Category Archives: Cowriting

Songwriter, are you working IN your business, or ON your business?

July 20, 2015 Brent Baxter 4 Comments

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.

Sometimes, I get so busy working IN my songwriting business that I forget to work ON my songwriting business.

Let me give you an example.

When I signed my publishing deal with Major Bob Music in early 2005 (my first publishing deal), I was an unknown songwriter who had an Alan Jackson single climbing the charts. “Monday Morning Church” would eventually land in the Top 5, I would be nominated for the Music Row Breakthrough Writer of the Year, the song would be one of only 12 voted that year by NSAI’s pro writers as a “Song I Wish I’d Written,” and it would also win an ASCAP Airplay Award. 2005 was an incredible year.

How did I respond to this blessing? I wrote my backside off!

I dove headlong into writing full-time. That year, I finished 102 songs. I wrote like crazy. That’s pretty much all I did. Write, write, write, rewrite, and occasionally demo.

And it was a mistake.

I spent too much time working IN my business and not enough time working ON my business.

Working IN my business included scheduling cowrites, songwriting, rewriting, and demoing. And I did plenty of all of that. And those aren’t bad things. After all, nobody else can write my songs for me. And without songs, I have no business. Still, though…

I wish I had worked ON my business more.

I work ON my business when I’m doing the higher-level strategic thinking and planning that make sure that my activities are the right activities. Working ON my business is doing those activities which will give my songs a better chance to succeed. And I had every chance to succeed.

Like I said, 2005 was an awesome year, and it opened a lot of doors for me. Additionally, the guys at Major Bob asked who I’d like to write with, and they helped book some cowrites for me. They also pitched my songs and set up some demo sessions. All good things.

But if I had it to do over, I would’ve spent more time:

1. …having Major Bob introduce me to A&R reps and producers around the Row so I could start building relationships with them, and pitching my own songs.

2. …investing in my craft and business knowledge. Sure, I learned by writing a lot and writing with a lot of better writers, but I should have sought out some great, high-level mentors to accelerate my learning curve on both the craft and biz sides of songwriting. I should have asked a lot more questions over a lot more lunches.

3. …seeking out strategic cowriting relationships. I mostly jumped at every cowrite that came my way without much consideration. That kept me so busy that I didn’t spend as much time SEEKING OUT my best cowriters.

4. …building the “Baxter Brand.” While the Major Bob crew flew my flag around the Row, I should’ve done a lot more flag waving myself.

Working ON my business more would’ve helped me write songs that were more well-written, more marketable, and heard by more decision-makers, sooner.

Yes, my songs got better because I wrote a ton (and, yes, they needed to get better, so writing a lot was a good thing). My network slowly expanded organically. And I eventually started pitching my songs. And these are things that have brought my best results.

Working ON my business would’ve gotten me there faster.

So what about YOU? Do you need to spend more time working ON your music business? What activities are the ones which will accelerate your success? And what are the activities that are fun, but are working IN your business? I’d love to hear your comments!

God Bless,

Brent

A GIFT FROM BRENT

Thanks to those of you who have already downloaded my book, Think Like A Pro Songwriter! It gives you insight into valuable things like “how to connect to a music publisher,” “how songwriters know who’s looking for songs” and more! You can get it FOR FREE at www.GiftFromBrent.com or by clicking on the image below. Enjoy!

Biz, Cowriting

Repost: Why Benton Blount Is Successful

July 13, 2015 Brent Baxter Leave a comment

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

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

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!

Biz, Cowriting

The Value Of A Songwriter/Producer Relationship

June 1, 2015 Brent Baxter Leave a comment

Everyone tells you about the value of writing with an artist/writer. And, true enough, those can be very valuable relationships. Write a great song with an artist/writer, and you have a direct path to a cut.

There’s another type of “slash” that has a lot of value, too. That’s the writer/producer.

Whereas a writer/artist gives you direct access to that particular artist, a writer/producer can give you direct access to several artists. Here are a few of my experiences with writer/producers.

Byron Hill is a hit songwriter with multiple #1s and a ton of cuts. He’s also produced Gord Bamford’s first several albums. Gord’s a big star in Canada, and he and Byron have cowritten a lot of his songs. Because of my cowriting relationship with Byron, I was able to write with both of them, leading to 3 cuts and 1 #1 hit / Single Of The Year in Canada.

Aaron Goodvin is a young songwriter/producer. As a songwriter, he’s recently gotten cuts on Luke Bryan, Jon Pardi, and Cole Swindell. He’s also starting to produce some artists back home in Canada. He and I’ve been friends and cowriters for several years, and he brought me in to write with an artist named Drew Gregory. We wrote a song called, “Five String.”

Drew actually didn’t cut that song, but it WAS cut by another artist, Tristan Horncastle, that Aaron was producing for Sony Canada. Drew ended up cutting a different song of mine, “Farm Hands,” which he heard through Aaron.

Like I said, one writer/producer can link you to several artists.

Another buddy of mine is Brian Hitt. I’ve written songs with him that have landed on some of his projects including a Canadian Christmas single and 3 songs on a Christian kid’s album for Brentwood Benson, a big player in the Christian music space.

Here’s another advantage of writing with a writer/producer: if they have a home studio, you can get great, cheap demos of your cowrites. Bonus!

My writer/producer relationships have been an important and valuable part of my network. They might be worth giving some focus as you build your network, too.

What do you think? What are YOUR thoughts on writer/producer relationships? Have you had success with that on a smaller or larger scale? I’d love to hear your thoughts!

God Bless,

Brent

A GIFT FROM BRENT

Thanks to those of you who have already downloaded my book, Hit Songwriting: How A Songwriting Coach Can Fast Track Your Success! You made it an Amazon bestseller in both the Songwriting and Music Instruction categories, and I really appreciate it! However, 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!

Biz, Cowriting

The Upward Spiral Of The Songwriting Business

May 4, 2015 Brent Baxter Leave a comment

Here’s the upward spiral of songwriting:

Writing good songs leads to relationships and opportunities, which lead to writing better songs, which leads to more relationships and opportunities, etc.

Writing good songs leads to relationships and opportunities. Why? Because writers and publishers have a problem. They need hits- either to write them or to publish them. The better you write, the more potential you have to solve their problems. People like people who can solve their problems. And they will give you the opportunity to provide them with hits by writing with them or with someone on their team. Their problem is your opportunity.

These relationships can also lead to better songs. How? Publishers are more likely to invest in you in two ways: 1) giving you deeper feedback, speeding up your learning curve and 2) setting you up to write with better writers, which leads to more learning and better songs. And even without a publisher, you can hook up with better writers on your own (or through your existing cowriters).

These newer, better songs lead to even better and stronger relationships, which lead to better songs, which lead to more relationships… you get the idea. It takes time. You have to be patient, but that’ll be the general trend of your songwriting if you consistently work to get better and network in a professional manner.

It doesn’t just happen, though. Beware. You can short circuit the upward spiral if you get lazy or don’t treat people well. Word will get around, and your career will suffer for it. Enjoy the journey!

God Bless,

Brent

1-TO-1 COACHING

Hey, ya’ll! Several of you have been asking about 1-to-1 coaching opportunities. Well, I still have ONE spot open over the next few weeks, on Thursday evening, May 14 between 7:30pm and 10:30pm Central. It’s our chance to sit down together (over the phone or over the web) and discuss your songwriting goals, dig into a few of your songs to see how we can make them stronger, answer questions, whatever. If you’re interested, just click on the image below or go to the “Coaching” tab at manvsrow.com. Thanks!

-Brent

Cowriting

7 Ways To Blow A Pro Cowrite

April 6, 2015 Brent Baxter 4 Comments

Okay, let’s say you finally scored that cowrite with a pro writer. Congrats! Now don’t blow it. However, if you insist on messing up this opportunity to begin a cowriting relationship with a pro, here are 7 ways you can do it.

1. Be late.

Nothing says, “I’m not thankful for this opportunity” quite like being late or getting the time or date wrong. The pro is already NOT writing with one of his regular, trusted cowriters because he or his publisher scheduled you instead. Now the pro is not writing at all because he’s waiting on you to show up. Not a good start.

2. Be unprepared.

When you finally show up, make sure you have to borrow a pick. And a pen. And paper. Oh, and whatever you do, make sure you don’t have any ideas or melodies or grooves ready when the pro says, “got any ideas?” Of course you don’t have any ideas! You like to…

3. Take without giving.

Be sure and expect the pro to carry you. Don’t put yourself out there and really try to write something great. Basically try to sit quietly in the room while the pro writes the song and gives you half. And be sure and try to get the pro to hook you up with his contacts without offering any of yours.

4. Be arrogant.

You can also blow it by going to the other extreme. Try to impress the pro by always being right and making sure you write your idea and use all your lines. Run the show. After all, the pro has only had more success than you- what could he possibly add to your hit-in-progress? Let him just sit back and watch you work.

5. Talk trash.

This is especially awesome of you haven’t had any cuts yet. Bad mouth what’s on the radio and the writers who wrote those songs. If you’re lucky, they might be the pro’s friends, cowriters, or people he respects. Or artists who have recorded his songs, too. But you wouldn’t know that because you…

6. Don’t know who you’re writing with.

If you’re lucky, you can insult one of the pro’s songs without knowing it. Or maybe you can ask the pro, “hey, what have you written?” with is WAY more professional than a 2 minute Google search and being able to say something like, “congrats on that cut” or “man, I really love your song…” Remember, if you want to blow a pro cowrite, better to bruise an ego than stroke it.

7. Complain about the business.

Because you’re the only one who’s had disappointments. And because complaining is super productive. And because a negative attitude is SO attractive that the pro can’t wait to spend more time with you.

So there you go. 7 ways to blow a pro cowrite. Now, I can’t guarantee that pulling out just one or two of these tricks will doom your potential cowriting relationship. But I’d say the odds are pretty good of you being “one & done” if you hit ‘em with the right combo.

Good luck!

God Bless,

Brent

THE PRO KNOWS

To BE a pro, you need to THINK like a pro. In this complimentary report, learn the mindsets that help the pro songwriter get cuts, earn respect in the industry, and maintain long-term success in the music business. Just click on the picture below to download this complimentary report today!

Biz, Cowriting, Craft

6 Resources That Helped Me Become A Hit Songwriter (And None Of Them Is A Guitar)

November 24, 2014 Brent Baxter 12 Comments

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

Here is my list of 6 resources that helped me become a hit songwriter. Will merely using these resources guarantee that you end up with a top 5 Alan Jackson single like I did? No, of course not. But they were helpful to me, and I hope they’ll be the same for you. Now, let’s get to the goods.

1. NSAI (www.nashvillesongwriters.com)

NSAI, or Nashville Songwriters Association International, is a great organization with chapters across the world. I attended Angie Owens’ workshop in Bono, Arkansas, while I was in college. Not only were the lessons (and occasional pro writer) sent from Nashville educational, it made me feel that Nashville wasn’t so far away. It made the dream more real. I also used the Song Evaluation Service, where a published songwriter would listen to the song I sent in and give me their feedback. It was both encouraging and educational. NSAI also gave me a place to go on my 1st couple trips to Nashville- their office and their Thursday night workshop. NSAI has a lot more services now than back when everything was off-line, so I definitely recommend checking them out. There is also a similar, newer, organization called Global Songwriters Connection. Check them out at www.globalsongwriters.com.

2. ASCAP (www.ascap.com)

ASCAP is a performing rights organization (PRO). Basically, they collect airplay money from radio stations, etc. and send it to their writers and publishers. I joined a few years before moving to Tennessee, and it gave me a place to play songs. Now, I had to call early and often, but I was usually able to get a sit-down meeting with a writer’s representative, who would listen to my mediocre songs and give me advice. There are two other PROs in the US- BMI (www.bmi.com) and SESAC (www.sesac.com). Check each of them out, and get in where you fit in.

3. Songwriting books.

I read whatever I could find on songwriting and music publishing. Not only did these books give me a lot of techniques and info which helped my writing, I learned a lot about the music biz. That helped me look like less of a novice on my first trips to Nashville. Here are some that really helped me out, along with links…

“All You Need To Know About The Music Business” by Donald Passman

“Writing Better Lyrics” by Pat Pattison

“The Songwriter’s Guide To Music Publishing” by Randy Poe

“The Songwriters Idea Book” by Shelia Davis

4. My Local Music Scene

I was living in Little Rock at the time, and there wasn’t much of a songwriting community. But I connected to what I could find. My cowriter (pretty much the only one I had at the time) played one of the rare songwriter nights in Little Rock. (I’m a non-performing lyricist.) This led to us meeting an aspiring music publisher, who introduced me to my first real live Music Row publisher in Nashville. He was also the guy who first told me about Erin Enderlin, who would write “Monday Morning Church,” our Alan Jackson hit, with me.

5. An Organized System.

What good is an inspired idea or an unfinished lyric if you lose it in the back of a drawer or under the seat of your car? I keep a “hook book” full of potential titles and song ideas. I’ve kept the same list since I started writing songs back in 1994. I only take titles off it when I write them. That’s the one place I can go to sift through all my potential ideas. I also have folders on my computer for “unfinished songs,” “finished songs,” “lyrics ready for cowriting,” etc. I also have lists of potentials titles such as “beach ideas” and “gospel ideas.” But everything goes on the master list. Having an organized system allowed me to easily find “Monday Morning Church” when I was looking for lyrics to present to Erin. The earliest draft of that lyric was 1 1/2 years old when I showed it to her. That’s a lot of old notebooks to look through, if I would’ve even remembered to look for it.

6. A Talented, Connected Cowriter.

Songwriting is a team sport. I was very blessed to be on a team with Erin Enderlin for “Monday Morning Church.” I lived in Little Rock and really didn’t know anyone in the biz. Erin, also from Arkansas, was going to college in Middle Tennessee and had been making connections. And she’s a talented enough writer to take advantage of those connections. A great idea and her talent and connections gave “Monday Morning Church” a real chance to go from a title in my hook book to a hit on the radio.

So, there you have it. These are the 6 resources that helped me become a hit songwriter. Everyone’s journey is unique- so your mix of talents and resources won’t be the same as mine. But I hope I’ve given you some hope and some things to think about. And thank you again for checking out Man vs. Row. I hope it helps you become a more efficient, effective, and successful songwriter.

What about you? What resources have you used or are currently using? What results have you gotten? I’d love to hear from you!

God Bless,

Brent

THE PRO KNOWS

To BE a pro, you need to THINK like a pro. In this complimentary report, learn the mindsets that help the pro songwriter get cuts, earn respect in the industry, and maintain long-term success in the music business. Just click on the picture below to download this complimentary report today!

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Brent Baxter Music: http://www.brentbaxtermusic.com

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Cowriting

Single Of The Year… Now What?

October 1, 2014 Brent Baxter 8 Comments

I was blessed to be a cowriter on “When Your Lips Are So Close,” which recently won “Single Of The Year” at the 2014 Canadian Country Music Awards (CCMA). I wrote the song with the artist, Gord Bamford, and his co-producer, Byron Hill. I’ve written three songs with them, and Gord has cut each of them. Three cowrites= 3 cuts, 1 #1 single, 1 gold single, 2 CCMA nominations and 1 CCMA win.

Now what?

Thankfully, Gord wants to write again. That’s great. But now that we’ve written a #1 together, now that we’ve had that success, the challenge is to keep my mind right. Possible pitfalls include:

Analysis paralysis.

It’d be easy to lock up creatively. To not write ANYTHING unless I’m sure it’s at least as big of a hit as “When Your Lips Are So Close.” Truth is, we didn’t know “When Your Lips Are So Close” was a #1 when we wrote it. We knew it felt really strong, but that was it. I can’t get trapped into having to think it’s a sure #1 before I’m willing to roll the dice.

Repeating myself.

I also have to avoid the temptation to play it safe by bringing in ideas that are too similar to “When Your Lips Are So Close.” Yes, there are elements of it we’d be wise to bring into another song. But we don’t want to just repeat ourselves. We need to write his NEXT hit, not rewrite his LAST one.

Getting complacent or cocky.

I’ve been blessed to have Gord cut all 3 of our cowritten songs, but nothing is guaranteed. If I just get lazy, thinking on some level, “Oh, he loves all my stuff,” then I won’t bring my best work (while his other cowriters will). Gord deserves better. So does Byron. So does my family.

Identifying these head-game tripwires should help me avoid them (hopefully). Now it’s mainly a matter of carving out enough creative space to be prepared. Then we’ll all just have to hope the muse shows up.

What about you? What are some head-game tripwires that you run into, or have to actively avoid? It doesn’t have to be about following up a hit- it could be about “wow, we had a great first cowrite… now what?” or “wow, that was a terrible first cowrite… now what?” I’d love to hear from you!

God Bless,

Brent

READY FOR YOUR SONGS TO BE “CUT/ABLE?”

“Cut/Able: Lessons In Market-Smart Songwriting” is four powerful lessons for songwriters who want cuts & hits, who want to learn how to write commercially marketable songs, & who want their songs to connect powerfully with both fans and Music Row pros. If you want those results, these lessons can help. To get a FREE EXCERPT of “Cut/able,” just click on the image below:

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Biz, Cowriting, Songplugging

The Artist Camp: Multiple Points Of Contact

May 19, 2014 Brent Baxter 4 Comments

FREE GIFT

Hey, ya’ll! At the bottom of today’s post, I’m going to let you know about some free stuff I’m giving away to all of you great Man vs. Row subscribers. Now, on to today’s post…

Gaining access (and keeping access) to an artist is kind of like rock climbing- you always want to have more than one point of contact with the mountain. It’s a dangerous thing to be hanging by one hand- if that one rock gives way or that hand slips… bye, bye.

Likewise, if your only point of contact with an artist is her producer, what happens if she switches producers? What happens if you have a light point of contact with the artist herself, but she starts letting her A&R person book all her cowrites because she’s too busy out on the road? Bye, bye. You might’ve just fallen off the mountain.

This kind of stuff has happened to me, so I’ve learned the hard way not to rely on only one point of contact with the artist. Nowadays, if I’m targeting an artist or a project, I try to secure multiple points of contact. If I know the A&R person, I try to develop a contact with the producer as well. If I’m writing with an artist, I’ll suggest a 3-way cowrite with one of her other regular cowriters. Bascially, I want to surround the artist. I want to dig in deeper than a tick in a dog’s ear so there’s no way they can scratch or shake me off!

Of course, you want to balance the time you spend surrounding one artist with taking time to develop other points of contact in other artists’ camps. Just like you want to have more than one point of contact with an artist, you want to be in more than one artist’s camp. Think of it as diversifying your portfolio. After all, most new artists aren’t very successful. What happens if the ONE artist you’ve invested all your time in fails? Bye, bye.

God Bless,

Brent

MAN VS. ROW… LIVE!

I’m excited to be speaking on song idea discovery and development at the 2014 Songwriting And Music Business Conference in Nashville, TN! Click the image below to find out more. I’d love to see you there!

FREE GIFT

As a way to say “thank you” to all of you who subscribe to Man vs. Row by email, I’m going to give away some cool stuff in July (2014). If you subscribe to MvR, I’ll send you a free report, “10 Things The Pro Knows.” I’ll also send you the guitar/vocal of “Crickets,” which is the title track of Joe Nichols’ current album. You’ll get to hear the song as Joe heard it when he decided to record it. You’ll also receive the lyric file of the song- and this lyric file includes “Baxter’s Boneyard” – all the lines that DIDN’T make it into the song (see if you agree with our choices). It’s something nobody else has seen, and I think it’s pretty cool. But, again, this gift is only for those who subscribe to Man vs. Row by E-MAIL. These gifts will be sent by email, so if I don’t have your email address, I can’t send it to you. God Bless!

YOU VS…

Anything you’d like to add or ask? Leave a comment! Are there any topics you’d like to see addressed in a future MvR post? Thanks!

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Biz, Cowriting, Songplugging

The Artist Camp

May 14, 2014 Brent Baxter 7 Comments

FREE GIFT

Hey, ya’ll! At the bottom of today’s post, I’m going to let you know about some free stuff I’m giving away to all of you great Man vs. Row subscribers. Now, on to today’s post…

You may hear about songwriters trying to get into an artist’s “camp.” What does that mean? Well, it’s not a place to unroll a sleeping bag and sing your songs around a campfire, that’s for sure.

An artist’s camp is made up of the people in the artist’s inner circle- those who have access and influence. For each artist, the mix may be a little different, but an artist’s camp usually includes the artist, producer, A&R point-person, and favorite cowriters. The camp may also include the artist’s publisher or other friends in the music biz.

Each artist has his or her own camp, and it’s often hard to know who really has the artist’s ear. For example, the A&R person for Artist A may be a big influence on what gets cut, but Artist B may not care at all what his A&R person thinks.

Think of it like a dart board. The artist is the bullseye (usually- though sometimes the producer or label head REALLY makes the final decision on what gets cut). The members of the artist’s camp occupy the various concentric circles around the bullseye. The closer to the bullseye, the more influence that person has over the project.

If you’re looking to get into an artist’s camp, it’s good to figure out the layout of his dartboard if possible. And remember, nothing gets you in a camp like GENUINE friendship. If you’re just using the artist, it’ll be really hard to get past the outer edges of the dartboard. Good luck!

God Bless,

Brent

MAN VS. ROW… LIVE!

FREE GIFT

YOU VS…

Anything you’d like to add or ask? Leave a comment! Are there any topics you’d like to see addressed in a future MvR post? Thanks!

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Cowriting

Writing With A Hit Songwriter Is NOT A Magic Bullet

April 21, 2014 Brent Baxter 17 Comments

FREE GIFT

Hey, ya’ll! At the bottom of today’s post, I’m going to let you know about some free stuff I’m giving away to all of you great Man vs. Row subscribers. Now, on to today’s post…

I know as a (former) amateur songwriter hoping to go pro how easy it is to think that writing with a hit songwriter could solve everything. It’s tempting to think that just by getting in a room with a pro that it’ll change your world and you’ll be on your way to a hit. Well, let me tell ya something…

I ALWAYS have a hit songwriter in the room … ME … and most of my songs still don’t get cut.

Sure, there are advantages to writing with a pro or a signed artist, but there is no magic bullet. Not if you want to build a songwriting career. Sure, you may get into a room to “write up” with a hit writer. And you might even write a really good song. But one really good song doesn’t mean much in the long run (read more about this in my post “The Song.”)

Sure, there are ways to be wise and efficient and give yourself a better chance of success, but there is no escape hatch that lets you avoid hard work- not if you want to be great over the long haul. So pack a lunch and plan for this to take a while. Work hard, work smart, and enjoy the journey.

God Bless,

Brent

MAN VS. ROW… LIVE!

FREE GIFT

YOU VS…

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Brent’s Twitter: @Razorbaxter

Brent Baxter Music: http://www.brentbaxtermusic.com

Brent’s Instagram: Razorbaxter75

Sometimes, I get so busy working IN my songwriting business that I forget to work ON my songwriting business.

How did I respond to this blessing? I wrote my backside off!

And it was a mistake.

I wish I had worked ON my business more.

Working ON my business more would’ve helped me write songs that were more well-written, more marketable, and heard by more decision-makers, sooner.

Working ON my business would’ve gotten me there faster.

A GIFT FROM BRENT

I believe in Benton Blount as an artist.

1. Talent

2. Hustle

3. Fan engagement

A GIFT FROM BRENT

There’s another type of “slash” that has a lot of value, too. That’s the writer/producer.

Like I said, one writer/producer can link you to several artists.

Here’s another advantage of writing with a writer/producer: if they have a home studio, you can get great, cheap demos of your cowrites. Bonus!

A GIFT FROM BRENT

1-TO-1 COACHING

1. Be late.

2. Be unprepared.

3. Take without giving.

4. Be arrogant.

5. Talk trash.

6. Don’t know who you’re writing with.

7. Complain about the business.

THE PRO KNOWS

1. NSAI (www.nashvillesongwriters.com)

2. ASCAP (www.ascap.com)

3. Songwriting books.

4. My Local Music Scene

5. An Organized System.

6. A Talented, Connected Cowriter.

THE PRO KNOWS

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Analysis paralysis.

Repeating myself.

Getting complacent or cocky.

READY FOR YOUR SONGS TO BE “CUT/ABLE?”

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MAN VS. ROW… LIVE!

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FREE GIFT

MAN VS. ROW… LIVE!

FREE GIFT

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FREE GIFT

MAN VS. ROW… LIVE!

FREE GIFT

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Helping songwriters turn pro.