Write About Jesus

Daniel Kirkley— Dawn of a New Artist

Sun, 9 Sep 2007 22:50:42 -0500

1. How long have you been writing and who do you write for? What markets do you write for?

I started my attempt at writing shortly after I moved to Nashville back in 2000. So I guess that means I've been writing for about 7 years. I've never really tried my hand at writing for other artists. The vast majority of what I have done has been for my two previous custom records…and my new album on Centricity.

2. When did you move to Nashville and what took you there?
I moved to Nashville in January of 2000 to finish my last two years of college at Belmont University.

3. What is your educational background? Were you a vocal performance major? What is your background as far as writing?
I have a Bachelor of Arts degree from Belmont in Commercial Music; with an emphasis in Vocal Performance. Being in such a creative environment as Belmont really spurred the idea and desire to write and ultimately be the best musician that I could be with what God gave me.
As far as my background in writing… honestly it was so much trial and error. At the time I couldn't even play an instrument and sing at the same time…so my writing consisted of recording little melody and lyric ideas on a handheld tape-recorder throughout my day…and in the evening, I would sit in my dorm room and try and pick out chords that fit under those melodies. Then, slowly and over time…things just started clicking and fitting together. It took almost two years of working like that to really complete a song that I felt comfortable and confident enough to play and sing out in public.

4. Was the job at BBMP your first in the music business? How did that happen?
It was my first paying job. During my two years at Belmont, I interned with BMG Publishing…in their gospel department. Those contacts really paid off…because it was from working there that I found out about the position at Brentwood-Benson.

5. How did your recording contract with Centricity come about? How were you “discovered” and how long has it taken to get to this point?
My partnership with Centricity first began as a development agreement that I signed back in October of 2005. I had been working on some demos with Brentwood-Benson…and Holly suggested that her husband and I meet so I could play him some songs I was working on. Guy, had just started working in A&R with Centricity. That all took place in July of 2005…and that August Centricity invited me to an independent artist retreat they hold each year up in WA state. Shortly after that retreat is when I entered into the development deal. After a little over a year of working…writing…and recording, I signed a recording contract with Centricity Records.

6. You are working now on your first major release. How many songs have you written for it? How difficult has it been to find the right songs? What songs are you especially excited about?
Through the course of development and the early months of signing my recording contract, I wrote or co-wrote close to 50 songs. Out of those, I believe I have 6 songs on the record.
The right songs are key…and it has been a difficult task to find something that fits my style musically…but also has a lyric that speaks to me…and something that I feel I could make my own.
I love the single…”My New Dawn” - it was really the momentum from this song that has sped the recording process along. Plus it was the first song that I had a chance to record for the album. Another song is called “Amen” - which was actually written for this album by Nichole Nordeman. I'm a huge fan of Nichole…and was utterly THRILLED when I found out she had written a song for me!!!

7. How much co-writing do you do? How do you decide who you will write with?
The majority of all my writing now is in a co-writing session. I've actually begun to prefer co-writing…bringing together strengths of others is a great thing. As far as who I decide to co-write with…really, I would write with anyone. I think you have to be open to do that…because you never know how you will click with someone creatively.

8. How do you deal with the rejection that is part of being a songwriter or an artist?
Haha - it's hard…but rejection is a big part of this business. You will hear no many more times than you will hear yes. I don't think it ever gets easier… I think you can respond in one of two ways to rejection… 1. You can get defensive and close yourself off to any more criticism (which is so easy to do)… or 2. You can trust that those giving criticism are wanting it to be constructive…and use what you hear to better yourself as a musician, writer…etc.
I truly believe that in this line of work…you have to devote yourself to always being a student…
You should never get to the place that you feel you have nothing else to learn.

9. What do you do when you don't feel creative, don't have any good ideas, or feel like you can't write?
Honestly…When I don't feel inspired…or feel like I'm in a “dry spell” I don't write. I try to take some time off from trying to force something…
I then try to delve back into what does inspire me… one HUGE source of inspiration is just emotionally-driven singer/songwriters… Hearing that depth of writing always makes me just want to sit at the keyboard and play.

10. Are there certain themes in your writing that you tend to gravitate toward? What are they?
The title of the album is “Let Love Win” and it comes from a line in the song Nichole wrote for the project. It is prayer from the heart of someone broken by the state of the world today…and this song is the prayer that comes from that brokenness. The general theme of finding hope in moments of brokenness definitely runs through the course of the entire record.

11. What artists and writers have influenced you?
Gosh…this potentially could be a HUGE list. But here goes:
Cindy Morgan, David Gray, Bruce Hornsby, Fernando Ortega, Five For Fighting, Jamie Cullum, Jars of Clay, Keane, Kyle Matthews, Marc Cohn, Michael W. Smith, Nichole Nordeman, Patty Griffin, Peter Gabriel, Scott Krippayne, Snow Patrol, Steve Green, Sting, Susan Ashton, Tommy Sims, Wayne Kirkpatrick…okay…I'm cutting myself off now - haha!!!

12. Do you have a favorite place to write? A favorite time of day? A tried-and-true way to get inspired or find new ideas?
Brentwood-Benson feels so much like home to me…I spent 4 years working there… and it just feels so natural when I sit down there to write. I really enjoy writing any time during the day! As far as inspiration…finding and living with a creative album that I haven't heard in a while…there's always inspiration there!

13. What are you most looking forward to in the coming months with your album's release? Is there anything you are anxious or nervous about?
I most looking forward to getting out…and playing this new music in front of people; just seeing and hearing their reaction to the album and music seems quite exciting!
I think whenever you put your heart on your sleeve…and open yourself up to others…there is a sense of anxiety there. Ultimately, I just hope other people can connect to the music.

14. What has surprised you most in the past few years as you have gone from working in the archives at BBMP to working at Starbucks to now flying off to LA to film your first video and getting ready for a big album release?
Honestly…how naturally each progression has come about; and too how quickly they pass! I think sometimes you work so hard towards something…it could be anything…that when it comes you may forget to just enjoy the moment…or the season you're in.

15. As an artist and a writer, what brings you the most joy? What causes you the most frustration?
Seeing someone connect with a song…it blows me away how God can take a three and a half-minute song and allow it to connect with someone. That's a beautiful thing to experience.
As far as my greatest frustration…probably my time management skills…HAHA - I'm always running late it seems. I think it must be in my genes…'cause my Mom is exactly the same way!!!

16. I know your parents are probably your number one fans… but could you tell about someone else… a person or people who not only told you that you could make it as an artist or songwriter, but actually did something tangible to help you.
There have definitely been more people that questioned my ability along this road than those that helped fuel the desire. One person that has always been a huge supporter is my friend Julie Roberts (country artist signed to Mercury Records). We grew up in the same small town in SC…and actually moved out to Nashville to attend Belmont around the same time. She was always such a huge voice of encouragement when we were in at Belmont together. That encouragement really kept me going…especially in an environment like Belmont where everyone seemed like such amazing musicians…there were more times than I can count that I didn't feel like I fit in there - haha! She was great in moments like that!

17. Once your album is done and it has been released, have you thought about any other writing goals for the coming year?
I really haven't…but I know that day is coming. There are definitely some DREAM co-writes in the future…Wayne Kirkpatrick…Nichole Nordeman…(just to name a couple) we'll see if that happens… I kind of enjoy taking one day at a time.

18. What are your top three tips and/or warnings for developing artists and/or songwriters?
1. You will get discouraged on this road. But never forget the reason(s) you are on this path. Everyone has different reasons…hold tight to that…and just trust that God knows the bigger picture. Also…find those people that you know will be honest with you…about EVERYTHING…music, writing, life… they will be your biggest critics…but also your greatest supporters!
2. Never force anything… One prayer I've prayed from the beginning is that God would allow things to unfold…with out the need of me ever needing to be in the picture. The moment I feel like I'm having to force myself…or try to make something happen…is how I've always determined whether I'm really in the right place.
3. Don't compare yourself to others… I think this one thing can stop anyone dead in their tracks. I remember a voice teacher telling me once that everyone in this world has someone who is better than they are… Be comfortable…and confident in the gifts God has given you… Ultimately it is up to him how he uses you…just make every part of you open and available.

19. What are the chances we could get you to come to Write About Jesus sometime?
You just let me know the dates…and I'm there!!!

20. Are you touring? Where can fans go to hear you in person? Where is your MySpace and what can people see and hear there?
I'm not touring as of yet…but keep checking back on my webpage or my myspace page (the links are below). Right now we're finishing the record …and then we'll be focusing on tour dates. I'm hoping to be out on a big tour sometime in the fall of 2006.

www.myspace.com/danielkirkley
www.danielkirkley.com
www.centricityrecords.com

Cindy Morgan— Inspired by Just Living Life

Wed, 24 Jan 2007 23:18:38 -0600

1. Who do you write for? What markets do you write for?

For the last many years I have written for Word Publishing but am now in process of moving to a new publisher.

2. When did you move to Nashville and what took you there? You live part of the year in Nashville and part in Canada. How does that affect your writing?

I moved to Nashville I think in 90. I moved because I had been signed by Word records to do a few records for them... it was a very exciting and new time of my life.

I married a Canuck, therefore we split our time between Nashville and Canada.

In Nasvhille, I feel a lot of creative energy from other people.... there are so many different creative types there. It is a great city to feel like you belong.

In Canada, I live a quiet life in the country, and I tend to get more in touch with all the things that seem to remain beneath the surface when I am in Nashville... I guess there is a lot of quiet.. a lot of space to think.

3. How did you get your foot in the door in the music business?

I had a good friend Kirk Talley, who was on the southern gospel label of Word records. He sent my tape to John Mays, who was the A&R guy at Word.

4. How much co-writing do you do? How do you decide who you will write with?

I try and spend at least half my time doing co-writing. The most beneficial part of co-writing is usually when you can write with the artist. If you can really get a handle on what it is they want to say and how to say it your chances of getting a cut are always much greater.... Other wise, I think it's always good to seek out people you really feel comfortable with.... people you can open up to.

5. How do you deal with the rejection that is part of being a songwriter?

I think dealing with rejection is a very important part of being a writer... it's business, but it's oh so personal. I think to be aware of the process and that there are so many variable that determine whether a song gets cut or not. In the end you have to be ok with doing what God has called you to do, do the best you can, and let it go.

6. Was there a time when you doubted your ability to write? What or who kept you at it?

I think every writer has those moments when you think you'll NEVER write another good song again. I think I go through that about two times a year.

7. What do you do when you don't feel creative, don't have any good ideas, or feel like you can't write?

I love to read books and watch movies. I think other people's creativity is always a good inspiration... but I think just living your life is the biggest thing.

8. Do you have a favorite place to write? A favorite time of day? A tried-and-true way to get inspired or find new ideas?

I like to write in the morning.... tried and true, hmmm... after a difficult time in life you are almost guaranteed to have something to write about.

9. If you could go back, what's one thing you'd learn to better prepare you for songwriting?

To be a better listener

10. As a writer, what brings you the most joy? What causes you the most frustration?

Most joy... getting a great cut... Most frustration... losing a great cut! lol

11. As a mom and wife, how do you structure your time for songwriting? How much of your time do you devote to actual writing as opposed to the administrative side of songwriting… paperwork, etc.

I'm afriad I'm not very good at scheduling the "perfect" time to write but I usually try and do the “admin” part of being a writer after the kids have breakfast. Then (usually during Sesame Street) I try to escape down to my studio to write. Not a lot of time per day when it's just me writing but co-writes, I try to do a 10-2… something like that.

12. Tell about one person who not only told you that you could make it as a songwriter, but actually did something tangible to help you.

I think that person for me was John Mays. He was a very good and tough audience, but when I made him cry… I knew I had something:-)

13. What are your top three tips and/or warnings for developing songwriters?

Write from your heart, edit later and never give up.

14. How important is it for you to have a publisher? What does your publisher bring to the table that you can't do on your own?

Publishers are so valuable because they do what writers hate to do... self promote. They pitch, they help with demos, they listen. I cannot imagine not having a publisher.

15. The title cut of “Postcards” is about a girl who leaves home to find herself. What can you tell us about your inspiration for that song?

It was a story of a teen age girl I knew of..... her struggle to find out what she believed. I guess we all go on that journey at one point or another.

16. When you begin writing for a project, do you begin with a theme or approach, or does that evolve as the writing takes place? Do you begin with a few songs you've written that you know you'll cut and then write to fill other slots, or do you just write a lot of songs and then begin whittling down which ones will make it onto the project?

Mainly I just wrote and wrote, then narrowed it down at the end... always so hard to do.

17 and 18. What songs on “Postcards” were written first and which ones came last? Do you think there is any significance to the order in which you write songs for a project? Several of the songs on “Postcards” have a very “confessional” feel to them. What is it like exposing your heart this way in your writing?

“Mother" was the first song I wrote for this record.. very confessional. It was something I wanted to say and as honestly as possible. My mom was great about the whole thing... I guess because she is a songwriter as well.

19. Do you have personal favorites on the “Postcards” project? If so, what are they and why?

I think I like “Where You Are”... because of the message.

20. Are you touring? Where can fans go to hear you in person?

We are putting together a tour for the fall.... I will send more info when i have it.

Reuben Morgan— Lifting Up Praise From Down Under

Sat, 1 Oct 2005 23:22:57 -0500

What publisher do you write for?
I don't really write for a publisher as such- I am a part of the Worship Team at Hillsong Church which is a local church that I have been a part of now for about 9 years.
Are there other jobs you currently hold in addition to writing? If so, what?
I am also a Worship pastor at Hillsong Church.
Where are you originally from? Can you tell how God brought you to your current position and location?
I moved to Sydney from Melbourne, Australia where I had been living since I was about 9 years old- I grew up in Papua New Guinea before that. I originally moved to Sydney to study music and along the way, got involved at Hillsong Church. Initially, I was involved in one of the outreach services and later got into playing for church and writing worship songs. My introduction to being on staff at church was helping Darlene Zschech with some of her administration and just helping out however I could- I was just so drawn to this place that used music in church unlike I had ever seen!
When did you first know you wanted to be a songwriter? How did you know?
Ever since I first picked up the guitar at about 6 or 7, I have always just loved messing around on the guitar and trying to make up my own things- I think I preferred doing this to what my teachers were giving me to play! It was only when I started to get involved at Hillsong church though that I considered writing worship songs- before that it had been more about music and the guitar for me. One of the first worship songs I wrote was "Lord I Give You My Heart" and because people sung it I was encouraged to keep doing it.
Who were and are some influences on your writing?
Musical influences would be really varied, the music I love right now are bands like Keane, Coldplay, Sigur Ros, John Mayer...but I would say I'm influenced in different ways by everything I listen to...theres the listening because im a fan and theres the listening because im a student. Max Martin, Sting, Neptunes etc... I love Coltrane, Miles Davis, thelonious monk, pat metheny...I also love Bach, Mozart and Handel...I think one of my favourite lyric writers at the moment would be John mayer, i think he says things with insight and simplicity...
In your view, what is the biggest difference in writing songs to use as you lead worship and writing songs for an artist to record?
I've always found that songs for a congregation need to sound great even when the band can hardly play or there is no band and the singers are plumbers, office workers and lawyer types...the melody needs to be simple and in a small intervallic range and the themes fairly universal...our church songs i beleive should be paraphrases of the Bible. Christians love the word and our biggest gift to the church world is the opportunity to put to melody in a fresh way timeless truth..
Are there CDs you'd recommend aspiring songwriters listen to?
A wide variety of stuff- just get your head across all kinds of different music from classical to jazz to rock to the latest Christian bands. I think listening as a writer and musician is like inhaling and writing is like exhaling. people who listen to a huge range of stuff tend to have more to draw on and fresh as well. i always find its dissapointing when writers dont really know what other greats in their field are doing at the time...
What part of the writing process is most enjoyable for you? What part of the process is the most difficult?
i love the ideas phase of writing when the verse and chorus just pour out in real time...there is also something about the control of rewriting that I like, although that can become agony when somethings missing and you dont know how to make it work..I find lyrics are the thing I have to work hardest at.
After you have an idea you want to write, where do you begin in the writing process?
Lately I tend to record my ideas on a minidisk or my phone when I'm on the go.. and when I have some time put aside to write I scan through ideas I've writen on the fly and work at something iIreally like..usually it's just a melody that needs shaping and a good lyric moulded to it..

Kyle Matthews— Living a Poetic Life

Tue, 15 Mar 2005 23:29:26 -0600

1. Publisher you write for. I've been a BMG writer for almost a decade, and in a way I still am, but I think the official title now is Brentwood-Benson Publishing. These things are subject to change...
2. Other jobs you currently hold in addition to writing. Job title or responsibilities.  I've been on the road since college as an indie artist and retreat/conference speaker. I make and sell CDs and teaching aids to make available when I go out. I'm trying to keep my days away to a minimum while growing the resources we make available through our web-site. I try to represent Compassion Int. and local home-renovation ministry as well, though I'm not paid in relation to any of that.
3. Where are you originally from and how long have you been in Nashville? I had childhood in Texas, adolescence and college years in Greenville, South Carolina, and have lived in Waco & Atlanta since then. We've been in Nashville for a decade, though when you're traveling all the time, it seems half that long.
4. When did you first know you wanted to be a songwriter? How did you know? I was influenced by the pop culture like everyone else. And since both of my parents were musicians, always playing music or recordings of music, I came by it right. Dad was a pastor of a church on the Baylor campus, so we had first-rate music all around us. Word was in Waco in those days and most of the writer/arrangers made up my church family. Kurt Kaiser played the offertories most Sunday nights and that was a pretty transcendent experience in 1975. The major event was experiencing Ken Medema, a blind singer-songwriter in his prime. He had a blend of grace and humor with a prophetic edge I haven't really seen since. It rocked my world and precipitated my decision to become a Christian.
5. Who were some early influences on your writing?  Ken obviously. Billy Joel, Elton John and Paul Simon were my secular Trinity. Scott Joplin and the Beatles were both staples. Tons of Broadway stuff and Classical music was played in our house. I loved what Michael McDonald was doing with the Doobie Brothers and I remember as a band kid how crazy we all were about Earth, Wind and Fire and Chicago. I was drawn to the pop music that seemed intelligent, that stretched me musically or had something to day. Bubble gum and heavy metal were never interesting to me.
6. What's the first song you remember writing? When was that? I always toyed with pieces and parts throughout my childhood. As a teenager or college freeman I went to a foreign country on a church mission trip and wrote a song called "Bridges" for the hometown presentation. It was a typical first effort, but you wouldn't believe how-- out of all the songs I've written since-- I still consistently get requests for it. My publishers never liked it, so I only play these days for six figure private concerts.
7. Briefly, how did you get started in this business? A good friend from college, Troy Nilson, had taken the plunge and moved to town. He offered to help me make a record and so I began making trips. He pushed me to move, but that seemed like the most bohemian thing in the world at the time. I was wanting to get married and I couldn't imagine trying to sell that to my in-laws. We took our little indie record to BMI, where we were lucky enough to get an audience with Jody Williams. Jody wasn't impressed with the first song, but was so moved by the second one that he stopped every meeting on the floor and made everyone come in to his office, sit on the floor or stand, and listen to my demo. It was kind of your dream reaction. He started taking me to labels that next week, but I was so clueless about all that that I wasn't prepared to tell them what they wanted to hear. Reunion decided I was "too churchy" (this was 1993, remember) and so we ended up getting more interest from publishers. Dan Keen was supportive, but his company was being sold, so I signed with Michael Puryear at BMG. He tried to showcase me as an artist, but no one showed up! I've been with Michael ever since, until this spring when we were forced apart by a corporate buy-out. I really owe all the introductions to Troy and everything since to Michael. They were cheerleaders when everyone else was on the fence. I came here to be an artist, but the industry just wanted to use my songs occasionally. So, I've learned to dance with who brung me, both here in town, and out on the road.
8. Is there a cut (or two or three) you've had that you're proudest of? Why? I'm proud of "If You Want to Lead Me to Jesus" because it's the antithesis of everything the labels typically look for. The only way to get a song like that cut is to be the artist yourself and insist upon it. "God Forbid" is important to me, as is Ginny Owen's "If You Want Me To." I'm thrilled about the Cece/Take 6 duet "One and the Same" and the other long shot was "I Want to Go" by Larnelle Harris. I'm glad I got to cut "Been Through the Water."
9. Is there a song you've written that most expresses your heart? You could quote a line or two of the lyric, if you like. I've tried to write formula stuff but I've found that a) it isn't fulfilling and b) those songs don't stand any better chance of getting cut, which is the whole rationale in the first place. I've come to see that my job is to express my heart. So, it would actually be easier to tell you which songs don't express my heart. I keep rediscovering a song called "Power" as I learn how much I struggle with control issues. And I have a song called "My Heart Knows" and one called "I'll Meet You There" which are my best attempts to express how my faith really intersects with my life.
10. Is there a theme or topic in your writing that you seem to return to again and again? If so, why do you think that is? It's my nature and my background to want to address those topics most people aren't addressing. I'm not looking to say what people are saying, but to take exception and to come in the back door and even toy with satire. Even if the message isn't new, I'm really only interested in finding a new approach. I think "Been Through the Water" is a good example. "This is Not Normal" is too. My supporters on the road like "The Best Stuff Café" for that reason. I try not to duplicate.
11. What's the funniest/strangest/most interesting/most successful co-write you've ever had? The absolute king of songwriting experiences was being flown out to Las Vegas for 24 hours to meet and write with a guy who's been...like the number one entertainer in Vegas for six years running. I don't have time to tell the story, but it was surreal. The record went nowhere, as you can imagine. I once had a big appointment with a guy from Europe who was a big shot. I was very excited and we worked hard to get to the same place and make it happen. We got all set up, found an idea, he sat down at the keyboard and said, "I can't do this. I'm fried. I've been writing three songs a day all week and I'm brain dead." So, we parted company. I've had a few writing sessions that turned into heavy counseling sessions, sometimes with total strangers who just flood the room with their marital troubles or some other private thing that I probably wasn't the best audience for. But I've been touched by it. I guess that's one of the ways songwriting becomes a ministry, except that the song doesn't get written, so then it's ONLY ministry. There are so many people just needing someone to talk to. The closed door session is sometimes all they need to open up.
12. Whose music or what kind of music do you love to listen to? I have a four year old and a five year old, so I don't get to choose the music anymore. The Dragon Tales CD is pretty good. When I do get the chance, I listen to anything written by Wayne Kirkpatrick, David Wilcox, Ben Folds, Sting, Jars of Clay, Shawn Colvin. I keep up with Nicole Nordeman and Chris Rice, and NPR is usually playing classical stuff in my office. But mostly, I just try to scan the dials and hear what's going on in the world.
13. What's the fastest you've ever written a song? What's the longest it's ever taken you to write a song? The fastest is just a single writing session, which is rare, but it happens. Only once or twice has the entire song just appeared in my head without officially wood-shedding it. "I'll Meet You There" was one of those, and those tend to be pretty cathartic experiences. I don't want to spiritualize it by saying "God wrote the song"-- which ought to be an illegal sentiment, by the way-- but I can say that they can be very emotional "realizations" or spiritual connections and they are usually very private experiences for me. I tend to be a slow writer and I get harder to satisfy all the time. I took the better part of a year to write "We Fall Down" because I couldn't get the second verse not to preach. When I finally got it, Donnie McClurkin left the verses out. Thanks a lot! Seriously, though, the struggle to articulate it is the important thing and shouldn't be rushed, because usually coming to the conclusion is a form of spiritual development for the writer.
14. Are there books you'd recommend aspiring writers read, either on writing or just for inspiration?  I read Frederick Buechner a lot and have a good library of theological devotional books I go back to. I just finished "Let Your Life Speak" (Palmer) and "Everything Belongs" (Rohr). I love history. But lately, I've realized my need for fiction and poetry, for purely creative writing. I've been collecting novels and some classics.
15. Are there CDs you'd recommend they listen to? I would only recommend that writers not subsist on a diet of styles or tastes unless it's a form of research for a particular project. I've been disappointed to learn that many young people have responded to the vast numbers of choices on TV, radio and the web by simply picking one thing they like and subsisting on it. All truth is paradoxical. Jesus is opening doors, expanding the kingdom. I can't imagine serious writers not seeking to broaden and deepen their views and expressions.
16. Are there writers whose work you really admire? What is it you admire about them.  You've already got a good list from me. I think the thing I admire is when some writer or artist, understanding that there's nothing new under the sun, creates something we experience as new. I heard an interview with the Police after their break up and they were asked where they got their sound. The answer was they'd listened to what people were doing on the radio and did the exact opposite. In a genre like pop music, which does not reward experimentation, I'm impressed when someone makes a fresh contribution--musically or lyrically-- and "gets over", that is, makes it appealing enough to still reach people. That's a huge accomplishment. In Christian music, I look for writers with something to say who aren't simply mimicking someone in secular music or trying to please everybody. We should be least guilty of giving in to those temptations, but we are the most guilty. I look for Christian artists who read, who are acquainted with the real suffering in the world, with doubt, and who aren't trying to impress me with their spirituality. That's impressive.
17. Is there a life lesson that songwriting has taught you? Live poetically. See the levels of meaning in everything you experience. That, to me, is the spiritual life.
18. What has been your highest "high" as it relates to your writing and your lowest "low?" The highest highs are those private moments, those epiphanies, when it all comes together, perhaps better than I thought it would and it feels like a gift. The lowest low is when I give my creative energies to someone I don't respect to write something I don't respect at the end of the day just for the possibility of making money. I hate myself on those days. That was a very easy question.
19. What part of the writing process is most enjoyable for you? What part of the process is the most difficult? They are the same thing: finding a new way to say it. The other thrill is a great melody, one that is so well constructed it could stand on it's own and may actually be around when I'm gone. If I write just one "Ashoken Farewell" or "Here, There, and Everywhere" or "Desperado" or "A Man After God's Own Heart" or "Got to Get You Into My Life" I'll be happy.
20. How do you keep your creativity going? Where do you get ideas? I take psychedelic drugs... Just seeing if you were listening. I'm so serious about the "live poetically" thing that I'll venture to say that inspiration has not been a problem for me in many years. I have to work on my motivations and my energy levels, and I have to work hard to discipline myself as a free-lancer. But the problem for me is the stacks of ideas, both lyrics and melodies I don't have time to develop, put together, and finish. And I think the key there is just doing this long enough to let yourself be inspired, to learn to recognize a song-worthy idea more quickly and easily and finally, to co-write so much that you benefit from synergy. Many new writers talk about inspiration, but I really feel that for most of us, discipline and craftsmanship are the problems between us and a great song. Inspiration is everywhere.

Dave Edwards— At Heart a Worshiper

Mon, 31 Jan 2005 23:37:56 -0600

1. Where are you originally from and how long have you been in Nashville. Born in Ft. Thomas, Kentucky (a suburb of Cincinnati). I don't live in Nashville--I commute.
2. When did you first know you wanted to be a songwriter? How did you know? I don't think I ever set out to be a songwriter. It's just become a part of who I am. I usually write songs to the Lord as a psalmist would.
3. What publisher do you write for? What jobs do you have in addition to writing? Brentwood-Benson Music Publishing. I'm also Senior Pastor of Souls Harbor Church.
4. Who were some early influences on your writing? My father was a music evangelist and wrote music, so that, I'm sure, influenced me to a great degree. My grandmother gave me her piano when I was five.
5. What's the first song you remember writing? When was that? Paradise, in 1981.
6. How did you get started in this business? How did you get your foot in the door in Nashville? I was doing a solo album and had to have Michael Frazier (in publishing at BBMP) correct a lead sheet he'd done for me. When I came to BBMP to pick up the lead sheet, he introduced me to Johnathan Crumpton, and the rest is history:-)
8. Is there a cut (or two or three) you've had that you're proudest of? Why? "It Is You" on my solo project. It's very special to me and everywhere I sing it, people always tell me that's their favorite.
9. Is there a song you've written that most expresses your heart? "I Will Run" written with Margaret Becker. The second verse says "O Your Spirit in me becomes my gravity and gathers in my wonderings"!!!
10. What's the funniest/strangest/most interesting/most successful co-write you've ever had? When I wrote with Chris Eaton, we wrote in the "Board Room" at Word because he liked the "ambiance" of the room.
11. Whose music or what kind of music do you love to listen to? Margaret Becker, The Rippingtons, Michael McDonalds, Cambridge Singers, Amy Grant, Karla Bonoff, Sting, Secret Garden.
12. Is there a theme or topic in your writing that you seem to return to again and again? If so, why do you think that is? Worship. That's what I am--a worshiper. When everything else is stripped away, I am still a worshiper. We were created to worship.
13. Are there any books you'd suggest aspiring writers should read, either on writing or just for inspiration. Are there CDs you'd recommend they listen to? Paul Billheimer - "Destine For The Throne"; Tommy Tenney - "God Chasers"; Church of England Liturgy, Book of Common Prayer, Max Lucado - "God Came Near"; Oxford Book of Carols, Benson Bobrick - "Wide As The Waters."
14. Are there CDs you'd recommend they listen to: David Gray - "White Ladder"; Secret Garden - all 3 CDs; The Rippington's - any of their CDs, John Rutter & The Cambridge Singers - 20 albums; Puccini - any opera he wrote
15. Are there a few writers whose work you really admire? What is it you admire about them? Margaret Becker, Sting, Michael McDonald, Robbie Nevell, Charlie Peacock, Kelly Willard. All these writers have a "realness" and honesty about their lyrics!
16. Is there a life lesson that songwriting has taught you? Do it even when you don't "feel" like doing it.
17. If you could give aspiring writers one piece of advice about songwriting, what would it be? You're always worth more than what's being offered to you.
18. If you won a big award for your writing, who are the first people you'd have to thank? The people that voted for the award--Ha!
18. What's the fastest you've ever written a song? What's the longest it has ever taken you to write a song? Fastest - 5 minutes (quite a few in fact). I still carry around unfinished songs that are two years old. At some point, it will be the right moment to finish them.

Wayne Kirkpatrick has something he wants to say...

Fri, 28 Apr 2000 23:41:10 -0500

That will come as no surprise to fans who have followed his work over the 15-plus years since he came to Nashville. He's already said a lot. Just a partial list of his songs includes five Top Ten Billboard hits and over a dozen #1 Christian singles.
"Change the World," "Never Let You Go Again," "Place in Ths World," "Love Me Good," "Grand Canyon"-Wayne's admirers can tick off the titles of their favorites.
On the other hand, after helping to put words in the mouths of artists like Amy Grant, Michael W. Smith, Trishia Yearwood, Martina McBride, Faith Hill, Eric Clapton, and Garth Brooks, what could Kirkpatrick still need to get off his chest? A lot, apparently. That was the driving force behind his debut album as an artist ("The Maple Room").
"I've written a lot of songs no one would record for one reason or another," Kirkpatrick says. "Either they were too personal or they were just things that a particular artist wouldn't say. I began to feel 'If I don't do these, chance are no one will hear them.'"
When the idea of an artist project began to take shape, his first thought was that he would cover at least six of his best-known songs that had been recorded by others. That approach gradually gave way to Kirkpatrick's desire to have his own voice heard both as an artist and a writer.
"I've always had that side of me," he says. "I came to Nashville in 1982 as a singer-songwriter. It wasn't long after that I decided I should really focus on my writing to hone those skills to be the best they could be."
His innovative style brought him an exclusive publishing deal with Merritt Music in 1984, and his songwriting piqued the interest of Blanton and Harrell Entertainment, whose reputation for discovering and nurturing promisng young talent was further enhanced by Kirkpatrick's success. His collaboration with Amy Grant which began in 1985 on her "Unguarded" project, led to hits like "Every Heartbeat," "Good For Me," "Lead Me On," and "Stay for A While."
"Wayne's ace in the hole is the way he hears melody in his head," says Grant. "I hope we write together for a long, long time."
That seems to be the consensus of a list of artists, including Rocketown founded Michael W. Smith.
"It's pretty amazing to work with an artist who has as much history as Wayne," says Smith. "From writing, to producing, to singing and playing-he's done it all."
Their collaboration on Smith's 1986 "The Big Picture" album was the start of a relationship that came full circle with Kirkpatrick's decision to release his first artist project on the Rocketown label. He says that Rocketown was the first and "really the only choice."
"The kind of stuff I want to record is really on the fringe of Christian music," He says. "Rocketown would work with me and not against me in that."
That "fringe" approach in his writing has caused a few bumps in his career as he ventured off the beaten path. Those bumps have in turn motivated him to write many of the songs on "The Maple Room," a collection that has "accumulated along the way," according to Kirkpatrick.
During his work as a producer for Christian artist Susan Ashton, he was frustrated by criticism and negative reaction to songs like "Better Angels of Our Nature" and "Summer Solstice."
"The comment came back to the record company that some DJs thought the songs were 'new age,'" Kirkpatrick recalls.
Not long after that, a song called "Kentucky Rose," written with Smith, prompted at least one DJ to call for a boycott, again on the basis that it was "new age."
"By that time I decided, 'I've got to write a song about this,'" Kirkpatrick says. "That way of thinking just turned me off."
The result was "That's Not New Age," one of the songs from "The Maple Room." It's about a view of Christianity which doesn't allow for uncertainty and questions, but it's also a song that urges Christians not to allow the New Age movement to appropriate the symbols that are sacred to Christianity.
"That's one of the songs I knew would never be recorded by someone else," Kirkpatrick comments. "I just wanted to say 'What are you all so afraid of?'"
As far as possible negative reaction to that or any of his songs, he says, "I hope there is that. I want people to talk and I don't mind if people disagree. I like songs that challenge you to think. I tend to write a lot about the human condition. I'm fascinated by what people go through."
On the surface, what Kirkpatrick has gone through seems ordinary enough. Growing up in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, he taught himself to play guitar and performed as both a solo artist and in bands. Early on he was influenced by the writing of James Taylor and Dan Fogelberg, and by the time he graduated from high school, he had a sheaf of original material.
"I've always been a kind of quiet, shy person, and I found a way to let people know how I felt. It was very powerful," he says. "Writing is therapy. It's a way to reveal yourself to yourself. My writing in a way is like a journal of my life."
For a guy who's shy and introspective, he's had to start getting used to being thrust into the limelight. In 1996, he won the "Song of the Year" Grammy Award as a co-writer on Eric Clapton's hit single, "Change the World."
"I had actually written the song with Gordon (Kennedy) and Tommy (Sims) years ago. Wynonna recorded a version of it, which was a thrill in itself," he says. "But I never imagined that someone of Eric Clapton's stature would be drawn to my work."
What moves him, he says, is vulnerability and honesty, the attitude of "Here I am, take me or leave me."
"You know it's like when you are having a conversation with someone and you can see that there is something wrong," he explains. "You ask 'What's wrong?' They can choose to throw up the walls and barriers, or they can open up to you. That's what great art is about."
Although he has known success as a producer, he considers hinself a writer first of all. "If I couldn't do anything else, that's what I would do. I would write," he says. "I may not sit down with a pad of paper and pencil every day, but I am either writing or storing up for the winter."
"You have to be motivated just to do something inspiring," he says. "I realize that in the real world, the bottom line is a necessity. But for me, it is like a painter standing in front of a blank canvas and not saying 'I want to paint something someone will buy,' but instead saying 'I want to paint something beautiful.'