Well MAB, I think the last guy you hooked me up with lived in Tallassee. About 2 1/2 hrs away. Still, compared to Justin in Texas, not totally bad. I did go meet him on a trip to Apalachicola, but it turned out he wrote blues only. I never did ask him about co-writing.
However, on that trip I did get a song idea while at the Bowery Station bar in Apalachicola. Which brings up a story about getting song ideas, and trying to co-write. I went over there to see Alan Rhody. I got there early, and the owner was already playing some songs. There was this woman, probably in her mid to late 60's, that was out on the dance floor every song. By herself, with the house broom. She continued dancing by herself with that broom, even after Alan got there and started his show. The whole time I'm sitting there I'm thinking, "there is a song here".
Now, to digress, the song idea had no relevance to any of my own life experiences, so I was stuck tryin to figure out what kind of life story to come up with. Kind of like the song you and Megan wrote, "Final Address". Well, I don't remember you ever telling me the song was based on any of your or Megan's experiences? So, it was going to be more of a "songMAKER" kind of song rather than a "songwriter" song. But I still wanted the story to sound like a real life experience.
So now I have the title, "Old Straw Broom", and a story about an older woman dealing with the loss of her lifelong partner. I really didn't want to write it by myself, so I held onto the idea until I went to my next NSAI meeting, a few weeks later. I told the group (only about 4 of us at that meeting) about the experience, and that I had an idea for a song title, "Old Straw Broom". I did not explain the story line idea. I wanted a reaction first. The very first response from one of the members was a huge laugh and a comment something about writing a song about a witch on a broom. What?? When I tried to explain the story was about a woman who lost a partner, no one seemed interested and just kept talking about a witch on a broom. So much for co-writing.
The rest of the story is, I wrote the song I wanted to write. Took me about a month, and even after it was "finished" I went back and changed one line I didn't like from, "Holding on to her youth", to, "For a while she's back in her youth". Anyway, I played the song at our next NSAI meeting, and everyone was floored. And, since then, when I do play it out, it gets a good response. I don't play it out much though because it is one of those "sad" kind of ballads. Not really "sad" but not up-tempo fun like I try to play when I'm out. Most of the open mic's are at bars, and I don't think they're really interested in those kind of songs.
Oh yes, and I did make another trip over to Apalachicola to play that song for the woman who inspired it. She didn't show up until about half way through the second verse, but the loud crowd there did quiet down, and I did get a good response. And, unlike Megan's story, I never did get to talk to the lady and thank her for giving me an idea.
phil g.