Case Studies: Getting your foot in the door

There’s a simple principle behind getting your foot in the door: You must prepare to succeed or you have prepared to fail.

You get your foot in the door by preparing yourself in such a manner that gatekeepers want to take a meet with you. Once you’re sitting in their office, you tempt them with a single great song so that they will want to hear more.

Jordan Richman

Currently, I manage one client, Jordan Richman, who is a brilliant songwriter, musician, producer, and a very hard worker! When he started out, I did not start setting up meetings with any A&Rs or publishers. It was only at the point that he had a litany of great songs that I made intros into the corporate world of suits and contracts. With a rich catalog, I trusted that he could convince any executive to do business with him.

I prepped Jordan for his first meeting at Sony with a bit of theatrical role play. With my office as the stage, I assumed the role of Jim Veluttato (VP of Sony/ATV Publishing) and asked Jordan that initial probing question, iterated as a comment really, that one can expect from any publisher: “So, Jordan, tell me about yourself.”

From then on, I let Jordan lead the meeting. He discussed his strengths, recounted his career highlights, detailed the hours he had spent honing his craft, and peppered the conversation with endearing anecdotes. He did well and, afterward, I gave him my critiques so that he could further perfect his performance.

At the end of the day, you need to think about these meetings as performances. When you have an amazing opportunity to connect with someone who could help you in your career, you cannot leave the meeting to chance. When you get your foot in the door, be ready, be prepared, and be rehearsed.

By the way, he nailed the meeting due to his preparation and Jim started setting him up with his writers immediately.

Myylo

One of my previous interns, Myylo got his foot in the door by first moving to Nashville, the music city. Location can make a huge difference in your musical success as the industry is concentrated in a few cities. Secondly, he integrated himself into the community by co-writing with others and venturing out to industry events and shows so that he could network. When it came time to release music and a music video, he was able to take full advantage of that network.

With a catalog of finished music (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0HVHtcSpDbM ), he is now able to set up industry meetings, co-writes with people further up in the musical food chain, and shows around the city.

“Luck” is truly not the serendipitous force we think, is it? No, luck is what happens when great preparation meets opportunity. This business and our little lives can be filled with luck when we make it so.

One of the reasons I started my songwriting retreats was to create a time and space for songwriters to create luck by investing in themselves. They’re able to get away from quotidian responsibilities, the drain of technology and self-imposed limitations and go, instead, towards setting a foundation to achieve their dreams

Write the songs, prepare yourself for the business and network with music organizations and communities so you are ready when the opportunity comes.

“I will prepare and some day my chance will come.”

― Abraham Lincoln

And the tables are turned

For the past few years, I have been traveling all over to interview successful songwriters about their processes for my video series “Door To Door.”  It has been so special to have these opportunities to visit their spaces, get into their heads, and share their stories with you all. 

John Shanks, Kevin Kadish, Gabriel Mann, Lucy Woodward, David Hodges, Walter Afanasieff, Jamie Houston, Ben Glover, Bonnie McKee, Tyler Hilton are just a few of the writers who have participated.

So, I was surprised when my team came up with the idea of turning the tables and interviewing me! When I accepted their proposal, I started to feel butterflies. Although I hid it from my staff, I nervously anticipated my interview. Luke Yates, who is an integral part of my team (I’ve been referring to him as my Chief of Staff), offered to play the role of interviewer. He drafted all the questions, which I was not permitted to see before the big event, adding to my anxiety.

However, once the camera was rolling, I felt much more comfortable than I ever could have imagined. It must’ve been all the practice I had interviewing everyone else and the assurance that the stories I tell are my truth. With the camera flipped on me, I was reminded why I started this series in the first place: Our stories help us to make sense of our reality. They teach us, they heal us, and they inspire us. 

This episode is my story.

My Fellow Speakers - Ted Talk Blog #4

As you may know, I was honored to have been chosen to give a Tedx Talk in Paris. When I finally met my fellow speakers, I was humbled by their wide breadth of experiences and accomplishments

My new friend Sara Safari was climbing Mt Everest when the 2015 earthquake in Napal happened. She was hanging from a rope on the side of a mountain that was shaking and dropping ice blocks all around her.

Miraculously, she survived. Since then, she has written a book, titled Follow My Footsteps: A Journey of Adventure, Disaster, and Redemption inspired by the Plight of At-Risk Girls, and now travels all over speaking and raising money and awareness for the young girls of Napal.

My friend Mohamed Jamal Dean raises awareness for refugees and, perhaps most importantly, helps create schools for them. While he’s currently a nurse anesthesia resident in Northern California, he has served in intensive

care units in he has served in intensive care units in Chicago, worked in EMS in the pre-hospital setting, and gained experience on projects in West Africa. With extensive experience, he is heading to Europe to work with Syrian Refugees and produce a film called “No Place like HOPE,” which illuminates the struggles of Syrian Refugees in northern Greece.

John Isaac worked as a photojournalist for the united Nations for over 25 years and boy does he have stories! Having grown up in Irungalur, India (a village without electricity), he was brought into a UN choir after a woman heard him singing on the street.

He then acquired a job in the UN mailroom where began working his way up to the photography department. During his UN tenure, he traveled to 120 different countries to document major events like the 1983 Ethiopian famine and the 1994 Rwandan Genocide. Now, he focuses his efforts on saving the tigers of India.

Neil Davey, a third-year undergrad at Harvard, is only 22 and already coming up with improved cures and procedures for cancer patients and serious diseases all over the world. He has researched oncology and infectious disease and co-founded two tech start ups, one of which seeks to reduce female feticide in India.

And then there’s me, but you guys already know what I do!

It was truly an awe-inspiring experience to be included in this great group of individuals full of great intentions.

Memorizing the speech-Ted Talk Blog#3

In the world of TedX, there are no cue cards allowed.

Instead, you have to memorize your speech in its entirety. I used two methods in particular to do so. First, I wrote the speech by hand over and over and over…and over again. Second, I memorized it by working backwards, from end to start. I was taught the latter methodology when memorizing sheet music over the the course of 13 years of piano lessons. A strange, but effective technique.

I divided the speech into the following 6 sections: Introduction, personal history, my methodology, my workshops, my experiments, and the end. By compartmentalizing each part of the speech, I was able to memorize tidbits at a time, thereby ensuring that I wouldn’t get overwhelmed by the enormity of a 15:00 monologue!

At the beginning of May, three weeks before my Tedx Talk, I gave my first run through in front of my mother. She was in the hospital for a little spill she had taken, so she was kind of forced to give me her full attention. I got it through it better than I had hoped…and so did she.

And, in the following weeks, I started to become my words. The speech was on continuous repeat in my head. If I tried to carry on long conversations with people, my speech would slowly creep in. That really made me feel confident for the big day.

I arrived in Paris on a Monday night, the week before my Saturday, May 20 performance. I purposely took Tuesday off, spending the day at a spa and catching up on sleep. By Wednesday, however, it was back to the grindstone of rehearing, rehearsing, rehearsing.

On Thursday, the producers of Tedx hired an acting coach for all 11 speakers in order to help us bond through the practice of heart opening exercises. We rehearsed the beginning and end of our speeches in front of each, which genuinely put us at ease.

It was at this time that I was very grateful to have taken 2 voice over classes and acting lessons, which prepared me to present my speech in the best possible light; heartfelt and with a dash of conviction.

On the day before everything unfolded, we had technical rehearsal at the theater and practiced on stage with microphones and visual aids.

The Madeleine Theater was exquisite. We filled it to the brim on Saturday, easily reaching its 800 person capacity. Sitting in my cheering section were my husband and champion, Brian Murphy, my Event Manager Luke Yates, and my Coach, Ginny Slocum, plus a few writers from my workshops and retreats.

I took the stage on Saturday May 20, 2017 at 4pm and gave the speech of my life.

I can’t quite explain the feeling with words. I was looking forward to a sigh of relief, a breath that I could finally exhale now that it was over. However, my high was so high that it has taken weeks to come down.

Not surprisingly, I woke up both Sunday and Monday morning with my speech playing in my head, still rehearsing over, and over again.

Writing The Speech - TedX Talk Blog #2

One thing that really resonated with me about doing a Ted Talk was their process of assigning mentors to it’s speakers to aid in the process of developing our speech. In addition, they also arranged a monthly hang out with a special guest to educate and inspire us. My mentor was the amazing Virginia “Ginny” Slocum, a leading speech coach and member of Toastmasters.

Being that Ginny lives in Paris, we met over Skype every Monday at noon for an hour.

On January 2, I started to write my speech. Nervously, I sent her the first draft and waited patiently for initial comments.

The first thing she asked me was how long my speech was. “Roughly 15 minutes” I naïvely replied.

Apparently, I was wrong, for she chuckled and said, “This draft is more like 45 minutes”

…Okay I had some trimming to do. But I had so much to say!

That was the learning curve. I had never written a speech before. Talk in front of people? That has never been problem. I can ramble on with the best of them. But a speech? This was a whole new animal.

And boy, was I up for the challenge.

I trimmed and trimmed and then I trimmed some more, but still it was too long and too much.

During the first week of April, I went to France for one of my songwriting retreats, which meant I finally got to meet with Ginny in person, as well as Ben Sabry and Evelina Judeikyte, who run Ted Talk Paris. I finally I got to rehearse my speech for them, which was a true blessing.

Having 3 mirrors, reflecting my performance and words back to me was an eye opening. It was their experience, and constructive criticism that propelled me to truly refine and define my dream. That’s when my speech really took shape.

When I got back home, I edited my speech for what would be the last time.

I got this.

My next hour long Skype with Ginny was a relief. My mirrors agreed with me. I got this.

Now on to memorizing it…without cue cards.

*takes a deep breath*

I got this.

I gave a TedX Talk!

TED Talks are influential videos from expert speakers on education, business, science, tech and creativity.

I gave my first Ted Talk on May 20, 2017

And this is how it happened.

On September 21, 2016 my event manager, Luke Yates, sent me information about sending in an audition tape for Tedx Paris on the subject “One Life”

Two days later on Sept 23, I had my right hip replaced and was out of commission for a few weeks.

The 3 minute audition video plus application were due on Oct 20.

You can see where this is going. On Monday Oct 17, I finally pulled myself together, body, mind and soul to complete the task.

My new intern, Dia Morgan, had not even started yet, but since she was also a videographer, she was tasked with her first assignment: make me look and sound good!

Well, 2 weeks later, Ben Sabry, the head of Tedx Paris, called, curious to who I was. He was fascinated by my idea (what specifically is the idea) and wanted to know more about me and how it came about. After an hour long Skype call, I satisfied his curiosity and he left me to hope I would be chosen.

The next morning he reached out for a quick call...to tell me that I had been chosen.

They usually only have 10 speakers, but they decided to buck tradition and make me the 11th.

They made room for me!

What? Crazy!

I am still in awe, of me.

My idea is for songwriting to become a staple in our education system; to empower children and help create a generation that will use their words to change the world.

The most expensive seat in the house

Written February 2016.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vfTPurcQgzA

I watched my husband, Brian Murphy, recently being interviewed by Steve Rennie on his web show, Renman Live. Brian gave Steve his start in the business and it was so cool to hear them talk about the business and share stories.

Brian is a concert promoter- it’s in his blood. He can walk into an empty room , turn on his spacial reasoning button and fully visualize the finished sets down to to a tee.

He has risked his own money and even mortgaged his own house for a show! In the back of my mind, I always knew this was part of his story, but I did not realize what a huge deal it was until now, after watching this interview. I have a very different perspective being in Corporate America and spending someone else’s money.

Brian made a comment about he always had the most expensive seat in the building, and it made me remember back to when we first started dating. Jewel was playing Irvine Amphitheater (now Verizon), which was Brian’s venue, and he called me to see if I was all set for the show: tickets, backstage, parking? I said yes, too fast, and corrected myself and said I did not have parking. He said he would take care of it and that was that. The perks of having a boyfriend as a concert promoter!

I showed up that Sunday evening and gave my name at the podium for parking. The girl pointed to go down a dirt road in front of me. I looked to my right and saw parking lots and wondered why she was pointing a different way. I motioned to her like, “really, this way?” ... but she urged me on.

I drove straight for about a quarter mile. Then, with help from the parking patrol, I took a left and proceeded to follow it around until I was shown a space behind the stage. Yup, behind the stage. Brian came out to meet me, grinning from ear to ear. ‘Bet you don’t ever get this close, do you?”

“This is a first” I replied. He’s a keeper!

Great interview with great insights. I think everyone should watch it- but clearly, it held extra sentimental value for me.

Highly recommend.

Interviewed on inspirational creatives

One more thing…

On March 16, I blogged about what my platform would be if I were running to be the President of the United States. I put forth that I would emphasize the responsibility of raising a child and that one would have to grow a single crop in return for their life on this earth.

And now, I would like to add another.

I believe that when a child turns 6, her parents should take her down to the local pound to save a dog’s life. She will walk, feed, train, and love that puppy into a dog. The blessing of this caregiving act will teach our young people to be more compassionate and caring human beings.

On the Purina Petcentric Website, there are 5 beneficial reasons listed that show why this is good idea:

1. Constant Companionship

Although childhood isn't always easy, having a pet provides constant companionship through the ups and downs. Dogs can be a great source of comfort for kids — even when they're coming to grips with difficult life lessons. Whenever kids feel sad, angry, or afraid, they can always turn to their pet. Petting and cuddling dogs has also been shown to relieve stress and help people relax.

2. A More Active Lifestyle

Caring for a dog also encourages a more active lifestyle. In fact, a recent study showed that kids with dogs exercise eleven minutes a day more than their non-dog owning peers. That might not sound like a lot, but over a week or month, it really adds up. Many dogs require daily walks or runs and plenty of play time. Those adorable puppy eyes they give you are sure to motivate you — even when you're not feeling up to it.

3. Learning Responsibility

Having a pet is a great way to teach responsibility to kids. Making sure that the family dog has food and water gives children a first glimpse of accountability and obligation. Children also learn empathy and compassion by caring for their pet, while developing a higher level of self-esteem by taking care of their pet-owning responsibilities.

4. Health Is Wealth

Recent studies have found that babies raised in close contact with a pet get sick less often in their first year of life, meaning fewer visits to the doctor's office. Exposure to pet dander and the microbes that pets carry into the home from the outdoors is suggested to improve babies' developing immune systems. Research has also found that children who grow up with dogs experience a reduced risk of allergies.

5. Don't Worry, Be Happy!

Perhaps one of the greatest benefits of dogs in early childhood is simply that they make children happy! Interaction with animals has been proven to raise levels of serotonin and dopamine, which are the chemical building blocks of positive feelings. All science aside, playing and interacting with dogs is just plain fun — and it's bound to brighten any kid's day.

Well, it will probably be a while before this becomes law, but that does not mean you can’t put it into place right away!

Adopt a pet, save a life, fall in love.

Right from the start

This is an excerpt from my book “The Songwriters Survival Guide”, Chapter 8:

You are the CEO, Become The Leader Of Your Career

True story: I worked closely with songwriter, producer, and musician Jamie Houston for over nine years. I met him in Nashville right before he moved to LA in 1992. He had been waiting tables, writing songs, and making connections, and had decided to move to LA to pursue songwriting. A year later, I signed him to his first publishing deal.

From the beginning, I could tell that Jamie was a very quick learner who was inherently good at business and also really great at predicting the future. When he started to earn money from songwriting, he treated every cut as if it could be his last, saving and investing wisely. On my suggestion, he hired a business manager immediately to make sure that, from the very start, he was pointing himself in the right direction.

The music business can be so up and down: you can make $1 on one song and $1,000,000 on the next, so saving up for a rainy day is key.

Jamie brings consciousness to his business practices so that he is protected and isn't caught off-guard when things don’t work out. He asks the right questions sothat he understands the choices he needs to make.

He also carries all of these skill sets over when he is developing artists, teaching them not only about the creative side but making sure they understand the business. He is paying it forward!

When it came time to hire a lawyer, a business accountant, and a manager, Jamie hired wisely and has the same team in place to this day. I have watched him balance his career and personal life as he has grown from a young man with aspirations to be a part of the music business, to a successful songwriter/producer, husband, and father.

Jamie is a great leader by the example he sets in his creative, business and personal life.

Little Gems

In 2003, I took 15 Warner Chappell writers from all over the world to Lake Arrowhead for my annual Writing “Summer Camp. That year I would meet Stephony Smith from our Nashville office.

Immediately, I felt connected to this woman. She was smart, kind, funny and oh yeah, she had written a little song called “It’s your Love” for Tim McGraw featuring Faith Hill.

Her other songwriting credits include Heidi Newfield’s “Johnny And June,” Trisha Yearwood’s “Perfect Love,” Reba McEntire’s “How Was I To Know,” Chad Brock’s “Yes,” Tim McGraw’s “Back When,” Kenny Chesney’s “Big Star,” Ricochet’s “What Do I Know” and Lorrie Morgan’s “Go Away.” She was BMI’s 1998 Songwriter of the Year and has more than 100 cuts by artists such as Shania Twain, SHeDAISY, Barbara Streisand, the Dixie Chicks, Lonestar, and Diamond Rio.

On the first day of camp, I paired her with her roommates: Jodi Marr who is a successful Pop/Latin writer and Rosey, an artist/writer signed to Polygram at the time. That day, they wrote one of my favorite songs that has never been cut, “Someone Says Your Name.”

I can’t tell you how many songs sit in the vaults of publishers that are forgotten. Honestly, I should make a playlist! I was at Warner Chappell for 20 years and got pretty familiar with thousands upon thousands of songs that will never be heard again. They will never get the attention they deserve because it takes too much man power to look through them and see if there are any gems. It’s a full time job.

Luckily for you guys, I’ve dug this one out! Enjoy this song written by 3 girls who had just met and are still friends to this day.

“Someone Says Your Name” by Jodi Marr/Rosey/Stephony Smith

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“I think I’m fine and then...

Then someone says your name

then all of a sudden my tears come down like rain

I thought it was over

but it’s like nothings changed

cause I still feel the same when someone says your name”

Timing is everything

*If you now have a catalogue of songs, your business in

order, and your heart full of intention, then you are ready

to start setting up meetings with publishers and other

music executives who can help you with the next step:

monetizing and expanding your career”

.....The Songwriter’s Survival Guide by Judy Stakee

I was Ben Glover’s second publisher. He was part of Shaun Shankel’s co-venture with me that also included Joy Williams and For King and Country’s Joel and Luke Smallbone.

He received a small but “enough to live on” advance that afforded him the time to perfect his craft. He needed to learn how to turn good songs into singles. And, that he did. He started getting cuts in his second year with artists like Trace Adkins, The Afters, Joy Williams, Natalie Grant, Mandisa, and many more.

Just as Ben’s third option was nearing, Warner Chappell had a regime change and was, yet again, making a decision as to whether or not to employ Ben as a staff-writer. The new leadership came in to reevaluate, cut costs and unilaterally drop writers to save the bottom line. Ben ended up on the wrong side of the line.

The worst part is that neither of us were prepared for it. I had always picked up writers who brought in royalties and performed well, so I was struggling to make sense of the decision. It felt like I had just stepped off the top floor of a building with Ben in hand, and the only thing keeping me afloat was believing with my whole heart that he would land somewhere safe.

Luckily, Ben had been making quite a name for himself in the Christian marketplace and he put a call into Eddie DeGarmo, a longtime friend, at EMI Publishing and told him he was a free agent. At the same time, we let Dean and Matt Serletic, who had recently started a publishing company at Emblem Records, know the situation. Ben had written a ballad with their act Gloriana at their writing camp that ended up on their record, so they were big fans. By the end of the week, both EMI and Emblem had made offers. Other publishing companies called, fighting over Ben, the “it” boy, and that felt good

Ben ultimately signed with EMI Music and the results of that decision have proved very successful. He has penned twenty-six #1 hits in multiple genres of music and was named ASCAP’s Christian songwriter of the year in 2010, 2012, 2013 and 2015. He wrote the hit country songs "Hard to Love" by Lee Brice and "Love Don't Run" by Steve Holy, along with numerous hits in Christian music including "All This Time" and "The Lost Get Found" by Britt Nicole, “Write Your Story” by Francesca Battistelli, and Mandisa’s songs “Stronger" and “Overcomer,” the latter of which won a Grammy award. Along with his credits as a songwriter, Glover has also achieved some notable success as a producer for songs like “Busted Heart” and “The Proof of Your Love" by For King & Country, and the song “Greater” by MercyMe. Glover has had over 350 songs recorded in multiple genres of music by artists such as Chris Tomlin, MercyMe, Crowder, Trace Adkins, Gloriana, Thompson Square, The Backstreet Boys, Amy Grant & James Taylor, Marc Broussard, Clay Walker, Joy Williams, Brandon Heath, Josh Wilson, The Afters, Colton Dixon, Newsboys, Kari Jobe, and many others.

At the very beginning of his journey, Ben put all his focus, energy and hard work into creating a foundation for his career that has held him up and supported him as he has climbed up the preverbal ladder.

And, the whole time, he has built a great reputation of being someone you could count on to get the song written. The proof is in the pudding!

In times of struggle, it was Ben’s craft that pulled him through. So, now I ask you, reader, what are you doing to perfect yours?

More door to door

For a girl who had been back-and-forth between Nashville and Los Angeles for years on end, I had not been back to Music City for some time. I was eager to get back to Nashville, which I had heard grew so much: approximately 85 people a day are moving in!

So, last month, I made plans to speak at Belmont, to produce a writer’s workshop for The Record Shop, and to conduct several interviews for my video series, Door to Door.

Belmont was so much fun! I had 100 students in front of me eager to find out what I had to share. Prior to my trip, I had been introduced to Giovanni Sean of The Record Shop and, with his help, put on a one-day workshop at Sony Studios for his community. These day-long workshops are really my favorite thing to do. I get to give information that can really help someone on their journey. There is nothing better than seeing a face light up when someone get the tools they need to push forward.

For my Door to Door Series, I sat down with Ben Glover, Jamie Houston and Stephony Smith.

All three are very successful writer/producers. Ben is mainly in the Christian marketplace, Jamie straddles Pop and Country, and Stephony has a hold on the Country market. I signed both Jamie and Ben when they were just starting out and I gave them the foundation they needed to succeed and it still supports them today. I could not be prouder.

I met Stephony in 2002 at one of my Writers Camps, five years after the release of her huge single “It’s Your Love” by Tim McGraw featuring Faith Hill. She was signed out of our Nashville office. At the ACM’s the next year, her song swept the top awards.

I was taken aback by how many people thanked the writer so profoundly. That night nobody forgot the part that Stephony played in the song’s success. It was so validating for her as a songwriter to receive praise for an oftentimes faceless job. And that’s why I really love Nashville: they respect their songs and their songwriters in a way that no other city in this industry does.

Boy, do I miss that town. I should have bought property 30 years ago when Jamie Houston advised me it would be a good investment!

The picture above is with me and the band Levon, who Jamie developed, produced and co-wrote. Lucky girl, they sang for me!

Enjoy the videos!

Songwriting camps

In the early 90’s, Miles Copeland, most notable for founding IRS records and managing The Police, bought the Chateau Marouatte. Constructed in the Dordogne region of Perigord Vert, France, the Chateau Marouatte is a 14th century fortified castle steeped in history. It was there that Copeland would change our industry with one word: camps.

Having 270 acres to his name, Copeland decided to invite 24 songwriters and artists to the French countryside for a week. He fed them and housed them, only asking for one thing in return: to write and record a song per day in which he would share a piece of the publishing.

For eight years, Copeland sponsored the Marouatte writing camps with Almo Irving Music Publishing. However, in 1999, Warner Chappell became his new partner and I was put in charge. That year, I took 12 writers on an overseas flight to Paris, a cross-country train to the South of France, and finally an hour long bus ride to the Chateau Marouatte for a once in a lifetime experience.

Due to my camp’s success, Warner Chappell asked if I was ready to do it all over again the following year. And, I was, but I had a vision for creating a camp for only our writers.

That year and the next, I set up a camp in Nashville where there was already a community into which I could integrate. However, it became apparent to me that the writers and I needed some new place where we could be isolated from the music industry. And, therefore, I started to host my camps in Lake Arrowhead.

There, I played matchmaker for writers who had left their everyday routines at home to nurture a creative spark. A safe space was provided for everyone to experiment with new genres and words, and make lasting connections. Ultimately, these camps became a very important exercise in taking my writers out of their comfort zones so that they could experience new perspectives and new ideas. For writers like Kevin Kadish, NIcky Sixx, Jodi Marr, and Tim Nichols, camps were a turning point where they figured out who they were and where they could take their art.

Now, I’m doing it all over again. And, this time, I want YOU to be there. I will be putting on a “first of it’s kind” songwriting retreat from June 10-13 in Normandy, France where you can be a part of an eclectic group who will partake in a camp like those that so many prolific writers still participate in today. Come with me for a weekend of inspiration and challenges that will propel you forward in your songwriting journey.

Rewards

I am proud to announce that my book, The Songwriters Survival Guide, is a Forward Review Independent book award finalist.

This is the first time in recent memory where I’ve felt my competitive spirit reignite. When I was a child, my father, by way of his natural spirit for competition, cultivated within me a desire to win. He always wanted to be the first place finisher, the right one in a heated debate, or the one who pulled off some extraordinary feat! Winning gave him an undeniable sense of joy and he surely enjoyed the ego boost from all the attention.

I am indebted to him for a victor’s lesson I’ve carried with me my whole life: hard work is the catalyst for reward. This first became apparent to me when I was swimming competitively in high school. I practiced day-in and day-out for hours at a time. Although it wasn’t always easy, come time for competition, those laps I pushed myself to complete in practice gave me the winning edge.

When I got the news I was a Forward Review finalist in 2 categories early in March, I felt like a twelve year old girl again: body tensed and focused on the pool podium, ready to propel myself through the water at breakneck speed as soon as that starting gun goes off.

However, at this point, all the work that I could have done to win this award is on the pages of my book. Now, it is up to a community of my peers, 120 librarians and booksellers from around the country, to name a winner. There is no lobbying to be done, posters to make, or campaigning of any kind. My work will have to speak for itself and that is both exciting and unnerving. Trust me, the competitor inside of me wishers she could be in that judge’s room trying to win over everybody and get there votes.

That said, no matter what happens, it feels phenomenal to be noticed for all the work that I have put into The Songwriter’s Survival Guide. As a music publisher by trade, most of what I’ve accomplished is behind the scenes, never getting applause, let alone a prize! So, for now, I’ll take a moment to relish in this accomplishment and thank those who voted for me.

My dad would disagree, but just being nominated feels like a win in-and-of itself.

Potus

It started over a week ago, late at night in the hills, while I overlooked a city blanketed in a rare fog. I was brooding over the choices we have left for President and began conversing with myself about the state of the world. I thought out loud: “ Why don’t I run? Then, without skipping a beat, I asked myself, “What would my platform be?”

The ideas came pouring out of me and I quickly resolved to run my platform based on 2 philosophies: 1) If you have a child, then you have to be able to take care of it and 2) in exchange for your place on this earth, you have to grow one crop.

This is where I would start, with a collective and universal intention to honor our children and the earth: the fundamentals of our society and our survival. We would ultimately spend less money on programs that punish or mask the problem for those who would be affected. For example, when a child grows up feeling loved, protected and nourished, they are less likely to be depressed and that means that there is no need for the drugs that are used to combat this condition. Take away the root of the problem, i.e. feeling lost, alone and abandoned, and plant seeds that nurture and inspire love.

We would accomplish this by helping women see a specific perspective: it’s not okay to be with a man who has no intention of taking care of mother and child. If you are going to give life to a child, then you need to focus your full attention on that human being in order for them to fully develop and, ultimately, be able to live their own lives. When women have to work outside the home and raise a child, success is nearly impossible. Certainly, there are some superwomen out there! However, mothers should not have to work outside the house until the child is attending school, because the child will suffer from the mother not being present.

That said, Fathers will have to be able to provide and protect mother and child so that they can concentrate on their journey. We need to help fathers see how important their role is as providers and protectors and show them that they should take pride in that honor.

Furthermore, we need to ensure that it is parents, as opposed to nannies, who are the one’s raising their children. In marriage and family therapist Dr. Laura Schlessinger’s book, “In Praise of Stay-At-Home Moms,” conversations are started about internal struggles that women have when deciding to stay home and how that decision impacts their marriage and benefits their kids. Dr. Schlessinger’s writing also raises an important question: If nannies are raising children, why do parents even have them? Considering the implications of this questions, it is easy to conclude that parents should take on the responsibility of raising their own children.

Indeed, parents naturally have the intelligence, intuition and means to breed love in their home in a manner that protects, inspires, and nurtures children. In this type of environment, children will grow up to be loving and decent people, equipped with the tools to create their own life and fly solo by the time they reach 18. And, isn’t this the true prize of life: raising the next generation full of happy, well-loved human beings!

Accomplishing this culture shift would necessitate programs that support long maternity leaves and that teach creative thinking about restructuring how children and mothers bond, grow and flourish during those years. However, if we put importance on the deep bond between mother and child, I have no doubt that this would be possible.

Beyond creating this change for mothers and children, under my presidency, every human being in the United States will have to grow at least one crop in exchange for his place here. Grow what you love to eat in the space you occupy. If you live in a 30 story high rise you can still plant herbs inside or ask to plant something in your friend’s garden or pitch in with a community garden.

If you take from this earth, you must give back and learn how to grow food. This one ritual of growing food will breed gratitude in all other areas of life.

Side note, I promise that any money I would receive for campaigning would be put directly into use for building and developing schools and programs. And maybe…I would give every child a dog to love, feed, exercise and train

So tell me, if you were going to run for the President of the United States, what would your platform be?

Another dream of mine

Another dream of mine is to add a curriculum in our schools that would support the Language Arts Programs starting with upper elementary age students, that teaches them how to tell their stories by learning how to write songs.

Having coached songwriters and artists to find their voice through their songs for over 30 years, I have developed a methodology that teaches storytelling through songwriting.

I would love to start teaching young children this curriculum so they can communicate effectively for the rest of their lives, but no matter what age you are, my methodology and curriculum can help you tell better stories and communicate more effectively in your life.

Learning how to write songs is a simple method combined to enhance your communication skills. At the same time, it is fun and makes the learning easy.

My methodology is based on two very simple but powerful questions. The first question is: What is a song? And the second is: How do you develop yourself so that you can write more effective songs?

What is a song? A song is your perspective on a moment in time. It is a story told by integrating your voice, melody and lyrics.

A song is approximately 200 words and 4 minutes. That’s how long you get to tell one story. This fact amplifies the importance of every word you use in your songs and highlights the significance of words in your writing.

How do you develop yourself into a great songwriter? The answer is you will have to develop facets of your body, mind, and soul in order to achieve results in your voice, lyrics, and melody to effectively create songs. In other words, you will need to be inspired, nurtured, and educated in all of these areas in order for you to succeed as a storyteller.

Can you imagine how your life might have been affected if you would have known how to tell your story better? I believe that If you know how to present yourself with the gift of storytelling: to a potential employer or partner, to whomever you are dating or whomever you are leading, life becomes much more rewarding.

Let’s teach children how to find and stand in their perspective and then how to use their voices and words to tell their stories.

Good things come to those who wait

Written October 2015.

In 2013 For King and Country won Best New Artist at the Dove Awards. This past week on October 13, 2015 they won again for Best Contemporary Christian Band. Congratulations!!!

It reminded me that on Labor day this year I went to the LA Country Fair to see For King and Country to perform. They were only the second Christian band to ever play the fair, and the crowd did not let them down!

My relationship with For King and Country began in 2006, when Shaun Shankel, a great producer/writer, who I had a Joint Venture deal with at Warner Chappell introduced me to Joel and Luke Smallbone. Back then, the band was just a glimmer in Joel’s eye with Luke following close behind. We signed them to the Joint Venture and spent the next 5 years developing their songwriting, sound, brand and themselves. From integrating their voice, stories and ideas, they became one strong voice.

It took a while to get the first record out but the boys were patient. They knew to they had to just let go and let the process happen. They had their faith to keep them going.

They are now on their second record with 2 Grammy wins, 2 Dove Awards, a new tour, and a universe of new possibilities.

So last month when they took the stage and held it in command the whole time at the fair, I was not surprised. Joel climbing the rafters of the stage, Luke beating triumphantly on huge percussion pieces, and their entire band taking turns center stage playing multiple instruments- their performance filled the space with raw energy.

They had an audience comprised of mostly loyal fans but who had never seen them live before; singing- no chanting- their songs. They had always been great performers but there is nothing like the consistency of the road to whip you into shape!

The music filled my soul and I left there feeling nurtured...and I resisted the temptation to eat a fried oreo at the fair.

All in all it was a good night.

Wearing many hats

We used to live in a society where a craftsman's hat signified what he did for a living - baker, welder, banker, butcher. So when someone was described as wearing "a lot of hats", they meant it literally. Nowadays, wearing a lot of hats is what we do for a living.

I recently interviewed Brian Malouf, who is a songwriter, drummer, musician, producer, engineer, mixer and executive. Oh, and father, husband, friend, mentor, advocate and leader. That’s a lot of hats.

I have many parents who come to me with the question of how to guide their child who wants to wear one of the hats I just mentioned. I advise them to keep their children in school as long as possible. That way, they learn as many skills as possible related to their field.

If a child doesn’t want to go to an already established institution, he or she can put a program together themselves. Voice lessons, dance lessons, acting classes, literature classes, debate classes etc. offered “a la carte" are great alternatives to a formal program that can help students hone in their skills. Whether a student chooses a formal or self-made program, it is extremely important to allow room for self discovery.

Learning is one of the best preventative medicines you can take to have a healthy career.

After you graduate, you are expected to get a job, support yourself, and live your life. Usually this happens with no further education. This is one reason why many people get stuck in the same old routine for a long time.

Learning something new gives you psychological real estate to expand your own consciousness. You become more aware and see new opportunities. You also become more valuable when you wear many hats, and I guarantee you will be less bored when you can offer more than one skill.

When Brian Malouf is working with an artist, he may be hired for one job but always brings the others along for the ride, just in case! This makes him more valuable, and gives him new, fresh challenges in any job.

Can you wear more than one hat?

The art of finishing

This moment right now makes up for everything.

Recently, in a room of 20 songwriters, I asked the question, “What bad habit do you want to break?,” and the most common answer was, “Finishing what I start.”

It’s hard work to transform yourself, to learn a new skill outside your comfort zone and actually finish something.

So when I sat down last year and declared I was writing a book, I had not really thought too far ahead of what that actually meant. The bug was planted by my marketing consultant who thought writing a book would be beneficial for my company and for up-and-coming songwriters, so I thought, “Sure, why not?”. I had little idea of the process and journey I was about to begin.

I would sit in my office, after my day was supposedly done, and play either Brandi Carlyle, Cristina Perri, or Joy Wiilams through my speakers while I poured out all that I knew I needed to say. I was trying very hard not to edit or judge myself. I was practicing stepping out of my own way, and letting whatever come through.

Step out of my own way? What a concept!

I could not have perceived how the ‘throwing up your words’ process while writing would affect me. Seeing my words staring back at me was eye-opening! I was re-creating my life right in front of me, shaping it just-so it all fit together seamlessly so that you could benefit from my experiences. It worked, beautifully forI am most proud of the sense of accomplishment I feel.

This book is my voice, my stories, and my methodology. It’s me.

Through all the hard work, I now have a product that will live forever and hopefully touch a lot of you out there.

This moment is worth it all.