Tag Archives: Joe Nichols

Don’t take “no” from someone who can’t say “yes.”

August 27, 2018 Brent Baxter 1 Comment

If an A&R rep, manager, or whoever doesn’t have the authority to tell you, “Yes, my artist WILL cut your song,” then that person doesn’t have the power to tell you, “No, my artist WON’T cut your song.”

If someone who can’t really say “yes” says “no,” all it means is that you need to find a different person to pitch that song to. Knock on a different door. Or maybe you need to knock on that same person’s door again after some time passes (you never know how the direction of an album- or how someone’s mood- might change).

The point is, don’t quit on a song you believe is right for that artist. Keep going until you’ve exhausted every avenue to get to that artist.

Actually, you don’t quit even then. Why? Read on below.

_______________________________

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 _________________________________

Let me tell you a story about a song called “Crickets,” which I wrote with Lisa Shaffer and Bill Whyte. The day we wrote it, we thought it was a great Joe Nichols song. The only trouble was… my publisher disagreed.

They didn’t want to demo it. That was the first “no.”

But you know what? All my publisher could do was refuse to PAY for a demo. They couldn’t stop me from demoing. So my cowriters, Bill and Lisa, went and did a guitar/vocal of the song, anyway. They believed in it.

But then we hit another “no.”

We couldn’t get “Crickets” through Joe’s label, Universal South. I personally pitched the song to the head honcho over there, and he passed. Thankfully, another avenue opened up.

After a while, Joe left Universal South and signed with Red Bow Records. We pitched it to the new label, and they loved it. Joe finally heard it, and he cut it as the title track to his next album.

If you believe in a song, keep pitching it. And never take “no” from someone who can’t say “yes.”

Have you had that experience where you’ve had success after refusing to take “no” from someone who can’t say “yes?” It doesn’t have to just be music: “She’ll never go out with you.” “You’ll never make the team.” etc. Let us know your story in the comments- we’d love to hear from you!

Also, if you’re ready to take another swing (or the first swing) with a song you believe in, I have a great opportunity for you.

Songwriting Pro’s next Play For A Publisher event is coming right up, and our guest is John Ozier of Ole’ Music! John has worked closely with several #1 hit songwriters, and he’s been getting songs recorded by major artists. If YOU have the songs, HE knows what to do with them!

CLICK HERE TO GET ALL THE DETAILS AND SEND IN YOUR SONG- THE DEADLINE IS THIS WEEK!

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.

Frettie, Know The Row, Write Like A Pro

You will win or lose in the music business based on THIS.

April 16, 2018 Brent Baxter 1 Comment

You will win or lose in the music business based on this one thing. And the scary thing is, you may not even be thinking about it.

Read on if you want to level up your songwriting business.

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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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Okay, I won’t keep you in suspense any longer. You will win or lose as a songwriter based on how much value you add to OTHERS. This isn’t about you. You win by helping others win.

So, what does this mean, exactly? It means that the amount of value you add to others will largely determine how much success you have.

Do you write great lyrics? This is a big value to songwriters who don’t write great lyrics. If they’re smart, they’ll want to write with you. Do you write great melodies? This is a major value to songwriters who are strong on lyrics but weak on melody. They’ll want to write with you. Do you have incredible, commercial songs that are perfect for Artist X? Artist X is much more likely to want your songs. That, in turn, earns you royalties. You win by adding value. You win by helping others get what they want. It’s not about you. It’s about helping others.

Opportunities come to those who add value.

The more value you add, the more opportunities you will have. Let me give you a few personal examples.

“Caribou Barbie” recorded by Ray Stevens

Ray is a comedy legend with songs like “The Streak” “The Mississippi Squirrel Revival” and “Everything Is Beautiful.” So how’d I get my song “Caribou Barbie,” recorded by Ray? I brought value.

I was over at Ray’s office one day, and he was in a meeting. When Suzi, Ray’s daughter, poked her head out, I offhandedly said, “Hey, I have a song idea for Ray. It’s about Sarah Palin, and it’s called “Caribou Barbie.” She laughed and went back into the meeting. Later that afternoon, I was over in Ray’s parking lot picking up my car when Ray happened to walk outside. He said, “Hey, I wanna hear ‘Caribou Barbie’.” I said, “Yes, sir- I’ll write it!”

Now I had something of value. I had a title that the artist himself asked me to write.

Since Ray wanted me to write the song, my first question was, “who are the best possible cowriters?” (I’m a lyricist, so I need a good melody-writer.) It was an easy call to make- Matt Cline and Max T. Barnes. Both these guys wrote for Ray’s publishing company, so he’d have extra incentive to record and release it. They brought the value of publishing income for Ray, which made the song more valuable for him. This, in turn, made them more valuable to me.

They also brought in the value of being dialed into the project, having songs in the mix already for Ray’s album. Plus, they’re a great hang and really good writers. That’s more value they brought to the table. I called them up, they saw the value in the opportunity, we wrote the song, and Ray cut it.

Each person brought value to the song, and we all won.

“Crickets” recorded by Joe Nichols

I’m blessed to have the title track to Joe Nichols’ recent album, “Crickets,” on Red Bow Records. This title was not my idea. Joe himself didn’t ask me to write it. But I brought a different value to this song.

Bill Whyte and Lisa Shaffer had the idea for “Crickets.” I’d never written with Bill, but I’d written several songs with Lisa. She thought my sense of humor, storytelling and lyrical sensibilities would be a good fit for the song, so they invited me in. Simply put, I was invited in by two good writers because they believed I would add value.

Bill was in the room because (if I remember correctly) it was his title (and he’s a fine writer). Lisa was in the room because Bill had originally brought the idea to her because of their friendship and her songwriting skill. I was added in because Lisa valued my lyrical abilities.

Unlike the Ray Stevens situation, Joe and his team had zero publishing or other direct financial interest in the song. Neither, Bill, Lisa nor I were in Joe’s “camp.” Joe cut the song because (I assume) he believed “Crickets” would add something valuable to his album.

What value can you bring?

Artists bring the value of having a record deal. Published writers bring the value of experience and a team of songpluggers. What’s your value? Great hooks? Do you record your own demos, saving your cowriters money? Do you have artist potential? Great melodies? What can you do to add value? If you identify your value, you can sell yourself on it. Because, like it or not, we’re all in the service and sales business.

Here’s some value for you.

If you’re interested in getting cuts and hits, I have a great opportunity for you. In May, I’m hosting Frettie’s “Know The Row” event with multi-hit songwriter, Jimmy Yeary!

Not only did Jimmy write “I Drive Your Truck,” a CMA & ACM Song Of The Year and a #1 hit for Lee Brice, he’s also written hits for Kenny Chesney, Jake Owen, Rascal Flatts and more.

This is YOUR chance to sit down face-to-face (online) with a real-deal professional, hit songwriter.

You and I both want to learn what Jimmy has to share.

Here’s the deal. You can join us online from anywhere in the world on Thursday, May 24, 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 JIMMY YEARY.

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.

Frettie, Know The Row, Write Like A Pro

Your Song’s First Line Really Needs This!

April 9, 2018 Brent Baxter Leave a comment

Imagine yourself in a dark movie theater. The movie starts to play, but there is just sound- no picture. You’d be upset, right? Then why do we often write songs that way?

Why don’t we give our listeners some pictures right at the beginning of our movie/song? After all, the hit songwriters know how important this is, and they do it consistently.

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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 think the movie analogy is an appropriate one for songwriting.

Songs are basically 3-minute movies.

And just like someone making a movie, we want to hook our audience immediately. We want to draw them into our story as quickly as possible. And you know what does this extremely well?

Imagery.

Well-written imagery quickly lets the listener know the setting for our story or gives them a sudden emotional punch. Or it builds mystery or interest. And, along with good melody and production, that will keep the listener listening further into the song.

The main job of your song’s 1st line is to make the listener want to hear the 2nd line.

Here are the first lines of a few of my songs that have been recorded.

You left your Bible on the dresser, so I put it in the drawer – “Monday Morning Church” sung by Alan Jackson

Sunday morning was a fight, I was runnin’ from that clip-on tie – “Every Head Bowed” sung by Alan Jackson

Past the cotton fields and the old Spring Mill, we laid a blanket out where the world was still – “Crickets” sung by Joe Nichols

There’s a towel on the bathroom door, a t-shirt in my dresser if you like – “Last Night Last” sung by Lady Antebellum

But don’t just take MY lyrics for it. Here are the first lines of 9 of the current top 10 songs on Billboard’s Country Airplay Chart.

I believe kids oughta stay kids as long as they can, turn off the screen, go climb a tree, get dirt on their hands – “Most People Are Good” sung by Luke Bryan

I ain’t heard you laugh like that in a long time – “Singles You Up” sung by Jordan Davis

Baby, lay on back and relax, kick your pretty feet up on my dash – Bebe Rexha & Florida Georgia Line

She wants to get married, she wants it perfect, she wants her grandaddy preaching the service – “Marry Me” sung by Thomas Rhett

Don’t think I’ve ever seen your kind of pretty wandering ’round this midnight mad house city – “The Long Way” sung by Brett Eldredge

Like a rainy Sunday morning makes me wanna stay in bed, twisted up all day long – “You Make It Easy” sung by Jason Aldean

This is perfect, come kiss me one more time – “Heaven” sung by Kane Brown

When the devil’s knocking at my door, when I’m broken and I’m battle worn, down in the valley, on my knees – “She’s With Me” sung by High Valley

Seen my share of broken halos, folded wings that used to fly – “Broken Halos” sung by Chris Stapleton

The song in the #10 spot, “All On Me” by Devin Dawson, doesn’t have an image in the first couple lines, but all the rest do. That’s 90% of the current top 10, and it’s something you should pay attention to.

And note that not all the images are literal. In “She’s With Me” and “Broken Halos,” the images are more metaphorical. But they STILL put a picture in the mind of the listener. So you don’t have to JUST paint a literal picture of the situation.

But in case you aren’t quite convinced yet, here are a bunch more first lines from other hit country songs over the past several years:

Doublewide Quick Stop midnight T-top Jack in her Cherry Coke town – “American Kids” sung by Kenny Chesney

Quarter in the payphone, clothes drying on the line – “Automatic” sung by Miranda Lambert

Those high heels with that sun dress, turquoise heart hanging ‘round your neck – “My Eyes” sung by Blake Shelton

Summer comin’ through a rolled down window, tearin’ down an almost two lane back road – “We Are Tonight” sung by Billy Currington

Sun shines, clouds rain, train whistles blow and guitars play – “It Just Comes Natural” sung by George Strait

I’ve packed a cooler and a change of clothes – “Want To” by Sugarland

Driving through town, just my boy and me. With a happy meal on his booster seat– “Watching You” by Rodney Atkins

I can take the rain on the roof of this empty house– “What Hurts The Most” Rascal Flatts

She’s a yellow pair of running shoes, a holey pair of jeans– “She’s Everything” Brad Paisley

I could do this for days. Now, I know there are examples out there of purely emotional songs that do well. But if you look at the songs that are not written by the artist or by the producer or by an established hit songwriter, I think you’ll see a trend.

Put images in your song’s first lines to draw your listener in.

One more great example is from a recent CMA and ACM Song Of The Year: “I Drive Your Truck,” written by Jessi Alexander, Connie Harrington, and Jimmy Yeary and recorded by Lee Brice.

“89 cents in the ashtray, half-empty bottle of Gatorade rolling on the floorboard”

It’s like the opening shot of a movie that starts with a close-up of change in the ashtray, panning over to a Gatorade bottle rolling on the floorboard. The song follows the camera as it moves over to the dash, the backseat, etc. This pulls us in. It also gives us clues about the truck’s owner. It’s such a well-written song!

If you’re interested in writing commercial songs- if you want to give your songs their best chance to succeed, I have a great opportunity for you. In May, I’m hosting Frettie’s “Know The Row” with one of the writers of “I Drive Your Truck,” Jimmy Yeary!

Not only did Jimmy write this Song Of The Year, he’s also written hits for Kenny Chesney, Jake Owen, Rascal Flatts and more.

And this is YOUR chance to sit down face-to-face (online) with a real-deal professional, hit songwriter.

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

CLICK HERE TO GET ALL THE DETAILS & MEET HIT SONGWRITER JIMMY YEARY.

Do Business Like A Pro

It Takes A Lot Of Songwriting Swings To Get A Hit

May 30, 2017 Brent Baxter 2 Comments

Don’t give up on your song if the first publisher doesn’t love it. And don’t give up on that publisher if they don’t love your first song. You usually have to swing the bat a lot of times to get a hit. Here are a few of my stories that prove that.

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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 hope these stories from my songwriting journey inspire you on YOUR journey. And there are some lessons in this we’ll get to at the end.

*Back before I had any success as a songwriter, I cold-called Major Bob Music, a publisher. They said I could drop off a comp (a comp is a few songs on a CD). I never heard back from them. Months later, a mutual contact in the industry, Chad Green, recommended me to them. We eventually sign my first publishing deal.

*My first meeting at ASCAP was with Mike Doyle. He saw potential in a couple of songs, but he probably forgot about me the minute I walked out of his office. About five years later, he’s my songplugger at Major Bob.

*Years later, a different publisher didn’t believe in my song, “Crickets” enough to demo it. My cowriters did a guitar/vocal, anyway. I pitched it to Joe Nichols’ label. They passed. More pitches. Eventually, it got put on hold for Easton Corbin. Didn’t get cut. Joe Nichols got a new record label. Pitch. Cut. Title track to his album, “Crickets.”

*I had a song idea and lyric called, “Monday Morning Church.” This was back in Little Rock, Arkansas. I showed it to (at the time) my main cowriter. He never did anything with it. I showed it to another potential cowriter. Nothing happened. Then I met Erin Enderlin. She loved it. We wrote it, and Alan Jackson made “Monday Morning Church” a top five hit.

What does this mean for you?

It means you shouldn’t give up!

What if I had given up on “Monday Morning Church” because the first few potential cowriters passed on it? What if I’d given up on “Crickets” because my publisher didn’t love it? What if I had given up on Major Bob Music because they apparently didn’t love the songs I dropped off or because one of their songpluggers didn’t do backflips over me five years earlier?

Nobody will believe in you or your music… until they finally do.

I’ve heard stories of producers who had to hear a song 3, 4 or 5 times on separate occasions before they finally “got it” and cut it. What if those writers had given up after only one try?

The people who succeed in the music business are the ones who don’t give up. I know the feeling. I know it’s frustrating. You write a song that you really believe in… and the first publisher you play it for skips to the next song halfway through the chorus without any comments. Or you finally get that first publisher meeting- and they say you need to “dig deeper.”

It hurts.

But if you want to be a pro, you have to act like a pro. And pros will take an honest look at themselves and their writing. Then they’ll get out the guitars and write another song. Then demo another song. Then pitch another song. Then call another publisher. Eventually, they’ll call the same publisher back. Or they’ll pitch that same song again. Why? Because…

Pros know that their songs probably won’t be “the right song at the right time” the first time.

We also know WE probably won’t be the right songwriter at the right time the first time, either. I sure wasn’t the right songwriter the first time I met Mike at ASCAP. But I WAS the right songwriter at the right time a few years later at Major Bob.

You’ll never hit home runs if you don’t keep swinging the bat.

So, what about you? Is there a song you believe in that’s been passed over? Maybe it’s time someone hears it again. Maybe you’ve been passed over as a writer. Maybe it’s time to put yourself out there again.

Let me help.

I’m hosting Songwriting Pro’s Play For A Publisher event next month. Now that I’ve done a few of these, I’ve seen some cool stuff happen. I’ve seen a songwriter who didn’t make it to one Play For A Publisher – make it to the next. I’ve seen the same song NOT make it to one Play For A Publisher, then make it to the next.

Maybe THIS time is the right time for you. CLICK HERE to learn more, submit your song, and take another swing.

Tim Hunze is coming back to do another Play For A Publisher event in June! He’s a successful publisher with Parallel Music in Nashville, Tennessee. Tickets are on sale now, and space is limited. CLICK HERE to check out all the details and submit YOUR song for Tim!

God Bless and Enjoy the Journey,

Brent

Craft, Think Like A Pro, Write Like A Pro

Songwriting Is All About Location, Location, Location

July 5, 2016 Brent Baxter 1 Comment

It’s true for real estate, and it’s true for songs.

I want to talk about the 3 most important things in real estate (which are also really important in songwriting):

Location, location, location.

In probably any town, certain neighborhoods have certain personalities. One neighborhood is full of SUV-driving soccer moms. Another is mostly middle-class country folk. Another is college kids, another is hipsters, etc.

Musically-speaking, most artists put down roots in one neighborhood.

They spend most of their time there, only venturing out to the adjacent neighborhoods every now and then. This is another way of talking about branding. An artist’s brand says, “I live in THIS neighborhood. I’m like THESE people, and I sing about them and for them.”

For example, an artist’s music may be most “at home” with the good ‘ol party boys. Most of his music is for those good ‘ol boys- bonfires and tailgates. The “good ‘ol party boy” artist doesn’t usually venture into the soccer mom neighborhood, where the music is more about family, lifelong love, kids, etc.

Most songs are also “at home” in certain neighborhoods. Some songs are built for the rednecks, some for the high school girls, some for their moms, some for the blue collar dads, etc.

But remember, most ideas can be built to fit in any of several neighborhoods.

It just depends how you frame the idea (pun intended). The choices you make will determine your song’s neighborhood.

For example, Craig Morgan’s “Redneck Yacht Club” and Little Big Town’s “Pontoon” are basically about the same thing- getting out on the water. But the songs (houses) were built in different neighborhoods and attracted a different kind of artist. Even though the basic ideas of the songs are similar, Little Big Town wouldn’t feel at home moving into Craig’s neighborhood, and vice versa.

When you think about where to build your song, it’s wise to think about the property values in the different neighborhoods.

Are the houses in the “good ‘ol party boys” neighborhood in high demand? Are the houses in the blue-collar-working-man in low demand? What type of song are artists cutting?

I was blessed to have Joe Nichols cut a song of mine on his most recent album. The song became the album’s title, “Crickets.” We built the song in Joe’s neighborhood, and I’m glad he liked it enough to move in!

But what about “Crickets” put it in Joe’s neighborhood? Well, first off, it’s country. Pretty dang country. Joe’s done some more modern stuff here and there, but he has a deep love for country songs that are really country. Also, Joe has also recorded several songs that are funny or tongue-in-cheek, such as “Tequila Makes Her Clothes Fall Off.” He’s not afraid to poke a little fun at himself, either, so “Crickets” seemed like a really good fit. I’m glad Joe thought so, too!

The concept of “Neighborhoods” is important if you want to write commercial songs. I go into more depth on 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 laptop’s 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

Do Business Like A Pro, The C.L.I.M.B.

The C.L.I.M.B. Episode 15: Cut Study- Joe Nichols & “Crickets”

May 24, 2016 Brent Baxter Leave a comment

The C.L.I.M.B. Podcast Episode 14 is live and ready for download!

On today’s episode, Brent leads as we dive into a “Cut Study” of “Crickets” by Joe Nichols. Want to know how Brent and his cowriters took “Crickets” from a worktape in the writing room to the title cut of Joe’s current album? Then listen up! If YOU want CUTS, this is the episode for you!

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE C.L.I.M.B. ON ITUNES

The C.L.I.M.B. stands for “Creating Leverage In The Music Business,” and that’s the goal of this podcast- to help singers, indie artists and songwriters like YOU to create leverage in the music business. What is leverage? It’s “strategic advantage; the power to act effectively.” We want to help YOU make stuff happen in the music biz.

Thanks to everyone who has already downloaded our first run of episodes, covering topics like “10 Ways To Get To A Music Publisher” and “6 Simple Ways To Make Your Songs More Commercial.”

It’s been exciting to see how folks are digging the show- and being helped on their CLIMB. If YOU like it, we’d really appreciate it if you’d subscribe and leave a rating or review on iTunes. Positive ratings and reviews help us to climb the iTunes rankings so more people become aware of the show and we can help more singers, songwriters, and indie artists like you make The CLIMB!

CLICK HERE TO LEAVE AN iTUNES REVIEW

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE C.L.I.M.B. ON ITUNES

If you aren’t on iTunes, you can listen to the show at our website:

TheCLIMBshow.com

Thanks for your time. It means a lot to me, and hopefully it’ll be a lot of help for you!

God Bless and keep C.L.I.M.B.ing,

Brent

Do Business Like A Pro, The C.L.I.M.B.

The C.L.I.M.B. Episode 14: 10 Fundamentals For Creating A Viral YouTube Channel (Part 1)

May 17, 2016 Brent Baxter Leave a comment

The C.L.I.M.B. Podcast Episode 14 is live and ready for download!

On today’s episode, Johnny leads as we dive into the “10 Fundamentals For Creating A Viral YouTube Channel (Part 1).” Are you an artist or songwriter looking to create a following or a fanbase? You don’t just slap a video on YouTube and go viral. It’s not easy, and it’s not just dumb luck. There are strategies YOU can use to give yourself the best chance to build a good fanbase. If YOU want an AUDIENCE, this is the episode for you!

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE C.L.I.M.B. ON ITUNES

Thanks to everyone who has already downloaded our first run of episodes, covering topics like “10 Ways To Get To A Music Publisher” and “6 Simple Ways To Make Your Songs More Commercial.”

CLICK HERE TO LEAVE AN iTUNES REVIEW

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE C.L.I.M.B. ON ITUNES

If you aren’t on iTunes, you can listen to the show at our website:

TheCLIMBshow.com

Thanks for your time. It means a lot to me, and hopefully it’ll be a lot of help for you!

God Bless and keep C.L.I.M.B.ing,

Brent

Do Business Like A Pro, The C.L.I.M.B.

The C.L.I.M.B. Episode 13: Songwriting Decisions

May 10, 2016 Brent Baxter Leave a comment

The C.L.I.M.B. Podcast Episode 13 is live and ready for download!

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE C.L.I.M.B. ON ITUNES

On today’s episode, Johnny and I dive into the “Songwriting Decisions” that went into the writing of “Crickets” recorded by Joe Nichols on Red Bow Records. We take you into the writing room as we decide how to approach the idea, giving it the best chance to get recorded. (And it worked!) You want to know how pro songwriters think? This is your chance to get in my head!

Thanks to everyone who has already downloaded our first run of episodes, covering topics like “10 Ways To Get To A Music Publisher” and “6 Simple Ways To Make Your Songs More Commercial.”

CLICK HERE TO LEAVE AN iTUNES REVIEW

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE C.L.I.M.B. ON ITUNES

If you aren’t on iTunes, you can listen to the show at our website:

TheCLIMBshow.com

Thanks for your time. It means a lot to me, and hopefully it’ll be a lot of help for you!

God Bless and keep C.L.I.M.B.ing,

Brent

Craft, Cut Study

Songwriting Is Like Real Estate… For Real.

December 9, 2015 Brent Baxter Leave a comment

It’s true for real estate, and it’s true for songs.

My last couple of posts talked about how your songwriting can “Fill The G.A.P.S.” or get you “P.U.L.’D. To Success.” Today, I want to talk about the most important thing in real estate (and important in songwriting): location, location, location…

Musically-speaking, most artists put down roots in one neighborhood.

Most songs are also “at home” in certain neighborhoods. Some songs are built for the rednecks, some for the high school girls, some for their moms, some for the blue collar dads, etc.

But remember, most ideas can be built to fit in any of several neighborhoods.

It just depends how you frame the idea (pun intended). The choices you make will determine your song’s neighborhood.

When you think about where to build your song, it’s wise to think about the property values in the different neighborhoods.

Are the houses in the “good ‘ol party boys” neighborhood in high demand? Are the houses in the blue-collar-working-man in low demand? What type of song are artists cutting?

The concept of “Neighborhoods” is important if you want to write commercial songs. I go into more depth on the topic in “Cut/able,” and it’s one of the lessons we’ll be discussing in our C4 Experience.

In my last post, I promised to tell you what “C4” means, so here it is.

C4:

Creative
Commercial
Coaching
Community

The C4 Experience is about celebrating your creative spirit and sharpening your commercial songwriting, guided by expert coaching and encouraged by a supportive community.

Let’s look at each part of this:

Creative:
I want to celebrate you because I’m a fan of you! I love dreamers and doers. And while I take the craft of songwriting very seriously, I believe it should be fun. If you’ve ever been to one of my workshops or live events, you know I like to have fun while I’m teaching- so you can have fun while you’re learning. And I also believe you can be creative while being commercial, which brings me to the next “C.”

Commercial:
This workshop series is for songwriters that want to write commercially successful songs- either for yourself or for others to sing. By the end of this workshop, my goal is for your songwriting to be a lot more commercial.

Coaching:
Each two-hour session will begin with 30 minutes of teaching and a lesson review. Each lesson will be based on one of the four sections of “Cut/able.” You’ll do the reading and exercises before each workshop, and we’ll meet online to discuss the lesson and answer any questions. Each student will also receive 45 minutes of “spotlight coaching.” This is a time for us to focus on YOU- your situation, your challenges, and your songs. I’ll lead, but the other students can also give their advice.

Community:
The C4 Experience is limited to just 8 students, so there will be time to get to know everyone else in the group over our 8 hours together over 4 nights. You’ll encourage each other and probably find out that your challenges aren’t that different from anyone else’s. Successful commercial songwriting is a team sport, and this just may help you build that team.

HOW DOES C4 WORK?

The C4 Experience is an online event, so you can join in from anywhere there’s an internet connection. You do NOT have to be in Nashville. You can join us from anywhere in the world. We’ll meet via Fuze, an online videoconferencing platform. Basically, I’ll send you a link before each session, and you just click to join in. If you have questions, you can find out more about Fuze, here:
System requirements
Join Fuze meeting through an internet browser

We’ll meet 4 times (that’s where the “4” in “C4” comes from):

Tuesday, January 12, 7:30pm to 9:30pm (Central time)
Tuesday, January 25, 7:30pm to 9:30pm (Central time)
Tuesday, February 9, 7:30pm to 9:30pm (Central time)
Tuesday, February 23, 7:30pm to 9:30pm (Central time)

Each night will begin with a 30-minute lesson from “Cut/able.” We’ll work through the workbook in order:

*Session 1- W.I.L.L.power: Proving Personality & Emotions Through Your Lyrics (Connect on a deeper level with the artist and listener through effective use of imagery.)

*Session 2- PUL’D To Success: The Value of Positive, Uptempo, Love/Depth Songs (Give the artists what they need, give radio what it wants, and give the fans what they like by learning the importance of writing positive, uptempo, love/depth songs.)

*Session 3- Neighborhoods: Where Will You Build A Home For Your Songs? (Develop skills to identify an artist’s “brand” so you can write songs that fit that brand and speak to the artist’s core audience.)

*Session 4- Fill The G.A.P.S.: Growth, Achievement, Preaching/Positioning, Songwriting (Pinpoint areas of opportunity within an artist’s catalog- slots you can fill with your songs, songs that fit the artist’s brand without being just like what they’ve already done.)

After the lesson/Q&A, we’ll do two 45-minute spotlight coaching sessions. We’ll focus on one of the group members each session (two per night). Each of the eight community members will get his or her own spotlight over the course of the event.

The cost of the entire C4 Experience is $250, which is a great deal. It works out to $31.25 an hour. I usually charge $150 for just one hour of coaching. But with C4, you get 4 30-minute lessons with Q&A and a personalized 45-minute spotlight coaching session. PLUS, you get to participate in the spotlight sessions of the 7 other songwriters. Believe me, there will be plenty you can learn from their sessions, too!

An average demo in Nashville currently costs anywhere from $500 to $1000. That’s just for ONE SONG. That’s a fine investment if your song is commercially strong. If it isn’t… you just wasted a lot of your money. Wouldn’t it be better to spend $250 to keep from wasting $1000 or more (again and again)? For less than the price of demoing one song, you can learn how to write song after song after song that’s worth demoing!

BONUS!

Since we’ll be learning from my workbook, “Cut/able,” it only makes sense to give you a copy when you join C4. It sells for $25, but I’ll throw it in for free. (If you already own “Cut/able,” there’s a discount code in the back of the workbook. Use it at checkout, and it’ll knock $25 off the price, so it’s like you get it for free!) Click here to find out more about “Cut/able.”

Tickets for this event are on sale NOW. There are only 8 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 January- CLICK HERE or on the image below to reserve your spot now!

God Bless and Enjoy the Journey,

Brent

Biz

The Do’s And Don’ts Of Songwriter Emails

November 2, 2015 Brent Baxter 5 Comments

My last couple of posts have been about email. Why biz pros aren’t emailing you back and the email that helped me get a Joe Nichols cut. Today, I want to break it down even more simply into some “do” and “don’t” guidelines.

This is mainly for when a songwriter wants to get a meeting with a publisher, a PRO, or some other pro in the business. These are only guidelines, so certain situations may call for different tactics.

DON’T: Whine about the music biz. We all know it’s hard.

DON’T: Tell your life story in the first email. Or probably ever. We just want great music. If it’s not great, the story behind it doesn’t matter. If it IS great, the story behind it doesn’t matter.

DON’T: Beg. It just makes you look unprofessional.

DON’T: Flood them. Don’t send an email every day or two. Relax. Be patient.

DON’T: Talk trash about others in the biz- or their songs. They might be our friends.

DON’T: Ask for a cowrite or pub deal right off the bat. You’re not trying to get to third base here- you’re just asking for a dance.

DON’T: Ask for too much. Not “come to my show” “listen to my album and tell me your favorite.” Don’t make yourself look like needy work. Just attach ONE song. Or ask if you can send them a song.

DO: Warm up the email if possible. Meet us out somewhere at a show or industry event. Have a mutual contact introduce us, etc. It’s not always possible, but it helps.

DO: Keep it short and to the point. Make it easy to read your email quickly. We don’t have all day.

DO: Provide contact information. Make yourself easy to find.

DO: Provide brief credentials (if you have some). Briefly list any pro cowrites, cuts, major contest wins, etc. Did a pro recommend you?

DO: Ask for a meeting or a listen. Be clear about what you want from this email.

DO: Follow up in about a week. Not the same afternoon. We’re busy. Don’t become a problem.

DO: Respect the professional’s time. If you ask for a meeting, only ask for 15 minutes. And mean it!

Here’s a sample of a solid email:

SUBJECT:

We met at Lance’s show

BODY:

Hi, Bill! We met at Lance Carpenter’s show at The Listening Room last night. I’m Emily’s friend (with the glasses).

I’m a songwriter, and I’ve had two songs featured at NSAI’s Pitch-To-Publisher Luncheon. I’ve also been writing with Sally Makeahit at Sony ATV.

I’ll be in Nashville the week of July 12, and I’d appreciate 15 minutes of your time. I’d just like to say “hi” and maybe play one song for you. I know you’re busy, and I promise to respect your time. Thanks.

Sincerely,

Johnny Songwriter

555-555-5555

johnnysongwriter@email.com

www.johnnysongwriter.com

What about you? Any additions to this list of do’s and don’ts?

Pro songwriters know how to act professionally. And if YOU want to become a pro, you need to think like a pro, too. In my FREE e-book, “THINK LIKE A PRO SONGWRITER,” I not only reveal several of the mindsets which separate the pro songwriter from the amateur, but also…

How to get on a music publisher’s radar
How the pros know who is looking for songs
Six simple ways to make your songs more commercial
And more!

To get your FREE, INSTANT download of “THINK LIKE A PRO SONGWRITER,” just click on the image below, or CLICK HERE!

God Bless and Enjoy the Journey,

Brent

If an A&R rep, manager, or whoever doesn’t have the authority to tell you, “Yes, my artist WILL cut your song,” then that person doesn’t have the power to tell you, “No, my artist WON’T cut your song.”

The point is, don’t quit on a song you believe is right for that artist. Keep going until you’ve exhausted every avenue to get to that artist.

If you believe in a song, keep pitching it. And never take “no” from someone who can’t say “yes.”

You will win or lose in the music business based on this one thing. And the scary thing is, you may not even be thinking about it.

Opportunities come to those who add value.

“Caribou Barbie” recorded by Ray Stevens

Now I had something of value. I had a title that the artist himself asked me to write.

“Crickets” recorded by Joe Nichols

What value can you bring?

Here’s some value for you.

Imagine yourself in a dark movie theater. The movie starts to play, but there is just sound- no picture. You’d be upset, right? Then why do we often write songs that way?

Songs are basically 3-minute movies.

Imagery.

The main job of your song’s 1st line is to make the listener want to hear the 2nd line.

Put images in your song’s first lines to draw your listener in.

Don’t give up on your song if the first publisher doesn’t love it. And don’t give up on that publisher if they don’t love your first song. You usually have to swing the bat a lot of times to get a hit. Here are a few of my stories that prove that.

What does this mean for you?

It means you shouldn’t give up!

Nobody will believe in you or your music… until they finally do.

It hurts.

Pros know that their songs probably won’t be “the right song at the right time” the first time.

You’ll never hit home runs if you don’t keep swinging the bat.

Let me help.

It’s true for real estate, and it’s true for songs.

Location, location, location.

Musically-speaking, most artists put down roots in one neighborhood.

But remember, most ideas can be built to fit in any of several neighborhoods.

When you think about where to build your song, it’s wise to think about the property values in the different neighborhoods.

The C.L.I.M.B. Podcast Episode 14 is live and ready for download!

The C.L.I.M.B. Podcast Episode 14 is live and ready for download!

The C.L.I.M.B. Podcast Episode 13 is live and ready for download!

It’s true for real estate, and it’s true for songs.

Musically-speaking, most artists put down roots in one neighborhood.

But remember, most ideas can be built to fit in any of several neighborhoods.

When you think about where to build your song, it’s wise to think about the property values in the different neighborhoods.

C4:

Creative Commercial Coaching Community

The C4 Experience is about celebrating your creative spirit and sharpening your commercial songwriting, guided by expert coaching and encouraged by a supportive community.

HOW DOES C4 WORK?

BONUS!

My last couple of posts have been about email. Why biz pros aren’t emailing you back and the email that helped me get a Joe Nichols cut. Today, I want to break it down even more simply into some “do” and “don’t” guidelines.

Helping songwriters turn pro.

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Commercial
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Community