Between the ages of 18 and 26, I sent song after to song to music publishers around the world. With absolutely no feedback or interest I had just about given up. Then, by taking a step back from ambitions and lofty pipe dreams, I discovered one of the keys to songwriting success.

Write what you know, to who you know.

Tracks are like a band-aid or a painkiller. They offer short term solutions. They are ideal for people who are focused on creating the big event experience. Again and again and again.

Making the plunge away from Tracks might be a scary proposition.

Some people need a hybrid approach.

Me, I like a the scary notion of taking a group of musicians and singers out on stage, without a track or a fixed arrangement or plan… so that every song becomes a moment in time, never to be repeated again. Priceless.

Last week I had the pleasure of working within a community of musicians, singers, songwriters, producers and mix engineers in Greensboro NC. The melting pot of Jazz, Folk, Hip Hop, Rock & Blues influenced artisans is creating a very healthy environment for new ideas and new music. Just hanging out with them for the week injected new life into these aging musical veins of mine.

It was a timely visit because I had just been listening to a podcast in which Brian Eno discussed the nurturing effect a healthy community can have on art, music and innovation.

One part of my brain tells me that there are people out there in the audience, but the other part of the brain gets all relaxed and, not being able to discern any of the actual eyes or faces of audience members, sets frees me and, makes me absolutely fearless.
It is surreal I grant you. But if you ever get a chance to perform on a large stage, the bright lights hitting your face, the hidden energy in the room in anticipation of for your first song, you’ll know what I mean.

Don’t always move with the flow. Turn around, face the opposire direction. Now what can you see?