Blog

Anatomy of a great lyric

This blog post was contributed by Connie Harrington, Songwriter & Co-Owner of THis Music, Nashville, TN
 
I’ve written songs since I was 13 and still sometimes I feel like I’m just starting to figure how to write lyrics.
 
It evolves, music evolves - but for the most part, there is still a “craft” to it that I revere. Nothing is more satisfying to me than “getting a lyric right.” Words are powerful and when chosen wisely fueled by inspiration, they can be eternal.  So I do not take words lightly.
 

Patience and Perseverance 101


I was asked to write about how patience and perseverance paid off as a songwriter to achieve my first #1, “Better with Time”, with a young performing songwriter, Billy Droze. As all overnight success stories begin, mine began in 1961. Don’t worry, I’ll fast forward through most of the fifty six years I’ve been honing my craft. There are many twists, turns, cliffs and curves in my intriguing adventure of a lifetime so please take the time to read the full story. It’s about patience and perseverance. 

Inside ole majorly indie : with Emily Olson

We recently visited with Emily Olson, Creative Director at the ole Nashville office! In this blog post, she dives into the publishing strategies at ole and characteristics of a songwriter ready to pursue a publishing deal. Come this April, we will be accepting submissions for the NSAI ole Chapter Challenge! Olson also shares tips on what to consider when submitting songs for this competition. 

Organizing Your Catalog

by Michelle Pereira

Greetings! My name is Michelle Pereira and I’ve been a general member with NSAI for almost two years now. Just like you, I’m a songwriter. I write pretty much every day, sometimes even twice a day. Therefore, my catalogue has grown a little over the past two years since moving to Nashville and taking songwriting seriously. In this blog, I’m going to talk about what I personally do after every single co-write and how I go about organizing my personal catalogue. 

The Structure of Number Ones

by Ralph Murphy

I study all the number one records every year (both Pop and Country) and analyze the structures, first use of title, rhyme scheme, etc. I've had my share of number ones, but nobody cares about number twos or a lot of top tens. If it's not number one, it only looks good in your bank account.

NSAI Services Spotlight: Nashville Weekly Workshops 101

By Kayleigh Shoemaker, Membership Representative

Hi everyone! We get a lot of questions about how our workshop nights operate, so I thought I’d go through each one so new members and out-of-town members know what to expect when they attend!

Royalties & Rights Summary

As explained by Bart Herbison, NSAI Executive Director

 

When Should I Join a PRO?

By NSAI Membership Representative, Kayleigh Shoemaker

A Booking Agent's Perspective on Record Deals

By Heath Baumhor

Heath is an agent with APA’s Contemporary Music department. His clients include Jessie James Decker, Jacob Whitesides, The Weeks, Becca Mancari, Humming House, Jonathan Tyler, Jade Jackson, Royal Teeth, Elise Davis, Sister Hazel, Gaelic Storm, and Yacht Rock Revue.

Photo by Alexey Ruban on Unsplash

Once You're Signed, The Hard Work Begins!

Written By Erin Kidd

Congratulations on signing your first publishing deal!…Now what…?!

It may seem like you’ve worked harder than ever to get that offer on the table. And while the possibilities of commercial success are now within reach, the exciting reality is that there’s much more work to do. So, what should you expect as a professional songwriter?