Gerald Ol Buddy,
The advise The MAB gave you is right on. I can relate to your story because I to was influenced by music at an early age, and took a long time off before I really got into writing songs and wanting to be a better writer.
The thing that drew me to this Forum was the fact, MAB knew how to write at the Nashville Bar and teach us how to write better songs and how we could write closer to that Bar as well.
Aside from his list of artists and songwriters he has helped and worked with, over the years, he has a much larger list of average folks like you and me, he has helped along the way.
Older guys and gals (like us) that want to become better songwriters and write closer to that Nashville Bar, that will improve with every song we ever write in the future. For most of us, we have made a living at our chosen careers outside of songwriting; but we now have a desire to pursue a dream in music we kept to ourselves and on the back burner. All of a sudden we want to go for it.
It most cases we can't hear the difference between the style and sounds of our music to that being played on the radio.
Sometimes the current radio music is so out of touch with the music we like (and grew up with) we don't care for the current stuff at all and choose not to listen.
That is fine; but proves we have a disconnect with the music and the younger audience that does like that music. That is the lesson The MAB talks about with us needing to write with younger artists; if we want our songs to sound current and for us to find the younger artist to write with. We can also write what we want and how we want if that is what we want to do.
I did listen to your song on open mic and it was fine. You have an older traditional style you write in, and your performance is good. However, your song sounds dated and in the style of older country. That is fine but you limit yourself to the number of co-writers that will want to join you in co-writing that older sounding style.
The traditional country sound still works in the Texas market; but only in Texas. Not sure where you are from but I would guess Canada from your last post.
Now about the MAB Tours, I don't want to make this post an advertisment for a Tour; but I will have to give my honest opinion that you can gain so much with a tour, and become a much better artist/songwriter by taking one and hopefully more.
The truth is; it's not just a Tour that makes a trip to Nashville so special; it's meeting the like minded people that love music and love learning the craft of writing songs. For me, the tours are great but the relationships and friends I make is the best part.
OD