I’ve been asked several times about my experiences in Nashville. So, from the prospective of a fledgling songwriter, who lives 2500 miles from Nashville, and who tries to make the trek a couple of times a year, here’s what I discovered.
When you come to Nashville, if you want to make connections in the music industry, don’t go around handing out CDs of your music to anyone who will take one. It will make you look like an amateur and you won’t be taken seriously.
Seeking out criticism of your songs can feel like asking someone to trample on your dreams. Like, “Hey there, here’s something I put my entire heart and soul into. I’d love for you to tear it apart for me!”
Songwriting is such a tricky and elusive art to pursue and sharpen. It's an individual process, and there's no right or wrong way to write. Oftentimes, songwriters will find a process or writing style that works for them and stick to it.
As a songwriter, Leon's songs have hit the charts across all genres and have been covered by a diverse range of artists. Ray Charles recorded 'A Song For You', B.B. King had a hit with 'Hummingbird', The Carpenters with 'Superstar' and Joe Cocker with 'Delta Lady'.
This one of the few times I did not know who I was dealing with. I was out on the internet listening to good songs with lyrics that tells a good story. I ran across a song called "Alabama Gator Oil". It is a song about a bootlegger in northern Alabama.
I saw this written by Gary Cavanauagh about playing in Nashville at an open mic night. I totally agree 100%.He stated 7 great points to remember if you are playing in Nashville or anywhere for that matter. I have held songwriters stages at Bost Harley Davidson and at the Fontanel.
Just to show how this works for you new songwriters...
There is a guy name Joel Shewmake. He is a fantastic songwriter. He is the "Best of the Best " for 2013 awarded by the NashvilleEar.com. He has several songs recorded by major country music stars.