Tag Archives: Byron Hill

Know The Row, Think Like A Pro, Write Like A Pro

Songwriting advice from Hall of Fame songwriter, Byron Hill!

January 7, 2019 Brent Baxter Leave a comment

Here’s golden advice from a Hall of Fame songwriter.

Byron Hill is a multi-hit songwriter and producer whose songs have generated more than 700 recordings and have been released on 91 industry certified Gold and Platinum albums and singles. They have earned 10 ASCAP Awards, 34 US and Canadian top-10 chart hits and have become hits in many other worldwide markets.

In 2018, Byron was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame. His many hits include George Strait’s first #1, “Fool Hearted Memory,” Alabama’s “Born Country,” and Gary Allen’s “Nothin’ On But The Radio.”

Byron was a recent guest on Frettie.com’s “Know The Row,” and he shared some great, real-world advice for songwriters. Here’s some of what he had to say.

Read on!

________________________________

To BE a pro, you need to THINK like a pro, and this FREE ebook will help transform your thinking, your songwriting, and your success. Get it today!

Click Here For The Book

_________________________________

Here is a bit of Byron’s advice (paraphrased):

I try to eliminate the “flaw factors” right from the beginning of writing a song, such as deciding on uptempo-or-ballad or male-or-female-or-either or positive-or-negative. You have this precious moment at the beginning where you get to decide these things.

It’s best to spend your time trying to write something iconic verses something novelty or divisive (such as current political topics).

In the late 70’s or 80’s, you could write a song where the singer is a down-and-out character. These days, it’s smart to write that song where the singer is singing ABOUT that down-and-out character, instead of the singer BEING that character.

If you’re writing an idea that is too painful or personal, writing it in the 3rd person can make it more accessible for more artists.

To stay relevant over time, try to find current stuff you like. Do a lot of listening. If you give up on it, that’s going to hurt you. Don’t give up on a genre if you don’t like what’s in the top 20.

If you feel like your chosen market has abandoned you, look around for other markets – some places where something excites you. Stay flexible and engaged.

The music business is less song-driven and is more relationship-driven that I’ve ever seen it. The song is still very important, but the relationship with the artist, producer, etc. is more important than ever. Find the up-and-coming artists and producers.

Learn the craft of songwriting first. Then you can start focusing on the relationships / business-side of songwriting.

There are so many new artists. Consider who would be the best investment of your time. Do they have the drive? Do you write well with them? Then go with your gut.

I’ve had my songs torn up in front of me. I’ve been told to go home. Between deals, I’ve been told things that make you want to go home and quit. Rejection is part of the business. You just have to keep going and not worry about it.

As a professional, I don’t worry about rejection. I just keep working my songs until something positive happens.

If you’d like to hear EVERYTHING Byron had to share, the full video replay is available in Frettie’s Member Area. It’s right there along with full video replays of other events with hit songwriters, Chris Lindsey & Jimmy Yeary, music publisher Scot Sherrod, artist/writer Aaron Goodvin, and more.

CLICK HERE TO FIND OUT MORE

If you want to join our next event live, “Know The Row” is a cool opportunity for us to hang out together (online) with a music industry pro. It starts off with a brief conversation between me and our guest, as he or she reveals information YOU need to know about the music biz. After that, we’ll open it up to YOUR questions.

Next month, our guest is hit music publisher MATT LINDSEY! Matt has published a ton of hit writers, and he has gotten songs recorded by Garth Brooks, George Strait, Blake Shelton, Kenny Chesney, Willie Nelson, George Jones, and more.

This is something you do NOT want to miss!

This event will be on Tuesday, February 5, 7:30pm-8:30pm Central.

Can’t make it to the live event? Every “Know The Row” is recorded and added to the Frettie Members Area. These videos are a resource for Frettie subscribers.

CLICK HERE TO GET ALL THE INFO.

God Bless and Enjoy the Journey,

Brent

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, a #1 in Canada, and a top 10 in Texas. His songs appear on 5 industry-certified gold & platinum albums & singles… so far. He also hosts a top-rated songwriting and music business podcast called, “The C.L.I.M.B.” which can be found on iTunes or your favorite podcast app.

Do Business Like A Pro, Know The Row

Do You Have The Cowriting Advantage?

January 29, 2018 Brent Baxter Leave a comment

Nashville is a cowriting town.

It seems that everyone that moves or spends time here gets sucked into it eventually. But maybe you’re unsure if it’s something you want to try. Maybe you’ve always written alone and you’re worried about the unknown. Maybe you think another writer might pull your song in the wrong direction. Maybe you don’t see the value in it.

If that’s the case, consider these advantages of cowriting:

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To BE a pro, you need to THINK like a pro, and this FREE ebook will help transform your thinking, your songwriting, and your success. Get it today!

Click Here For The Book

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1. More relationships.

The writing room can be a very lonely place. Some of your cowriters will become close friends, and that’s awesome. For me, one of my favorite parts of songwriting is getting to hang out for hours with people I admire and enjoy. Each of your cowriters also has his or her own network. That means they can help you meet more publishers, artists, other cowriters, etc.

2. More pitch / promotional power..

If you write a song alone, it’s up to you- and only you– to get it into the right hands (a publisher, a producer, an artist, etc.). However, if you add a cowriter or two, now you have more people to play the song out live at songwriter nights or pitch it to publishers or artists. It multiplies the chance that your song will be heard by the right people.

3. More ideas.

When you write alone, you have to come up with every single melodic and lyrical idea yourself. If YOU don’t think of it, it doesn’t end up in your song. However, when you cowrite, you and your cowriter help each other overcome those creative roadblocks. “Two heads are better than one.”

4. Less creative ruts.

When you only write alone, it’s harder to stay out of creative ruts and it’s harder to pull yourself out of them. Maybe you find yourself going back to the same tempos, moods, chord progressions or stories time after time after time. However, it’s hard to stay in a rut if you’re writing with a bluegrass female on Monday and a pop-country guy on Wednesday.

5. Complimentary strengths.

Few songwriters are equally strong at both lyrics and melody. Even fewer are equally strong AND GREAT at both. So, if you’re like most of us, your songs can benefit from finding a cowriter who is strong where you aren’t. And this doesn’t mean just “strong at lyric” or “strong at melody” or “strong at producing.” It could even be more specific things like “great at idea development,” “brings in killer hooks” or “writes awesome images.”

6. Less excuses, more productivity.

It’s pretty easy to break writing appointments with yourself. Nobody’s going to call wondering where you are, and you’ll probably get bonus points with your spouse if you did the laundry or mowed the yard instead. But if you know someone expects you to be online or in the writing room at a certain time to write, you’re a lot less likely to bail.

Likewise, it’s pretty easy to walk away from your guitar or notebook when you hit a creative roadblock in a song. But it’s a lot harder to just walk into the other room and turn on the TV when you have a cowriter sitting across from you. That would be just plain awkward.

7. Faster learning curve.

Cowriting allows you to learn from your fellow songwriters. You get a front row seat to observe how they think, how they overcome obstacles, etc. You may pick up a cool alternate tuning or a way of constructing a lyric that you would’ve only discovered on your own years later. Plus, a good cowriter will challenge you to dig deeper and write better songs. I know that’s definitely been true for me.

If you’re ready to speed up YOUR learning curve and grow as a writer, here’s your chance. Ask a hit songwriter YOUR questions- and get answers.

Every quarter, I host Frettie’s “Know The Row,” with an industry pro. And our next event is coming up in February with hit songwriter, Byron Hill!

This is your chance to sit down face-to-face (online) with a real-deal professional songwriter. Since moving to Nashville and signing his first publishing deal in 1978, Byron’s songs have generated more than 700 recordings, and have been released on ninety-one industry certified Gold and Platinum albums and singles! Wow.

You and I BOTH want to know what Byron has to share.

Here’s the deal. You can join us online from anywhere in the world on Thursday, February 8, 2018 from 7pm-8pm Central time. And this special event is FREE to members of Frettie.com! (But don’t worry- you can still purchase a ticket even if you don’t want to take advantage of all of Frettie’s membership benefits. But the deadline to purchase a ticket is WEDNESDAY, JAN. 31!)

CLICK HERE TO GET ALL THE DETAILS & MEET HIT SONGWRITER BYRON HILL.

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, a #1 in Canada & a top 10 in Texas… so far.

Do Business Like A Pro, Know The Row

7 Ways To Ruin A Pro Cowrite

January 22, 2018 Brent Baxter 2 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 surefire ways you can do it.

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To BE a pro, you need to THINK like a pro, and this FREE ebook will help transform your thinking, your songwriting, and your success. Get it today!

Click Here For The Book

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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 ruin this cowrite 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 of your own 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” which 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, it’s better to bruise an ego than stroke it.

7. Complain about the business.

Because you’re the only one who has 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. Odds are, the pro has been around longer and has a bigger stack of “almosts” and “could’ve beens” and won’t be impressed by your problems.

So there you go. 7 ways to ruin 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.

But don’t just take my word for it. Ask one of my fellow pros yourself. Here’s your chance.

Every quarter, I host Frettie’s “Know The Row,” with an industry pro. And our next event is coming up in February with hit songwriter, Byron Hill!

You and I BOTH want to know what Byron has to share.

CLICK HERE TO GET ALL THE DETAILS & MEET HIT SONGWRITER BYRON HILL.

Do Business Like A Pro, Know The Row

6 People Who Can Introduce You To Songwriting Pros

January 15, 2018 Brent Baxter 3 Comments

Trying to connect with pro songwriters in towns like Nashville can feel like standing knee-deep in a river and dying of thirst.

Pros are all around you- you see them at the coffee shop, walking up and down the sidewalks of Music Row, at lunch in midtown, and out at songwriter nights. But how do you connect?

Maybe someone can introduce you.

________________________________

To BE a pro, you need to THINK like a pro, and this FREE ebook will help transform your thinking, your songwriting, and your success. Get it today!

Click Here For The Book

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I know. Easier said than done, right? But here are some people who have the possibility of connecting you to a pro. By “connecting,” I don’t necessarily mean booking a cowrite. I mean anything from “Bill Hitmaker, this is Manny Row,” to “Bill, you and Manny should write sometime!” to “Manny, let me book you with Bill.”

1. Your PRO Rep

If you’re a member of ASCAP, SESAC, or BMI, try to get a meeting with a membership representative. If you can make a fan out of him (or her), he might connect you with some other up-and-coming songwriters. Absolutely blow your rep’s mind, and he might connect you to a pro.

2. A Music Publisher

If a publisher really digs what you do, he/she might book you with some pro cowrites. Of course, connecting with a publisher isn’t easy. But I’ve written about that before. CLICK HERE to learn how to get on a music publisher’s radar.

3. Industry Contacts

Pro songwriters know people at organizations like NSAI. They hang out there sometimes. As the folks at these places get to know you (and become a fan of your writing and of you as a person), they may just grab you one day and say, “I want you to meet Bill Hitmaker. Bill, this is Manny Row…” Those kind of personal introductions are great.

4. Other Songwriters

Who do your current cowriters and songwriting friends know? Who are their cowriters? Maybe you can arrange a lunch or (better yet) a cowrite between the three of you.

But don’t expect your cowriters to just do you a favor. Make it easy on them by presenting an amazing idea or melody that you want to write with a pro. It could be pretty attractive for your cowriter to hook up your amazing idea/melody with an established pro who has connections. Your cowriter wins by bringing both sides value and being in the room, too. And “great idea” + “pro songwriter” increases his chances of a cut, so he should be happy to get all three of you together.

5. Personal Relationships

If you live in Nashville, odds are you know somebody who knows a pro songwriter. Don’t abuse your friendships, but do be on the lookout for opportunities to meet those pros. Maybe it’s at a kid’s birthday party. Maybe it’s at a Christmas party. You never know. Just be aware of the situation, and act appropriately. And be patient. Nobody wants a CD slammed in their hand at the neighborhood swimming pool.

Please remember that all of these people don’t just exist to solve your problems and make you happy (you don’t even exist for the sole purpose of making yourself happy, but that’s for more of a theological post…). You have to be patient. Don’t just walk in these folks’ doors and expect them to pick up the phone and call a pro on your behalf. It’s a big compliment for someone to make a professional introduction. Treat it- AND THEM- with respect. Build a relationship.

Hopefully, these folks will become a fan of both you and your songs. If it’s not happening, keep working to write better songs. Also, take a look at how you present yourself. Are you coming off as too aggressive, too negative, too desperate, too unprofessional, etc.? Every time a person makes a contact/recommendation on your behalf, it’s a reflection on them. Do your best to make them look good by introducing people to you! Now… on to #6!

6. Frettie & Songwriting Pro

That’s right, part of the mission of Frettie.com and Songwriting Pro is to connect YOU to the pros. I don’t want to just give you ADVICE, I want to give you ACCESS.

Every quarter, I host Frettie’s “Know The Row,” with an industry pro. And our next event is coming up in February with hit songwriter, Byron Hill!

You and I BOTH want to learn what Byron has to share.

CLICK HERE TO GET ALL THE DETAILS & MEET HIT SONGWRITER BYRON HILL.

Frettie, Know The Row, Think Like A Pro

5 Things You Must Know To Become A Songwriting Pro

January 8, 2018 Brent Baxter 1 Comment

Nobody can provide you with an exact roadmap on how to get from being an amateur songwriter to being a professional songwriter. But here are five things you must know – and act upon – if you want to go pro. Read on!

________________________________

To BE a pro, you need to THINK like a pro, and this FREE ebook will help transform your thinking, your songwriting, and your success. Get it today!

Click Here For The Book

_________________________________

1. Nobody turns pro alone.

You have to build a network. Songs move from hand to hand (or inbox to inbox) and into the right hands based on relationships. These relationships can range anywhere from business acquaintances to best friends. You MUST get to know people, and they must get to know your music. Knowing the “right people” isn’t cheating. It’s a vital part of succeeding as a pro songwriter.

2. “Professional” means your songs earn money.

In order to earn money, your songs have to have value in the market. At the end of the day, some artist wants to record them, and a bunch of fans want to buy them. To become a full-time songwriter or to get and keep a publishing deal, your songs have to earn income. Your job is NOT to write songs. Your job is to write songs that make money.

3. Songwriting is NOT your hobby – it’s your business.

If you treat it like a hobby, that’s all songwriting will ever be for you. Just a hobby. And that’s fine, if that’s your goal. But if you want it to be a business, you have to act like a professional. You have to treat it like a business. The serious songwriters are the ones who get the serious cuts.

4. Good enough isn’t good enough.

To break into the biz, your songs can’t be “just as good as” the worst stuff on records and radio. If an artist wants to cut mediocre songs, they’ll cut THEIR OWN mediocre songs, or their buddy’s or their producer’s. Your song has to compete against everybody else’s BEST songs.

5. You WILL have to sacrifice.

The professional songwriters are the ones who have been willing to sacrifice. They came home from their day jobs and picked up the guitar instead of the tv remote. They spent their Spring Break in Nashville instead of at the beach. They left family to move to Nashville. They waited tables – even though they had a masters degree – just to be where the music is. They don’t just TALK like they want success. They WORK like the want success!

But you don’t have to just take my word for it. If you REALLY want to go pro, you need advice from as many pro songwriters as possible. And I have good news for you.

I’m gonna hook you up with an awesome multi-hit songwriter.

In February, I’m hosting Frettie’s “Know The Row” with hit songwriter, Byron Hill! This is your chance to sit down face-to-face (online) with a real-deal professional songwriter. Since moving to Nashville and signing his first publishing deal in 1978, Byron’s songs have generated more than 700 recordings, and have been released on ninety-one industry certified Gold and Platinum albums and singles! Wow.

You and I BOTH want to learn what Byron has to share.

Here’s the deal. You can join us online from anywhere in the world on Thursday, February 8, 2018 from 7pm-8pm Central time. And this special event is FREE to members of Frettie.com! (But don’t worry- you can still purchase a ticket even if you don’t want to take advantage of all of Frettie’s membership benefits.)

CLICK HERE TO GET ALL THE DETAILS & MEET HIT SONGWRITER BYRON HILL.

Know The Row, Think Like A Pro

7 Ways Songwriters Can Stay Motivated

January 2, 2018 Brent Baxter 2 Comments

Whether you’re an amateur songwriter hoping to “go pro” or you’re a young pro trying to break through to the next level, a key element of success is simply to keep going. But that isn’t always easy.

For every person pulling a U-Haul into Nashville, there’s someone moving back home because they just don’t have the heart anymore. So, how do you give yourself the best chance to keep going? Here are a few ways.

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To BE a pro, you need to THINK like a pro, and this FREE ebook will help transform your thinking, your songwriting, and your success. Get it today!

Click Here For The Book

_________________________________

1. Connect with your “why.”

If you don’t have a clear understanding of WHY you write, it’s really hard to answer the dark-valley question, “Why should I keep trying?” When the music biz knocks you down (and it will), you need to know why getting up matters. Maybe not why it matters to the world, but at least why it matters to YOU.

Maybe you write because you know that’s how you’re wired, and you’ll go crazy if you abandon it. Maybe you write to leave a legacy of song for your children’s children. Maybe you write to share life lessons- to remind yourself as well as others of hard-earned truth. Maybe it’s to prove to yourself that you can do it. Or maybe you write to make people smile for three minutes in an often heartbreaking world.

Whatever drives you to write, you should have a clear picture of it. The “why” is what will give you a reason to dust yourself off and get back in the arena.

2. Celebrate the small victories.

Don’t ignore or downplay the small victories- especially early in your journey. Be grateful. Let the little victories give you confidence and fuel for the journey.

These are YOUR victories. They don’t have to meet anyone else’s standards of what’s worth celebrating.

For a few years, some buddies and I passed around a football- a “game ball” – when we’d have a music victory. It got passed around for everything from indie cuts, publishing deals, big cowrites, 1st demo sessions, and more. Those weren’t the victories that the biggest writers in town were probably celebrating, but they were new, positive steps for us. It gave us a reason to celebrate together. We also had a friendly rivalry going, because each of us wanted to “get the game ball” back on our own mantles!

3. Connect with a supportive community.

We all need people who encourage, support, and believe in us. They can be online or face-to-face, family or friends, cowriters or non-songwriting creatives. It doesn’t matter who they are, just that they will support you. And be sure and support them, too!

If you’re looking for a supportive community, I suggest the Songwriting Pro Facebook Group and Frettie.com. I host both groups, and I love watching songwriters like you making progress and earning new victories on your songwriting journeys.

4. Display visual reminders.

Remind yourself that you’re a songwriter. Remind yourself of your dreams and goals. Remind yourself of your victories. Create a vision board with pictures of your songwriting-dream-come-true.

Get a good song review from a community like Frettie.com? Print it out and hang in your writing space! Score an indie cut? Congrats! It doesn’t matter if it goes gold, platinum or plywood- get a CD frame and hang it up to remind yourself that someone likes one of your songs enough to record it.

Also, keep your guitar and/or writing notebook out where they’re visible – and available. Don’t keep them hidden in a closet or a drawer somewhere. You’re a writer. Don’t let yourself forget that.

5. Pace yourself.

This is a marathon, not a sprint. Be persistent, but be patient. You have to find a family/money/music balance that is sustainable over the course of years, not just months.

It might mean you can’t quit your day job just yet. Maybe you can only write one night a week for now. Sure, we all want instant gratification, but patience pays off.

Be patient.

6. Protect a positive attitude.

To stay in it for the long haul, you have to believe success is possible, and a lot of belief simply comes from your mind-set.

Seeing the glass as half-empty will cause your dreams to die of thirst.

Watch what comes out of your mouth. Not only does what you say reflect what’s in your heart, it reinforces it. Practice speaking positively- strengthen that part of yourself.

Had a bad publisher meeting? Don’t focus on the disappointment. Focus on what you were able to learn from that meeting (even if all you learned is that you have more to learn). Get a song to an artist, but they didn’t record it? Focus on the fact that you were able to actually get a song heard! I bet that wasn’t always the case. So you’ve made progress!

7. Make a new connection.

Yes, we’d all love to suddenly become best buddies with <insert your favorite artist or songwriter>. But that’s probably not going to happen today or tomorrow. But who CAN you reach out to? Where can you become a blip on someone’s radar and begin to build a relationship?

The music business is based on both music AND relationships. Sometimes when then music isn’t working like we’d hope, we can keep some forward progress by focusing on relationship-building. “Well, Publisher X didn’t love my song, but I got to meet Hit Writer Z this week!”

And you know I don’t like to throw out suggestions without providing an opportunity to put them into practice. So I have a really great opportunity coming up for you!

You and I BOTH want to learn what Byron has to share.

CLICK HERE TO GET ALL THE DETAILS & MEET HIT SONGWRITER BYRON HILL.

Building A Hit, Write Like A Pro

Bring One Of These To Your Next Cowrite (Or You’ll Be Sorry)

December 26, 2017 Brent Baxter Leave a comment

Let me tell you a tale of two cowrites, both from my early “pro” days. First… the bad cowrite. It was a nightmare…

I was signed with Major Bob Music at the time, and “Monday Morning Church” had recently been a top 5 country hit for Alan Jackson. But in spite of having a publishing deal and a hit under my belt, I was still pretty much a newbie trying to figure things out. (I still feel that way to be honest.) Anyway, Major Bob hooked me up to cowrite with a legit hit songwriter. This guy had many cuts and hits to his credit, and I was honored to get in a room with him.

We met at his publishing company on Music Row. After a little chit chat, he got that familiar look on his face.

“So… got any ideas?” No. Not really.

I mean, I had a bunch of hooks and some ideas, but nothing great. Nothing I was busting a gut to write. And I apparently didn’t have anything that impressed him, either. After I threw out several “shoulder-shruggers,” he said, “Man, we need an idea like ‘Monday Morning Church.'” Too bad. I must have left my stack of “Monday Morning Church” ideas at home that morning.

We chatted some more, eventually moving out to the porch where he smoked a cigarette and I watched my hopes of making a good impression going up in smoke. We called it a day. I call it a failure of preparation on my part. We’ve never written again. For me, I was embarrassed and in no hurry to risk wasting his time again.

Now for the good cowrite.

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To BE a pro, you need to THINK like a pro, and this FREE ebook will help transform your thinking, your songwriting, and your success. Get it today!

Click Here For The Book _________________________________

I met Byron Hill at Chad Green’s ASCAP Country Workshop. And, if I remember correctly, Carla Wallace at Big Yellow Dog Music also helped connect us. We got a cowrite on the books, and I was pumped. Byron has written a bunch of hits including, “Fool Hearted Memory” for George Strait, “Born Country” for Alabama, “Politics Religion & Her” for Sammy Kershaw and many, many more.

This time, I did my homework. I pulled together several ideas and lyrics that I thought he’d like. I really wanted to make a good impression on him. When Byron asked, “So… got any ideas?” I was ready. He loved a lyric sketch I brought in called, “Ring On The Bar,” and we were off to the races.

This first cowrite led to some success and more opportunity. While “Ring On The Bar” hasn’t been a big hit yet, it’s been recorded by John Pierce (RCA), James Dupre’ (The Voice), and has been on hold by several artists, including Brad Paisley.

But the big thing is that Byron and I went on to write several more songs together, including the 2014 Canadian Country Music Awards Single Of The Year (and my first #1) “When Your Lips Are So Close” with artist, Gord Bamford.

Good thing I showed up with a good idea on that first day, huh?

And that brings me to the point of these two stories. I believe that a strong idea is the most valuable thing you can bring to a cowrite (other than Tom Douglas). “Well,” you might say, “how come these big-time songwriters didn’t throw out any of THEIR ideas?” Here’s why:

A great idea is sometimes the only thing a newer songwriter has to offer a seasoned pro.

Let’s face it, if you get to write with an established pro songwriter, what do THEY need from YOU?

They have a more valuable name in the business. They have more connections. They most likely bring a higher level of songwriting skill. The only thing they need is a fresh, cool idea or melody. Unless you’re swinging around a big fat record deal, your job is to bring in the idea or the start of a song.

If the pro has a great idea, he surely has several proven, established cowriters or artists who could write it with him. Why risk giving 50% of HIS idea to a songwriter who might not contribute very much?

Let me tell you, it’s more fun (and profitable) when you have a strong answer for “got any ideas?” – and I want you to be prepared when that question comes your way. And that question doesn’t need a good answer ONLY if you get a pro cowrite. That question comes up in EVERY cowrite. Every time you step into the writing room, you have the opportunity to blow away your cowriter with a great nugget or idea.

Feeling like I have a stack of strong ideas allows me to walk into any cowrite with confidence. We might not always write my idea, but I came prepared… and my cowriter knows it and appreciates it.

That’s why, in the month of January, I’m hosting a transformative online songwriting event called, “Building A Hit: From Blank Page To Finished Lyric.” In this powerful 4-week online workshop, I reveal: How to find great song ideas. Kill writers block and fill up that blank page again and again. Always have an answer for, “So… got any ideas?” How to focus your ideas for maximum impact. Don’t waste any more great ideas by leaving them under-developed or confusing. How to frame your ideas for maximum commercial appeal. Having a great, compelling idea isn’t enough. You have to build your song in a way that an artist will want to sing it and an audience will want to hear it. How to finish your song. Stop leaving your best ideas unfinished! Nobody loves a song they never hear, and a song that’s only 99% finished will never get recorded, get on the radio, or change your life. Stop leaving your success to gather dust, unfinished, in some old notebook. If you want to join me on a journey that will help you think and write like a pro songwriter, click on the link below. Spots are limited for this event, and I only host it twice a year. Miss out, and it’s gone for another 6 months. Don’t delay- THE DEADLINE TO RESERVE YOUR SPOT IS THIS SATURDAY!

DON’T MISS OUT- CLICK HERE TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THIS GREAT OPPORTUNITY. THE DEADLINE TO RESERVE YOUR SPOT IS SATURDAY, DECEMBER 30!

God Bless and Enjoy the Journey,

Brent 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, a #1 in Canada & a top 10 in Texas… so far.

Do Business Like A Pro, Know The Row

How One Relationship Can Open Doors All Over The Music Biz

June 5, 2017 Brent Baxter 2 Comments

The music business is a relationship business. Yes, it takes great music. But it also takes great relationships. And it’s amazing how just ONE relationship can open up MANY doors of opportunity.

One believer- one champion- can change your career.

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To BE a pro, you need to THINK like a pro, and this FREE ebook will help transform your thinking, your songwriting, and your success. Get it today!

Click Here For The Book

_________________________________

I’m friends with Chad Green. I’ve been thinking a lot about Chad lately because I have a “Know The Row” event coming up with him next month. He’s currently the Senior Creative Director at Daywind Music Publishing.

But back in 2004, Chad was a membership representative with ASCAP, my Performing Rights Organization, or PRO.

In our first meeting, he picked up the phone and called Major Bob Music for me. I’d dropped off a comp for them and never heard anything back. This time, after Chad’s call, they listened. That call led to a meeting and eventually led to my first publishing deal. Thanks, Chad.

Chad also invited me to join ASCAP’s Country Workshop, where I met hit songwriter Byron Hill. Byron’s written “Fool Hearted Memory” for George Strait, “Politics Religion And More” for Sammy Kershaw, “Born Country” for Alabama and more. Byron and I eventually started writing together, and that has led to a few cuts, including “When Your Lips Are So Close,” a #1 Canadian country single and 2014 CCMA Single Of The Year for Gord Bamford. Thanks, Chad.

After Chad left ASCAP, he was Creative Director for Word Music Publishing. He called me up about some cowrites. That’s when I met Brian Hitt and Jay Speight. Together, we’ve had a song called “God Amazing” cut by Charles Billingsley in the Christian market. We also landed a few songs on a Christian children’s album called “K-Tunez Praise.” Side note- it’s fun when I hear my kids spinning that album in their room. Thanks, Chad.

Now Chad is Senior Creative Director at Daywind Music Publishing. So far, he’s introduced me to one of my favorite cowriters, a guy named Jason Wilkes. And Chad is currently working on getting me in the room with a successful country artist for an upcoming project on Daywind. I can’t say who the artist is, but I have a few of his country records, and I’m super pumped for the opportunity.

One industry contact has turned into a friendship and – over time – has led to a lot of good things. And that’s the lesson for YOU SongPros out there.

Relationships matter. Relationships open doors.

And it’s a two-way street. Chad calls me 1) because we’re friends and 2) he believes in my songwriting chops. He’s not going to bring me in with one of his writers or one of his artists if he thinks I’m going to blow it. After all, he has his own family to feed. He has his own professional reputation to consider.

I’ve made it easy for him to open those doors for me by 1) being a writer he respects and 2) being a friend.

Another lesson: people don’t stay in the same jobs forever. Chad was an ASCAP rep. At that job, he was able to hook me up with a publisher. Later, at a publishing company, he was able to hook me up with cowrites. Now, he also has contacts with a label, and he’s working on hooking me up with an artist.

Think long-term.

They say to make friends BEFORE you need them. I hope you’ll be mindful of making long-term contacts in the music business. And it all starts with a first step.

I have a great first step for you. If you’d like a chance to hang out with Chad Green yourself, we’re doing an online Know The Row event in July. With it being online, you can join us from anywhere in the world with an internet connection. If you want details, just CLICK HERE. Tickets are on sale now!

God Bless and Enjoy the Journey,

Brent

Biz, Do Business Like A Pro, Write Like A Pro

You’ll Probably Regret Not Bringing This To Your Next Cowrite

July 11, 2016 Brent Baxter 2 Comments

This is an encore edition of a recent blog post. I’m re-releasing it for two reasons: 1) it’s a really important topic and 2) I have a great opportunity for you at the end of it. Thanks! -Brent

Let me tell you a tale of two cowrites, both from my early “pro” days. First… the bad cowrite.

We met at his publishing company on Music Row. After a little chit chat, he got that familiar look on his face.

“So… got any ideas?” No. Not really.

Now for the good cowrite.

I did my homework. I pulled together several ideas and lyrics that I thought he’d like. I really wanted to make a good impression on him. When Byron asked, “So… got any ideas?” I was ready. He loved a lyric sketch I brought in called, “Ring On The Bar,” and we were off to the races.

Good thing I showed up with a good idea on that first day, huh?

And that brings me to the point of these two stories. I believe that a strong idea is the most valuable thing you can bring to a cowrite (other than Kris Kristofferson). “Well,” you might say, “how come these big-time songwriters didn’t throw out any of THEIR ideas?” Here’s why:

A great idea is really the only thing a newer songwriter has to offer a seasoned pro.

Let’s face it, if you get to write with an established pro songwriter, what do THEY need from YOU?

If the pro has a great idea, he surely has several proven, established cowriters who could write it with him. Why risk giving 50% of HIS idea to a songwriter who might not contribute very much?

Feeling like I have a stack of strong ideas allows me to walk into any cowrite with confidence. We might not always write my idea, but I came prepared… and my cowriter knows it and appreciates it.

I want YOU to have that confidence – and those results, too. I want your cowriters to be glad they showed up to write with you. But I DON’T want you to have to go through years of trial, error and the occasional embarrassing cowrite like I did! That’s why I dive deeply into the topic in my upcoming web-workshop series in August called “Song Ideas: From Blank Page To Finished Lyric.”

This course is designed to take you from a blank page to a new song idea to a fully developed concept to a finished lyric. You’ll learn a repeatable process you can use to discover and develop strong song ideas again and again. And you’ll also learn how to frame and focus those ideas for maximum commercial impact and appeal.

This course is INTERACTIVE! You won’t sit back and just stare at me talking for an hour-and-a-half. You won’t be some number on my dashboard. No. We’ll be face-to-face. You’ll have exercises to practice outside of our sessions. I’ll ask you questions. You can ask me questions. We’re in this thing together. That’s why I keep the workshops small- I want to get to know YOU!

Tickets for this event are on sale NOW. There are only 11 spots open, and I expect them to go fast- so don’t wait too long and miss your chance to take your songwriting to the next level!

I look forward to seeing you in August- CLICK HERE or on the image below to learn more and reserve your spot now!

God Bless and Enjoy the Journey,

Brent

Biz, Do Business Like A Pro, Write Like A Pro

The Most Valuable Thing You Can Bring To A Cowrite

May 9, 2016 Brent Baxter 9 Comments

Let me tell you a tale of two cowrites, both from my early “pro” days. First… the bad cowrite.

We met at his publishing company on Music Row. After a little chit chat, he got that familiar look on his face.

“So… got any ideas?” No. Not really.

Now for the good cowrite.

Good thing I showed up with a good idea on that first day, huh?

A great idea is really the only thing a newer songwriter has to offer a seasoned pro.

Let’s face it, if you get to write with an established pro songwriter, what do THEY need from YOU?

If the pro has a great idea, he surely has several proven, established cowriters who could write it with him. Why risk giving 50% of HIS idea to a songwriter who might not contribute very much?

Feeling like I have a stack of strong ideas allows me to walk into any cowrite with confidence. We might not always write my idea, but I came prepared… and my cowriter knows it and appreciates it.

I’d love to hear your thoughts on this. Have you had similar success or failures? Please leave a comment!

If you want to become a songwriting pro (in how you think, write songs or do business), then a great place to start is RIGHT HERE. I want to help you on your songwriting journey. I’ve been in the music business for years, and I’m here to help you get the cuts – and avoid the bruises. CLICK HERE TO START HERE.

God Bless and Enjoy the Journey,

Brent

Here’s golden advice from a Hall of Fame songwriter.

This is something you do NOT want to miss!

Nashville is a cowriting town.

1. More relationships.

2. More pitch / promotional power..

3. More ideas.

4. Less creative ruts.

5. Complimentary strengths.

6. Less excuses, more productivity.

7. Faster learning curve.

If you’re ready to speed up YOUR learning curve and grow as a writer, here’s your chance. Ask a hit songwriter YOUR questions- and get answers.

Okay, let’s say you finally scored that cowrite with a pro writer. Congrats!

Now don’t blow it.

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.

But don’t just take my word for it. Ask one of my fellow pros yourself. Here’s your chance.

Trying to connect with pro songwriters in towns like Nashville can feel like standing knee-deep in a river and dying of thirst.

Maybe someone can introduce you.

1. Your PRO Rep

2. A Music Publisher

3. Industry Contacts

4. Other Songwriters

5. Personal Relationships

6. Frettie & Songwriting Pro

1. Nobody turns pro alone.

2. “Professional” means your songs earn money.

3. Songwriting is NOT your hobby – it’s your business.

4. Good enough isn’t good enough.

5. You WILL have to sacrifice.

I’m gonna hook you up with an awesome multi-hit songwriter.

Whether you’re an amateur songwriter hoping to “go pro” or you’re a young pro trying to break through to the next level, a key element of success is simply to keep going. But that isn’t always easy.

1. Connect with your “why.”

2. Celebrate the small victories.

3. Connect with a supportive community.

4. Display visual reminders.

5. Pace yourself.

6. Protect a positive attitude.

7. Make a new connection.

Let me tell you a tale of two cowrites, both from my early “pro” days. First… the bad cowrite. It was a nightmare…

“So… got any ideas?” No. Not really.

Good thing I showed up with a good idea on that first day, huh?

A great idea is sometimes the only thing a newer songwriter has to offer a seasoned pro.

The music business is a relationship business. Yes, it takes great music. But it also takes great relationships. And it’s amazing how just ONE relationship can open up MANY doors of opportunity.

One believer- one champion- can change your career.

But back in 2004, Chad was a membership representative with ASCAP, my Performing Rights Organization, or PRO.

Relationships matter. Relationships open doors.

I’ve made it easy for him to open those doors for me by 1) being a writer he respects and 2) being a friend.

Think long-term.

Let me tell you a tale of two cowrites, both from my early “pro” days. First… the bad cowrite.

“So… got any ideas?” No. Not really.

Good thing I showed up with a good idea on that first day, huh?

A great idea is really the only thing a newer songwriter has to offer a seasoned pro.

Let me tell you a tale of two cowrites, both from my early “pro” days. First… the bad cowrite.

“So… got any ideas?” No. Not really.

Good thing I showed up with a good idea on that first day, huh?

A great idea is really the only thing a newer songwriter has to offer a seasoned pro.

Helping songwriters turn pro.