JPF Home Page Forums General Messages Songwriter Message Forum How come we don't get more seekers?

Believe me...some of the pros DO peruse these boards. The first week Dawg and I were in Nashville...we were interviewed by a well known publisher for staff writing work. He said he had read our lyrics here...and then went on to state without any apology that he came to JPF frequently just to look for song concepts that he could then rewrite!! We couldn't get out of his office fast enough!! What a pariah. But it was a very revealing moment for us...and a real loss of innocence (yeah, I know Dawg didn't have a lotta that to lose..)

One of the most interesting experiences for me has been participating in the monthly NSAI song pitch sessions. Here in Nashville..that means about 80 people crammed into one small room for the chance to actually PITCH one song (verse and chorus only) to the publisher or PR person of the month. After listening to these pitch sessions month after month...I can vouch for the fact there there are VERY few killer songs being written by anyone. Most folks trying to pitch aren't even mediocre...and they don't seem to even know that. You have to know where the bar is set before you are going to get signed to anything or get a song actually cut.

I was particularly interested in the comment about Alan Jackson and his 200 holds. It is only my personal opinion...but Alan is a good example of what happens here in Nashville. He's achieved such status that he can do pretty much whatever he wants to...but rarely does Alan himself write a killer song. If you listen to his recent material, it is very simplistic, many repeats of most of the lines...with no real substance. HOWEVER...on occasion, even Alan will write that KILLER song like WHERE WERE YOU WHEN THE WORLD STOPPED TURNING. But people love Alan...so even his mediocre stuff gets listened to.

Kenny Chesney, on the other hand, is a good writer..but one who is smart enough to grab onto killer songs written by others when he hears one he knows he can make into a hit. I love his recent one...Everybody Wanna Go To Heaven (But Nobody Wanna Go Now). I don't yet know who wrote that song...but the lyric and the melody just seem to work (at least for me they do). Love the video also. Again...others may disagree...but as I said, that is my opinion. I am glad there is diversity here.

Happy Holidays to all...
Bobbie