Welcome MJ! Feel free to jump right in!

Welcome Taylor to JPFs..
I've been out for some time now myself but getting back into the swing of things here.

But wanted to take the time to say welcome...I know you'll love it here..lots of talented AND great folks here.
Tks glyn

Hi there. I'm excited to join a new song-writing forum
I live in a small Ontario Canada town near Ottawa and do home recordings of many different genres.
Not trying to get rich - just having fun and glad to have another place to share my music and hear what others have produced.
Best Wishes
Paul

Hi Paul welcome to JPF. Good to see one more Canadian here, I'm also from Ontario...Hamilton. Have fun.
Mimmo

Hello! My name is Bethany and I am very new to this game!
I have been writing lyrics for years but now feel finally brave enough to put my stuff out there! I don't write the actual music, i do sing some, but lyrics are my passion! I'm looking for collaboration with musicians to get my stuff on the market!
I can't wait to meet you all!

Welcome aboard the board. Many songwriters here, some lyrics only, some music only, some do both. We are family and like most families, we sometimes have disagreements but mostly over other things beside music, like politics.

What happened to Bethany?

Howdy everyone. Just wanted to say I'm looking forward to using this network again. I had great success meeting and networking with folks all over the map several years ago when I was a busy songwriter. I've been out for a while but I'm back to stay and pick up where I left off. I posted the following on the songwriter section. Thanks. Rich Murray

" I know a handful of jpf members, but I've been away from the writing side of the business for a few years. Just a few "life happens" things that trumped quality writing time, studio time, promotional efforts, etc. Anyway, I'm happy to say I'm in a good place now as far as writing and promotion goes. I've never posted anything online, but I have a couple co-writers that posted here and there. I just got on sound cloud tonight. I posted the 1st song I ever wrote. Details are on the page : https://soundcloud.com/user-667419260/school-days I'm going to make an Americana style album later this year, but as always I'm seeking to get things cut by other artists. A little info about me here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rich-murray-326b1035/ Mostly want to focus on new country and Americana stuff right now. Respectfully, Rich Murray I prefer e-mail for co-write discussion, mm2cap@iquest.net "

Welcome back Rich!

Hello all,
Joined today amid the strange world we find ourselves in with a pandemic changing all of our lives. I still have to work at the hospital in engineering maintenance, only scaled back to half our usual shifts, with the Coved 19 looming over everything we do. Strange times, but a chance to do some things we always complain we never have time for. A time for personal reflection, what's important, what's not, what if we only had a few weeks or months to complete our life, what would we do? Makes you think! No downer here, just being real. What we need is more music to express what we feel, champion our abilities, honing our gifts, practicing our craft, yet not ignoring the needs around us.
I'm working on a dozen songs or so from 40 years of life, rerecording them with Cubase this time. Looking forward to sharing them in the future. My songs come from my Christian faith unashamedly, if any of you are interested.

Kevin

Hello all plain folks out there,
like many members I am sure I have a nurtured an almost life long dream of becoming a real songwriter, that is at least reaching a semi-professional level where more and more of my life will circle around my songwriting.

I became a member a long time ago, but for some reason I didn't become active on the site and this is actually my first post so you could say that I am a new member :-)

I am looking forward to network, learn from and share with all the nice talented people in these forums from now on.

In my late teens I played in a synthpop band, which was close to getting to getting signed with a US major label and the same (still close but no cigar ;-) with a rave/trance duo in the early 90s. In the late 00's at last the project I was part of, Reproject, got signed and released a few tracks and remixes. After that I have produced and remixed on my own under the alias Dewdrops on Mars.

Ever since the early 80s when a music teacher got me into songwriting I have known that it is my true calling and that if I will leave any significant footstep in human history it will probably be as a songwriter. I know I have really good songs within me, waiting to get out there, but I have written very few songs the last years and want to jumpstart my songwriting. I still love to remix and produce tracks, but I want to write full fledged songs and collaborate with talented people to make my dreams and others dreams fly... To write in different genres and different types of songs...

Hope to get to know a lot of people in here.

Although these are trying times, I am a Swede and therefore naturally apt for social distancing and self-isolation ;-) and hope to use the extra time at home to take my songwriting and producing to the next level while interacting virtually with people from different corners of the world.

All the best,
Gustav Persson
Sweden

Welcome back Gustav

Vic

Welcome aboard Gustav! I'm sure you'll meet people to relate to. Some fine folks here!

Best, John

Nice to meet you, Gustav.

Gavin

I see I'm not the only prodigal returning!!!

Y'all, I can't believe it's been TEN YEARS since I logged in. Okay... I can. A LOT happened and began a whirlwind in my life in 2010.
So much has changed!

My name (Bree has always been a nickname, Bridgette is my given name. I've gone back to that and my maiden name ~ O'Hare)
My marital status (hence the last name change).
My location.
My occupation.
My attitude...well, just a little. I'm still a snarky firecracker.

I can't wait to see who's still here encouraging and offering awesome advice!

Looking forward to reconnecting and maybe even writing a lyric or two.

Hello jpfolks! I used to post on this forum all the time 10 years ago, and always got a great kick out of it.I have more time these days and so can join in some discussions and best to you all. Bill Draper

Welcome back Bridgette & Bill! I think about 10years ago, I joined JPF. Hope I wasn't the reason you two left.

Best, John

Oops, 12 years ago I joined.

John

thanks John...oops it was 7 years for me....ok memories going ..lucky jpf keeps track...haha
Bill

Looks like you joined 18 years ago Bill. Good to see you back. Miracle you still have your log in!

Brian

Thanks Brian!

Found this site after Googling the John Lennon songwriting contest to see if it’s legit. An acquaintance entered a song and wanted it voted on, as I remember and after that, we’ve been getting emails about the contest for about two years.

Got a 12 string Alvarez for my 18th birthday and a friend taught me to play some chords. I started almost from the start making up songs. A few were instrumental base runs turned into longer tunes. I used these to help tune it. Friend with guitar worked at a newspaper and we were invited to a fairly well-known songwriter’s house by the entertainment columnist. She started putting words to one of my instrumentals I don’t know why but it was her thing to just create I guess. Anyway, long story short, I got drafted and that was it for music.

Wrote a community column for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution for about five years and that was fun. Retired now and reading lyrics here and listening to songs. Great site and I’m enjoying it. Thx.

Welcome aboard Craig! There are a lot of us old-timers here. Always good to have some fresh old blood. Hey, there's a title for you to write lyrics to - "Fresh Old Blood".

Best, John

Welcome Craig; hope you enjoy your stay!

Ha! Thx. Fresh old blood, the treacherous kind, overcomes youth and enthusiasm every time, or something like that..

Thank you. Let’s see if this replies to the right place.

Welcome aboard, Craig. Nice to have you here.

Thank you, Gavin Sinclair.

Welcome Craig! Glad to have you!

Thanks Brian. Appreciate it!

November 9, 2020.

By William Mahler







http://www.23andme.com got my ancestry totally wrong. I am 1/2 Polish as my mothers father came from Poland.
23 And me says I am not German as well as my father’s father is 100% American German.
23AndMe has me as Italian, Portuguese, English, Irish, Sardinian, Iranian, African & Asian.
23AndMe says I am related to Marie Antoinette, have Taylors, Markels, Harris’s, Edelman & Romanos in my line.
23AndMe makes my brother from the same mother as my 1/2 brother and his son is my 1st cousin.
They got the health report wrong too.

My ma told me today that Richard Mahler is my father in name only for a blood test back circa 1967 proved he's not my biological father. They kept it secret til today November 9, 2020. My real father is a 79 year old man by the last name of Romano living in Fall River, MA. close by. My 1/2 sister is 45 years old and legally blind but beautiful according to
Clement Romano my DNA dad.


The shock has been getting me to talk non stop with complete strangers today, non stop.

Who I thought was my full brother is my 1/2 brother, his son is partly my nephew and my first cousin as his sister is partly my niece and first cousin.

The entire Mahler line is not my line at all.

I'm utterly dumbfounded and saddened.



I feel as if I just got whacked by a baseball bat with a swing from a major league home run hitter both psychologically and emotionally. I'm cast adrift in a mess of what the f**! and complete surprise. 23AndMe.Com a DNA matching company insists i am not a Mahler by DNA at all whatsoever. I am an Italian with the DNA paternal last name of Romano. My DNA father has Parkinson's, prostate cancer, my 1/2 sister is 45 years old, legally blind and has type 1 diabetes. Her ma Carol is floored and had nothing to do with Clement during the 1960's as my ma was with him exclusively prior to meeting my "adopted" father, Richard Mahler. Everything about me that I grew to know and love is completely false of my supposed German/English heritage. Gustav Mahler? Not a chance. I learned there are two Taylors in my family, a Markel in California, a Harris in the Midwest and all are 4th cousins. Meghan Markel, Kamala Harris and Roger Taylor is a stretch but that's not all. Although my ma is polish, I am directly related to Marie Antionette and the current Queen of England’s husband by so many generations, I could marry a royal and get away with it. I feel helplessly cast adrift, not knowing anything at all whatsoever other than what you read here. My mouth has been non stop on the phone with complete strangers about the subject, nearly 95% of the talk all from my compensating mind out my mouth. I'm floored absolutely floored. If this is what floored feels like my head is numb. I can't cry, I can't laugh, I cant sing, I can't do anything but barely deal with this. To put the cherry on top, ASCAP at my request cut ties with me officially today and inside this week I'll be a full-fledged member of BMI, a company extremely friendly with ReverbNation and Reverbs 5+ million artists including Queen unlike the complete opposite ASCAP.





November 11, 2020



My ma feels like the past is going to bit her in the ass.

My father, Richard Mahler seemed happy on the phone.

My best friend and mentor of whom at 80 absorbed the whole sorted detail with the most shock on par with me.

My attorney got an earful that barely included any breath.

A potential landlord in Revere, Massachusetts listened with complete understanding as she is a professional social worker so for 1/2 hour I pitched myself from a gut punch into her perspective quiet apartment life where she works from home and her 17-year young daughter is also going to be present. No time for this is what she is probably thinking. Good god the things I can and will probably be faced with.

The Romano's are shocked, as Clem in response to me offering a 23AndMe DNA kit said "do what you got to do". His wife, Carol was completely in control never once faltering in her demeanor over the phone but a bit taken by surprise. As for my sister Allison, she's 45 and in Clems words "she's beautiful", legally blind and has type 1 diabetes. We've not spoken yet. God only knows there is probably true innocence left in this world within Allison.

Clem has Parkinson's disease and prostate cancer so do i see a contributing role once God takes him in my life? I do..but for now, we are new to each other on our collective asses from this informal unplanned bombshell phone call so for the next week as Carol said, "we are busy”.



My Mahler family has not spoken with me in years other than Richard, my "dad" and after this news, i bid adieu to all of them in voice mail for those with systems that actually work. No matter how many times or how I tried to reach out, never a response, even from my own 1/2 brothers and my niece and nephew. So it's a dead end that I long a time ago, should've left and walked away. I am almost certain that if I ever won millions in the lottery, each of them would swallow it and find me.



The only real family I have is my ma, my "dad" and my best friend, the three of us speak almost daily.



There ya have it.



YA might wonder as I am if you could see what I did in 23AndMe.

There is a woman with the last name of Harris and another named Sharpe in my family tree, both 4th cousins. The Sharpe looks like a happy curly haired Kamala Harris, no kidding.
As for Robert Markel in Bakersfield, California, he was completely surprised that Meghan Markel existed much less lived in the same state. Of course, my mind is thinking that's really Prince Harry aka Robert Markel..and as for my tie to the current Queen of Englands husband, ya back to the 16th or 17th century around the time of Marie Antionette my family was in the mix all in my new family tree at the DNA company 23AndMe, learned this past weekend. There is also a Edelman too, if any of you follow the National Football League of America, Julian Edelman is the best wide receiver the New England Patriots ever had.

You too....

Hi everyone, my name is Joe or Bluecat on here. I have been a songwriter/singer/guitarist (I play just enough guitar to get by) for a few years now. I came upon this site why I was looking for recommendations on songwriting courses. I am older and feel like I don't have a lot of time to waste trying to learn things on my own so have I spent some money and time on courses/bootcamps but am always looking for other sources to learn from.
I had hoped that as I learned more that my joy in music would increase but unfortunately it has now started to feel like another job, with nonstop things to learn as I don't feel my songs are good enough. I am hoping there are others here who have dealt with that and may be able to provide some guidance.

Thanks for letting become a part of the community, I am looking forward to getting involved and sharing some of the things I have learned along my path.

Stay well,

Bluecat

Welcome aboard Bluecat! Good people here on JPF.

Best, John

HI Joe,

Welcome to JPF. I am curious what "courses" you paid for? Did they help you? What are your goals? I think we can likely help you and it is all free!

Jump in on the boards and post some songs if you'd like to get feedback.

Brian

Welcome Joe. As a general rule I would say that the only folks who do feel their songs are good enough are those whose songs are not good enough

Plenty of supportive people here.

[q[/quote]

HI Joe,

Welcome to JPF. I am curious what "courses" you paid for? Did they help you? What are your goals? I think we can likely help you and it is all free!

Jump in on the boards and post some songs if you'd like to get feedback.

Brian
[/quote]

My goals are to be able to better express myself through my songs, to connect with people, maybe be able to help another person through the songs, feel like I am making some sort of positive contribution to the world, and maybe build enough of a community that playing in public is worthwhile. I don't think that the courses were unhelpful or helpful, I know that's kind of a cop out but for me trying to learn from a video, with no way to really ask questions, is not the best way I learn.
I am intrigued by this community and sad that I didn't know of it until yesterday.
Thanks for taking the time to respond and for developing this place.

Thank you Gavin.

Thank you John.

Hopefully you'll find some truth here, whether you can accept it is another matter!
Welcome!
-Mike