September 2008 - Nashville – Wow! This month I had the opportunity to spend a week in Music City USA – Nashville, Tennessee. Any songwriter that writes in any genre MUST go to Nashville. There is a reason it is dubbed Music City. The songwriting and musical talent is palpable. I was in Nashville to attend the Nashville Songwriters Association’s Fall Songposium. There were over 80 classes to choose from taught by top music professionals in the industry. I learned an incredible amount about publishing, craft and business. Classes were held on Music Row in conference rooms at businesses like Warner Brothers, Sony, Sesac, Musician’s Union, NSAI, World Entertainment and Gilda’s Club.

It was also a great time to meet new people and network with other songwriters, like Joy Huber from Nebraska (Hey Joy!) and smooth jazz guitarist Jay Soto, from Phoenix, AZ and Charlotte Epperson from California/Nashville. I was excited to meet in person my long distance co-writer Beth Kille who resides in Houston, TX. She was also at the Songposium so it was great to spend some time together and talk shop. One night I found myself sitting across from anther Berklee student, John Stoecker at a writers round at the Commodore Grill. I also took the opportunity to attend an ASCAP event and pitch a song to Lynn Gann of Full Circle Music Publishing Company. My week was rounded out with an evening networking party held in the Nashville Songwriters Association’s parking lot. Great time!

I did spend a couple of nights at the infamous strip where saloon after saloon there is incredible musical talent performing every night. These performers don’t get paid to perform - they literally play for tips. I listened to everything from bluegrass, to southern rock, to traditional country, to contemporary country. You name it, we heard it. Each night the strip was crowded with people bouncing from place to place like BB King’s, Wild Horse Saloon, Ernest Tubb’s Record Shop, Legend’s Corner, Tootsies, Hard Rock Café and more. The Ryman Auditorium, a gasoline shortage, Elvis statues on the sidewalk, The Country Music Hall of Fame, southern accents, and southern food were all a part of the atmosphere.

That is just a slice of what my time was like in Nashville. It is almost too overwhelming to write about in a post, but my tip for the month – if you have some time off, take a week and spend it in Nashville. You will be a changed songwriter. I know I am.