Mary, thanks for saying that about OD. A lot of people get the wrong impression because the Internet doesn't allow for smiles, sarcasm, laughter, etc. About 90% of things he says to people are really just to get some conversations going, and the "Ol Dog Loves you best" and other stuff is just done to have fun.
But he listens to other people's songs, and there is no one I have met on here more willing to help out a person in need. He has certainly helped me in many instances, so I have a lot of respect for the man. Also knowing a little of his life history, would give everyone a little more insight. He is a very special guy. I care very deeply about him.
As to him being "prolific", he actually always has been. Mary, as you mentioned, he had a couple of pretty good CD's and has worked at this for a long time. He had a problem when we first met, that so many of us, including myself, have. Writing our age. As we grow older, we lose track with the current state of the music industry, how younger people, who are generally the target audience for publishers and industry people, so we write things that reflect our age.
Sometimes this is fine, especially if we are only writing for ourselves or our friends. When we step up and try to participate with others, even if it is just some of the people on our local open mics, or writers shows, then we have to update our skills and understanding. That is the deal with writing with younger artists. It helps keep you in the ballpark regarding trends, language, etc.
It is kind of funny in some ways. From time to time, I go study some of the current writers and artists. Do a YOU TUBE search on some of the people I have been hearing about. Yesterday it was CHRIS STAPELTON, who I have heard a couple of times, and this past year won all the CMA awards. In his music and a lot of his voice, he sounds like what I was doing 25 years ago, when I moved to Nashville. Very soulful and dynamic. I also peruse some of the others, Eric Church, Little Big Town, Luke Bryan, some of the others. Usually the same thing. Formulas in the songs are pretty much the same as we've done for decades. Telling the story, being clear, big choruses. Mostly the same deal I talk about here on and on.
As I write with younger artists, as I am in a couple of hours here, I find it helps just to stay in bounds and try to bring something to THEIR GAME. That is the most important thing to me. If they relate to it, it helps them get something they couldn't quite the same way, that is my role.
That is what OD has done. In his first CD's, he had a bit of a dated style in his songs. They were written years ago, and were fine for what he was doing. When he got with me, I wanted to do one main thing. Get him to listen to some of the current music at that time, and find he was not as far away as he thought, but he needed to get more REALITY into his songs. This is something I feel is essential. When you listen to hundreds and thousands of songs, you can tell when someone is writing something that just "rhymes", and when their doing something they LIVED.
This is a marked difference in what the "BIG DOGS" (major writers and artists) do. In every line, every note, they make you FEEL they have done what they are writing about. Even in some of those silly "BRO COUNTRY" songs, while inane and contrived, most of the time, it seems like they actually did that.
I have told the story before of a group of artists and writers I used to hang out with. We were always doing parties, guitar pulls, hanging out on boats, rivers, lakes, etc. Frankly, we were pretty much every thing those dumb bro country songs sing about. Hanging out in a farmer's field on a Saturday night, with a bonfire, cold beers, and really cute girls?Yep. Been there. Done that.
And years later, some of those writers and artists became people like BIG KENNY of BIG AND RICH, GRETCHEN WILSON, and many others. And I remember a lot of those songs that people have heard on the radio being written and performed, OUT IN THOSE FIELDS.
But anything can get overdone and that is what has happened. So you write about other stuff.
That is what I have seen and been involved with and why I have enjoyed showing that to people like OD, Phil and others. It is really cool when they are in a small room with a bunch of writers and suddenly some unknown guy pulls out some LEGENDARY song they grew up listening to on the radio. That has been my life.
And you see so many things. One of my friends who was in that group, Rory Lee, is right now going through a very public terrible time with his beautiful wife Joey. She has Cancer and is all over the media, Internet, etc. Very tough, but very inspirational and those two have really touched a lot of lives.
And to me, that is what songwriting is about. Rory wrote a song once called "CHAIN OF LOVE" which is one of the best written songs I have ever heard. They are living that, and the song is more poinient all the time.
So that is what I have been fortunate to see in OD. His songs have gained those kinds of insights. And I don't talk about "Hit songs." I talk about songs that really place things well, say things well, observe those "realities." And that is what he has grown into. It is fun seeing him come from those places and advance in his abilities. Will be something relevant for him to leave behind.
So Mary, I'm glad you are recording his, Ott's Peggy's songs. Thank you for that. It is the sincerest form of what all this is about, that you care enough about them to put them ahead or in line with your own. Something that doesn't happen too much any more. Good for you. Hope you will let me hear them some time.
So there are always good things going on. You just have to make your good times outweigh your bad times. Glad you guys are still at it, still writing and thanks for getting on here. Always good to hear from you.
MAB
But he listens to other people's songs, and there is no one I have met on here more willing to help out a person in need. He has certainly helped me in many instances, so I have a lot of respect for the man. Also knowing a little of his life history, would give everyone a little more insight. He is a very special guy. I care very deeply about him.
As to him being "prolific", he actually always has been. Mary, as you mentioned, he had a couple of pretty good CD's and has worked at this for a long time. He had a problem when we first met, that so many of us, including myself, have. Writing our age. As we grow older, we lose track with the current state of the music industry, how younger people, who are generally the target audience for publishers and industry people, so we write things that reflect our age.
Sometimes this is fine, especially if we are only writing for ourselves or our friends. When we step up and try to participate with others, even if it is just some of the people on our local open mics, or writers shows, then we have to update our skills and understanding. That is the deal with writing with younger artists. It helps keep you in the ballpark regarding trends, language, etc.
It is kind of funny in some ways. From time to time, I go study some of the current writers and artists. Do a YOU TUBE search on some of the people I have been hearing about. Yesterday it was CHRIS STAPELTON, who I have heard a couple of times, and this past year won all the CMA awards. In his music and a lot of his voice, he sounds like what I was doing 25 years ago, when I moved to Nashville. Very soulful and dynamic. I also peruse some of the others, Eric Church, Little Big Town, Luke Bryan, some of the others. Usually the same thing. Formulas in the songs are pretty much the same as we've done for decades. Telling the story, being clear, big choruses. Mostly the same deal I talk about here on and on.
As I write with younger artists, as I am in a couple of hours here, I find it helps just to stay in bounds and try to bring something to THEIR GAME. That is the most important thing to me. If they relate to it, it helps them get something they couldn't quite the same way, that is my role.
That is what OD has done. In his first CD's, he had a bit of a dated style in his songs. They were written years ago, and were fine for what he was doing. When he got with me, I wanted to do one main thing. Get him to listen to some of the current music at that time, and find he was not as far away as he thought, but he needed to get more REALITY into his songs. This is something I feel is essential. When you listen to hundreds and thousands of songs, you can tell when someone is writing something that just "rhymes", and when their doing something they LIVED.
This is a marked difference in what the "BIG DOGS" (major writers and artists) do. In every line, every note, they make you FEEL they have done what they are writing about. Even in some of those silly "BRO COUNTRY" songs, while inane and contrived, most of the time, it seems like they actually did that.
I have told the story before of a group of artists and writers I used to hang out with. We were always doing parties, guitar pulls, hanging out on boats, rivers, lakes, etc. Frankly, we were pretty much every thing those dumb bro country songs sing about. Hanging out in a farmer's field on a Saturday night, with a bonfire, cold beers, and really cute girls?Yep. Been there. Done that.
And years later, some of those writers and artists became people like BIG KENNY of BIG AND RICH, GRETCHEN WILSON, and many others. And I remember a lot of those songs that people have heard on the radio being written and performed, OUT IN THOSE FIELDS.
But anything can get overdone and that is what has happened. So you write about other stuff.
That is what I have seen and been involved with and why I have enjoyed showing that to people like OD, Phil and others. It is really cool when they are in a small room with a bunch of writers and suddenly some unknown guy pulls out some LEGENDARY song they grew up listening to on the radio. That has been my life.
And you see so many things. One of my friends who was in that group, Rory Lee, is right now going through a very public terrible time with his beautiful wife Joey. She has Cancer and is all over the media, Internet, etc. Very tough, but very inspirational and those two have really touched a lot of lives.
And to me, that is what songwriting is about. Rory wrote a song once called "CHAIN OF LOVE" which is one of the best written songs I have ever heard. They are living that, and the song is more poinient all the time.
So that is what I have been fortunate to see in OD. His songs have gained those kinds of insights. And I don't talk about "Hit songs." I talk about songs that really place things well, say things well, observe those "realities." And that is what he has grown into. It is fun seeing him come from those places and advance in his abilities. Will be something relevant for him to leave behind.
So Mary, I'm glad you are recording his, Ott's Peggy's songs. Thank you for that. It is the sincerest form of what all this is about, that you care enough about them to put them ahead or in line with your own. Something that doesn't happen too much any more. Good for you. Hope you will let me hear them some time.
So there are always good things going on. You just have to make your good times outweigh your bad times. Glad you guys are still at it, still writing and thanks for getting on here. Always good to hear from you.
MAB
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