Singer/songwriters Kenny Loggins, Gary Burr and Georgia Middleman recently formed the new band Blue Sky Riders, and were profiled by Huff/Post50 in February. They are finishing their first album and will be chronicling their experiences as a band in this blog.
A few years ago my friend Victoria Shaw (a very famous songwriter) called me up and asked me to join her the next day to write a song with a 14-year-old girl. She wanted me to help with the heavy lifting in case the girl had a not uncommon condition in Nashville called "Can'twriteasongtosaveyourass-itis." (That's the Latin name...in English it's called "Potted Plant Syndrome.")
I had just written about 56 days in a row and I was tired and cranky. "I need tomorrow off!" I whined. She begged. I hung up in the secure knowledge that a day off was more important than one more song. What could putting myself first for a change possibly hurt?
She wrote with Taylor Swift without me. (Who, apparently, does not suffer from PPS.)
Damn. You skip work one day and it's "Goodbye, Grammy"!
In 1983 my Dad passed away. I was obviously very sad and I decided to go out and get some ice cream to help myself feel better. As I passed my writing room I suddenly decided to skip the ice cream and write a song for my father. Believe me, it was a toss up. I loved my Dad but I like me some ice cream.
I stayed home and wrote the song. The song that I almost didn't write became one of my most famous and successful songs and was one of the main reasons, I believe, why I was inducted into the Songwriter Hall of Fame many years later. A great big lesson that my new songwriting gig was going to be a hard taskmaster.
I believe I was given a very good work ethic by my Dad but...come on! Thinking that the next song I write might always be the one that wins the lottery for me makes me either a) roll up my sleeves and throw myself into each day with a renewed sense of purpose, or b) cry softly into my pillow every morning, squeezing my eyes shut against the light streaming into my bedroom.
Every Ferris Bueller day I take better be worth it because it's a song I didn't write. (This is why every time I DO take a day off it is spent either at the zoo or a strip club. I'm kidding...I'm kidding. Zoos scare me.)
It is, therefore, very daunting to think that this summer when I hit the road with Blue Sky Riders, I will basically be taking 100 Ferris Bueller days. I am apparently betting that this new project will financially take the place of my day job, writing for artists. I fear that the artists won't notice I am gone. Example: I run into people all the time here in Nashville who ask me how I like living in LA. I don't LIVE in LA. I am still living right here in Nashville because I love Nashville and I love being a songwriter-for-hire. Leaving town for any length of time makes this entire industry throw you a wake and say nice things about you. You know you are out of the mainstream of this industry when people are saying nice things about you.
Oh well. Being on the road with Kenny and Georgia is a blast. I will write while bouncing in the back lounge of the bus as often as I can. I used to write songs after a full day of being an electrician. Now I guess I'll be back to writing songs after a full day of being a Rock Star. (Yes, I just referred to myself as a Rock Star. I am indeed an asshole.)
Maybe I'll finally get to write with Taylor Swift if and when our band opens for her. I hear she's very forgiving.
Follow Gary Burr on Twitter: www.twitter.com/@Garyburr
Just sayin...
Really it was cute when she was 15 but she hasn't progressed in any meaningful way. Her songs are all the same simple crap. Even that can be good if you keep it evolving and at the very least step up your lyrics and storytelling to some degree (Greenday anyone?)...
Swift does the same damn song 5678765 ways. I am no longer impressed and it ceased to be cute long ago. The pop remixes and auto tuning remain insipid.
Maybe she will get lucky and find management/mentors who will help her move out of the teenybopper regurgitated garbage instead of encouraging it.
The play the two chords in sequence. If it sounds good, keep going. If it's "sour", stir it again, and make another pick.Keep doing this until you have a song. I've written songs using this technique that work....Al-
Thanks Gary for your story. I live in Cookeville and play Dobro, let's jam one day.
God Speed and good luck!
I'm from Santa Cruz and I was on my way to LA, but when I woke up I was leaning against a sign that said: "Welcome To Alaska!" (What? Ya don't believe me?)
I've been up here a few years now and some folks still don't believe me when I tell them where I am. Alaska? Oh, sure, sure! (wink, wink..laugh!)
I'm retired so, I'm not quite in the same situation as you are.
Seeing's how you have a high profile and apparently keep a low profile (hee, hee) you could always put an ad in the local paper from time to time just to let everyone know you're still livin' there. That'll keep the "song-writer for hire" gig open and you could write tunes for them on the road... and, at the same time, alienate yourself from Kenny and Georgia, thereby guaranteeing some real exciting "disagreements," (including, but not limited to) how to end BSR songs, annnd, keep us entertained too, with your posts.
The rest of the time you could divide between dodging bullets and playing gigs.
You'll be too distracted to even think about ice cream!
(.. for the sake of security though, bring your pillow along, just in case!)