All posts by Brent Baxter

Biz, Cowriting

Repost: Why Benton Blount Is Successful

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Man vs Row

 AGT_Benton_Blount

Brent Baxter is a hit songwriter with cuts by Alan Jackson, Randy Travis, Lady Antebellum, Joe Nichols, Gord Bamford, Ruthie Collins, Ray Stevens, and more. He’s written a top 5 hit in the US and a #1 in Canada… so far.

REPOSTING NOTE:

I originally posted this in May of 2014.  Now, about a year later, Benton is making waves on America’s Got Talent.  Be sure and watch for him in the coming weeks on NBC!  Proud of ya, Benton! #TeamBenton

<This post is not just to tell you how cool Benton Blount is. There are valuable nuggets for both aspiring artists and songwriters.>

The first time I met Benton Blount, I thought I’d walked into the wrong room. My cowriting buddy, Skip Black, had set the three of us up to write, telling me, “This guy named Benton… country singer… record deal on Golden Music…” Well, my default answer when it comes to writing with a signed artist is “yes.” (See my post, “Things I Say Yes To”)

So I go walking in, but Skip isn’t there yet. There’s a guy sitting there looking like a rock ‘n roll UFC fighter. “Uh… you seen Skip?” Then Benton opened his mouth and filled the room with his Carolina drawl. Immediately, I knew it was gonna be an interesting day. (That was the day we wrote “Could’a Fooled Me,” which is on his album, “Stripped.” Check it out here.)

We continued to write, but as these things happen (too often), Benton’s label folded and he made the move back to the Carolinas. I don’t know for certain, but my guess is that his phone wasn’t ringing quite as often. But he didn’t quit, he just kept working. Guess you could call that, “drive.”

Benton and I have stayed in touch- not just because he’s a good guy and cuts my/our songs (“I Don’t Have To Prove I’m Country” “Could’a Fooled Me” “Go To Him” “God Sent A Woman”) I’ve been sure to always send him songs when he’s looking and to write when we can for one simple reason:

I believe in Benton Blount as an artist.

And this is more than just a gut feeling. It’s based on a few factors- ones I think you should consider when deciding how much time and energy to invest in an artist.

1. Talent

Benton is a singin’ fool. No doubt that he knows how to sing. And his voice would stand out on country radio. He’s also a solid songwriter (who’s smart enough to cut the right outside song).

2. Hustle

Benton isn’t waiting on Music Row to pick him. He’s already picked himself. He’s writing, recording and releasing albums. He’s out on the road playing a lot of shows. It’s obvious that he’s not afraid to work. And his booking agency and sponsors apparently agree.

3. Fan engagement

The Benton Blount experience isn’t confined to one of his shows. He’s been consistently engaging with his fans (and making new ones) through social media. At this moment, he has over 16,000 Facebook fans, 44,000 Twitter followers, and 27,000 Instagram followers. He’s also put out a lot of videos on YouTube. Careers are built on fan support, and he certainly has that (his latest album was fan-supported on Kickstarter).

Of course, hard work, talent, and persistence don’t guarantee anyone a major label record deal and radio hits (though it’d be nice if they did). But either way, I’m happy to have songs I’m proud of sung by a real singer- no matter how many people hear them at the end of the day. But given what I know about Benton… I’m betting it’s going to be a LOT of people.

You can find out more about Benton at… www.bentonblount.com

God Bless,

Brent

 AGT_Benton_Blount

A GIFT FROM BRENT

Thanks to those of you who have already downloaded my book, Think Like A Pro Songwriter!  I hope it’s helping you make the jump from amateur to pro songwriter! If you haven’t downloaded your copy yet, you can get it FOR FREE at www.GiftFromBrent.com or by clicking on the image below. Enjoy!

think like a pro songwriter 3D

 

WordPlay

Wordplay Thursday #100

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Wordplay Thursday

Welcome to Wordplay Thursday!  We hit 100, ya’ll!  Thanks so much for going on this ride with me!

Here’s a writing prompt for you. It’s a simple fill-in-the-blank. You can use one word or several. Feel free to get as crazy, genre-appropriate, or as imaginative as you want. The point is to get the creative juices flowing. And it’s a good thing to dig deeper, so don’t stop at the first idea that hits you. Try coming up with at least five things.

“The Man vs. Row community is more awesome than _____.”

I’ll give you an example to get you started.  (And this is how I really feel about you, by the way.)

“The Man vs. Row community is more awesome than robot grizzly bears fighting alien sharks on a trampoline.”

I’d love to hear what you come up with, so please share in the comments. Oh, and please keep your posts below an R-rating. It’s a family show, after all!

And thanks to  and everyone for your great additions to all 100 Wordplay Thursdays!  (You can check out last week’s WPT here!) Great job!

Wordplay Thursday is a great way to the get the creative juices flowing and get some songs started. But what about finishing songs? Sometimes that can be more difficult. That’s why I’ve written “Finish Your Song! 20 Ways To Overcome Creative Roadblocks.” Click here to find out how to finish more songs faster and better. Or click on the image below. Thanks!

God Bless,

Brent

finish cover 3D

Muse

I’m Nothing Special… And That’s Good News For You!

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Man vs Row

Brent Baxter is a hit songwriter with cuts by Alan Jackson, Randy Travis, Lady Antebellum, Joe Nichols, Gord Bamford, Ruthie Collins, Ray Stevens, and more. He’s written a top 5 hit in the US and a #1 in Canada… so far.

I’m nothing special.

There’s no big obvious reason for the moderate success I’ve had in the music business. I’m not a musical child prodigy. I wasn’t born into a music biz family. I don’t come from money or connections. I’m not even from Tennessee.

I’m just the son of school teachers. I grew up in Batesville, Arkansas- by no means a musical hotbed. I don’t have natural musical talent. (I sing like a horse and haven’t picked up a guitar in years.)

I was never handed the songwriting golden ticket.

In spite of all that, I’ve been able to earn some success in the music business. I’ve had a top 5 hit in the US, a #1 Single Of The Year in Canada, 3 publishing deals, and cuts by artists including Alan Jackson, Lady Antebellum, Randy Travis, and Joe Nichols.

That’s not Hall of Fame success, but’s it more than a lot who try their hand at songwriting. But I’m nothing special. And that’s good news for you. 
Why?

Because you’re probably nothing special, too.

Odds are that, like me, you weren’t a child prodigy who is amazing at everything. You probably weren’t born with music industry connections, either.

So if I can have some success, why not you?

God gives each of us certain talents. Mine is a knack for words. I’ve always loved playing with language. I didn’t choose that gift- it was given to me.

But what I could control was how hard I worked, how I didn’t give up, and how I took bold action.


Those aren’t natural talents. Those are choices. Choices YOU can make, too.

God Bless,

Brent

JOIN ME ON A LIVE INTERNET WORKSHOP!

On Wednesday, July 15, I’ll be hosting a LIVE INTERNET WORKSHOP from 8:30pm to 9:30pm CENTRAL. I’ll be teaching out of my book, “Finish Your Song! 20 Ways To Overcome Creative Roadblocks.” There are only 11 tickets available for this exclusive event, so don’t delay! The $35 ticket includes a FREE copy of “Finish Your Song!” along with notes and extra content not found in the ebook. To find out more or to get one of the 11 tickets, CLICK HERE or on the image below!

Small Group Coaching 1

WordPlay

Wordplay Thursday #99

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Wordplay Thursday

Welcome to Wordplay Thursday!

Here’s a writing prompt for you. It’s a simple fill-in-the-blank. You can use one word or several. Feel free to get as crazy, genre-appropriate, or as imaginative as you want. The point is to get the creative juices flowing. And it’s a good thing to dig deeper, so don’t stop at the first idea that hits you. Try coming up with at least five things.

“He found himself falling into her _____ eyes.”

I’ll give you an example to get you started:

“He found himself falling into her quicksand eyes.”

I’d love to hear what you come up with, so please share in the comments. Oh, and please keep your posts below an R-rating. It’s a family show, after all!

And thanks to Mitch Townley, Matt Martoccio, Linda Keser, Mel Ayres, Sharon Mason Palmer, Steve Estes, Buddy Lewis, Anonymous, Barney Coulter, Brenda Karl, Kim Kondrashoff, Brek, Joe Slyzelia, Todd Dickinson and everyone else for your great additions to Wordplay Thursday #98 (read it here)! Great job!

God Bless,

Brent

JOIN ME ON A LIVE INTERNET WORKSHOP!

On Wednesday, July 15, I’ll be hosting a LIVE INTERNET WORKSHOP from 8:30pm to 9:30pm CENTRAL. I’ll be teaching out of my book, “Finish Your Song! 20 Ways To Overcome Creative Roadblocks.” There are only a few tickets available for this exclusive event, so don’t delay! The $35 ticket includes a FREE copy of “Finish Your Song!” along with notes and extra content not found in the ebook. To find out more or to get one of the 11 tickets, CLICK HERE or on the image below!

Small Group Coaching 1

Biz, Songplugging

Pitching Your Songs Is Like Learning To Play Guitar (Really)

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Man vs Row

Brent Baxter is a hit songwriter with cuts by Alan Jackson, Randy Travis, Lady Antebellum, Joe Nichols, Gord Bamford, Ruthie Collins, Ray Stevens, and more. He’s written a top 5 hit in the US and a #1 in Canada… so far.

Remember when you first picked up the guitar? It was a mystery. How do those great guitar players do it? Then you watch a YouTube video or pick up a Mel Bay book (showing my age) and it tells you how to form your left hand into G, C, & D. The first time you strum a clean G, it’s magic!

And it quickly becomes pretty dang painful.

Your soft, virgin fingertips haven’t built up their calluses yet, and it feels like they’re going to split open any minute. (And Heaven have mercy if your first guitar has high action.)

But if you play frequently enough and don’t quit, your fingers will toughen up. Making those chords won’t hurt. That high E string won’t be the razor blade it used to be.

Now you’re not quite the beginner you were. Now you have a little “pro” about you.

(I may focus on lyrics now, but there was a time I earned some calluses on an old acoustic.)

Learning guitar can teach you a valuable lesson about pitching your songs to publishers and labels. And that lesson is:

You need calluses.

If you’re like me, your first meeting with a publisher is full of excitement, hope and big possibilities. Well, that’s how it feels on your end, anyway. From the publisher’s perspective, you’re probably just the next person through their door- a stranger who may have potential but probably doesn’t have a hit to play that day.

And the publisher is probably right. And it hurts.

Then you get another meeting, either with the same person or with someone else. Again, publishing deal offers don’t drop out of the sky like confetti at the end of your song.

The disappointment stings.

But, over time, you build up your calluses and it doesn’t hurt like it did. Having someone pass on your song will never feel good, but you’re able to take passes in stride and move on to the next song.

Like playing guitar, if you stick with it and don’t give up, you’ll be rewarded for it.

Enjoy the journey,

Brent

JOIN ME ON A LIVE INTERNET WORKSHOP!

On Wednesday, July 15, I’ll be hosting a LIVE INTERNET WORKSHOP from 8:30pm to 9:30pm CENTRAL.  I’ll be teaching out of my book, “Finish Your Song! 20 Ways To Overcome Creative Roadblocks.”  There are only 11 tickets available for this exclusive event, so don’t delay!  The $35 ticket includes a FREE copy of “Finish Your Song!” along with notes and extra content not found in the ebook.  To find out more or to get one of the 11 tickets, CLICK HERE or on the image below!

Small Group Coaching 1

WordPlay

Wordplay Thursday #98

25 Comments

Wordplay Thursday

Welcome to Wordplay Thursday!

Here’s a writing prompt for you. It’s a simple fill-in-the-blank. You can use one word or several. Feel free to get as crazy, genre-appropriate, or as imaginative as you want. The point is to get the creative juices flowing. And it’s a good thing to dig deeper, so don’t stop at the first idea that hits you. Try coming up with at least five things.

“Her lies were getting more _____ than _____.”

I’ll give you an example to get you started:

“Her lies were getting more tangled than her dreadlocks.”

I’d love to hear what you come up with, so please share in the comments. Oh, and please keep your posts below an R-rating. It’s a family show, after all!

And thanks to Barney Coulter, Ethan Fogus, Jeff Green, Sharon Mason Palmer, Mae Young, Eric Tingstad, Brenda Karl, Eve, Joe Slyzelia, Abayomi, Matt Martoccio and everyone else for your great additions to Wordplay Thursday #97 (read it here)! Great job!

Wordplay Thursday is a great way to the get the creative juices flowing and get some songs started. But what about finishing songs? Sometimes that can be more difficult. That’s why I’ve written “Finish Your Song! 20 Ways To Overcome Creative Roadblocks.” Click here to find out how to finish more songs faster and better. Or click on the image below. Thanks!

God Bless,

Brent

finish cover 3D

Biz

Pro Songwriters Are Starving- And That’s Good News For You!

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Man vs Row

Brent Baxter is a hit songwriter with cuts by Alan Jackson, Randy Travis, Lady Antebellum, Joe Nichols, Gord Bamford, Ruthie Collins, Ray Stevens, and more. He’s written a top 5 hit in the US and a #1 in Canada… so far.

 

I have good news and bad news.

Bad news: These days, it’s so hard to make a living writing songs that a lot of great, talented professional songwriters need to look for additional income outside of just publishing deals and royalties. Yeah. That’s the bad.

Here’s the good. A lot of those pro songwriters are turning to teaching and coaching as a way to make ends meet, so there has never been a better time for you to learn the art and craft of songwriting!

Yeah, that’s pretty messed up when you think about it, I guess. But it is what it is.

You probably can’t do much to affect the state of the music industry, but you CAN take advantage of the situation by seizing as many learning opportunities as you can.

Whether it’s through folks like me who are writing ebooks and doing the occasional workshop or coaching session, or the fine folks at NSAI (Nashville Songwriters Association International) or GSC (Global Songwriters Connection) who hold workshops and give you the chance to connect with publishers, there are plenty of options.

There is really no excuse for you NOT to be learning a ton about the music business.

Even if you can’t afford to join a songwriting association or pay for coaching right now, there are still free blogs (like Man vs. Row) and YouTube videos that are free- and full of great information and inspiration.

Beware of sharks.

Out of desperation or greed, some “coaches” may lie to you. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. If he or she says you’ll have a good chance at a big cut if you pay a few hundred dollars for a cowrite… run. After all, if this pro can get cuts that easily, why are they writing with anyone who’ll pay them?

However, if a pro offers up a paid cowrite as a chance to “learn by doing” while you work on a song together and the pro teaches as you write… well, that’s a lot more realistic and could be a worthwhile investment.

The royalty scraps we’re being thrown is leading to a heaping buffet of learning opportunities. So pile up your plate, pig out, and come back for more!

When it comes to learning, gluttony is a virtue.

Speaking of learning, I’ve written an workbook about how to write market-smart songs (songs that have a competitive advantage in the commercial market).  If you want to discover more about how to write market-smart songs, check out my ebook, “Cut/able: Lessons In Market Smart Songwriting.”  Click on the image below or click here to write market-smart songs.

God Bless,
Brent

cutable 3d final white

 

WordPlay

Wordplay Thursday #97

13 Comments

Wordplay Thursday

Welcome to Wordplay Thursday!

Here’s a writing prompt for you. It’s a simple fill-in-the-blank. You can use one word or several. Feel free to get as crazy, genre-appropriate, or as imaginative as you want. The point is to get the creative juices flowing. And it’s a good thing to dig deeper, so don’t stop at the first idea that hits you. Try coming up with at least five things.

“Our love is rockier than _____.”

I’ll give you an example to get you started:

“Our love is rockier than a gravel pit.”

I’d love to hear what you come up with, so please share in the comments. Oh, and please keep your posts below an R-rating. It’s a family show, after all!

And thanks to Ethan Fogus, Jeff Green, Kim Kondgrashoff, Brenda Karl, Joe Slyzelia, Rhonda Trawick, Matt Martoccio and everyone else for your great additions to Wordplay Thursday #96 (read it here)! Great job!

Wordplay Thursday is a great way to the get the creative juices flowing and get some songs started. But what about finishing songs? Sometimes that can be more difficult. That’s why I’ve written “Finish Your Song! 20 Ways To Overcome Creative Roadblocks.” Click here to find out how to finish more songs faster and better. Or click on the image below. Thanks!

God Bless,

Brent

finish cover 3D

Biz, Craft, Muse

Why I don’t play guitar- and play to my strengths instead.

8 Comments

Man vs Row

Brent Baxter is a hit songwriter with cuts by Alan Jackson, Randy Travis, Lady Antebellum, Joe Nichols, Gord Bamford, Ruthie Collins, Ray Stevens, and more. He’s written a top 5 hit in the US and a #1 in Canada… so far.

My guitar is in the garage. The strings on it are older than my son, Ozark. Yet, I’m a decently successful songwriter. How do I manage that?

Well, if you’ve followed Man vs. Row for very long, you know I’m a lyricist by trade. I don’t take a guitar to cowrites, I don’t write melodies, and I don’t sing or play out.

This way of operating has not been without consequence: I don’t get to put my face with my songs at writers nights. Cowriting with a non-playing artist can be tricky because we have to bring in a third cowriter. But I’m sticking with this way of thinking. Here’s why:

It allows me to focus and specialize.

I figured out early on that it’s better for me to be great at one thing (if I can be great at anything) than average at many things. Focusing on my natural strength (lyrics), allows me to have an identity as a writer. It gives my cowriters a reason to call me in on a song.

It’s more rewarding.

Focusing on my strength gets me better results than working on my weakness.  It’s a lot easier to take a strength up to professional level than it is to take a weakness up to professional level. It’s also a lot less frustrating than banging my head against the melodic wall.

It’s a more effective use of my time.

If I took my guitar to a cowrite, I’d feel obligated to pull it out. Then, I’d end up taking up our writing time by getting my cowriter to show me how to play a certain lick or sing a certain melodic line. That would distract us from the task at hand- writing a great song. If I’m solo writing, I’ll get a lot more done if I work on a lyric than if I try to write a melody.

I’m not saying that the way I work is the way YOU should work.

We each have our own unique mix of skills and challenges. What I hope to do with this post is to get you thinking about the best way for YOU to work. Maybe it’s focusing on just lyrics or just melody. Or maybe it’s doing both. Or maybe it’s something else. That’s up to you to figure out.

Playing to your strengths will lead to better songs.  However, how you apply those strengths can help you write market-smart songs (songs that have a competitive advantage in the commercial market).  If you want to discover more about how to write market-smart songs, check out my ebook, “Cut/able: Lessons In Market Smart Songwriting.”  Click on the image below or click here to write market-smart songs.

God Bless,
Brent

cutable 3d final white

 

WordPlay

Wordplay Thursday #96

8 Comments

Wordplay Thursday

Welcome to Wordplay Thursday!

Here’s a writing prompt for you. It’s a simple fill-in-the-blank. You can use one word or several. Feel free to get as crazy, genre-appropriate, or as imaginative as you want. The point is to get the creative juices flowing. And it’s a good thing to dig deeper, so don’t stop at the first idea that hits you. Try coming up with at least five things.

“His love is deeper than _____.”

I’ll give you an example to get you started:

“His love is deeper than a mine shaft.”

I’d love to hear what you come up with, so please share in the comments. Oh, and please keep your posts below an R-rating. It’s a family show, after all!

And thanks to Jeff Green, Matt Martoccio, Debbie Convoy, Eric Tingstad, Joe Slyzelia, Ken Matthiessen, Michael Doran and everyone else for your great additions to Wordplay Thursday #95 (read it here)! Great job!

Wordplay Thursday is a great way to the get the creative juices flowing and get some songs started.  But what about finishing songs?  Sometimes that can be more difficult.  That’s why I’ve written “Finish Your Song! 20 Ways To Overcome Creative Roadblocks.”  Click here to find out how to finish more songs faster and better.  Or click on the image below.  Thanks!

God Bless,

Brent

finish cover 3D