KSA Songwriter Workshop June 18, 2011 with R.C.Bannon
 
On June 18, 2011 the KSA was honored to have welcome R.C. Bannon as the guest speaker for a songwriter’s workshop. R.C. Bannon is as songwriter, recording artist, and producer. R. C. Bannon has written hit country songs for four decades. His song critiques and advice about the music business were of great interest to KSA members East Tennessee songwriter guests. Bannon’s #1 songs include Ronnie Milsap’s “Only One Love in My Life” and Steve Azar’s “I Don’t Have to Be Me ‘Til Monday.” Before concentrating on writing and producing, Bannon was a recording artist for Capital, Columbia and RCA. On network television, Bannon has hosted series for TNN and ESPN. He was music coordinator/producer for the “Mandrell Sisters TV Show” on NBC and a writer for Bob Hope and Red Skelton’s television specials.
Snippets from the presentation, workshop, and song critiques appear below.
These may not be word-for-word quotes and some may have come from the discussion and not directly attributed to the speaker. However editorialized, the following excerpts from the afternoon with R.C. Bannon may be of interest to other songwriters:
- In his early days, R.C. had a mentor who worked with him for 6 years providing reviews of the songs he had written and re-written numerous times over. Sometimes he was asked to rewrite the melody, other times the lyrics. After this time, R.C. felt he was about ready to “compete” in Nashville as a songwriter.
- Some songs have been rewritten changing both the lyrics and the melody only keeping the original title.
- If someone (performing / recording artist) records a song and it doesn’t turn out well, you can consider that song as being “dead”.
- Most of R.C.’s hits were demoed as a single guitar / vocal recording or sometimes keyboard / vocal. As long as the recording is of decent quality that is fine for most artist and producers who have the talent and creativity to imagine how the song could be arranged and recorded. Note however, that some publishers lack that skill/talent and want to “hear a hit” from the demo. But basically speaking, there is a lot of money spent unnecessarily on demo recordings.
- If a publisher takes your song, it’s because they want to listen more. If they continue to like it, then they may start to pitch the song. It was suggested that you put a time limit on this process, such as 6-months to make sure the song is not tied up forever.
- Independent songwriters may want to be cautious with staff songwriters to may want to make a minor change, and then be listed as a co-writer.
- Radio is where a significant part of the incomes is derived from today. Note that in 1992 the law was changed. Instead of limiting ownership of radio stations to only 7, now an organization can own as many as desired. One corporation now owns over 1,400 radio stations. Now this organization tells record companies what they will play. This has changed then environment compared to what it was 20 years ago.
- Q: “What separates a hit?” A: There are “hits” and there are “great songs”. Note that a hit is not necessarily a great song that will endure for generations. But many hits just say what many people would like to say, hear, or do.
- Also note that a well-written song may not necessarily be a hit and it’s difficult to know why.
- R.C. suggested putting down a song for a few weeks. Then go back and read it like it was a newspaper. Be honest with yourself. Find holes in the story and patch them up.
- Your song should be like a movie and create the image of a story in the mind of the listener. However, you have only a few minutes to tell the story in a few lines and a melody. Therefore every line must carry its weight and tell part of the story.
- A bridge is often the bow that ties up the story or perhaps resolves a key part of the story.
Many of us leave these workshops with a renewed sense of focus and desire to write great songs, and perhaps a few hits. KSA sincerely thanks R.C. Bannon for presenting this workshop for the Knoxville Songwriters Association.
After the workshop, a number of attendees met at a local restaurant where songs were shared and, of course, a bit of "jamming".
|
KSA sponsored a Songwriter Showcase at Music Row of Maryville TN on April 23rd 2011.
Our featured showcase at Music Row in Maryville took place on April 23. Local radio station WBCR, 1470 AM carried the first two hours of the show live. We had several of our members perform and I had the honor of doing the emcee spot. Gale Horst was the major force behind setting this showcase up with the Music Row folks and we all thank him for his efforts. David Lauver got the opportunity to do a live interview on WBCR on Friday, April 22. The station played songs by David and Art Daniels during the interview and David managed to get in a plug or two for the KSA.
Gale Horst, C.D. Johnson, Ira Braden, Carol Ostrom, David Lauver, and Edna Riddick from the KSA performed during the event. Additional performers were Jesse Lewis Band, Eric Spurgeon, Harold “Peanut” Inman, and Tony Brewer. Members Ira Braden and Carol Ostrom brought their own group of musicians to the show, including long time musician from Clinton Gene Brewer, dobro player Nancy Woofter, and guitarist Wayne Burnette, who operates B & B Music in New Tazewell. Other musicians who backed the singers included David Orr on dobro, Bill Jenkins on doghouse bass, David Bryan on banjo, and Bob Web on guitar.
|
The 10th annual songwriter seminar was a GREAT EVENT! Scroll down to see pictures and commentary from this KSA sponsored songwriting event.
SONGWRITERS SEMINAR was held at WINTERFEST
in Pigeon Forge
Saturday, February 26, 2011
Location was provided with a first class red-carpet type welcome by :
The Clarion Inn
124 Waldens Main Street
Pigeon Forge, TN 37863
Phone (865) 868-5300
(Click for a map to the hotel)
KSA Notes-n-Commentary gleaned from this recent seminar:
- Keep up the attitude! If your song has just been turned down multiple times, go into the next meeting with a new attitude.
- Get to know people, focus on them. Have your card handy. But don't be a GERM - someone who pounces on anyone in the industry to give them a card or a CD, thus causing the aspiring and over-zealous self-promoting songwriter to be avoided in the future. (or was it a GHERM ... they never clarified the acronynm ... and there must be a good reason!)
- Check out MusicStartsHere.org and HillbillyCulture.com
- Songwriting is a process, not a chance meeting
- Have a peer group to keep you motivated (Join Knoxville Songwriters Association if you are not yet a member)
- Be open minded, expose your work, and let someone else experienced in the craft of songwriting, critique your songs.
- Jump on the opportunity to co-write with someone who has the skills you may be missing. For example, pair up those skilled musically with those skilled in lyrics.
- Don't forget that, although it's a form of art, it's still a business. Be professional.
- Question: How long should you wait if someone puts one of your songs on hold? The panel answers tended to range from two weeks to roughly a month. Although there may be exceptions, it was agreed that a closed end hold is a reasonable expectation. There have been songs on "hold" for over a year. But this seems unnecessary.
- Songwriters need a good demo cut, but a quality vocal-guitar mix may be just fine. Publishers may be willing to help with a demo if the song is worthy.
- Part of the joy of songwriting is passing on your gift.
- What good is a song filed away in a file cabinet?
- It's not unusual for a songwriter to take many years to get a particular song right.
- Although the Nashville music business is somewhat hung up on thinking people (songwriters) need to live in Nashville to be successful, there are some exceptions. Note however, that people living in other areas of the country may not realize that the standards may be much higher in Nashville than where they reside.
- Ideas to get over "writers block":
- Go away, then come back to it
- Just start, then refine. It will come.
- Stop, reflect, pray
- Write your way out of it
- Keep a master "hook list" whenever one occurs to you. Use these to fill the holes, start a verse etc.
- Find a co-writer
- See "Object Writing", covered in a book by Pat Pattison
- Imagine taking a look through someone else's eyes regarding the topic of your song
- There was a question and discussion regarding "Do you have to keep your songs commercial" - Answer/Discussion: Generally the publishers said yes (if working for that market) since they have to sell the song commercially to make a living. However, there are certain niche markets where there is more room for variance. Yet a publisher went on to say that you shouldn't focus on a particular style that a target artist performs. They are likely looking for a new sound and you need to be further ahead of them. This seemed to negate the first answer to a slight degree. Therefore we noted that the definition of "commercial" is a moving target. Perhaps we need to stay ahead, but not too far off the current path.
- A question was asked about format. The discussion by the panel indicated that although there are suggested formats, the most important thing is that the song flows nicely and tells the story. A suggested cross-check is to see if the lyrics read well if read like a letter.
Commentary:
Although the panel focused attention away from endorsing a particular format, it was apparent that there is an ebb and flow in the type of songs accepted or sought after. For example, drinking songs were not accepted well for a time. But when one drinkin' song becomes a hit, then suddenly a bunch follow and become the "in thing". What makes a song commercial material, or the definition of "commercial", seemed difficult for the panel to nail down. However, various clues were dropped. For example a publisher stated that right now the market is looking for up-tempo songs. The duration of "right now" is not known and could assumedly change in what seems an instant. A publisher put a song he was critiquing in the category of a "slow ballad". When queried, the publisher defined the tempos in three categories: "ballad", "mid-tempo, and "up-tempo". This term was also difficult to define but this particular song was deemed "too slow for what the market is currently looking for".
So here's the bottom line in this commentary offered by this attendee:
- Consider all the tips, tricks, techniques, experiences offered in this terrific KDA seminar as an injection of power into the cogs of your creative wheels.
- Try approaches offered by the presenters. You will likely find that some work for you.
- Although characteristic terms such as "commercial", "format", and "tempo" cannot be defined by the industry and have little to go on for standards, there appears to be an ambiance in the industry. If you want to sell your songs, you need to look for this ambiance. No one is going to accurately spell it out for you.
- If you have a good song that has a good hook, a desired currently sought-after characteristic, and the ability to capture and hold the attention of the listener, you may also have a ticket to break these un-documented rules.
- Write, write, re-write, re-focus, and write some more.
- Write often (every day)
- Imagine the imagery of every line of your song
- Follow a key rule . . . have fun ... ;)
The Seminar Speakers / Presenters / Panelists:
- Jo Crowe, CEO of Crowe Entertainment, 2009 Bluegrass Song of the Year recipient. -
- Kent Earls, Senior Vice-President of Creative Services, Universal Music Publishing Group
- Russ Roberts, country artist/writer with a new single just released
- Doak Turner, media sponsor through Nashville Muse and Music Starts Here web resources
- Amanda Williams, hit songwriter/performer/publisher and Hillbilly Culture Club founder
- Kim Williams, a Songwriter of the Year honoree (and KSA lifetime member), his many #1 songs include Three Wooden Crosses and Ain’t Going Down ’Til the Sun Comes Up.
A few candids:
Group Jam
Ira
Kim and Amanda
Peanut
Russ
Guitar presentation by Hotel Management
(Many thanks to the Clarion Hotel)
Vernell - Seminar Organizer for past 10 years
(Thank you ... Thank You!)
Gale, Edna, and Peanut
|
KSA Songwriters Workshop August 28, 2010
with Nashville songwriter Jerry Salley
Jerry Salley & Gene Blair (KSA President)
27 KSA members and guests that attended the Jerry Salley songwriting workshop on August 28, 2010. Jerry started off the 4 hour session speaking from his perspective and answering questions from his viewpoint and experience in the Nashville songwriting, publishing, approach to song selling and the music business in general. He spoke of
topics including when to copyright songs, co-writing, the job of the "song plugger" and how the record companies assign songwriting royalties.
Jerry performs a few of his orignal songs
After a break, a total of 20 songs were played either live or from recordings prepared in advance by the attendees. These songs were heard by all and critiqued by Jerry. Attendees not only received a critique of their songs, they had opportunity to hear the approach, styles, and critique of the songs presented by the other songwriters present. Jerry's constructive comments on the songs contained nuggets to be grasped by all the songwriters present. Below are a few examples:
- A successful songwriter must have a passion for their trade to have a chance of being successful. A successful songwriter has the attitude of "I think I will die if I don't get to do it" type of attitude gained from their love of the trade.
- Jerry has found success and fulfillment writing songs that have a story that also captures the emotions. He performed several of his songs for us that were good examples.
- A song title is not copyrightable. There are writers who will take a song idea from another writer. Although they didn't take the song, it may be considered an area where we need to exercise caution.
- Most songs are NOT done with the first "write". A successful song is often re-written and words or lines changed a number of times before it is considered complete.
- Sometimes you'll want to pick out the best line in the song and turn it into part of the chorus so it is heard several times and remembered.
- It's usually not a good idea to use the same words / phrase twice in the same verse.
- The melody line must be "married to the lyrics". Jerry pointed out a few good examples during the song critiques.
Song Critiques
Song Critiques
(Art and CD are practicing their critical listening skills ... it only looks like they're sleeping!!)
About Jerry Salley: To date Jerry has had 300 songs recorded in his career, including; "I'm Gonna Take That Mountain" - Reba McEntire, "Breaking New Ground" - Wild Rose/Universal Records, "I Fell in the Water" - John Anderson/BNA Records, "How Do You Sleep at Night" - Wade Hayes/DCK/Columbia Records, and ten (10) top twenty gospel songs. As an artist, Jerry has performed on numerous stage shows, including the world famous Grand Ole Opry. His television appearances include Late Night With David Letterman, Regis and Kathy Lee, NBC’s Today Show and several different TNN (The Nashville Network) shows.
|
KSA Songwriters Workshop June 12, 2010
with Nashville songwriter Wood Newton
Nashville songwriter, Wood Newton, lead the June 12 Knoxville Songwriters Workshop. Wood's string of hits has spanned more than 30 years and includes hits include “Bobbie Sue,” recorded by the Oak Ridge Boys, “Twenty Years Ago” by Kenny Rogers, and “What I Didn’t Do” by Steve Wariner.” He also was a writer and producer of David Ball’s “Riding With Private Malone.”
|