Songwriters: Relax and Create Better Songs

Last month was a busy month of mentoring. I believe I mentored 6 people in just one week. One theme that kept coming up is that people are really stressed out over getting their songs to “the right people“. So my message today is to relax and create.

To begin with, I’m still not sure who “the right people” are, and I’ve been doing this for 20 years plus.

It would be hard enough if I knew exactly who they were in every instance. Not knowing leaves you “fishing in the dark” to quote the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band.

One person I met with had listed several people they were working with that I knew to be “fringe” people. These people are working as song pluggers, publishers, etc and they talk a big game. They tell you all the big cuts they have been a part of placing, they drop a lot of names, and they hope you won’t check up on what they say – because MUCH of it isn’t true.

In every instance, my response to people is this – “Relax and create better songs”.

When I write a song that is an undeniable hit song, I don’t have to go door to door begging my pluggers to pitch it. They are fighting over it and trying to beat each other to the punch. The same will hold true for you. If you write a song that is a “no-doubt-about-it” hit, you won’t have to beg people to listen.

If Clay or I hear it, we will be passing it along to everyone we know. Whenever you play it for any other reputable person, they will do the same. Why? Because, if I take Billy Currington or his record label, the next monster hit for him, he doesn’t care if I wrote it. He’s grateful that I helped his career. So, the next time I take him one of my songs, he’s going to remember that I brought him his last hit and give me extra consideration. I look good if I take someone a hit song. You won’t have to beg me to pass it along.

So, I find myself telling people over and over, “Relax and write”.

That’s your ticket to success. When you finally write that hit, you will have people lining up to get it into the right hands for you.

Relax. And Create. Better. Songs. (Repeat Daily)

Write on! MD