Today I was reading a book called, Good Day!, The Paul Harvey Story. I always liked listening to Paul Harvey. He knew how to tell a great story. He would tell about somebodies humble beginnings and the struggles they had growing up. How they were about to give up and maybe somebody gave them a word of encouragement. How that encouragement allowed them to keep trying and presto. After thirty years of hard work, they achieved success out of nowhere. I love a great story. That explains why I'm a Paul Harvey fan and decided to read this book.

     I am always on the lookout for a great song idea. I got one out of this book. The story was on page 223 and it was about Bob Collins. Bob was a popular morning man on WGN radio. He died in a plane crash when his plane collided with another plane that was flown by a student pilot. Paul Harvey was a good friend of Bob. Paul summed up missing his friend in this one line. Somebody will take his job but nobody will take his place.

     Let me repeat that line. That line is songwriting gold. Somebody will take his job but nobody will take his place. I love it.

      The next step in the process is to decide how to use the line. This is the part of the process where there is not wrong answer. You are just looking for the best idea. My first thought on how to use this had to do with my job. My boss and friend, Kelly retired last month. We started out working at the Dillons store on Huntoon street back in 1987. We have been friends ever since. I could use that line to describe this situation in my life. Somebody will take her job but nobody will take her place. This would work great if I  was writing a personal song but probably isn't universal enough for country radio.

      My next idea would be to write a song about a woman who left. I don't know why she left yet, maybe she died or found somebody else. I could be the voice of the song. (Internal dialogue)  Maybe, somebody will take my ring, somebody will take my hand, somebody will take my  heart, but nobody will take your place. I kinda like where this idea is going.

       Out of these two ideas I like the second one the best. I believe there is something here that could work. It still needs more thought about how to make the song play out. 

       Maybe you're a songwriter and you have some thoughts that are better or more interesting. Let me know, this could be a co-write situation if you are interested. We might end up with a bunch of co-writers but it might be fun to see where it goes. 

     Three hundred and twenty- eight. That number is how many blog posts I have written on this website. Whenever you start to write a blog you think that you are going to write everyday. You are full of great ideas and ready to share them with the world. Even though it is a small world, A world consisting of your Mom, friends and family and an occasional visitor who stumbles across you. 

      Have you noticed every blog has a theme? Some blogs talk about flowers, poetry, and  some are like a diary. The theme of mine is about songwriting, my life, and the adventures along the way. 

      I am not a full time songwriter and musician so sometimes I don't feel like I have as much to say as someone who does this professionally. I do have a couple things that are happening the week after next.  

      On Monday night, Rick and I are planning to go  to the Open Mic at the Kansas State Student Union.   It is one of my favorite open mics that I have played at. I will play a couple songs that I have written. I need to decided which ones I want to play and knock some dust off of them. Hopefully, I can remember the words, if not I might have to practice my rapping skills and make up new lines on the spot. That would be a disaster. 

      Rick is my buddy that i hang out with. We have been friends for about forty two years. We used to work at Russ's IGA togehter  back in 1979. I told him he needed to do stand up comedy there. He has been thinking about it and wrote down some jokes. Stand up comedy is hard and it takes practice. He has been practicing for this, his whole life.  He has worked on being funny, just not in front of an audience. He is nervous about it and he might change his mind but I believe he will do great. He makes me laugh. A comedian has one job to do, make people laugh. Sounds simple but it's not.

      I know how it feels to be in his shoes. I remember the first time I played at the Classic Bean. A coffee shop in Topeka. I invited all of my Ifamily and friends to come see me. I practiced and practiced and practiced some more. I memorized lyrics, (some of them) and typed up the songs in case I totally forgot the lines. I also wrote an original song for this event. I can't remember what the song was but it could have been the Walmart Song. That was a song I played a lot back in the day. It was my go to song.

      I am so glad that I did it. It helped me to grow and it is good to be stretched out of our comfort zone. Good luck Rick, You can do this. Make people laugh.

       . 

      Have you ever heard of New Music USA?  I hadn't heard of it either until I found some information on the web about it. It is an organization that gives grants to musicians and artists. The grants range from one dollar up to fifteen thousand dollars. I registered on their website and thought, I might apply for a grant someday to fund my next cd.

      Last night I got an email saying that the deadline to apply for a grant was Thursday.   I would need to apply by Thursday and I would find out if I was accepted in June. I decided to give it a try and filled out the submission form. They also wanted me to tell my story, what I wanted to use the money for, and to give three examples of my music.

       Sometimes things like this make you think. What is my story? I am an average Joe who likes to write songs. Some good, some bad, but I keep writing. I have had a great journey. I have gotten to play my songs in Nashville at the Bluebird Cafe, and the Commodore Grill. I have got to play twice on stage at the Walnut Valley Bluegrass festival. God has really blessed me and I am thankful. 

       If I am chosen, I am going to record a cd of ten of my songs. I will have the songs professionally recorded in Nashville at a recording studio. I will have a great vocalist and a better guitarist than me performing my songs. It will have an Americana feel with acoustic guitar and vocals. I love this type of sound because you can hear and understand the lyrics. I will also get CD's made to sell and to give away to promote my music. 

       I sent in three of my songs as samples of my work. The three songs I sent in were Something you can see, Linwood Café, and Long live the King. These are three songs that I had recorded last year and were on my cd Linwood Café. You can listen to Long live the King on this page. I would appreciate prayers that my request for a grant will be accepted. Thanks. 

     Today, Pastor Mark preached a sermon on the Book of Ecclesiastes. This book was written by Solomon. The richest King of the nation of Israel. Solomon was looking for answers to life. He tried many avenues looking for happiness and fulfillment. He tried the pleasures of fine wine, fine women, fine homes, and satisfaction through work by building fancy homes and God's temple. 

      What did he find out? Nothing brought him the satisfaction he was looking for. Read what he wrote in Ecclesiastes 2:22,23 For what has man for all his labor, and for the striving of his heart with which he has toiled under the sun? For all his days are sorrowful, and his work burdensome; even n the night his heart takes no rest. This is also vanity.

       Hey, guess what? We aren't the only one who struggles with life and it's problems. The richest guy, in the most powerful position in his nation had problems. Kinda makes you feel better knowing that we all are in the same boat. 

        King Solomon was talking about a life without God. A life lived under the sun. So how do we have a better life and depend on God and his goodness to us? Mark had an acronym that I thought was really good.

 Let God write your story- We are not in control. Never will be. It would not turn out good if we were. 

Obey God no matter what- God knows best. 

Value every moment- Being single, getting married, raising kids, working, retiring. etc.

Enjoy life in God's will-  Doing what God had planned for our lives and loving it. 

LOVE

I thought this was pretty good stuff. 

     Where do songwriter's write songs at? This is a tough question. I have a music room where I write songs but that doesn't mean that all of my songs are written there. All of my songs will eventually be played in my music room. This is where I have my guitar and a way to record my songs. 

      Today, I wrote a song on my drive to church. It takes me about twenty minutes to drive across Topeka. It really didn't start out as a song. I was thinking about how a song could be written about almost anything. Also I was thinking about how that some of the best songs are so simple. Like nursery rhymes. That made me think about the song Mary had a little lamb. You know how the tune goes.

Mary had a little lamb, little lamb, little lamb

Mary had a little lamb his fleece was white as snow. 

       I decided to use this pattern and write a simple song. By simple I mean simple. I was singing it exactly like Mary had a little lamb. I decided after the first verse or two that it was going to be a story song. Story songs are like stories that we tell about our life. Every story has a beginning, a middle, and a ending. I was able to write my song on the way to church and edit it on the way home. 

       Another thing that every story needs is drama. Drama is the reason that we care about the song. Harry Chapin's song- The Cat's in the cradle is about a absentee father. Tom Dooley is about a horse thief that killed a woman and he is going to be hanged. Kenny Roger's song- Coward of the county is about three men who raped his girlfriend Becky. Every story needs drama. A flat tire on a deserted road, a broken heart, a vengeful lover, somebody special dies, etc.

       Title??????

Jimmy drove a Cadillac, Cadillac, Caddilac

Jimmy drove a Cadillac, down to Mexico.

Looking for his Mary Ann, Mary Ann, Mary Ann

looking for his Mary Ann down in Mexico.

Heard she had a new boyfriend, new boyfriend, new boyfriend.

Heard she had a new boyfriend down in Mexico

Jimmy bought a Winchester, Winchester, Winchester.

Jimmy bought a Winchester down in Mexico.

Jimmy shot his cheating wife, cheating wife, cheating wife,

Jimmy shot his cheating wife, down in Mexico.

Cops don't know where Jimmy is, Jimmy is, Jimmy is

Cops don't know where Jimmy is down in Mexico

Jimmy he ain't going back, going back, going back

Jimmy he ain't  going back down to Mexico.

       Any suggestions for a title? If so, leave it in the comments. I used my name and my wife's name. This is not a true story  like all of the movies on the Lifetime TV channel.