I just returned home from a 4-day trip there for Songposium. It started with music publishers randomly critiquing songs from an audience of 60 wannabe songwriters, all hungry for their first cut. The publishers talked about how to get songs heard in the music industry -- to be considered by artists, publishers and song-pluggers.
Then we met with the hottest songwriters in the biz (Jeffrey Steel, “Me And My Gang;” Brett James, “Jesus Take The Wheel;” Annie Tate, “I’ve Had My Moments” and Steve Bogard, “Every Mile A Memory”). They also critiqued various songs from the audience. After that came one of my favorite moments from the conference when the songwriters passed a guitar between them and sang some of the hits they had written. My favorite was, “Twenty Years Ago,” by Jeffrey Steele, because it caused me to reflect on my father.
The other 3 days were filled with classes on songwriting, performances at the Bluebird Café and attending NSAI’s annual #1 Party, where they recognized songwriters for their #1 hit songs.
It would be impossible to have an interest in songwriting and to come away without being inspired and motivated. Although I’ve been trying to catch up at my day job, I am anxious to lay down some new tracks to express my passion and enthusiasm for writing at the next open mic night.
Thank all of you who have taken an interest in my songs and for sharing this songwriting journey with me.
