I continually talk about KEEPING IT REAL when it comes to approaching the music industry. Most people who come into this really have very little idea of what is achievable and what is improbable.

Throughout my 20 years as a professional songwriter, I’ve noticed there isn’t always a large difference in talent level among creative people. Why, then do some songwriters seem to have an over abundance of fans buying their music while others struggle to sell the first song?

I walked into my first writers round on my very first trip to Nashville eighteen years ago. There were four songwriters on stage in a line, and everyone was playing and singing together. I loved the energy and the way everyone's participation lifted the song.

Something I have always noticed about new writers and artists as they make their pilgrimages to Twang Town is that they ALL FEEL LIKE THEY HAVE BEEN DRIVEN TO DO THIS! And there is validity in that.

"SOMETIMES YOU JUST “GOTTA DO IT” By MAB

Question:” Do you know the difference between a six week old puppy and a songwriter/artist/anyone trying to be involved in this business?”
Answer: “Eventually the puppy stops whining.”

I recently received what is one of the most common scenarios happening in music as it relates to Nashville and the music industry.

Over the past two days I have written on the subject of the difficulty of getting major cuts in this day and age. It is hard even for "inside" writers and publishers to get them and ESPECIALLY hard for independent, non-connected, OUTSIDE writers.

No matter what it is you do in music - artist, songwriter, player - it's pretty likely that you know you could do more with your instrument. Maybe you're a singer that doesn't want to rely on hiring an accompanist or worrying about backing tracks (ugh, but that's just my slanted opinion).

Every year, kind of like clockwork, people go through their “NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTIONS” and of course with songwriters, it always includes, “THIS IS THE YEAR TO GET MY MAJOR LABEL CUT!” I understand all the “Norman Vincent Pealeism’s” of “The power of Positive thinking, and all, and do understand th

This is going to be a little "suggestion lesson" that I want to mention to those of you who are in the LYRIC areas of websites, doing open mics, writers nights, trying to make your way in the new landscape of the industry.