible about handing someone something that wasn’t invisible…something they could touch…that took up space.
Dear Songwriters....
Our industry is a hot mess. Everyone’s trying to hold onto what’s slipping out of their control in this (still rather new) digital terrain.
Wilson (No) Phillips....(from "Confessions of a Serial Songwriter")
From every songwriting session that you enter, hopefully you give something away and take something with you when you leave.
What If Your Favorite Song Didn't Exist?
Those who go into the business with fortune or fame as their goal will never write a song as good as those who do it for Love.
Jump
If you’re ever inclined to take a leap toward a literary endeavor I wish you a fast computer with the latest operating system and a healthy hard drive, note taking Apps on all gadgets in all rooms (and cars and gym lockers), patient families, a partner who knows you well enough to remind you when you’re misremembering, and friends who don’t doubt you. You’re going to need them.
