tag:jimmccarter.com,2005:/blogs/kansas-songwriter?p=62Kansas Songwriter2024-03-06T08:00:00-06:00yesJim McCarter is the Kansas Songwriter. Real songs about real life. Kansas SongwriterJim McCarterfalseJim McCarterjlmccarte@yahoo.comtag:jimmccarter.com,2005:Post/73621292024-03-06T08:00:00-06:002024-03-09T22:11:13-06:00Running with turtles (Do turtles have memories?)<p> I like to look back at my past. That made me wonder it turtles have memories? Does he even remember what year he won the race against the hare? What was his winning time? Did he get a trophy? Did the hare get a silver medal? Was it part of the Olympics? If so, what country were they from?</p><p> I did some research, and yes, turtles do remember stuff. They are capable of remembering where their nest (home) is, and where to find food. Yeah, that sounds like me. A typical man. I know where i live and how to find the kitchen.</p><p> It amazes me to look back and small choices from ten, twenty, thirty, forty, and fifty years ago affect me today. One area that I believe this is true is exercise. I have always tried to stay in shape. That shape was changed, especially around my belt, from flat to round. I would hate to think how big my gut would be if I didn't make an effort to work it off. </p><p> I go to the gym and work out five days a week for an hour a day. If I don't go to the gym, I will substitute walking trail, walking at the lake or walking around my neighborhood. I am also going to start riding my bike again. I didn't ride much last year but I have more time with retirement to get back to it. </p><p> I feel good after working out. I don't enojoy it as I'm doing it. It always gets me how slow a clock ticks when you are exercising compared to when you are watching TV. What's up with those clocks? </p><p> Every weight I lift, (not too many or too much), every step I run or walk, and every bike I pedal are little steps to better health down the line. It might not seem like much but it adds up. When I ride the stationary bike at the gym, I usually go eleven or twelve miles. That would be about sixty miles a week or three thousand miles a year. That is burning up some calories. </p><p> I may not be the fastest rabbits but I'm a slow and steady turtle. Working daily on little goals to make it to bigger goals of better health. (Last night I ate home made chocoate cookies) I wanted you to know I'm keeping it real. Don't ask me how many I had? lol</p><p> Doing little things today to make tomorrow better. </p>Jim McCartertag:jimmccarter.com,2005:Post/73600972024-03-05T08:00:00-06:002024-03-05T08:00:04-06:00Turtles take is slow and learn as they go. <p> I had an epiphany. I had to look up that word to be sure that is what <i>I</i> really had. It is a sudden, intuitive insight into the reality or essential meaning of something. This insight happened in a music theory class in my sophomore year of high school. I can still remember it like it happened yesterday. It was going to be monumental key to unlocking the secrets to music and songwriting. </p><p> Here is the secret, there are only seven notes in the key of C. There are only seven. If I change to the key of G, they are different notes, (same pattern) but only seven notes. That is so simple. I looked at songs I loved, yup seven notes. This is great. I got this music thing figured out. I'm going to write a hit rock song.</p><p> I sat down at a piano in the band room and started plunking away. I was fueled by inspiration. A full tank of inspiration but nothing. I was playing notes but it wasn't a hit song, it wasn't a very good song, I was disappointed. Then I had another epiphany. Hoping it would unlock more doors than my last secret key had done.</p><p> When I played a note on the piano. ( I was playing in the key of C, so my seven notes were all white keys. (no black keys) You could only do three things. </p><ol>
<li>Play a note. Make a decision.</li>
<li>Play the same note</li>
<li>Play a higher note</li>
<li>Play a lower note </li>
<li>Repeat this process until you write a hit song. </li>
</ol><p> I thought I had enough knowledge to write a great song. I had the basics. If I was a novelist, I thought I could write a book but I was still working on writing a sentence. Not a book. I got discouraged and gave up songwriting for twenty years. During that twenty years I kept learning, listening to songs, learning to play guitar, practicing guitar chords, taking guitar lessons, and playing other people's hit songs. I learned what they did, what chords they chose, different rythmns, and on and on. So much to learn. Just because something looks or sounds simple doesn't mean that it is. </p><p> Turtles take it slow and learn as they go. </p>Jim McCartertag:jimmccarter.com,2005:Post/73600742024-03-04T09:36:09-06:002024-03-05T08:00:04-06:00Running with Turtles or Riding with turtles<p> Being vulnerable is a hard thing to do sometimes. Admitting that we failed, and admitting that we were afraid. I was the baby of the family. The Last of the Mohicans, I mean McCarter's. Therman and Nova's last child at home. It was a great position to be in. </p><p> The problem with being the baby is, I wasn't very tough. I had no siblings my age to fight with. If I wanted to play with a toy, I could play with it, without having to get in a fight over it. I needed more toughness and that is where my brother, Richard enters the story.</p><p> He was going to help me learn to ride a bike. I use the term, learn, pretty loosely. His job was to give me a shove down the hill. It was a big hill, I thought, for an inexperienced bike rider. I was able to go about twenty yards before I had a crash and burn. Needless to say, this did not motivate me to want to ride a bike. That is part of the reason, I didn't learn to ride my bike until I was nine. </p><p> I was nine years old before I learned to ride a bike. My son, Jordan was riding a bike before he went to kindergarten. He was tough. He had to fight with his brother and sister to survive in life. lol </p><p> The crazy thing about me and bike riding is that I still do it. I love it. I have rode my bike across the state of Kansas, rode on the Great Ohio bicycle adventure twice and Ragbrai once. Jeremy, Jordan, and Heather have all went on these adventures with me at different times.</p><p> Maybe if I had learned sooner, I would not have kept riding. I'm not going to win any races but it is great exercise and I enjoy it. Maybe the title of this story should be Riding with Turtles. This was just an example of how hard it can be to learn to do something new and how enjoyable it can be after we master the basics.</p><p> Learning to master the basics is so important in everything you do. What if I never learned how to stop? I would probably still be crashing and burning like I did going down that hill. Be patient with yourself as you learn new stuff. It takes time to get up to speed. Keep on pedaling. </p><p> (This was the lost sock that mysteriously appeared in my sock drawer today.) </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p>Jim McCartertag:jimmccarter.com,2005:Post/73609602024-03-03T08:49:50-06:002024-03-03T08:54:22-06:00Running with turtles (who changed the course)<p> I had a plan on how I was going to run with the turtles. I was going to blog more. So I developed a plan. I decided that I would post one article and write a second article to post later. This would give me something to post on days I don't write. </p><p> You know what I'm talking about. Those days when life is just too busy. Too many irons in the fire. (It sounds like I'm branding cattle , lol) Not me, I moved away from the farm. Farm life was not my cup of tea. Life gets packed full like a suitcase when you're coing on vacation. The truth is, I have time to do whatever I want to do but I don't make time to do what I should be doing. I like that line, I'll repeat it. <i>I have time to do whatever I want to do but i don't make time to do what I should be doing.</i> </p><p> That line can go for so many things in my life. It could go with reading the Bible daily, praying regularly, spending time with Jesus, playing with kids, visiting parents, or etc. That list can go on and on. All of those things are good things , some are great things, and other things are time killers. </p><p> I know all about time killers. Swiping on my cell phone is a big one for me. I know , I'm not the only one. The social platforms (sometimes, not always) do a great job of feeding me the stuff I like. I get a variety of sports clips, motivational speeches, sermons, comedians, and music. All in small bite size chunks. Cut up to the perfect size for me. (just like my Mom used to cut up meat for me when I was a kid.) Wasn't that great. If my wife wanted to cut up my steak for me, I would sure appreciate it. Hint! Hint!</p><p> Another thing I was going to do was to write a title and a couple sentences for the next blog. Here is an example I am going to use . I had an ephiphany. This would help jar my memory so I could tell my story and I would be off to the races, (turtle races) when I start writing. (and rabbit races)</p><p> Today, I went to my website and my article for today is nowhere to be found. It is not posted, not saved as a draft. It had disappeared into the unknown realm on the internet. Can you imagine how much stuff is there? I know I have my fair share. </p><p> So not only, is it not there but my starter line, I had an ephinany, is gone also. It is great to have these thing disappear. It is like playing that matching game called Memory. The one where you flip over two cards and try to get them to match. Then it is the next player's turn. Then you have to remember every card that is flipped so you can win the game. I used to be alot better at this than I am now. Lol</p><p> I could of re-written the lost draft or write another article. So I went the second route. Remember you don't have to do everything. Don't get distracted like the hare did in the race. We might be behind but we still have time. <i>I have time to do whatever I want to do but I don't make the time to do what I should be doing. </i>Let's all make better choices. Have a great day. (Suggestion not a demand) lol</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p>Jim McCartertag:jimmccarter.com,2005:Post/73594232024-03-01T09:56:36-06:002024-03-01T10:30:58-06:00Running with Turtles (#2)<p> Let me begin by sharing some of my first time ever, doing something failures. I started working in the grocery business back in 1974 at the age of fifteen. I worked in the grocery business for 50 years. Wow! That was a hard number to type. lol </p><p> One of the simplest jobs at the grocery store is to be a carry out boy. Now, we would not add the boy to the end. It would be a carry out clerk, courtesy clerk, or a sacker. I can still remember my first day. I was sacking for Alma, she was the most experienced old lady checker we had. She had no problem telling me how to do my job. Over and over again. I didn't think I needed as much help as she was providing. </p><p> Do you remember, back in the seventies when pop was sold in glass bottles? It came in a eight pack cardboard container with a handle. I promptly took that eight pack and placed it in the paper grocery sack. (What is a paper grocery sack, you ask?) Paper was what we used before someone decided it would be cheaper to use plastic sacks that we could use to fill up our garbage dumps. </p><p> I felt so stupid when she told me that pop does not go in the sack. It has a handle. Duh! I had alot to learn but the great thing was I had a lot of years to learn it. Fifty years of learning to be exact. lol Time was on my side. </p><p> </p>Jim McCartertag:jimmccarter.com,2005:Post/73581092024-02-29T11:10:34-06:002024-02-29T11:38:19-06:00Running with the Turtles<p> If life is a race, why do I feel like I'm running with the turtles? We all know the story about the turtle and the hare. The rabbits is so fast and so gifted. He is made for racing. He is confident in his ability. He has been chased by dogs, coyotes and even runs fast from his shadow. His whole life is based on how fast he can get from point A to point B. </p><p> The rabbits are the achievers in the world that make it look so easy. They are the person that the first time they do comedy they win a contest. The first song they play for a publisher in Nashville is a #1 song. The first time they sell a Electroux vaccuum sweeper going door to door, they get the sale. They win American Idol and they have never sang in front of a crowd. The only audience they have sung to are the cows on the farm and their Mom and Dad.</p><p> I don't know if these people are really rabbits. They sound more like a unicorn to me. A make believe creature that is beautiful, stunning, and magical. I have been around long enough to know that I am not in this category. Sure, occasionally I will do something and be good at it. You noticed I used the word good not great. I would chalk it up to beginners luck. </p><p> I remember when I was the sixth grade. I came upon a skill that I didn't know I had until I went to gym class. The activity for the day was volleyball. No, I wasn't the spiker or the setter. I learned that I could serve the ball. No, it wasn't fast but I could get it over the net and that is how you score points. With a little practice, I could serve to the weak link on the other team. This made me look better than I really was. Winning was what counted and everybody loves to be a winner. Not much demand for serving volleyballs these days. lol</p><p> Maybe you have a skill that came easy. That is great. Chances are you have an even better story. A story about something you weren't good at. A story about your journey. The ups and downs, the starting and stopping, and the finish. Together we can keep on chasing, working, achieving and failing. </p><p> Welcome to my series about Running with Turtles. Join me as we race to the finish line together. </p><p> </p>Jim McCartertag:jimmccarter.com,2005:Post/73379072024-01-22T08:31:33-06:002024-02-27T12:03:30-06:00Facing fears<p> We all have fear. It is part of life. It might be something terrible that we are afraid of. I remember one of my biggest fears was public speaking. I also, had a grade in English that verified it. Yes, I was flunking English when the mid way point between grade cards came out. A letter went to my parents letting them know that at this rate I might never pass English. </p><p> My parents found a way to properly motivate me. If my grades did not improve, I would not be driving. Whoaa! Hold on here! Let's not get carried away. I was now ready to face my fears. I proceeded to go back to school and read six current event stories in front of the class. All at one time, instead of once a week like everybody else had done. What is that saying? What doesn't kill you only makes you stronger. </p><p> I retired in October and I wanted to start playing out. I wanted to sing songs that I had written. I had done some open mics, played at the retirement party at work and at my retirement party with family and friends. I had sent a couple emails for gigs but no success with them.</p><p> I have been doing preparation work to get ready for performing for years. Writing songs, taking guitar lessons, taking vocal lessons, buying guitars, amplifiers to gig with, microphones and a vocal pedal. Yeah, I had laid the ground work musically. </p><p> I had also laid the groundwork by having a presence on the web. I had created my own website. Jimmcarter.com . It has songs that I have written, demos I had made, videos of me singing live, blogs about being a songwriter and an electronic press kit. EPK. </p><p> I went to Canvas to design and order business cards. I got the cards that you can scan that will take you directly to my website. I was doing all the things I needed to do to get rid of the excuses I kept making. </p><p> It was time to face my fears. I needed to go and ask for a gig. Where would I go? My aunt Avis had moved into a senior living facility. I thought I should go there and ask to play there. I went to Celebration Villa and asked to talk to someone in charge of entertainment. </p><p> I was treated great by the activity director. She was able to scan my card, go to my website and watch a live video performance. She asked, How much I charged? That was one thing I had not even thought about. I heard, Fifty bucks. fly out of my mouth. She said, That's cheap and proceeded to give me a date to play.</p><p> Today, I have fifty bucks hidden in my wallet and a great feeling of overcoming my fear. I don't know which one is better but they do go good together. What is the fear that is winning in your life? You can overcome it, just like I did. You can do this. It's time to Face your Fears. </p>Jim McCartertag:jimmccarter.com,2005:Post/73208452023-12-18T11:48:28-06:002024-01-22T08:22:33-06:00Do the most with what you have<p> Have you every heard somebody say, IF, and that's a big IF, I had a better voice, a better guitar, more money, more connections, I could make it big? Yeah, this list of things we need or think we have to have can go on and on. They are always looking at what they don't have. What they think they need instead of focusing on using what they have. </p><p> I am a member of NSAI (Nashville Songwriting Association Internatinal) It is a great organization that helps songwriters. They help songwriters get paid and songwriters to improve their craft. i have been a member for a long time. </p><p> They have many benefits that you can use. Some of them I use regularly and others not so much. The benefits I use the most are the song evaluations. You get twelve song evaluations with a yearly membership. If you only did this one feature and turned in twelve songs a year, it would dramatically improve your songwriting. </p><p> The other benefit I use is the local monthly chapter meetings. I used to be a chapter coordinator for the Manhattan, Ks chapter. I did this with my buddy David Thompson. We had a great time and met some great people. Currently, I am attending the Kansas City chapter. It is held on the second Saturday of the month. It is a great time to learn, meet other songwriters and share your new songs. </p><p> The benefit that I haven't been using is the mentoring sessions. I have used them in the past. They were great but I haven't been to Nashville since the Covid 19 epidemic. It has been changed and you can now do these on the phone or zoom. I chose to go with the Zoom meeting. </p><p> My mentor that I chose was Jim Reilley. Jim was a former member of the band The New Dylans. He was a signed songwriter with Curb for about ten years. He has had many cuts and is also a professional music producer. It was a great learning experience that I would recommed to everyone who wants to be a songwriter. Thanks Jim for sharing your wisdom and time. </p><p> I learned a lesson. I need to make sure I am using this benefit. If you got something in your tool belt and you don't use it then you are the problem. Lesson learned- Do the most with what you have. </p><p> </p><p> </p>Jim McCartertag:jimmccarter.com,2005:Post/73109722023-11-29T11:09:46-06:002023-12-18T11:41:12-06:00TopCity comedy night<p> My buddy, Rick called me yesterday. He was asked to perform at the TopCity comedy night. Dan Schenck, one of the owners, wanted Rick to have me call to see if I would be interested in performing also. I called Dan today, and told him I would like to. So you will be able to see me and my buddy, Rick Franks on December 21, at 7:30 at the Foundry. We will be performing with eight other comics. Hope to see you there. </p>Jim McCartertag:jimmccarter.com,2005:Post/73092652023-11-29T11:00:32-06:002023-11-29T11:00:33-06:00Puddles of pain (Professional demo singer)<p> Yesterday I shared me, singing my song Puddles of Pain. Today, I am sharing the professional singer doing what he does for a living. You get what you pay for. lol </p>3:30Jim McCartertag:jimmccarter.com,2005:Post/73089402023-11-27T06:58:26-06:002023-11-27T06:58:27-06:00Comedy club open mic<p> I went to the Happy Basset Barrel House open mic (for comedians) last week. This was my second time to do this. The first time i played a funny song I wrote called Justin Case. This time I actually got up with just a mic and told stories. You probably wondering why I did this? Yeah, Me too. lol</p><p> I am getting ready to start booking and doing gigs. I needed to work on my witty banter, that I used between songs and also just to get more comfortable talking to crowds. Practice, Practice, and more practice. That is the only way to get good at doing anything. It doesn't matter if it's cooking chocolate chip cookies, singing, playing guitar or telling a joke. </p><p> Here are some of my ideas or witty banter that I'm thinking about sharing in my show. I just retired from Dillons grocery store. I messed up when I got that job. Where I messed up is, whenever I talk about going to my job, it is called going to work. </p><p> As a kid, I didn't want to go to a job. I wanted to go play. I remember wanted to be a professional baseball player, or a pro football player, (changed my mind, on this one) , or a guitarist in a rock band. All of these profession you do not go to work. No you play football, you play basketball, and you play guitar. This is where I messed up.</p><p> As a kid, I really believed that I could have a job where I could play for a living. Me and millions of other dreamers belived this. I grew up and realized that this dream was never going to happen. After I turned forty I realilzed that the NBA was never going to give me a call, so I quit going to the gym and practicing my jump shot. </p><p> I decided that I would pursue a job as a country songwriter. I wanted to get a publishing deal. This was my new dream. So I have been pursuing this for the last fifteen years. This made sense to me. I could do this.</p><p> I heard a statistic this week that blew me away. The stat was the odds of making it as a hit songwriter is smaller that the odds of playing professional football. Add up all of the football players in the NFL. This is easy to figure out. The number of spots on the roster times the number of teams in the NFL. There are less proffessional song writers with publishing deals in Nashville than their are football players. </p><p> I might want to rethink my strategy. Maybe getting a songwriting publishing deal is an unrealistic goal and I should go get my football out the garage and work on throwing some perfect spirals again. </p><p> The odds of achieving any long lasting success is tough in all areas of life. That's okay. Really, I wouldn't want it any other way. Success is not determined by how high we go up the ladder. No success is whether we every got on the ladder in the first place. So here's to doing my best and seeing how high I can go with God's help. </p><p> </p>Jim McCartertag:jimmccarter.com,2005:Post/73092642023-11-25T11:22:43-06:002023-11-25T11:28:32-06:00Puddles of Pain<p> I was going through some of my songs and I found this one. It is called Puddles of Pain. I had a demo made of this song with a really great singer. I always wanted to hear what it sounded like with my voice so I spent a few extra bucks and did my version. The other version is so much better but this was fun to do. </p>3:31Jim McCartertag:jimmccarter.com,2005:Post/73089372023-11-24T16:53:45-06:002023-11-25T11:21:48-06:00Trusty Sidekick<p> </p><p>https://jimmccarter.com/track/3606203/trusty-sidekick</p><p> I am a big kid at heart. I got married at the age of eighteen. Also, had a son at the age of eighteen. It was a busy year. Growing up, my siblings, were older than me. ( They still are) I was eleven years younger than by brother Richard and fourteen and fifteen years younger than my sister, Lana Mae, and my oldest brother, Larry Dean. </p><p> I didn't have somebody to play with. It was a real treat for me to get to play with other children. When I had my son Jeremy, he became my buddy to play with. We used to play baseball, wiffle ball, football, video games, etc. Now I play with my grandaughter Ella when she comes over after school. I enjoy playing, some things never get old. </p><p> My sister in law, Barb was telling me about her playing with her grandson, Cooper. This is a song I wrote about her and Cooper. It is called, Trusty Sidekick. </p><p>Trusty Sidekick</p><p> Cooper's looking for monsters with Grandma by his side</p><p>an Iphone flashlight, they'll find where they hide</p><p>Monsters and vampires, oh, they hate the sun</p><p>Grandma's got his back and a loaded cap gun.</p><p> </p><p> Chorus- Oh Batman's got Robin, Lone Ranger's got Tonto</p><p> they all got a friend they fight evil with</p><p> she's there when you need her, like a pistol on your hip</p><p> Cooper's got Grandma his trusty side kick. </p><p> </p><p>Grandma ain't very big, and she don't look mean</p><p>If she see's a spider, oh, she might scream</p><p>It's alot of work, saving the earth</p><p>So we refuel with her peach cobbler dessert.</p><p> </p><p> Chorus</p><p> </p><p> Bridge- They will both grow older, like we all do</p><p> somday He'll say, 'll never forget, a grandma like you.</p><p> </p><p> Chorus</p><p> </p>3:16Jim McCartertag:jimmccarter.com,2005:Post/73089352023-11-24T16:37:51-06:002023-11-24T16:50:35-06:00Witty Banter<p> I used to have a band, back in the day. It had a very catchy name. The Jim McCarter band. Yeah, that isn't original at all. Why did I pick that as a name? Honestly, I had a couple reasons, maybe not good ones but I had reasons. </p><p> One of my thoughts was that if the band disentegrated, I would still have name recognition. I was the driving force behind the band. I was the lead vocalist, the acoustic guitar player, songwriter, gig getter, set list maker and I had the PA and speakers. </p><p> The other reason I chose that name was I had learned how important it is to get your brand out there. I used to have a real estate license and I sold homes with my sister, Lana Mae Leach and her husband Robin. It was a great part time job. I worked for them. They had their names in the paper with how many dollars of home sales they achieved for the year. My name was not in the local newspaper. My sales were under their name or their brand. That was when I learned how important it is to build your own brand. </p><p> I had two other musicians in the band. Jason Finson was the bass player. He is one of the finest bass players I know. He had more musical ability and band knowledge than me. He went on to bigger and better things. He's a rock star. </p><p> Atef Khalil was the drummer. He played a mean, and loud hand drum. Jason and him could really get a groove going on a song. This made it so much fun to play and sing along to. Atef and I both worked at Dillons grocery store. Dillons is part ot the Kroger grocery store chain. It is not much different that any business. Atef and I were assistant store managers and they thought they owned our lives. And they were right. It was impossible to work around our work schedules. </p><p> I used to talk and tell stories between songs. It was basically filler. You needed filler time when you were going to be playing for three hours. We had between 30-40 songs on our set lists to fill. I would talk about things off the top of my head. Jason didn't say I was funny but he did say he liked my witty banter.</p><p> Maybe that should of been our band name. Witty Banter. Sounds like a idea but I think I'll just go solo and stick with Jim McCarter- Kansas Songwriter. Not to original but it gets my name and music out there. </p><p> </p>Jim McCartertag:jimmccarter.com,2005:Post/73027532023-11-12T18:07:41-06:002023-11-12T18:34:15-06:00Living a life with a purpose<p> </p><p> I heard a story about a school that was in a bad economic part of town. All of the children were on free lunches and all of the students received food to take home on the weekend. (so they would have something to eat.)These children had parents who had struggles. Some were their fault and some of it wasn't but the children were all affected. </p><p> They say, that children in bad homes, don't go to school to learn. They go to school to be accepted and loved. They are craving for the needed attention that they aren't getting at home. This school has teachers that care about the kids. They are making a difference in these children's lives. Is it hard? Yes. Could they make more money doing something other than teaching? Yes. Could they go to a different school in a better part of town and have an easier job. Yes. But these teachers don't leave, they stay. </p><p> These are the cream of the crop teachers. Teachers that could do other things, get promoted, and move up in the business world. So why do they stay and continue under these circumstances? They buy stuff for children to help them out. A new coat for a child who doesn't have a coat. Maybe it's school supplies, book bags, pencils, paper, etc. They do all of this because they care.</p><p> I believe the reason they stay is, They have a purpose. Not a job, not a career, but a purpose. Their purpose is to love on those kids. These teacher do it to see a child smile and give you a hug or a high five. To know that you made a difference in somebodies life today. Thank you to everyone who is living life with a purpose. Making a difference in other people's lives. May God bless you richly. </p><p> </p>Jim McCartertag:jimmccarter.com,2005:Post/72984212023-11-03T16:36:09-05:002023-11-03T16:42:24-05:00Nashville Songwriter Association International (NSAI) song evaluation. <p> I have been a member of NSAI for a long time. I send in my songs to get them evaluated. Maybe you have never seen a song evalation before. I am going to share mine from a song I wrote called, Trusty Side kick. I will also share the lyrics to the song so you can see what I sent in. </p><p> It is great to get feedback. I need it. Maybe not as much as I used to but it provides another pair of ears and eyes. Sometimes we can be blind to an error right in front of us. Kinda like getting used to the smell of dirty socks on your bedroom floor. (if you know what I mean) lol</p><p> There are six categories- Form/structure, Title/hook, Lyric, Overall Theme Idea, Melody/meter, and Closing comments.</p><p> Form/structure- You have the right structure</p><p> Title/hook- It's a cool original hook and you use it in a memorable way, however I suggest you set it up with a rhyme scheme in the line before with “kick” so the hook feels like it pays off. </p><p> Lyric- You have a lot of cool images here and it's pretty clear it's a story about a little boy and his grandmother looking for monsters. I think what is missing is he waking in the middle of the night frightened? That's what would set that all up. Here it seemss like they are just playing a game, which also works. It's just not clear if it's just a game or a little boy that's afraid of monsters and Grandma is making him feel more secore by looking for them. Also, who is Cooper? The kid? That name comes out of the blue. I suggest you introduce him as Cooper at the top of the song. or just use he. Also, watch your thyme schemes in the chorus. I don't really hear any. Just my thoughts. </p><p> Overall Theme/Idea- Cool theme. This could work of the folk/Americana market.</p><p> Melody/Meter- Good folk/Americana melodies and feel.</p><p> Closing comments- I see where you are confused about the song. I think if you follow my suggestions, it will help your confusion and hopefully help it for the listeners. Keep up the good work.</p><p> This is my favortie evaluator at NSAI. I have picked others but I like her feedback. She/he I don't know if it's a guy or a girl, gives me ideas and suggestions on how I can improve my song. Also, by following the suggestions it will help me to write stronger songs in the future. </p><p> This let's you see what an evaluation looks like and if it would be beneficial for improving your writing. Here is the copy of the lyrics. I have put (parenthesis) for my corrections. Maybe temporary corrections until I find a better idea.</p><p>Trusty Sidekick</p><p> (Cooper's) Looking for monsters with Grandma by his side</p><p>an Iphone flashlight, they'll find where they hide</p><p>Monsters and vampires, oh, they hate the sun</p><p>Grandma's got his back and a loaded cap gun.</p><p> </p><p> Chorus- Oh Batman's got Robin, Lone Ranger's got Tonto</p><p> they all got a friend they fight evil with</p><p> She's there when you need her, with her super powers (she's there when you need her, like a pistol on your hip)</p><p> Cooper's got Grandma his trusty side kick. </p><p> </p><p>Grandma ain't very big, and she don't look mean</p><p>If she see's a spider, oh, she might scream</p><p>It's alot of work, saving the earth</p><p>So we refuel with her peach cobbler dessert.</p><p> </p><p> Chorus</p><p> </p><p> Bridge- They will both grow older, like we all do</p><p> but he'll never forget, a grandma like you.</p><p> </p><p> Chorus</p><p> </p><p> Hope this songwritng blog helps you in your songwriting journey. </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p>Jim McCartertag:jimmccarter.com,2005:Post/72953042023-10-29T06:57:11-05:002023-11-03T16:17:47-05:00A new adventure<p> Are you a Taylor Swift fan or a Travis Kelce fan? Or both? Two people from two different worlds. Taylor is a pop star with her loyal following of Swifties. Travis is a two time Super bowl champion with the Kansas City Chiefs. They both have become more populat since they started dating with the addition of new followers that htey have been introduced to.</p><p> I kinda did the same thing this week. I went to an Open Mic this mic. Yes, I have been to many open mics but never to a comedy open mic. I was invited by one of the hosts to come out and play my guitar and sing. So I decided to take up the invitation. I am now in two worlds, music and comedy. That is funny, to type. lol</p><p> My first joke that I told was, I was sitting at a table with other comedians and I could see two girlfriends pointing at me and talking. I could hear them but them didn't know that I had great hearing. The brunette said to the blonde, “ He looks funny.” Yes, I might be a natural at this. lol</p><p> I got on stage and played the introduction to Stairway to Heaven. Then I proceeded to ramble on like I do between songs when I play out. After a few minutes, maybe less I went into my song. Here are the words to my song.</p><p>I walked up and stood at her table.</p><p>I said, I don't do this very well,</p><p>I think you might be an angel</p><p>An angel from heaven that fell</p><p> </p><p>I slid my hand from my pocket </p><p>It was shaking, I hope she couldn't tell</p><p>I smiled and shook her hand warmly</p><p>I said, “Hello my name is Justin Case.”</p><p> </p><p>Chorus- Justin Case you ever get lonely</p><p>Justin Case you ever need a friend</p><p>Justin Case you need someone to talk to</p><p>Don't forget my name is Justin Case.</p><p> </p><p>She said, "I've heard many come ons</p><p>I've heard better, and I've heard worse.</p><p>Did you know the devil was an angel</p><p>thrown from heaven down here to earth?</p><p> </p><p>She slid the pen from my pocket</p><p>and slowly rolled up my sleeve</p><p>and in blue ink she wrote down her number</p><p>and her name, her name was Annie Tyme</p><p> </p><p>Annie Tyme you ever get lonely</p><p>Annie Tyme you ever need a friend</p><p>Annie Tyme you need someone to talk to</p><p>Justin Case you can call me Annie Tyme.</p><p> </p><p> It was great to get out and play my guitar. It was also good to get to hang out with my buddy Rick. He was been performing regularly at comdey open mics. This month he even had his first professional comedy gig. How exciting is that? Congratulations Rick. </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p>Jim McCartertag:jimmccarter.com,2005:Post/72923922023-10-23T19:48:01-05:002023-10-29T06:47:22-05:00Thirty six years (almost)<p> Thirty- six years. (Almost) That is how long I have been working at Dillons grocery store. Back when I started with Dillons it was a Kansas company. Now, it is part of a bigger company, Kroger. Being part of a big company like Kroger has it's advantages and disadvantages. </p><p> The advantages are that Kroger has spent a lot of money remodeling and improving all of the stores in Topeka. If Dillons would of stayed Dillons we would not have the quality of stores that we have now. We also, would not have the advantages of lower prices by buying groceries in bigger quantites. The disadvantages are that you can feel more like a number than a person at a big company like Kroger. I tell people that when I retired it was like throwing a rock in the ocean. It don't make a very big splash and nobody notices it when you're gone. Oh sure, your friends at work will maybe miss you after they get over you abandoning them. </p><p> People ask me what are you going to do? That is such a tough question. I don't know if I have the answer for that one. I feel like I am still that fifteen year old kid working at the grocery store, not knowing what I want to do with my life. I guess, not much has changed after all of these years.</p><p> I wrote a song. I call it my retirement song. It is called My Stories Done. Here are the lyrics. It is different because it starts with the chorus.</p><p> </p><p>God handed me a pen, Said, "Here, write your story.</p><p>Oh I could bring him pain, or I could bring him glory</p><p>through all my ups and downs, whatever I become</p><p>I will trust in you Lord, until my stories done.</p><p> </p><p> That Job, I had in high school. oh that was my career</p><p> work hard and got promoted, stayed their forty years</p><p> That girl, I gave a ring to, left me for someone new</p><p> Her story messed up mine, but Jesus helped me through</p><p> </p><p>Chorus</p><p> Sixty-five in October, my life has been a blink</p><p> The pen I'm writing with is running low on ink</p><p> I'm down to the last chapter, last page and sentence</p><p> I'll dot the period, and hand God back his pen.</p><p> </p><p>Chorus</p><p>God handed me a pen, Said, "Here, write your story</p><p>Oh I could bring him pain, or I could bring him glory</p><p>through all my ups and downs, whatever I become</p><p>I will trust in you Lord, I will trust in you, Lord</p><p>I will trust in you Lord, until my stories done.</p><p> </p><p><br>So when you ask me what I am going to do, my answer is </p><p>I am trusting God, until my stories done.</p><p> </p>Jim McCartertag:jimmccarter.com,2005:Post/72498402023-07-31T08:11:39-05:002023-10-16T09:45:01-05:00Combo Pizza Songwriting lesson<p>A combo pizza songwriting lesson<o:p></o:p></p><p> </p><p>This lesson is like a combo pizza. It has meat, veggies, sauce and it is all thrown together. The reason I typed it up is because we are known to have computer, website, audio and other assorted problems getting our media to perform like it should.<o:p></o:p></p><p>I went to the NSAI website and watched a couple videos about Industry tips. There were two videos from two managers. One was Madelun Monchick and the other was Kristen Ashley. Madelyn talked about some of the characteristics that she likes to see in an artist. <o:p></o:p></p><ol>
<li>Be a hard worker. Don’t expect your manager to make you a success. It is ultimately your responsibility. Do your part.<o:p></o:p>
</li>
<li>Find an artist that knows his purpose. Your purpose is the core of who you are.<span> </span>It is deeper than a cowboy hat. My favorite artists are ones that are true to the core. I can spot a fake cowboy and it is easy to spot a phony believer in the gospel field. Lady Gaga could be the best singer ever but I bet she isn’t going to win over the church<span> </span>crowd singing Amazing Grace. <o:p></o:p>
</li>
<li>Treat others right- This can be your fans, co-writers, fellow musician, acquaintances, etc. I<span> </span>amazed at work how many adults that do not know how to get along with others. <o:p></o:p>
</li>
</ol><p>The second video was by Kristen Ashley. She is the artist manager for Mitchell Tenpenney.<o:p></o:p></p><ol>
<li>Motive- Kristen was a friend of Mitchell Tenpenny. He had not presence on social media. She helped him out by setting up a twitter and face book account for him. Also she helped set up co-writes with other artists, helped book shows for him and helped book transportation and lodging for his shows.<span> </span>She did this <strong>expecting nothing in return. </strong>Her motives were pure. She was trying to help out someone that she believed in. Here is a quote from her. <strong>(If you believe in someone, help people and in return, you will be taken care of.)</strong><o:p></o:p>
</li>
<li>Write great songs. That was her answer on what she would look for if she was picking someone to work with. Great songs open doors. What makes a great song?<span> </span>She had two answers.<span> </span>Cry. If a song can make her cry, that is great. The second answer was if she could put herself into a song. It is even better if a guy and a girl can both relate to a song. She used a song by Kasey Ballerini as an example- Peter pan.<o:p></o:p>
</li>
<li>Help others succeed. Or try too. Yeah it might not always work out. James Sperman , NSAI member, organized a concert to give songwriters a venue to play at. The event didn’t draw as well as expected but he was trying to help others succeed. <o:p></o:p>
</li>
</ol><p>I want to talk a little about Mitchell Tenpenny. I few months ago I was listening to the top twenty songs in country music. I made a list of all the songwriters of each song. Nineteen of the songs had multiple songwriters. The only exception to the rule was Drunk Me. It was written by one songwriter. Mitchell Tenpenny. This song had 170 million streams. His album that the song was on went to number five on the country charts in 2018. This is a great example of how great songs can change a career. <o:p></o:p></p><p> </p>Jim McCartertag:jimmccarter.com,2005:Post/72458022023-07-22T13:13:43-05:002023-07-22T13:13:43-05:00Listen to Bob Dylan<p> I heard Bob Dylan talking in an interview the other day of social media. Somebody was asking him about some of his older songs. They were commenting on how great the lyrics were. Bob agreed and then quoted the lyrics of a song that he wrote. He said, Yeah, those were some great lyrics on that song. I don't know where that came from. I can't write like that now but I wish that I could. That was a phase that I went through . (That was totally, a Jim McCarter paraphase) But I thought it was really interesting. I just assumed that he could go there and do that anytime he sat down to write. </p><p> I read another interesting Bob Dylan quote in a book called, How to make it in the music business by Ari Herstand. Bob said, “Critics have been giving me a hard time since day one. Critics say I can't sing. I croak. Sound like a frog. Why don't critics say that same thing about Tom Waits? Critics say my voice is shot. That I have no voice. Why don't they say those things about Leonard Cohen? Why do I get special treatment? Critics say I can't carry a tune and I talk my way through a song. Really? I've never heard that said about Lou Reed. Why does he get to go scot-free? </p><p> I remember years ago, I wrote a song and placed it out on a website for song feedback. I still remember the comment. “ You are a no talent Bob Dylan. You're singing is terrible and it sounds like you made up the lyrics as you were singing the song. ” He was especially right on the making up the lyric part. I had a lyric that I wrote. I liked the way it sung so I sang it as my chorus. Yeah, it was a terrible song, but I was at the beginning of my journey. What did he expect or what did I expect? That was probably the best that I could do at the time. (but) I did have the guts to put it out there. Not everybody can do that and take the criticism. (I'm not saying I enjoyed it.) lol</p><p> I love Bob Dylan's reasoning. He was just pointing out the truth. He is not the only singer that has made millions singing that doesn't have the best singing voice. He is the one that gets picked on about it? Why ? Maybe because of jealousy. Other singers can sing better than him but they sure can't write lyrics like him. He has his limitations just like everybody else. He is human. (But) he has made the most out of the talent that he possessed. Can anyone agure with that?</p><p> I say Bob performing at a festival in front of a big crowd as a young man. He was playing his guitar, playin a harmonica, and singing. No backup singers, no other musicians, no, just Bob alone, doing what he does. It was great. Do you know how intimidating that would feel? My hats off to Bob Dylan. Way to go my friend. That takes real courage that alot of us don't have and will never have. </p><p> So if you ever want to learn about writing better songs. take some time and listed to Bob. </p><p> </p><p> </p>Jim McCartertag:jimmccarter.com,2005:Post/72248012023-06-20T14:00:06-05:002023-06-27T11:13:53-05:00There is always a story to tell (the ending)<p> Friday morning, I got up early and started getting ready to go to the Kansas Prairie Picker's bluegrass festival by Holton. I decided to update my notebook with some new songs that I had written. I placed about twenty songs in my notebook so I would have lyrics. (sometimes I forget my own lyrics) </p><p> I stopped by McDonald's and got two McDoubles and a small tea for the forty-five minute drive to the festival. I arrived at the festival around one o'clock and set up my music stand, and aqua green four legged stool. The same stool that I sit on when I play in my music room. I opened up my notebook and started playing my originals. After playing for about twenty minutes I saw Ron and said, “Hi '”</p><p> He is one of the main organizers of the three day festival. He asked, “ If I would want to play the five o'clock show on the main stage? ” I told him, “ I would love to.” I asked, “How long of a set are you looking for? “He said, ”Forty five minutes." I said, ”I can do that." He told me that his five o'clock band had backed out at the last minute. </p><p> He said, “ You can bring up other musicians to play with you if you want.” I said, “ It will be just me. I will be doing my own material and nobody else knows my songs” He was good with that answer and it was time for me to start preparing for my next gig inabout three hours. </p><p> So I spent the time going over my songs, getting a set list together, and rememorizing a few lines I couldn't recall. Also, I played some of my songs with three fiddle players. We also played Soldiers Joy and another bluegrass classic that I don't remember or know the title. </p><p> Why am I telling you my story? Maybe you are songwriter, singer songwriter, artist, baseball player, or your goal could be anything. It doesn't matter. Here are the steps in my journey that could help you on your journey.</p><p> 1. Know what you want to do. - I wanted to play on stage at the Prairie Lake Bluegrass Festival.That was the goal.</p><p> A) I wanted to play my music. Originals. Songs I had written. I didn't want to play somebody else's songs. </p><p> B) I wanted to play solo. Why solo? I don't have the free time to be in a band and practice. If I did, it would take away from my songwriting. Writing my own songs is what I want to do. Playing my own songs is what I want to do. You need to be specific and what you want to do.</p><p> 2. Be prepared. What would of happened if I was asked to play and I said, I can't because I don't know the songs, I can't play the guitar, or any other number of excuses. Nothing! Nothing would of happened. I would not have a story to tell about playing on stage at a bluegrass festival. </p><p> 3. Enjoy the journey. It was great to see all of this play out. Let me be more specific. It was great to see God work all of this out. I'm not taking credit for all that he did. All I did was my little part. I knew what I wanted to do. (Play on the main stage) I knew what music I wanted to play. (Originals. My songs.) I knew how I wanted to do it. (Solo) I knew if I wanted to do all the things I wanted to do that I had to do my part. My part is to be prepared. God provided the opportunity. My part is to be prepared.</p><p> I don't know what goal or dream you are chasing or hoping to achieve. You need to know that but you need to be prepared. So go get your guitar, learn how to play that B minor chord that you struggle with, memorized your lyrics, go to the festival you want to play at, or ask to play. </p><p> Would I have gotten the chance if I wasn't sitting at the entrance playing my songs? No. Do you think the promoter asked other people? What was their excuse? I haven't practiced, I'm not ready. I need more time. Who do they have to blame for not being prepared? Themselves. </p><p> I was so blessed to get this opportunity. I thank God for giving me this opportunity. I enjoyed every minute of it. I hope there is something in this that helps you on your journey. Enjoy the ride. </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p>Jim McCartertag:jimmccarter.com,2005:Post/72247902023-06-17T10:11:46-05:002023-06-18T03:53:03-05:00There is always a story to tell (the middle)<p> The middle is the long part of the story. It covers about thirty years. I will give a Reader's Digest version of the story. (Some reader may not be familiar with what Reader's digest is) It was a magazine that was started in1922 that was filled with short stories.</p><p> I continued to play and practice my guitar. Most of my guitar playing took place in church during this period. I would play my guitar for kid's church, an occasional Sunday night music special and eventuall I was part of the praise team. I did this for years until i went to a church that had way to many guitar players. I still wanted to play guitar. So I went to a local coffee shop and requested an opportunity to play there. They agreed and that was the start of my singer songwriter journey. </p><p> I would go up to the bluegrass festival, north of Holton. It was held at Prairie Lake. This was the same group of musicians that I had played with in Topeka years earlier. They would have a three day, camping, guitar picking and concerts at night. They had a stage, a sound system and shade trees to sit under and listen to the music. I wanted to play of the stage and have people listen to me. </p><p> I would attend the festival and take my guitar. I would sit under a tree by the entrance and play. I would sing songs I had wrote, or songs I knew, and occasionally I would even play a bluegrass tune. I met other musicians who would stop by and talk and play songs with me, But mostly it was just me, Being me, playing songs I loved or songs I wrote. </p><p> I carried on this tradition for ten years. Oh , I would miss a year, here or there, but the next year I'd be back in my normal spot entertaining people was they walked by. I played songs I loved that didn't fit the audience. I played Stairway to Heaven, Layla, and lots of current country songs. Mostly, I played songs that I wrote. </p><p> It was about five years ago, (pre-covid) I sent an email expressing interest in playing on stage at the festival. I explained that I was a singer songwriter and I would love to perform at their event. I received a nice email back. It explained that they only used bands. ( Bluegrass bands to be more specific.) It didn't hurt to try. You never know if you don't ask. So I continued to got each year, sit by the entrance, Say Hi, and play for people coming to hear bluegrass music. </p><p> Last year I was doing my normal routine on Saturday. A guy with the organization came up and asked me if I wanted to play in the Open mic. They had twenty minutes of space that they needed to fill. I told him that I didn't have a band and it would be only me playing. He said, That is fine. and he signed me up. </p><p> I got up and played all orginal music that I had written. It was a great time and I was so glad to get to do it. I was getting to play on a stage with an audience that wasn't walking by as they listened. (to be continued)</p><p> </p>Jim McCartertag:jimmccarter.com,2005:Post/72247582023-06-11T14:51:42-05:002023-06-11T14:51:43-05:00There is always a story to tell (The beginning)<p> There is always a story to tell and usually there are many stories that blend together to make up a story. Every story has a beginning, a middle and an end. So I'll go ahead and start this at the beginning.</p><p> The time frame is late eighties or early nineties. I am almost thiry, married, three kids, with a job at the grocery store. I am also a guitar player. Not a good guitar player but I have taken a few lessons and I really love playing the guitar. I want to get better. I want to play in a band or at least play with other musicians. </p><p> I read in the paper about a bluegrass event at 45th and Shawnee Heights Road. Bring your instrument and come out and play. It was on Sunday afternoon from 1-6. So I take my guitar and off I go. It was in an old one room school house. It had a stage at the front and the rest was just a big room. This was where the bands would get up and play songs for a small crowd of other musicians and their wives and families. That was great, it was an audience. </p><p> This one room school house also had a basement. There would be different groups of musicians playing in each group. Usually they had a couple guitar player, a fiddle player, maybe a banjo player and if you were lucky you might even have a bass player. </p><p> They would go around the circle and when it was your turn, you got to pick the song that you were going to sing and play. You would also get to pick the key that you would be playing the song in. I wasn't very good so mostly I just played along with others and also I knew that I wasn't and didn't want to be the singer. </p><p> The basement was loud and confusing. You had three or four different bands playing different songs in different keys as the music echoed off the concrete walls. It was not pretty to listen to. If you were lucky and the weather was nice you could go outside and play. In Kansas, in the late fall and winter, that wasn't the way it worked out.</p><p> I never became a member of a bluegrass band from this experience. I knew that I didn't quite fit in. Bluegrass and banjos was not my perferred music. I was more into the Eagles, CCR, a little country and some rock. </p><p> I did get up one time and play a song that I wrote. It was an Alabama song called Feels so Right. I had changed the lyrics, but not the title. I wrote my own lyrics. It was a song about going through my divorce and how I felt bad to feel good. That didn't make sense to me. I got closer to the Lord during this time of hardship. And even though it was difficult, I was okay with it.</p><p> Other folks from the group would go on to form bands, play together and go out and play events. This small group was the beginning of the Kansas Prairie Pickers Association. It was a group that promoted bluegrass music in the north east part of Kansas. </p><p> I knew that I wanted to be on stage and play but it never worked out for me at this stage in my musical journey. (to be continued)</p><p> </p>Jim McCartertag:jimmccarter.com,2005:Post/71861442023-04-07T20:07:57-05:002023-06-11T14:48:33-05:00A hand to guide me<p> A Hand to Guide Me is the title to a Denzel Washington book. I picked it up at the library today. So far, it has been a great read. Denzel talks about three people that made a difference in his life. One was a guy who worked at the Boys and Girls club. His name was Billy Thomas. He ran the place. He made Denzel and other kids who went there feel special.</p><p> The rest of the book is other famous people sharing their stories of who inspired them and what they did to inspire others. Here is a list of some of the people you might have heard of. lol Hank Aaron, Muhammad Alli, Yogi Berra, Jimmy Carter, Bill Clinton, Johnny Damon (ex Royals ball player), Jamie Farr, Phil Jackson, and John <br>Wooden, just to name a few. </p><p> One statement that I read that I think is great. People don't care how much you care, they are moved by how you make them feel. Make other's feel good. Be their biggest fan. We all need that someone in our corner, even when we mess up. Especially when we mess up. </p><p> Looking forward to a good read. I love it when I find a book worth reading. </p><p> </p>Jim McCartertag:jimmccarter.com,2005:Post/71850932023-04-06T10:32:15-05:002023-04-06T10:32:15-05:00Getting Today Write<p> I wanted to write about getting today right, or living in the present. I know that I struggle with this and I bet I am not the only one. I can think of examples where, instead of being present I am doing something else. My examples would be on my phone at home, (instead of talking) , watching TV, (instead of listening, and the list probably goes on and on. If I struggle, I be everyone else does too.</p><p> Why do I struggle with this? Part of my problem is I mutlitask. I do alot of multitasking at work. Multitasking hurts my productivity. I can do it, but to really get things accomplished I need to stay focused. If I am watching TV and talking to Mary Ann. Mary Ann and I may have a lull in the conversation. The TV show is not that great so I go to facebook and read post. Now I am doing three things at once, and the one that is the most interesting (at the moment) gets my attention. </p><p> i hear adults talking about their children being on their phone when they (and I) do the same thing. It's probably time to put away the stones and not do any rock throwing. </p><p> Another area I struggle with is focusing on tomorrow. What am I going to do on my day off? What project needs done around the house? Can I put if off, for another week? What will I do when I retire? Should I get a job? I can make a big list of things to think and worry about. </p><p> The smartest thing I could do is to pray about it, instead of worrying. Let God worry about tomorrow as I do what needs to get done today. That was so easy to type but so hard to live. I decided that i want to blog more. I think I want to engage that creativity side of my brain, in hopes that it will create new ideas for songs. So I will write more. Getting today write. </p><p> </p>Jim McCartertag:jimmccarter.com,2005:Post/71699392023-03-12T15:49:26-05:002023-03-16T15:00:43-05:00Come on<p> Come on. That is the name of my new song that is out. It is a song that I wrote with my friend Fletcher. Fletcher is a great songwriter, producer, guitar player and singer. He is a great guy and I am proud to call him my friend. We have been writing songs together for a couple years. </p><p> This is a song that we wrote fairly recently. I would guess January. I could look it up but it's easier to guess. Fletcher pitches songs to artists and some he has been releasing himself. This is one that he just released. Hopefully he will make it big on his own. Kinda like Bailey Zimmerman. Songs- (Rock and a hard place and Fall in Love, )</p><p> If fans listen and share I could see Fletcher having the same results. Check out Come Over. </p><p><a class="no-pjax" href="https://music.apple.com/us/artist/fletcher-moudy/1512041930">Fletcher Moudy</a></p>Jim McCartertag:jimmccarter.com,2005:Post/71593142023-02-23T10:29:01-06:002023-02-23T10:29:01-06:00First post of the year<p> I am glad that I didn't make a New Year's resolution this year to do a better job on writing on my blog. Today is February 23 and it is my first blog. It is a good thing that I am a songwriter and not a blogger. They probably pay about the same. lol</p><p> I did make a list of 2023 songwriting goals. Here is my list for this year.</p><ol>
<li>Submit 12 songs to NSAI (Nashville Songwriting Association International for evaluations.</li>
<li>Co-write with five songwriters</li>
<li>Pitch 2 songs to NSAI song pitch</li>
<li>Practice a 45 minute song set for performing</li>
<li>Start performances in October of 2023</li>
<li>Attend Kansas City NSAI meetings once a month (it not working)</li>
</ol><p> That is a pretty big list. I will need to stay focused to get it completed. Good luck as you chase your dreams. </p>Jim McCartertag:jimmccarter.com,2005:Post/71275042022-12-23T09:22:23-06:002023-02-04T09:54:31-06:00Easing my mind<p> Neglected and forgotten. I have had many things in my life that I have neglected to do. Yeah, I still have leaves in my yard from the fall and it is now winter. Yeah, I did some but they keep falling. Now I will have to neglect them till spring an when it warms up. I can hardly wait. It is below zero today. </p>
<p> Forgotten. I have forgotten important dates. The one I am the worse about forgetting is my anniversary. The great thing about it is that my wife forgets about it also. Still doesn't make it right but at least she isn't mad at me about it. When I combine neglected and forgotten together, I think about the blog on this website. </p>
<p> I get busy living life. Work, family, church, eating, and sleeping. Yeah, it's pretty easy to burn through a twenty four hour day. It's like burning off dead grass in the pasture. It can go too quickly and you can burn up other peoples time and pasture too. I was talking about this with my brother and how Dad would come burn off his pasture. That is why we have Fire departments. </p>
<p> Just wanted to write a few things on the blog. Not totally forgotten. Just easing my mind. </p>Jim McCartertag:jimmccarter.com,2005:Post/71072052022-11-21T10:24:08-06:002023-06-18T03:53:03-05:00You are Special, more Special than you think<p> You are special, more special than you think. That sounds like a generic bumper sticker or a passing line that a pastor would say in a sermon. Yesterday I heard those words and it touched me. Let me tell you how it happened.</p>
<p> I was doing a really important job at Dillons. (Not really) I was facing the butter section in the dairy department. What is facing you ask? That is when you pull items to the front of the shelf, stack em up, line em up, and make it look pretty. The reason we do this is that we believe people will buy more groceries if it looks neat and fresh.</p>
<p> As I was facing the butter and older woman with gray hair started talking to me. She complimented me on how well I was facing. I do try to hustle when I am facing. I use both hands and try to do is as quickly as possible. I told her, "Thank you. I don't know if this is something I want to be too good at." I laughed and she smiled. She said, "Yeah I can see how that could be true." </p>
<p> She smiled and said, " I want to give you something." If you could have anything you wanted,today, what would you ask for?" What a strange question but she definiitely had my attention. I'll tell you how I felt at that moment. I felt like King Solomon when God asked him what he wanted. Solomon asked God for wisdom. I'm not as smart as Solomon, I didn't ask for wisdom but I probably should have.</p>
<p> My mind was in full gear now. Am I really gonna play this game? What if it isn't a game? What if I could really get whatever I asked for. I must admit that my first thought of what to ask for was help with getting my songwriting heard. I thought, really, that is what you would waste your gift with. That sounded very shallow and self serving.</p>
<p> Okay, on to my next option. I thought about home and how my wife could really use some help from God. Dealing with everything that is going on in her life. I blurted out, "Pray for my wife." "I didn't go any further. Four words- Pray for my wife. </p>
<p> Then something strange happened. Not that this whole story isn't strange enough. She looks at me and says, "Are you sure, that is what you want?" It reminded me of when you take your kids shopping for a toy and you pick out your toy. Then your Mom asks you that question, "Are you sure that is the one you want? " Like she knows something that you don't know. Maybe I should of asked for something bigger and better. I had a quick moment of doubt in my decision. Then I replied, "Yes, I'm sure. "</p>
<p> She stepped up beside me and placed her hand on my back and started praying. She bowed her head and I bowed my head and closed my eyes. I have heard and said alot of prayers in my life. I'm still thinking this feels kinda crazy but I'm in. She proceeded to pray for my wife. You got to remember, I didn't give her much to go on. She was nailing stuff on the head. It was a perfect prayer for my wife. </p>
<p> After she was done, I looked at her and said, "Thank you!" She turned and started pushing her grocery cart down the aisle and I went back to facing the Land of Lakes butter tubs. I look to my left and the lady is there again. She told me, " God told me to give you a word form him as I was walking away. </p>
<p> He told me to tell you, " That you are special, more special than you think." What encouraging words, especially if they came from God himself. What a touching moment. I made me feel like God had said it to me. This was one of the many "God" moments I have had in my life. </p>
<p> I felt like I needed to share this story. God doesn't show up and do things so we can keep quiet about it. What did the blind man do when could see? Yeah, He told everybody. This story isn't just about me. The words that were shared with me apply to you also- You are special, more special than you think. Let me repeat it one last time- You are special, more special than you think. </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>Jim McCartertag:jimmccarter.com,2005:Post/70950962022-11-03T20:18:22-05:002022-11-21T10:06:42-06:00Songwriting Coach<p> This is a new term that I had not heard before. I heard it on The Climb. The Climb is a songwriting/artist podcast. The hosts are Johnny Dwinell and Brent Baxter. It is one of my favorite songwriting podcasts. They had a guest on last week. Her name was Tracey Hitz. She is a songwriting coach. I thought, I need one of those. </p>
<p> The name of her company is Hitz and Branding. I contacted her and asked for her help. I have been winging this songwriting dream for a long time. She looked over my website, social media accounts, (facebook, you tube, twitter, instagram, etc.) She made ideas of things I could do to that would be helpful. </p>
<p> I have been going through the list and trying to fix the easy ones first. Most of these were on my website. It was all good stuff. Things that I hadn't really thought about doing. The bottom line is to do more. More Instagram, more You tube, more blogs, and more live shows. Taking what I am already doing but going to the next level. Thank you Tracie for all of your suggestions. If you're gonna ask for advice you need to willing to heed it. Chasing the dream. </p>Jim McCartertag:jimmccarter.com,2005:Post/70688582022-09-26T10:34:16-05:002022-09-26T11:05:22-05:00Passionate songwriting<p> This is writing songs from the heart. (not to be confused with writing commercial songs) Are these two different animals? I asked Alexa to play me top songs off of Billboard hit chart. the first one was something You Proof, by Margan Wallen. Catchy, and it could have some truth in it, but not totally a heart stopper.</p>
<p> The second song was Luke Combs - The Kinda love we make.One of the chorus lines is- Let the passion we make take us to another place. Okay that is more personal and it might be passionate too but that is another type of passion that I'm not covering in this blog. lol</p>
<p> The third song was Wasted on You by Morgan Wallen. Another heartbreak song about missing a lover. Getting over a lover by drinking and getting over the pain. Personal, yes. Passionate, I would say yes. It feels like he is singing from the heart.</p>
<p> Song #4- She had me at Heads Carolina by Cole Swindell. A song about fallling in love and when he first fell it love. Feels more commercial than passionate but I like the feel of the song. </p>
<p> Song #5- Kane and Katelyn Brown-Thank God A duet that I really like. Is Katelyn his wife? She can sing. Cool. This would be a passionate song about a couples love for each other. </p>
<p> After listening to five songs it is hard to tell if they are passionate or commercial. They are all very well written songs. Let me give you some examples of passionate songs that move me. </p>
<p> 1.Don't think Jesus- Morgan Wallen This is a passionate song. This song has Morgan Wallen stamped all over it. I love it. </p>
<p> 2. Mama tried- Merle Haggard. You bet his Mama tried. Merle wrote this one from his heart. </p>
<p>I am sure there are many more examples but these two stuck out in my mind. Write from your heart. It might not be a hit but it will always ring true and loud. </p>Jim McCartertag:jimmccarter.com,2005:Post/70658162022-09-21T17:18:35-05:002022-09-21T17:18:35-05:00Pretend to be an Artist<p> I went to a songwriting workshop on my vacation. Eighty bucks for a six hour session. A little pricey but I was hoping I would get my money's worth. The teacher had interesting stories about how he had written a hit song and stories about artist that he knew and played with. That part was interesting.The theme of the conference was Pretent to be an Artist. After you have mastered the art of pretending, you will be an Artist. This is kinda like fake it till you make it but it sounds more polished. </p>
<p> Also talked about how to make new music and songs. He suggested finding a song that you really like. Learn the song today. Then comeback tomorrow and try to play it. Don't listen to the original. Take the original song and make it yours. Maybe you slow it down, change the melody, speed it up, or give it a happy beat instead a sad minor feel. Change the lyrics and see if your new song is anything like the original. It won't be because most people are not that good at mimicking and repeating accurately.</p>
<p> I remember when I first started bowling. I did not always throw the ball at the spot I was aiming for. I wasn't able to hit the sweet spot just to the right of the left of the front head pin. What I would do is I would aim for the head pin knowing I would probably be off a little to the left or right and I would get strikes. This method worked until I started to consistently hit the head pin and started getting too many splits. </p>
<p> I am not able to hit the sweet spot in somebody else's song, but I can create my own sweet spot. (and hopefully hit it) This gives me the chance to grow and get better without trying to bowl or write exactly like somebody else does it. </p>
<p> I remember when I first started playing guitar and singing at the coffee shop. I didn't have the singing range to do song exactly like the radio. I couldn't hit the high notes so I would change the melody to make it reachable for my voice. Then I started writing my own songs. I had nobody to blame for those high notes. It I couldn't hit them, I would change them. This was one of my first steps toward becoming a songwriter. I was pretending I was an Artist, so I could become and artist. </p>
<p> </p>Jim McCartertag:jimmccarter.com,2005:Post/70475712022-08-27T20:36:01-05:002022-09-13T18:56:42-05:00Rewriting a song, a curse and a blessing<p> I remember when I first started writing songs. It was a fast process. Well, maybe not fast but faster than I write a song now. I would come up with an idea, get a title, make up a melody for the chorus, add lyrics for the chorus and the verse and presto- a song. Not always a good song but none the less, it was a song.</p>
<p> I would send my songs to NSAI (Nashville Songwriting Association International) to have my latest hit evaluated. Needless to say, None of them were hits. They were just songs. They would tell me that I needed to rewrite the song. They would point out areas of opportunities. Here are some of the areas that I struggled with and some that I still struggle with. </p>
<p> The meter in the verses needs to match from verse to verse. What is meter? Meter is the feeling you get when you read a Dr. Seuss book like Cat in a hat. I loved reading these books cause I could feel the groove in the writing. That groove is the meter. I sometimes have to count it out. I sometimes have to count it out. That sentence has eight beats. If that is the first line in the first verse, then the first line in my second verse should have eight beats also. I couldn't change it to, I hate counting out all of the beats in a lyric, in the second verse. This line would have 13 beats. Oops! Now it doesn't sing right. </p>
<p> Other examples of errors I had to correct were the chorus not lifting (or singing) higher than the verses. The bridge not doing anthing different than the verses or the chorus. Bad ryhming, no rhyming, or too much rhyming. And the llist goes on and on.</p>
<p> Over time I finally learned the art of rewriting and I enjoy it. The problem is now I can rewirte too much. The great thing is it gives me lots of ideas to choose from. Maybe too many ideas to choose from but this is part of the process. I have been know to find new titles, throw out part or all of the verses, change the chorus, and search for the songwriting pot of gold in every song. Sometimes all I find is a rainbow and I will put that in the song instead of the gold. lol</p>
<p> So rewriting a song can be a curse and a blessing. You just have to figure out how to rewrite, what makes the song better, and try different ideas until you find the very best one. Not all gold nuggets are the same size. So you gotta work to get the best ones. Keep on wirting and rewriting. It is a great asset to have in your songwriting toolbox. </p>Jim McCartertag:jimmccarter.com,2005:Post/70310792022-08-04T20:01:36-05:002022-08-04T20:01:37-05:00Looking for demo singer<p> I am looking for a male country demo singer. I had a friend who did a great job on my demo's. He played guitar, great country singer style and recorded it for me. He was real reasonable on price. I paid less than fifty dollars. He charged me 30 and I paid him 35. Then I raised it and started paying him 40 bucks a demo. It was a fantastic deal for me. If I sent it to Nashville, I was paying 150 for a guitar/vocal and then the price went up to $200. His career is starting to take off. Good for him. I like to see others as they progress in the music business. </p>
<p> I don't need a fancy demo. I need a quality singer with a good country style. A decent guitar player who can record it for me. What do I do with the demo? I usually will put the song on my website, and pitch it the publishing company I work with, Ammar Music. I like to have a better singer than me so they can get a better idea of how the song could sound. (You have to use your imagination a lot less.) </p>
<p> Today, I found a new singer on Fivver. It is an app where you can hire people to do just about anything. Make video's, play guitar, make full demo's, write lyrics for you, write a song for you, and the list goes on and on. Usually the person will have a video of them playing and singing or whatever it is they do. I found a guy that had a good voice,and played guitar well.</p>
<p> I sent him a text on the app and it said, This person is in another time zone and it is still night time in his time zone. So he contacted me a couple hours later. I sent him the lyrics, and my rough demo. He sent me a bill with our agreed upon price of $40. It is suppose to be completed in eight days. </p>
<p> I am looking forward to hearing this new demo. It is always like Christmas morning when you get a demo made. So I am hoping for the best. I will play it for you when I get it. This makes me happy. </p>Jim McCartertag:jimmccarter.com,2005:Post/69927202022-06-13T10:00:04-05:002022-06-13T10:04:50-05:00A song for Kansas City Chief's fans<p> I wrote a song about the Kansas City Chiefs, Patrick Mahommes and how we all want to be winners like them. It is called Me.</p>
<p>ME </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Watching TV, wearing jersey fifteen </p>
<p>cheering for Mahommes, and the KC Chiefs </p>
<p>I ask myself, What would I do? </p>
<p>if I was wearing his quarterback shoes </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Chorus- Oh, it's all about Sundays at Arrowhead </p>
<p>hear the chants from the faithful in red </p>
<p>I wanna shine like those stadium lights </p>
<p>If Patrick can do it, maybe so can I </p>
<p>believe, I believe, I believe </p>
<p>someday that'll be me. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Could I thread the needle, for a touchdown </p>
<p>or scramble for my life, get a first down </p>
<p>I feel his joy, I feel his pain </p>
<p>two kindred souls, who both love the game </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Chorus- Oh, it's all about Sundays at Arrowhead </p>
<p>hear the chants from the faithful in red </p>
<p>I wanna shine like those stadium lights </p>
<p>If Patrick can do it, maybe so can I </p>
<p>believe, I believe, I believe </p>
<p>someday that'll be me.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Sometimes life don't play out </p>
<p>like it does in my mind </p>
<p>but the dream is the gas </p>
<p>that powers my ride, and </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Chorus- it's all about Sundays at Arrowhead </p>
<p>hear the chants from the faithful in red </p>
<p>I wanna shine like those stadium lights </p>
<p>If Patrick can do it, maybe so can I </p>
<p>believe, I believe, I believe </p>
<p>someday that'll be me. </p>
<p>I believe, I believe, I believe </p>
<p>someday, that'll be me.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Yes, even though I am just a fan. Never was a football player. When we see a great play completed. Yeah, I wish it was me.</p>
<p> </p>3:38Jim McCartertag:jimmccarter.com,2005:Post/69923792022-06-12T15:22:15-05:002022-06-12T15:22:15-05:00The corner of opportunity and preparation<p> Yesterday, I went to the Bluegrass Festival at Prairie Lake. It is a small lake a couple miles from Holton, KS. I have been going to this event for years. On Saturday afternoon they had an open mic for bluegrass bands. This could be a band that was established (been practicing together for years), a new band (just starting out), or a thrown together band of anybody who wants to play.</p>
<p> I was playing in the campground with my friend Tim. He is a fiddle player that I had played with before at the festival. A guy with the open mic came up and wanted to know if we wanted to play. Tim told him that he wasn't interested. He asked me if I wanted to play. I told him I didn't have a band it would be just me playing my original songs. He said, That would be great and signed me up to do a half hour set. </p>
<p> So I proceeded to work up a set list of my songs to play. I had forty minutes to pick out my songs. Here is a list of the songs that I played. </p>
<p>1. Long live the King</p>
<p>2. Polaroid Memories</p>
<p>3. Linwood Cafe</p>
<p>4. Best Friend</p>
<p>5. Sing</p>
<p>6. Shades of Gray</p>
<p>7. God sized hole</p>
<p> It was fun to get to play my songs for a crowd. It was an opportunity for me to play and I was prepared. (Not totally prepared) I knew the songs but had to brush up on a couple of them to remember what key I sing them in. I am glad I had the forty minutes. </p>
<p> I had an opportunity and I was prepared. So many times we have opportunities and we are not prepared. We don't have what we need, a guitar, a stage, don't know the lyrics, don't have a copy of the lyrics with us, or we make excuses. If I had more time, If I had known, or if I had somebody to play with me.</p>
<p> So if you are a dream chaser like me, remember to be prepared to make the most of every opportunity that comes your way. What a great way to live and not have regrets. Good luck chasing your dreams. </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>Jim McCartertag:jimmccarter.com,2005:Post/69882202022-06-06T21:42:16-05:002022-06-06T21:42:16-05:00Fastballs<p> Here is a lyric I wrote in the last week or two. It is saved in the notes of my phone. It might never be nothing, it might become a song, or never ever be looked at again. I hadn't shared anything lately, so I thought I would share it for fun. I wrote this as my grandson, Aiden was playing baseball in the 3A Kansas baseball tournament. I was thinking about baseball and how it relates to life. Here is the start of Fastballs</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Fastballs</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Throw a strike but not down the middle</p>
<p>a fastball inside to scare them a little</p>
<p>Then a slow curve ball that catches a corner</p>
<p>keep 'em off guard, until the games over.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>She threw me a kiss with some sizzle</p>
<p>An innocent, "I love you" to scare me a little</p>
<p>Then she said, You're out as I was digging in</p>
<p>I threw down my bat, as the inning ends</p>
<p> </p>
<p>This is the type of lyrics and scraps that are filling up my phone, computer, and old NSAI cards on my dresser. I have old NSAI coordinator card, (a box of 1000) that I write lyrics on in the middle of the night. When I get a big pile, I take and type them in the computer so I can't find them later. lol Yes, this is the life of a songwriter. </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>Jim McCartertag:jimmccarter.com,2005:Post/69509162022-04-18T12:39:36-05:002022-04-18T12:39:36-05:00Be a Cowboy<p> I was talking to my friend, Fletcher, who I write with. He told me that he heard that George Strait was looking for songs for a new album. That started me to think, If I was George Strait what would I sing about? The honest answer is I have no clue. Just like George would probably have a rough time writing a song for me. I didn't let this bump in the road stop me.</p>
<p> I decided to do some internet research on George. I found out that he still owns his family farm. He is about as close as you can get to a real cowboy. Especially when you do a comparison of him to his contemporaries in country music. Also, he wears a hat when he sings. How cool is that? </p>
<p> Here it is- Be a Cowboy. If you know George I am cool if you share it with him. Seriously, I am good with it. lol</p>2:29Jim McCartertag:jimmccarter.com,2005:Post/69326492022-03-26T09:12:41-05:002022-04-06T05:07:18-05:00How to get a publishing deal (my guess)<p> Five years ago, I shared my story about sending my songs to songwriting publishing companies. I was full of hope. I made a list of major and minor publishing companies. I think I had seventeen publishing companies I contacted asking for permission to send them a demo of my songs. </p>
<p> Do you wanna guess how many contacted me back? Zero. My hopes were dashed. So I did what every songwriter does when life don't go how we planned. I wrote songs. Then I wrote more songs and I kept on writing songs. </p>
<p> So I squeeze in songwriting whenever I can. Every month I go to a monthly NSAI meeting. (Nashville Songwriting Association International) meeting. My goal is to have a new song every month. At the beginning it was hard but songwriting get's easier the more you do it. Not easy. It is never easy to pour your heart out on paper. </p>
<p> I contacted by songwriters looking for a publishing deal on my website. Can I listen to their songs? Am I interested in giving them a publishing deal? Can I give advice on how to get a publishing deal? There is a real need for answers to these questions and I don't have the golden ticket. </p>
<p> I do have some advice that I try to follow. Keep on writing. Write, Write, and then write some more. Get better. Listen to your favorite songs. Learn what it is you like about your favorite songs? What chords they use. The structure of the songs. Is it verses and chorus's? Does it have a bridge? Does the song tell a story? Does the song make you fell something? Sad, happy, lonely, or does it make you dance? </p>
<p> Read, read, and read some more. Read books about songwriting. Books about songwriters like Bob Dylan, Willie Nelson, or whoever floats your boat. Read books about anything and everything. You never know what will be the four leaf clover in your song.</p>
<p> Share, share, and share some more. We have so many ways to share our music. Facebook, Tic Toc, Twitter, Spotify, Apple Music, etc. and the list goes on and on. I have tried selling my music. No pot of gold on that rainbow. So I give it away. Place it on my website, share it on twitter, and occasionally play it at open mics. </p>
<p> Let me ask you a question? What would you do if you made the best apple pie in the world, Bar None! You set up a website, take pictures of your pies, develop a marketing plan, buy a new oven, get the best mixer you can find, and you still can't sell your delicious apple pie. Give it away. </p>
<p> Sample, sample, and sample some more. Take that pie to a church dinner, take one to your neighbor who just had a baby, take it to work and share some with the employees in the breakroom. It makes sense when you look at it that way.</p>
<p> But what if somebody steals my songs? Really? I got to be honest with myself. I haven't written a song good enough that anybody wants to steal. Remember, I can't get people to buy downloads. It is hard to get people to listen to my songs. </p>
<p> If you're writing songs and people are stealing them, Congratulations! You are on the right road. You are doing exactly what you should be doing. Writing songs. What do you do about someone stealing one of your babies? Hey, have some fun and go make another baby. You got the talent, you did it once, you can do it again and again and again. </p>
<p> Now if you do write a mega hit and you hear it on the radio. That is a different story. You might need a lawyer but that would be a sweet problem to have. You are going to make some money and you will have some to pay for your lawyer too.</p>
<p> If you are writing songs as great as you think they are. Publishers, artists, music attorney's and everybody else. They will find and love your songs and want to help you on your journey in this crazy music business. Have a great day and keep on writing songs. </p>
<p> If you're reading this here is one of my latest songs I wrote. </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>3:05Jim McCartertag:jimmccarter.com,2005:Post/69070512022-02-25T08:24:35-06:002022-04-06T05:07:29-05:00Dee Jay in Tupelo<p> Yesterday, I sent a text to Miss 98. No, that isn't a contestant in a beauty pageant. It is a radio station in Tupelo, Mississippi. My friend, Bill Miles and I wrote a song called Radio. It has a line in it that is unique. The line is - The deejay in Tupelo, plays our song on the radio. </p>
<p> Here is the text I sent in- Miss 98 Radio. Odd request here. I'm a songwriter who wrote a song with my buddy called Radio. It has a line that say- The Dee Jay in Tupelo, plays our song on the radio. Would you be interested in hearing it? I was asking permission to send it in. </p>
<p> Scott Spencer the morning DJ texted back. Sure. I would love to hear it and he sent me his email. I sent him a copy of my song and he emailed me back. He wrote, I like it. It does warm my heart to hear the "DJ in Tupelo" line. I've begged David Lee Murphy to write a song about a DJ every time we've had him on air... so far, nothing. Ok, if I give it a spin some time?</p>
<p> Of course I told him yes. I also told him that he made my day. The best possible result that I could of wished for. Taking a step of faith. Stepping outside of a box that we all live in. It is great to see a glimpse of God working behind the scenes. Here are the lyrics and the song. If you like the song, share it. </p>
<p> Radio </p>
<p>Bill Miles/Jim McCarter </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Looking through the window of this old truck </p>
<p> been gone two days and two day’s enough </p>
<p>I swung through Texas, Oklahoma, and Arkansas </p>
<p>pull off the road, give you a call </p>
<p> </p>
<p> Chorus- That’s our song on the radio </p>
<p>Reminds me of us in my GTO </p>
<p>Turn it up, play it loud </p>
<p>Wishing I was with you now </p>
<p>Down the highways and interstates </p>
<p>we would roll. </p>
<p>While the Dee Jay from Tupelo </p>
<p>plays our song on the radio </p>
<p> </p>
<p>You’re driving a Dodge Caravan, full of kids </p>
<p>Ballet and baseball games, that the life you live </p>
<p>Last night you called as you set your alarm </p>
<p>Heard the music in the background </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Chorus </p>
<p> </p>
<p>The stations used to play our song ten times a day </p>
<p>And now, every once in a while, I get to say </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Chorus</p>3:05Jim McCartertag:jimmccarter.com,2005:Post/68971502022-02-14T07:31:28-06:002022-04-06T05:07:37-05:00Solitude<p> Solitude. That is a big word for a guy from Oskaloosa, KS. I thought I knew what it meant but I looked it up in the dictionary to make sure I was right before typing this. Solitude is the state or situation of being alone. Or a lonely or uninhabited place.</p>
<p> I work at a grocery store. I am around customers and employees all day. I crave alone time. I need alone time. Maybe that is part of the reason why I write songs. I spend alot of time thinking about what I am going to write. Usually, I will get a title and start from there. Maybe, I will write about a subject like heartbreak and use personal examples that will ring true in a song.</p>
<p> My alone place is driving. I might be driving to work, to my Grandkids activities, or running errands. Driving gives me something to do (steering the car) but my mind needs something to do also. So, it thinks about lyrics, rhymes, ideas, or what isn't working in a song. It is trying to figure out the puzzle pieces of my life. Why this doesn't fit and where is the missing piece that I need.</p>
<p> Sometimes in the place of solitude, I have to go deeper in my thoughts than I want to go. Why do I do what I do? What should I have done? What was I thinking? What was she thinking? Would I do it over again? Did things turn out like I thought they would? What did God do in my situation? What didn't God do in my situation? Was I trusting him or relying on myself? As you can see, I got alot more questions than answers. </p>
<p> We all need to embrace our solitude as we seek answers. Answers to life and answers to how I am going to write this song. Have a great day. </p>
<p> </p>Jim McCartertag:jimmccarter.com,2005:Post/68937802022-02-10T05:58:24-06:002022-04-06T05:07:45-05:00Top songs 2021<p> This song is one of my favorites that I wrote last year. I like it when a song is about somebody. It makes a song easier to write when you know that. If you have a line, it rhymes, but it doesn't match up with your character in the song. That line is gone. This is a song about wanting to be like my Dad. Hopefully, you had a Dad like mine. </p>2:38Jim McCartertag:jimmccarter.com,2005:Post/68916662022-02-09T16:22:24-06:002022-04-06T05:08:06-05:00Tops songs from 2021<p> I had five songs that got a Songwriter to Watch award at NSAI. I am going to share all of them. I thought I would start with Hello Moon. Have you ever read the book, Hello Moon, Hello Stars to your kids or grand kids? If so, this song might be for you. </p>2:56Jim McCartertag:jimmccarter.com,2005:Post/68907842022-02-08T06:04:14-06:002022-04-06T05:10:11-05:00More 2021 songwriting updates<p> I wanted to share a list of the songs that received Songwriters to Watch awards. Here is the list.</p>
<p>Three minute song</p>
<p>Promises</p>
<p>Couldn't get enough</p>
<p>Shades of Gray</p>
<p>Hello Moon.</p>
<p> I wrote two of these songs by myself. Three minute song and Shades of Gray. Promises, Couldn't get enough, and Hello Moon were co-writes with by buddy Fletcher. I have posted all of these songs on my blogs I believe but I will post them again so you can check them out and let me know if you like them. </p>
<p> It's okay if you don't like my songs. I know my style and songwriting is not for everybody. But hopefully it is for somebody. lol</p>
<p> I entered a song called Polaroid Memories in the Walnut Valley New Song contest. It was a winning song in the memories category and I got to play it on stage. Funny thing, It didn't get a Songwriter to Watch award but it won a contest. You never know in this crazy business what will work. </p>
<p> My buddy, Bill Miles submitted our song Dreaming different Dreams at our NSAI chapter and it won. It was given the opportunity to be heard by Olay music. We never heard from them but it was a chance to get our song heard. </p>
<p> A big Thank You to all of my co-writers, family, and friends who have been on this journey with me. That pretty much wraps up 2021. If you are family or one of my friends and you didn't see much of me. This is what I was doing. Chasing the dream. Uphill all the way and I wouldn't want it any other way. Had to throw in a rhyme. Have a great day. </p>Jim McCartertag:jimmccarter.com,2005:Post/68907742022-02-07T08:14:21-06:002022-04-06T05:10:07-05:002021 updates continued<p> My quantity of songs went up in 2021. Sometimes if you're not careful you write more songs but the quality of the songs goes down. That was a fear of mine. Anyone can write fifty songs. It is the quality of songs that matters.</p>
<p> I have NSAI (Nashville Songwriters Association International) evaluators listen to my song and give me their opinions. These are professional songwriters that have publishing deal, maybe they even have hit songs. They offer critique and encouragement. I need both of these.</p>
<p> NSAI has about eight evaluators. They do all genres of music. Here is a list- Country, rock , contemporary, Pop, Americana/folk, Hip Hop, Rap, R&B, Tracks, Contemporary Christian, Jazz, Praise, Worship, and Gospel. Hopefully the songs you are writing would fall in one of these categories. </p>
<p> You get the opportunity to pick your evaluator. If your evaluator is busy, you can pick an alternate to evaluate your song. Or you can just let NSAI pick one for you. I use the same evaluator all the time. I don't know her or his name but if I had to guess, I would guess a girl.</p>
<p> In the old days at NSAI you knew the name of your evaluator. What they had done in the music business. What they were doing now. You got to know them. I have even written songs with one of my evaluators and had lunch with him in Nashville. NSAI does not allow this anymore. The reason is because of liability of misuse of a song.</p>
<p> If you write a good song, good not great they give you an award called Songwriter to Watch. If you were to write a great song, you can get an award for that too. It is called a Grammy. If I am lucky, I might get a Songwriter to Watch once or twice a year. This year I had five songs get Songwriter to Watch awards. I had four in a row skipped a month and had another one. I must of have been in a zone where everything works. I'll probably go through a stage where I never get a songwriter watch award again. </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>Jim McCartertag:jimmccarter.com,2005:Post/68903422022-02-06T14:07:14-06:002022-04-06T05:10:14-05:00Recap of 2021<p> 2020 was my best year in my songwriting career. This year was even better. Better is hard word to really define. No, I didn't get a #1 Country hit but I wrote more songs in 2022 than I did in 2021, 2020, and 2019 combined. How was I able to achieve this? Co-writing. </p>
<p> I have co-written songs before just not to this level. Most of the songs were written with my friend, Fletcher Moudy. He is the CEO of Ammar Music group. It is an independent song publishing company. Fletcher and I wrote twenty-five to thirty songs this year.It was a great time. It is great when you click with the person that you are writing with. Kinda like finding the perfect girl friend instead of finding a girl friend. lol. </p>
<p> I also wrote with some of my friends from the Tidewater NSAI chapter. I had the privilege of writing with Bill Miles, Michael King, Clay Smith, and Michael Crockett. It was a fun time getting to write and make new and better friendships. Also, I got to write a song with my son, Jeremy. That was a great time getting to work on a song with him.</p>
<p> On top of this I continued to do what I have been doing for the last eight years. I write one new song a month to play at the monthly NSAI meeting. I also send that same song into NSAI to get it evaluated. I need better ears than mine to help me to write better songs. An unbiased opinion from somebody whose name isn't typed at the top of the page. lol</p>
<p> This year I was wrote or co-wrote about fifty songs. Up from twelve songs a year. It becomes a numbers game. Maybe I need to write a hundred song to have a really good one. That would put me on track to have a really good song every other year. Yup! 2022 was a better year. </p>
<p> </p>Jim McCartertag:jimmccarter.com,2005:Post/68829522022-01-29T09:04:20-06:002022-04-06T05:10:20-05:00The big task of writing a song<p> Currently I am working on two songs. I kinda jump back and forth depending on which song motivates me that day. As I get closer to completing a song, I get more focused. The song I am working on the most is a song called Radio. It is almost done. It still needs a bridge. </p>
<p> I worked on the bridge yesterday before work. On the way to work I had two ideas that I spoke into my phone. This morning I will try out those and see if they work. Maybe they will, maybe they won't. Maybe they will be the link that connects to the bridge that I need. </p>
<p> It might just be 10 or 15 minutes that I am working on a song. Those 15 minutes add up and before long, guess what? Another song is done. Time to spend my 15 minutes working on a song. Have a great day. </p>
<p> </p>Jim McCartertag:jimmccarter.com,2005:Post/68565882022-01-01T08:54:02-06:002022-04-06T05:10:23-05:00Coffee<p>Today is a good coffee day. It's cold and snowing outside and a hot cup of coffee helps to warm the soul. I wrote a song called Coffee. I posted the lyrics last week but here is the demo of the song. Hope you like it. Happy New Year. </p>2:42Jim McCartertag:jimmccarter.com,2005:Post/68507882021-12-24T08:47:38-06:002022-04-06T05:10:51-05:00Coffee<p> One word titles. Easy to remember. The name of this song is coffee. The song is really not about coffee. It is really about love. The chorus says,<strong> Love's a cup of coffee, drink a cup or drink a pot.</strong> It's best fresh and hot. I guess that line is describing how great love feels at the beginning of a new relationship. The next line in the chorus is <strong>Coffee, coffee.coffee, it's all I drink about.</strong> Isn't it amazing how much we think about love when we first find it. The last line of the chorus is <strong>When it turns cold, she'll just pour it out.</strong> Wasted love. Well the relationship didn't work out. It must of been bad coffee. Just a few comments about the chorus. Here are the lyrics and the twist at the end. </p>
<p><strong>Coffee </strong></p>
<p><strong>She said, Let's meet for coffee </strong></p>
<p><strong> the diner down on sixth street </strong></p>
<p><strong> Ill be in a corner booth </strong></p>
<p><strong> we need to talk </strong></p>
<p><strong>She asked, When I could be there </strong></p>
<p><strong> said, be there 4:15 </strong></p>
<p><strong>She's got plans for tomorrow, </strong></p>
<p><strong>plans to leave me. </strong></p>
<p> </p>
<p><strong> Oh, Love's a cup of coffee. </strong></p>
<p><strong>drink a cup, drink a pot </strong></p>
<p><strong>It gives me a buzz </strong></p>
<p><strong>its best, fresh and hot </strong></p>
<p><strong>Coffee, coffee, coffee </strong></p>
<p><strong>It's all I drink about </strong></p>
<p><strong>but after it turns cold </strong></p>
<p><strong>she'll just pour it out </strong></p>
<p> </p>
<p><strong>I'll miss you in the morning </strong></p>
<p><strong>making noises in the kitchen </strong></p>
<p><strong>The smell of your perfume ain't </strong></p>
<p><strong>floating down the hall </strong></p>
<p><strong>Daybreak will be diff'rent </strong></p>
<p><strong>without you and hazelnut </strong></p>
<p><strong>I won't change how much I make </strong></p>
<p><strong>cause change is tough </strong></p>
<p> </p>
<p><strong>Chorus Oh, Love's a cup of coffee </strong></p>
<p><strong>drink a cup, drink a pot </strong></p>
<p><strong>It gives me a buzz </strong></p>
<p><strong>It's best, fresh and hot </strong></p>
<p><strong>Coffee, coffee, coffee </strong></p>
<p><strong>it's all I drink about </strong></p>
<p><strong>after it turns cold </strong></p>
<p><strong>I'll just pour it out.</strong></p>
<p><strong> </strong></p>
<p><strong>I could stretch myself, like a rubber band </strong></p>
<p><strong>and maybe, someday, give love a second chance </strong></p>
<p> </p>
<p><strong>Oh, Love's cup of coffee </strong></p>
<p><strong>drink a cup, or drink a pot </strong></p>
<p><strong>It gives me a buzz, </strong></p>
<p><strong>It's best, fresh and hot </strong></p>
<p><strong>Coffee, coffee, coffee </strong></p>
<p><strong>I can't get enough </strong></p>
<p><strong>If it turns cold, </strong></p>
<p><strong>I'll just heat it up. </strong></p>
<p><strong>If it turns cold, </strong></p>
<p><strong>I'll just heat it up.</strong></p>Jim McCartertag:jimmccarter.com,2005:Post/68391132021-12-13T08:36:20-06:002022-04-06T05:11:00-05:00The Story of You<p> I have songs that I write by myself and song that I co-write with others. This song is called The Story of You. It was a song that I had the privilege of writing with my friend Fletcher. Hope you like it. </p>3:31Jim McCartertag:jimmccarter.com,2005:Post/68317942021-12-06T14:00:04-06:002022-04-06T05:11:10-05:00Phone call to Heaven<p> Yesterday, I started writing some lyrics. No pressure, just writing. I came up with the idea of talking to my Mom in heaven. Yeah, I know that isn't very original. Also, as in the case in alot of my writing. My original idea gets discarded and it goes a different direction. That is what happened on this.</p>
<p> Did you every hear the song by Three Dog Night called Sylvia's mother. It is about a guy who is dating Sylvia's daughter. He calls and asks to talk to Sylvia but the mother won't let him. It is a very conversational song. I was trying to achieve the same effect. A one sided conversation with the person on the other end of the line. Here it is.</p>
<p>Are there cell phones in heaven? </p>
<p>If so, Can I talk to Mom? </p>
<p>I need to talk. </p>
<p>Can you put her on? </p>
<p> </p>
<p>It's been awhile </p>
<p>since I heard her voice </p>
<p>Wanna hear her smile </p>
<p>feel some of her joy. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>I hope she's not busy </p>
<p>Hope she's got some free time </p>
<p>Am I breaking a rule? </p>
<p>I bet God wouldn't mind. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>All I need is ten minutes </p>
<p>I know, I'm asking alot </p>
<p>but the bullets were flying </p>
<p>and Yeah, I got shot. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Tell her, I'll come see her </p>
<p>I don't know when </p>
<p>maybe sooner, than later </p>
<p>I guess it depends. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>On the damage it does </p>
<p>which organs get hit </p>
<p>Maybe I can come home </p>
<p>to where Momma lives </p>
<p> </p>
<p>I'm feeling kinda faint </p>
<p>and I'm scared of dying </p>
<p>Have you told her yet </p>
<p>that I'm on the line.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>I bet she's with Jesus </p>
<p>Yeah, If you can find him </p>
<p>She's probably drinking coffee </p>
<p>sitting there talking </p>
<p> </p>
<p>about me as a kid </p>
<p>with a new grass trimmer </p>
<p>No weeds and no grass </p>
<p>for all of the summer. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>You say, Momma's busy </p>
<p>She's at the pearly gates </p>
<p>Somebody special is arriving </p>
<p>and she can hardly wait </p>
<p> </p>
<p>I forgot my manners, </p>
<p>forgive me, If I was rude </p>
<p>I didn't ask your name </p>
<p>Who am I talking too? </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Oh, It's you Jesus </p>
<p>Yeah, I should have known </p>
<p>by your patience and kindness </p>
<p>to me on the phone. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Tell Mom, I'm coming </p>
<p>and thank you for </p>
<p>listening to me so </p>
<p>I wouldn't die alone.</p>Jim McCartertag:jimmccarter.com,2005:Post/68163622021-11-20T09:06:08-06:002022-04-06T05:11:18-05:00Editing a song<p> I have been writing a song this week called Coffee. The title of the song changed today. The title for the last week was Pour it out. This is part of my editing process. I have been working consistently on this song since my day off on Wednesday. Today is Saturday. </p>
<p> I will sit in my studio and play the song over and over and over. Singing it in differently, changing lyrics, changing them back to the original, and changing them again. It is a time consuming process. I do things a little different now than I used to. </p>
<p> I used to try to find the rhyme. In the past I would try to match the last word of my lyric with the next rhyming word. Maybe I am rhyming Bruce and Goose. (For Thanksgiving dinner my wife made goose, The only person who was unhappy was her brother Bruce.) The problem with this is who cares if Bruce is unhappy, that is not what the story is about. And also my wife's brother's name is Bobby. </p>
<p> Now I would try to convey the message of the song instead of rhyming it. (For Thanksgiving dinner my wife made goose, that morning I remember I forgot to buy cool whip for the pumpkin pie at the store.) I rhymed goose and to. Not a perfect rhyme but I think it works fine in a verse. </p>
<p> I like the editing process. The only problem is that it is time consuming. The best part is when you get it right. You know when you have mastered the puzzle. It rhymes or near rhymes and it conveys the message of the song. Winner, winner, chicken dinner. </p>
<p> I will post this song after I get it recorded and demoed. Have a great day and a great Thanksgiving with Bruce eating goose. </p>Jim McCartertag:jimmccarter.com,2005:Post/67861442021-10-25T10:56:24-05:002022-04-06T05:11:45-05:00Three minute Song<p> Do you remember the song that Mac Davis wrote called, I Believe in Music? I really liked that song back in the day. I thought I would try to write a song that was in that lane. The name of my song is called- Three minute Song. Yeah, that is not a very original title. You could say that I might not be too deep of a thinker. lol Here are the lyrics.</p>
<p>Three Minute Song </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Theres a guitar in a case in my bedroom </p>
<p>the e string like my life, keeps going out of tune </p>
<p>I play it when I'm down, cause it lifts me up </p>
<p>sometimes it works, sometimes it's enough to </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Chorus Soothe a stormy heart </p>
<p>as I strum those strings </p>
<p>black clouds turn lighter </p>
<p> every chorus I sing </p>
<p> </p>
<p>The sun starts to shine </p>
<p>the raindrops are gone </p>
<p>I believe in the magic </p>
<p>of a three minute song. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>I'm a singer on a stage a local night club </p>
<p>as they dance to the music everybody loves </p>
<p>I sing momma rock me like a wagon wheel </p>
<p>I see they're joy, know how it feels </p>
<p>After a hard days work as your driving home </p>
<p>turn on the radio, and listen real close , let it </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Chorus Soothe a stormy heart </p>
<p>as I strum those strings </p>
<p>black clouds turn lighter </p>
<p>with every chorus you sing </p>
<p> </p>
<p>The sun starts to shine </p>
<p>the raindrops are gone </p>
<p>You believe in the magic </p>
<p>of a three minute song. </p>
<p>You believe in the magic </p>
<p>of a three minute song</p>
<p> </p>
<p> Trying to write a song about how powerful music can be in our lives. Music can't fix everything, that is where God comes in, but it can sometimes make us feel better or help us to forget some of our troubles. Have a great day. </p>2:52Jim McCartertag:jimmccarter.com,2005:Post/67677142021-10-06T09:33:45-05:002022-04-06T05:15:26-05:00Music stuff that goes with songwriting<p> There is more to songwriting than writing a song. Let me give you some examples of other stuff I have done in the last week. I finished writing a song called Three Minute Song. After finishing it I had to change hats and become a recording engineer. I had to record three or four versions of the song and pick the best one. This is easy to do. The best one is usually one where you are able to, (at least) sing the correct words. Even though I am looking at the lyrics as I sing. ( Hint- it helps to know how to read) lol</p>
<p> The next step is to master it. This is when I tweak the EQ's, make sure the vocals are loud enough but not too loud, and get it sounding good enough so my buddy Bryton can hear and feel what I am looking for in the song. </p>
<p> Now I need to get the lyrics ready to send to my demo maker. I make two copies. One copy has just the words and the second copy has words and chords. Also I send him a copy of my rough demo.</p>
<p> The best part of songwriting is getting a finished demo back. Songwriter Heaven is what I call this. Christmas in October. It is especially sweet when the song turns out better than you could imagine. Maybe that is why it is like heaven.</p>
<p> Next it is time to get it evaluated. I am not a good judge of my songs. Neither was my Mom. I then share my song at NSAI meetings and with and NSAI evaluator for feedback and suggestions to improve the song. Of course, all of these processes take time. It is just part of being a songwriter. It's time to write another song. </p>Jim McCartertag:jimmccarter.com,2005:Post/67647152021-10-03T07:20:50-05:002022-04-06T05:15:20-05:00Corvette Blue<p> I remember the first time I heard that phrase. Jeremy and I were at Highland Body shop and he was picking out a color to paint his Mustang. The color he chose was Corvette Blue.</p>
<p>It was a 94 mustang, that needed fresh paint </p>
<p>gonna get it done, with money I saved </p>
<p>mowing baseball fields, and chalking base lines </p>
<p>cause I wanted it done before school starts </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Took it to the body shop, got an estimate </p>
<p>on what it'd cost, got the time and date </p>
<p>when to drop it off, when to pick it up </p>
<p>had a color in my mind that I liked </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Corvette blue, oh, oh, Corvette blue </p>
<p>Corvette blue, oh, oh, Corvette blue. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Well theres so many colors, that I didn't know </p>
<p>you got primary colors don't forget the rainbow </p>
<p>metalic paints with ceramic crystals </p>
<p>change in the light and different angles </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Corvette blue, oh oh Corvette Blue</p>
<p>Corvette blue, oh oh Corvette Blue</p>
<p> </p>
<p> I love an ocean view and my baby's eyes </p>
<p>then and there I realized </p>
<p>I knew the color, I was gonna choose </p>
<p>I wanted something cool, like </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Corvette blue, oh oh Corvette blue </p>
<p>Corvette blue, oh,oh Corvette blue </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Someday gonna get me a different ride </p>
<p>get me a chevy with a 327 </p>
<p>a convertible, make it a 69 </p>
<p>Can you guess the color? </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Corvette blue, oh, oh Corvette blue </p>
<p>Corvette blue, oh, oh Corvette blue</p>
<p> </p>
<p> Writing songs is about practice. No, this song isn't going to be a hit but it means something to me. (Maybe Jeremy) This is one of those songs that will live in a notebook or in a computer file. So today it gets a chance to be seen and tell it's story, Jeremy's story, or my story. Corvette Blue.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>Jim McCartertag:jimmccarter.com,2005:Post/67586322021-09-27T09:13:25-05:002022-04-06T05:15:13-05:00Vulnerability in songwriting<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/75582/ab775165b84614d6086c4bd63e671dbc59ef1ee7/original/43cec19c-cb55-47d2-b606-2dad1a449ca7.jpeg/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /> I played a twenty minute set at The Stage 11 at the Walnut Valley Bluegrass Festival. Stage 11 is a small tent (stage) in the Elm Grove camping section. I signed up for a twenty minute slot to play some of my songs. I played my songs to the best of my ability. I played five songs and the crowd clapped after each one. (That is a good thing.) lol </p>
<p> After playing I was headed back to my camp and I felt defeated. I felt like I had just lost a fight. I didn't even know I was in a fight. I asked myself, " Where is this feeling coming from? " I decided it was how I was feeling after my performance. I wanted to know "Why am I feeling this way?" It took me awhile to come up with the answer.</p>
<p> The songs that I played were personal songs. What do I mean when I say personal songs? I can give you two examples of songs that I played. The first song I played was called Polaroid Memories. It is a song about my Grandma. Every holiday and family event, she was there with her Kodak camera taking pictures and telling us to smile for the camera, and everybody say cheese. </p>
<p> The bridge of Polaroid Memories takes a different turn. Here is the bridge-</p>
<p><strong>Grandma's gone but the clock never stops, except in the photos that Grandma shot.</strong></p>
<p>To me that is a powerful description of a photograph. When I look back at photos and see a young Jim. I will never be as young as that picture because the clock is still ticking. The next photo I have taken I am going to be older. ( and grayer)</p>
<p> Another song that I played in my set was Best Friend. It is a song about my Mom and her best friend. I am proud to be able to say that my Mom's best friend was Jesus. After my Dad died she lived alone in her apartment. That is a terrible feeling to be alone and lonely. She was not alone. She talked to Jesus. She told him alll her concerns, her problems, and all of her children and grandkids problems also. What a great thing to know that you have someone who is praying for you. </p>
<p> These two songs are part of my life that I am sharing with strangers. I am exposing myself, here I am, here is my life and that is a tough thing to do. I was making myself vulnerable. Some people say that being vulnerable is a sign of courage. I don't know if that's true but being vulnerable gives meaning to your songs. (Unlike most pop songs) </p>
<p> I am going to keep writing songs and being vulnerable. I may not like the feeling but I hope that others can relate to my songs. Be vulnerable. </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>Jim McCartertag:jimmccarter.com,2005:Post/67447722021-09-13T12:45:51-05:002022-04-06T05:15:08-05:00Busy music week<p> I am on vacation this week. I want to pack as much into a week off as I can. This is a busy music week. Today, I have two co-writing sessions scheduled. One this morning and one this afternoon. They are always fun. Especially if you are writing with your friends. </p>
<p> Tomorrow, I need to get everything packed and ready to go the Walnut Valley Bluegrass Festival. It is in Winfield, Kansas. It is a couple hours from Topeka to Winfield. I am going on Wednesday but the actual festival doesn't start until Thursday. I am going to a workshop from 10-4. It is called- Take control of your performance. It is taught by Juni Fisher. </p>
<p> Thursday I will be playing my song Polaroid Memories on stage. I was one of the winners in the songwriting contest. The prize for winning the song contest is getting to play on stage and getting a medal. Not everyone that sends in a song gets a medal. This is like the old days when we had winners and losers. I have been a loser more than I have been a winner. We all need to learn how to lose. It builds character. Yeah, I don't want to do that again.</p>
<p> Friday, I will see if I can play on a stage in the campgrounds. I will have lots of time to practice while I'm at the festival. I might need to dust off some old songs or learn some newer songs that I haven't played to a crowd. It is a great oppourtunity to see how the crowd likes m songs. It will be a fun week. </p>Jim McCartertag:jimmccarter.com,2005:Post/67440442021-09-12T19:22:52-05:002022-04-06T05:15:01-05:00Promises<p> I like one word song titles. I wanted to write a song about hope. We all need hope. Can you imagine a world without hope? I hope that never happens. lol I used to love to write blogs or tell stories about a song before I played it. The truth be known- sometimes my stories were better than my songs. Trying to keep the focus on the song and let the song speak for itself. Here is a song that I wrote with my friend Fletcher. Hope you like it. It is great to know that God keeps his promises.</p>
<p>Promises </p>
<p>Wiping a tear from her cheek,she remembers she’s not alone </p>
<p>She’s looking fear in the face, and she knows she can choose to be strong </p>
<p>Her body’s been weak </p>
<p>But her faith ain’t gone, </p>
<p>the good news she’s holding on </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Promises heard , Promises read </p>
<p>More than words written in red </p>
<p>He rose from a grave, to do what he said and she knows </p>
<p>no more doubting, she trusting he’s keeping promises </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Every step of the way she walking ,He’s by her side </p>
<p>All the ups and the downs she’s livin’, he will provide </p>
<p>Strength in surrender - its all in his hands – </p>
<p>she’s always known and he understands</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Promises heard , Promises read </p>
<p>More than words written in red </p>
<p>He rose from a grave, to do what he said and she knows </p>
<p>no more doubting, she trusting he’s keeping promises </p>
<p> </p>
<p>So she laughs at the hard times </p>
<p>Cause she’s found her place in the </p>
<p>power of his amazing grace. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Promises heard , Promises read </p>
<p>More than words written in red </p>
<p>He rose from a grave, to do what he said and she knows </p>
<p>no more doubting, she trusting he’s keeping </p>
<p>Promises heard , Promises read </p>
<p>More than words written in red </p>
<p>He rose from a grave, to do what he said and she knows </p>
<p>no more doubting, she trusting he’s keeping promises.</p>3:15Jim McCartertag:jimmccarter.com,2005:Post/67228882021-08-20T19:27:56-05:002022-04-06T05:16:10-05:00The songwriting journey (things have changed)<p> The songwriting journey has changed. I used to write and share what was going on in my life and now I don't. Before I was chasing a dream and it was impossible. It felt like no one wanted to listen to my songs. One thing that I kept doing was writing songs. I have been writing songs for years and years. It is what I do. </p>
<p> If you remember, I finally got some single song contracts on some of my songs. I signed single song contracts with Ammar Music Group. It was a great experience. I now had somebody to send my songs to that was glad to hear them and offer feedback. It was the opportunity that I had been looking for. </p>
<p> Starting in November I have been writing with the CEO of Ammar Music Group. We have been co-writing songs together. Since November we have written twenty songs. That is a lot more songs than I would normally write by myself. My usual out put writing by myself was one a month. </p>
<p> It is great writing with my friend Fletcher. It has been a great experience. Yeah, it is kinda like dating. They always talk how dating and co-writing are alot alike. It can be great to write with someone else or it can be terrible. After writing together you know if it went good or bad. The quality of your song is the proof. Just like dating not all dates are gonna be great. The trip to the lake for a picnic can be ruined by bad weather. And sometimes that can happen in songwriting also. On the days that I don't feel like I'm bringing much to the write that is when Fletcher steps up and hits a homerun. That is one of the great things about co-writing. If we are both having a bad day, well, you get a crummy song that you file away and never look back. </p>
<p> I usually write on one of my days off during the week with Fletcher. I look forward to writing and am always looking for a good title or an idea for a song. It is great to be a part of the process and doing the work that is necessary as a songwriter. It is great to be chasing the dream, living the dream, singing the dream, and writing the dream. Be like me and live the dream. Have a great day. Jim</p>Jim McCartertag:jimmccarter.com,2005:Post/66780302021-07-03T09:07:49-05:002022-04-06T05:16:23-05:00Shades of Gray<p> I wrote a song called Shades of Gray. No, it isn't like the Shades of Gray movies. This is a song about my Dad. A black and white type of man. Call it like it is. Kinda like an umpire. Call strikes- strikes and balls- balls. Call sin - sin . If something is a sin, don't do it. If you do, ask fogiveness. Sounds pretty simple when you type it. lol</p>
<p> (To all of my family). There are a couple references in the song that aren't completely accurate. Dad wasn't and Awana leader and his singing was pretty good. (not like mine) I take some songwriting liberties to make a song more universal. Guilty as charged.</p>
<p> Check out the song if you want to hear the rest of the story. Jim</p>2:38Jim McCartertag:jimmccarter.com,2005:Post/66750862021-06-30T12:47:46-05:002022-04-06T05:16:36-05:00The story of my life<p>Thisis a song that I wrote with my friend, Fletcher. It is a song that I like but it will probably never go anywhere. It is a sad song and sad songs aren't what the songwriting gods are looking for. They want upbeat songs that have a happy ending. Songs that make the singer look good, even though he is just like you and me with his own struggles. This song is about regrets. We all have a couple of those that we have been trying to shake, but we just can't always shake them. Kinda reminds me of the stick tights that I remove from the top of my cat's head. He knows they are there but he can't remove them by himself. </p>
<p>Here are the lyrics to the song- Almost, the story of my life.</p>
<p>Almost (Story of my life) </p>
<p>Jim McCarter/Fletcher Moudy</p>
<p> </p>
<p>I shouldatrained a little harder,Got up early, hit the weights </p>
<p>paid attention to my coaches, memorized all the plays </p>
<p> shoulda scored a winning touchdown on our final drive </p>
<p>brought home a championship, held my head up high.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Chorus- When I think about my story </p>
<p>It all starts and ends the same </p>
<p>If I could do it different, </p>
<p> Change my life change my name </p>
<p>I’m so tired of this memory </p>
<p> </p>
<p>How I didn’t get it done </p>
<p>That Quarterback keeper </p>
<p>4th and goal from the one </p>
<p>I’d fake left, run back right </p>
<p>almost wouldn’t be, the story of my life </p>
<p> </p>
<p>I shoulda found an ounce of courage, shoulda listened to my mom. </p>
<p> shoulda knocked on your front door, asked you to the prom </p>
<p>Coulda danced with you so close, coulda found our favorite song </p>
<p>We'd be hometown heroes for our folks to brag on </p>
<p> </p>
<p>When I think about my story </p>
<p>It all starts and ends the same </p>
<p>If I could do it different, </p>
<p> Change my life change your name </p>
<p> </p>
<p>I’m so tired of the memory </p>
<p>How I didn’t get it done </p>
<p>That Quarterback keeper </p>
<p>4th and goal from the one. </p>
<p>I'd fake left, run back right </p>
<p>almost wouldn't be the story of my life. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Now I lie awake at night </p>
<p>And think about what used to be </p>
<p>How I almost had it all </p>
<p>And you almost wanted me.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>When I think about my story </p>
<p>It all starts and ends the same </p>
<p>If I could do it different, </p>
<p>Change my life change your name </p>
<p>I’m so tired of the memory </p>
<p> </p>
<p>How I didn’t get it done </p>
<p>That Quarterback keeper </p>
<p>4th and goal from the one </p>
<p>I’d fake left, run back right </p>
<p>Almost wouldn’t be, the story of my life\\ </p>
<p>Almost wouldn’t be, the story of my life</p>
<p> </p>2:30Jim McCartertag:jimmccarter.com,2005:Post/65778292021-03-18T10:07:22-05:002022-04-06T05:16:47-05:00Grace<p> I wanted to share a new song with you. I got this song back today. The name of the song is Grace. I could go on and on and tell you what the song is about but I will let the song do its job. (No hype!) Here are the lyrics.</p>
<p>Grace </p>
<p>Grace is amazing ask anyone they will tell you <br>she dont judge me, condemn me, like other's do. <br>she's big on forgiveness, loves to give it away <br>I need her so much, can't get enough, that's why I say she's </p>
<p>Chorus- Beautiful, Beautiful, Beautiful <br>Yeah, she is <br>Wonderful, wonderful, wonderful <br>all the time <br>Merciful, merciful, merciful <br>Hear me cry <br>God gave me Grace <br>Grace still amazes me. </p>
<p>Grace is like sunshine, it shines on, flowers and weeds <br>she watches me grow, and see's her yellow in me <br>I'm a dandelion, she loves me just as I am <br>I need her so much, can't get enough, and I can say she's </p>
<p> Chorus- Beautiful, Beautiful, Beautiful <br>Yeah, she is <br>Wonderful, wonderful, wonderful <br>all the time <br>Merciful, merciful, merciful <br>Hear me cry <br> Grace is amazing <br> Grace keeps amazing me. </p>
<p>Grace is a gift, I couldn't earn <br>I'll sing this song, about what I've learned, You're </p>
<p>Chorus- Beautiful, Beautiful, Beautiful <br>Yeah, she is <br>Wonderful, wonderful, wonderful <br>all the time <br>Merciful, merciful, merciful <br>Hear me cry <br>Grace is amazing <br>Grace keeps amazing me. . </p>
<p> Grace is amazing <br>Grace keeps amazing me.</p>4:03Jim McCartertag:jimmccarter.com,2005:Post/65723222021-03-12T18:36:29-06:002022-04-06T05:17:30-05:00Songwriting vacation<p> This week was a vacation from my job at Dillons grocery store. Vacations have changed with COVID 19. This was a staycation. I wanted to work on songwriting this week. Here is what a songwriting vacation looked like.</p>
<p> Sunday and Monday I worked with a new songwriter that I met last month. Bill Miles. Bill is an NSAI member at the Tidewater, Virginia, NSAI chapter. We got in touch when I attended a zoom meeting in February. We texted each other about writing together but life get's busy. I contacted Bill and told him I was on vacation this week. </p>
<p> Bill and I had a very productive week. We were able to write two songs. Not totally finished buy pretty close. We are going to work on the second song again tomorrow and hopefully finish it up. Bill is a great singer and songwriter. You can check out his music on all the of digital platforms. The name of his band is The Bill Miles Band. </p>
<p> I also was able to write a song with my friend, Fletcher Moudy on Tuesday. We were able to finish up a song. It might need a few tweaks but not to much more. There are always tweaks to do to songs before you demo them. Sometimes, maybe a line doesn't sing quite right. Maybe it needs another word but usually it goes that other way. Most of the time, songs get better when you take words out. </p>
<p> Tomorrow I am attending the Kansas City NSAI chapter zoom meeting. Kansas City has a big chapter and their meetings can be longer than most. I am looking forward to attending it. I will be playing a song I wrote by myself last month called, Dance for Me. It is a dance song about a guy and a girl meeting and dancing on the dance floor. I am looking forward to getting some feedback on my song. </p>
<p> Also, this week I have done alot of reading. I am an avid reader. I finished reading two books this week. I read a book called Never split the difference. It is a book written by a hostage negotiator for the FBI. A very interesting book telling about how to bargain with others. Very interesting.</p>
<p> The second book I finished this week was Wild Tales by Graham Nash. This is the Graham Nash that was part ot Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young. It was a big book - 700 pages. I started speed reading toward the end. Just for any other rock stars that are going to write a book. Keep it interesting. Don't just tell me what you did, tell he how you felt, what you did right, where you messed up, and how your life story can make a difference in my life. </p>
<p> Tomorrow is my last day of vacation. Back to work on Sunday. It was a great vacation. Looking forward to next week and the adventures it will bring. </p>Jim McCartertag:jimmccarter.com,2005:Post/65626132021-03-02T20:00:00-06:002022-04-06T05:20:56-05:00I Peter 4:11- A verse about songwriting<p> I was reading the Bible yesterday and found a very special verse. I read from the New Living Translation. I will start with verse 10. God has given gifts to each of you from his great variety of spiritual gifts. Manage them well so God's generosity can flow through you. Are you called to be a speaker? Then speak as though God himself were speaking through you.</p>
<p> What if I changed one word in verse 11. Are you called to be a songwriter? Then write as though God himself was speaking through you. God calls some folks to be preachers, speaker, writers and also songwriters. Imagine how much better my songs could be if I actually wrote it, with total confidence that the words and melody were a gift that God gave me. </p>
<p> I do believe that God does this. But when you write a bad song, don't blame that on God. You need to do your part in the songwrting journey. You need to know how to write a song, Knowing where the verses and chorus's go. If the song needs a bridge. How to make the song easy to sing. Re-wrting the song to make it the best possible version of that song that it can be. </p>
<p> Maybe the way to look at songwriting is. You and God are writing a song together. He is the writer and you are the co-writer. Don't write a song that God wouldn't want his name in the credits. </p>
<p> </p>Jim McCartertag:jimmccarter.com,2005:Post/65626062021-03-02T07:57:07-06:002022-04-06T05:20:14-05:00I believe in You<p> <strong>I believe in you.</strong> Those are very powerful words. Words like these can make a huge difference in our life. These words are how my parents made me feel. They believed in me. What a difference it can make in a person's life. Every once in a while we will run into someone who is not a family member who truly believes in us. This is even more empowering because we don't have our family connection with them. Sometimes we expect our family to believe in us and not others.</p>
<p> I have been an NSAI member for a long time. I remember the first song that I sent in. It wasn't a great song and there was problem areas in it. Richard Helm was the evaluator of that first song. He wrote an evaluation that was a page and a half long. It was so encouraging.He broke the song down and talked about the verses, the chorus, and then how the song make him feel. A song should make you feel something, if it is done right. </p>
<p> I was a beginning songwriter looking for feedback. Wanting to know if I was doing as a songwriter was the right way to do it. Richard confirmed that I was on the right road but it is a long crooked road that covers alot of miles. The bottom line was Richard told me - He believed in me. He said, I should move to Nashville and become a songwriter. Those were powerful words. Words that keep you chasing the dream.</p>
<p> Nashville Songwriting Association International (NSAI) had changed over the years. In the old days you got to know the person that you were sending your songs too. I sent my songs to Richard Helm. With all of the lawsuits over songs, I don't send it to person with a name. I now send my songs to evaluator 21371. On the website it tells me that evaluator 21371 does these genres of music. Country, Jazz, Pop, Americana/folk, Hip hop, R&B, Tracks, and contemporary Christian. Wow! That is a wide variety of genres. </p>
<p> I sent in a song called Polaroid Memories. (Evaluator 21371) , I think she is a girl but I could be wrong. She liked my song and wrote a very good evaluation with comments on how to make it a better song. What really moved me was the last line she wrote in her evaluation. She wrote- I believe in You. Powerful words. Thank you.</p>
<p> I sent in a new song yesterday to get evaluated by 21371. It is called- Almost (The story of my life). I wrote a thank you note in the comments of my new song thanking her for believing in me. <strong>If you want to make someones day today, tell them, I believe in You. It will make their day and maybe change their life. </strong></p>
<p><strong> </strong></p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>Jim McCartertag:jimmccarter.com,2005:Post/65553562021-02-22T09:02:04-06:002022-04-06T05:20:17-05:00Blogging or Songwriting<p> It has been awhile since I blogged about songwriting. I have been spending more time songwriting and less time writing about songwriting. That is how it should be. </p>
<p> I have been co-writing with Fletcher Moudy. Fletcher owns his own publishing company called Ammar Music Group. We have been writing about once a week. We have to skip a week occassionaly because of my work schedule. It has been fun. Co- writing is about finding someone who together you can produce better songs than you could by yourself. </p>
<p> I have been a write by myself writer. I am a slow write by myself writer. I am good for about one song a month. When I say one song a month, I am talking about a fully completed, evaluated, demo'ed, and ready to pitch song. (In my opinion.) My struggle is with the busines side. I don't have the time to pitch songs and wirte songs. That is why I am working with Ammar Music. </p>
<p> It has been great getting to write more songs. I am still writing my one song a month and then I add on the three songs that Fletcher and I write together. That is four songs a month. At this rate I would have 48 songs in one year. It is about odds. The odds of writing a great song are stacked against songwriters. The more songs I write the better my odds are of writing that one killer song. </p>
<p> This is why I have not blogger much lately. Just wanted to say, Hi and let you know how the songwriting is going? Have a great day. It is suppose to get up to fifty degrees today. We got ourselves a heat wave in Kansas. </p>
<p> </p>Jim McCartertag:jimmccarter.com,2005:Post/65139412021-01-05T10:41:00-06:002022-04-06T05:21:16-05:00Polaroid Memories (The story behind the song)<p> I love it when songwriter tell there stories about how a song came about and who it is about. This song is about my Grandma Cowhick. Her name was Dorothy but family called her Dot. She was my Mom's mother. She is the creative genius of the family.</p>
<p> I can still remember her projects that she made. We had pictures that hung on the wall that had printed pictures of horses. She loved horses. She would mount them in picture frames and place cotton underneath the canvas to make the horses three dimensional. She made jewelry out of safety pins and beads, quilts, afghans, stocking hats, and wall art.</p>
<p> I remember how she showed me how to make a cross that you hung on the wall. It was made out of matches that had been lit and the ends were black instead of red. She would take one match out of the box. She would then take her lit match and light one match on fire inside the box causing all of them to burst into flames. Then she would close the lid to put the fire out. Probably not the safest thing to teach your grandkid but it sure was cool.</p>
<p> She also made trash can. They were made out of rolled up colorful magazine pictures. These were rolled tight and connected together to form small trashcans. She always was working on a project. Two of her other hobbies were photography and photo albums. I still have my photo album . She let me help make my photo album. It was real cool.</p>
<p> I was born in 1958. My theme was pickup truck. So the year I was born had a picture of a 58 pickup. This continued throughout the photo album. I was a little jealous of my cousin Kent. His theme was cars. So he had pictures of mustangs and corvettes. I was able to finally let this go last year after years of therapy. (Just kidding.) </p>
<p> My song Polaroid memories is about my Grandma Dot. Hope you like it. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Polaroid memories </p>
<p> </p>
<p>That's me with my cousins, wearing bell bottom jean</p>
<p>an orange sunset shirt with silk puffy sleeves </p>
<p>I thought I was cool in my seventies style </p>
<p>Grandma held up her Kodak, she told me to </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Chorus- Smile for the camera, Smile and say Cheese </p>
<p>Look over here, and Smile for me. </p>
<p>Everybody move over, step in a little closer </p>
<p>We're making and taking Polaroid memories </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Some photos were blurry, she took the best ones </p>
<p>put em in plastic sleeves, and made photo albums </p>
<p>for all of her children, and every grandchild </p>
<p>when I look at mine I can hear her say </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Smile for the camera, smile and say Cheese </p>
<p>Look over here, and smile for me. </p>
<p>Everybody move over, step a little closer </p>
<p>we're making and taking Polaroid memories. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Grandma's gone but the clock never stops</p>
<p>except in the photo's that Grandma shot , she'd say </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Smile for the camera, smile and say Cheese </p>
<p>Look over here, and smile for me </p>
<p>Everybody more over, step in a little closer </p>
<p>We're making and taking Polaroid memories.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> 2021 is going to be a great year to make some Polaroid memories with your families. Smile for the camera, Smile and , Say cheese. </p>
<p> </p>2:21Jim McCartertag:jimmccarter.com,2005:Post/65101752020-12-30T08:31:15-06:002022-04-06T05:21:25-05:00New Year's Eve resolutions and solutions<p> I don't like New Year's Eve resolutions. Probably for the same reasons you don't like them either. My reason is that I fail to keep them. I like to win. I like to succeed. I don't like to fail. If I know I am going to lose at something, I won't play. My grand daughter Ella has a game that she plays on her kindle. It is a game where you run down a street and jump over, slide under, and avoid obstacles, We used to play and take turns and I was better than her. This only lasted for a couple weeks. Now she is so many levels ahead of me, it is unreal. She laughs when I fail to jump and run right into a barricade. It is time for a new game.</p>
<p> I had a new idea I am thinking about trying out this year. I am going to set more realistic goals. Wait, that is probably not true. I am going to set super easy goals. Here are some examples of the goals I am thinking about. Exercising- I will do ten jumping jacks a day. Songwriting- I will write one sentence of a lyric. Relationship with God- I will read one verse a day. Helping my wife around the house- move my clothes from beside the clothes hamper into the hamper once a week. All of these look doable and achievable.</p>
<p> If I do ten jumping jacks and I feel good about myself for the day. Maybe I will go ahead and do a couple extra on my good days. Maybe I will up my goal. (bad decision) I will let my goal stay the same and I will over achieve and feel like a winner. This is what I do on my Fitbit. My goal is 10,00 steps a day. I am good for about 14,000 to 15,000 steps a day on a workday.. So I am a winner on workdays. Let's not talk about how many steps I take on a day off. I make up for it on my good days. My Fitbit makes me feel like a winner. </p>
<p> If you are thinking about resolutions, maybe this will help you too. Happy New Years! (Yeah, I'm a little early but I'm working ahead on my goals.)</p>
<p> </p>Jim McCartertag:jimmccarter.com,2005:Post/65096602020-12-29T13:25:08-06:002022-04-06T05:21:40-05:00A successful 2020<p> A successful 2020. How in the world can somebody call 2020 a successful year? Are you crazy? This is the year that the song, Bye, Bye, American Pie came true. This is the year that the music died. In my hometown the Heartland Stampede was canceled. The famous bar, Douglas Corner, in Nashville where many songwriters have played closed it's doors for good. There was no way they could survive with being closed and then reduced hours. The world famous Bluebird Cafe is closed and will probably not be opening any time soon. The Bluebird only holds about eighty people and with social distancing they might be hard pressed to have a crowd of fifteen. The goal of a business is to make money but sometimes you can lose less money being closed than being open. Bars in Topeka are closing at 9pm with the recent up swing in positive Covid cases. It has been a terrible year for the music business. </p>
<p> Despite all that is going on in the world. 2020 has been my best year of songwriting success. I got to admit it all depends on your view of success. There are many songwriters who would not agree with me. When I say success, I am obviously not talking about money. I am talking about baby steps in the right direction.. (Forward not backward.) I did receive a check from CD Baby for last year. When you combine my album sales with my streaming income, I could buy two Starbuck mocha's. Yeah, my deposit into my bank account was ten dollars and some change. Now might be a good time to hit me up for a loan before I spend it. </p>
<p> Let me share bullet points of my success.</p>
<ul> <li>Played at a Open Mic night</li> <li>Met an A@R manager for an independent music publisher</li> <li>Sent three songs to the A@R manager</li> <li>Signed single song contract on two of the three songs</li> <li>Had my song pitched to country artists</li> <li>Signed contract on a new song I wrote </li> <li>Signed contract on a co-write with the A@R manager</li> <li>Have another song that the publisher is interested in signing</li> <li>Co-writing songs on Mondays with the president of the publishing company.</li> <li>Received a songwriter to watch award from NSAI</li> <li>One song won first place in the Walnut Valley New Song contest</li> <li>One song won second place in the Walnut Valley Song contest</li> <li>Played winning song for virtual concert for the Walnut Valley Bluegrass festival</li> <li>Played virtual concert (one song) for the Kansas State UPC council</li>
</ul>
<p> I am very thankful to God for all of the success's he has given to me in 2020. Looking forward to a better year in 2021. </p>Jim McCartertag:jimmccarter.com,2005:Post/65089572020-12-28T09:27:31-06:002022-04-06T05:21:48-05:00Looking back over 2020<p> I have been doing my reading on my Libby app this year. It is pretty cool. I select a book, check it out, place a hold on it, if it's not available, read it and return it. It is really easy. I read a book called Finish. It was written by Joh Acuff. It was a great book but I didn't finish it. Just kidding, I did finish it but I thought that line was funny.</p>
<p> The book is about reaching our goals. My favorite part of the book was a chapter about looking back. Sometimes we forget how far we have come in life because we don't take the time to see how far we have gone. This is especially true of me and my songwriting. </p>
<p> I started out writing songs to play at the Classic Bean coffee shop in my hometown. I was able to write songs that were in my key. The Key of Bb. I was trying to write in the key of C but I was just a little flat. I remember writing a song as I was singing it. I would make up the words as I went along. I was a member of a songwriting group called Garage Band. The idea was that you would listen to other folks song and give evaluations and they would do the same for you.</p>
<p> One guy who listened to my song was not impressed. He said, It sounds like you made up the words as you played your guitar. I still do this but now I go back an tweak and rewrite, rewrite, and rewrite. It was terrible and he called it out. Some people might have quit but this helped me to see that I had a long way to go.</p>
<p> My best songs at the time are not songs that I play now. They are the best I could do at that time. Not masterpieces like I hoped they would be just a part of the learning process. It is good to remember where we were at the beginning of our journey so we can see how far we have come. I am going to recap some my songwriting adventures in 2020. </p>Jim McCartertag:jimmccarter.com,2005:Post/65078842020-12-25T19:01:08-06:002022-04-06T05:22:07-05:00Did John Lennon listen to the radio?<p> Did John Lennon listen to the radio a lot to keep current? This is one of the many questions that he was asked by Clive Davis. Another question he asked was if John kept current on music? Clive Davis is a famous music executive who made millions in the music business. He was trying to find out for himself if John Lennon was keeping current with music during his breakup with the Beatles.</p>
<p> John Lennon told Clive that he did not listen to the radio. Clive was shocked. He couldn't believe that John was not listening to other artist's music. Didn't he want to know what else is out there? John told him that he had not listened to any new music at all. He then went on to explain his reason why he did not to Clive. I thought this was a great answer.</p>
<p> John said, "Clive let me ask you a question? Do you think Picasso went to the galleries to see what was being painted before he put a brush to the canvas? What a fitting answer. </p>
<p> As a songwriter we should be focusing on being ourselves, being unique, and writing the best song we possibly can. We need to spend less time watching trends and what is hot today, Instead, we should spend more time writing our own original songs. Thanks for the tip from John Lennon. </p>Jim McCartertag:jimmccarter.com,2005:Post/64971262020-12-11T10:53:22-06:002022-04-06T05:22:19-05:00I got my first A+<p> I am trying to decide which one looks more impressive. A plus or A+. Obviously, if I am thinking about this I have not had to many A's in my life. Much less an A+. I always wondered in school if an A was a score between 92 and 100. How did you get over a 100%. If 100% is perfect , how can you score better than perfect? </p>
<p> Recently, we changed from Farmer's Insurance to Progressive. When we switched we had to load the Progressive Insurance, snapshot app to our phones. I was a little worried about this. It turns out I had nothing to be worried about. (So far.) The app tracks your driving activity. Examples would be- breaking hard, fast acceleration, and phone usage. I have been on it for about a month and I have an A+ for a score.</p>
<p> Yes, I am talking trash to my wife and kids about my driving. I am offering free lessons, pointers, and suggestions on how they can be like me. I am having a great time. The other day, my wife commented on me braking too hard. So I checked my app and it agreed with me. Snapshot said, I was perfect. Thank you Progressive for taking my side. I am having so much fun with this. </p>Jim McCartertag:jimmccarter.com,2005:Post/64845502020-11-24T07:31:46-06:002022-04-06T05:25:05-05:00Real songs should smell like your old tennis shoes<p> i like artists and songwriters whose music is them. It is not about them, it is them. Let me give you an example of this- Larry the Cable Guy. I don't believe his act is an act. I believe ol Larry is just being himself. Warts and all. And that is what I love about him. I want my music to be the same way. I wanted to write a song that smells like my old tennis shoes. Yup. those are Jim's shoes or underwear. I thought the first line of this song was one I had never heard before. I wear whtiey tighties. Not a pretty sight but the truth. lol</p>
<p> I do have a line in this song that is not the truth. I do own a cell phone but I don't want to. I have two things I love about cell phones. I love map quest. It is nice to be able to get directions on your phone. I have found it to be more reliable and better than the directions from my local Qwiik shop or gas station. The other thing I like is to be able to call someone and say, "I'm here." and it is great to find someone when you meet them in public. " Hey, I'm over here at the taco tent." </p>
<p> Here are the lyrics to the song- Simple Man</p>
<p> </p>
<p>I wear whitey tighties and snap button shirts </p>
<p> my bluest blue jeans on Sunday to church </p>
<p>Read the Bible every morning ‘fore my chores </p>
<p>Spend time on my knees that’s what their for </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Chorus- I’m a simple man, I ain’t gonna change </p>
<p>Love dirt roads, don’t want’em paved </p>
<p>Country born, country raised, I’m gonna stay </p>
<p>A simple man, I like it this way. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>I don’t own a cell phone or a mastercard </p>
<p>Got a good enough truck, my Grandad’s old Ford </p>
<p>Don’t care for the Beatles or the Rolling Stones </p>
<p> Just give me some Cash and a little George Jones </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Chorus I’m a simple man, I ain’t gonna change </p>
<p>Love dirt roads, don’t want’em paved </p>
<p>Country born, country raised, I’m gonna stay </p>
<p>A simple man, I like it this way. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>My son’s gonna grow up, have kids someday </p>
<p>I’ll be a proud Dad when I hear him say </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Chorus- I’m a simple man, I ain’t gonna change </p>
<p>Love dirt roads, don’t want’em paved </p>
<p>Country born, country raised, I’m gonna stay </p>
<p>A simple man, I like it this way. </p>
<p>A simple man, I like it this way, ay, ay </p>
<p>A simple man, I like it this way.</p>2:00Jim McCartertag:jimmccarter.com,2005:Post/64838372020-11-23T09:33:07-06:002022-04-06T05:25:09-05:00Greenlights book by Matthew McConaughey<p> I am reading Greenlights. It is a real good book so far. I love stories and he is a great story teller . I read a quote that I really liked. The quote is , <strong>When we know what we want to do, knowing when to do it, is the hard part. </strong></p>
<p> Those words resonated with me. But I didn't know why? It made me think about the first line. Knowing what we want to do? What is it that I want to do? Write songs? Yes, I 'm already doing that. I know what it is that I want to do. i want to retire. I am tired of jumping through hoops. I'm not against jumping through hoops. I find great satisfaction jumping through hoops. It is a goal. It is achievable. It gives me satisfaction to achieve goals.</p>
<p> The problem is that they are somebody else's goals. My goals are set by my bosses at work. Oh, but what if I was in control and I set the goals. I worked to achieve my goals and not somebody else's goal. How satisfying would that be? Sounds pretty great to me. </p>
<p> I got the first part of this saying down. <strong>I know what I want to do. </strong>(Retire,) The second part is tougher. <strong>Knowing when to do it is the hard part. </strong>When? Today? Tomorrow? Next week? Next month? Next year? or wait until I'm sixty-five? Or wait until I can't stand my job for another day? </p>
<p> I don't do well with change. I like a routine. Go to bed at 9, up at 5:30, church on Sunday, mow the yard on my day off, drive the same route to and from work each day, etc. I'm not a gambler or a risk taker. I don't buy lottery tickets. Don't enjoy gong to the Casino. I'd rather buy a cup of coffee for a dollar than to waste it on a lottery ticket. I continue in my normal schedule because that is what I do. I am a rat in a maze.</p>
<p> I've made some life choices that could of been better. Working at a grocery store is not going to allow you to retire early and vacation in exotic places year round. I have not spent my life saving for retirement. No, it has been spent trying to pay the mortgage, utilities, doctor bills, car repairs, etc. I'm not bitter about where I am. It has been a good ride but the next stage feels scary. Maybe the monster is in my mind. I was talking to my friend Dave. Dave retired from being an airline pilot. He was worried also, and I am sure his finances are better than mine.</p>
<p> Let me share another thing. This is what I want to do when I retire. I want to pursue this songwriting dream. I would like to play my songs anywhere and everywhere I can. Topeka, Nashville, coffee shops, churches, etc. Will I make any money doing this? (Laugh out Loud) I am going to chase the dream until I retire and continue the dream after I retire. <strong>Knowing when to do it is the hard part. </strong></p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>Jim McCartertag:jimmccarter.com,2005:Post/64811482020-11-19T07:34:12-06:002022-04-06T05:25:13-05:00Born to Write<p> I have been reading a book by Bruce Springsteen, Born to Run. It is a big book over seven hundred pages. I am about 250 pages into it and Bruce is still struggling to make it in the music business. He has played in three or four bands had some success, especially in his hometown in New Jersey. He was went to California twice and failed to make it big there so he returned to New Jersey. After returning to New Jersey he played with his band at a bar. The place was packed and the crowd loved the music. He was hoping to get a regular gig at the bar, instead he was fired.</p>
<p> The reason he was fired was because people were listening to the music instead of drinking beer. Selling drinks was what the bar needed to make money. They were in the bar business not the concert business. Bruce decided that his bar band days were burning out. It was time to try something new. </p>
<p> He needed to be able to get attention by one of three methods. His voice, his guitar, or his songs. He could sing. He didn't feel he was the best singer but he could get by. His guitar playing was okay but there were better guitar players. He needed to focus on something that could change the game. The songs would have to be the fireworks. He wanted to be a songwriter that had his own voice, their own story to tell, who could draw you in and make you want to listen to their songs. </p>
<p> This is what all songwriters want to do. To tell their story and hope that others can relate to it. To feel what the songwriter is feeling. It might be sadness, happiness, joy, or any number of feelings. I remember when I had my Bruce moment. I was playing music at the coffee shop and it was fun. The coffee shop decided that they wanted to go the band route to draw bigger crowds. Remember, they are in the coffee selling business not the music business. So I decided it was time for a change. </p>
<p> I decided to focus on songwriting. I joined NSAI. Nashville Songwriting Association International and started working on the craft of writing songs. It was ten years ago that I made this decision. So today I call myself a songwriter. I wasn't born to run like Bruce, hopefully I was born to write.</p>
<p> Here is a song to listen to- Bobby McGee.</p>
<p> </p>2:35Jim McCartertag:jimmccarter.com,2005:Post/64781232020-11-15T06:35:56-06:002022-04-06T05:25:18-05:00A God size hole<p> I woke up early today. I decided I was going to try to write a song. I have a song that I have been working on called Polaroid Memories. I was planning on working on it. It is a song that I worked on and didn't finish so I started working on it again. Progress has been slow. </p>
<p> I flipped on the TV and a preacher was talking about how he came to know Christ. He was talking about how as a teenage he figured out what wasn't working in his life. His Mom was an alcoholic and he knew that wasn't the answer but he still tried it to find out it wasn't the answer to what he needed. He said, He had a God sized hole that he couldn't fill."</p>
<p> Ding! Ding! That was the songwriter idea bell going off. So I went to my music room and wrote lyrics to my title A God sized hole. The amazing thing is that the song is done. (basically) Songwriters are always tinkering with their songs. Here are the lyrics. </p>
<p>A God Size Hole</p>
<p> </p>
<p>I have a God size hole in the middle of my soul </p>
<p>that's gnaws at me and screams for more </p>
<p>so I filled it with money, and expensive things </p>
<p>I shoveled some more but the hole still remains </p>
<p> </p>
<p>but I found the answer to life's mysteries </p>
<p>is filling the emptiness inside of me </p>
<p>I cry to Jesus, my friend and my Savior </p>
<p>He will fill it cause he placed it there. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>but sometimes I still try even though I know better </p>
<p>a lesson forgotten but I need a reminder </p>
<p>of whose on the throne, wearing the crown </p>
<p>my King in heaven who won't let me down </p>
<p> </p>
<p>but I found the answer to life's mysteries </p>
<p>is filling the emptiness inside of me </p>
<p>I cry to Jesus, my friend and my Savior </p>
<p>He will fill it cause he placed it there. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>I have no doubts, you're more than enough </p>
<p>fill me up, oh Lord fill me up </p>
<p> </p>
<p>but I found the answer to life's mysteries </p>
<p>is filling the emptiness inside of me. </p>
<p>I cry to Jesus, my friend and my Savior </p>
<p>He will fill it cause he placed it there.</p>Jim McCartertag:jimmccarter.com,2005:Post/64733212020-11-09T08:13:30-06:002022-04-06T05:25:22-05:00Jesus, guitar, and coffee<p> I know why antique furniture goes away. I have a tall table that is an antique. It is the type of table that might be placed on the backside of a couch, an entry way hallway, hidden in a spare bedroom, or in a music room. This is an antique table that I got from my Grandma. Dot. Her name was Dorothy Cowhick and somehow I got this table. Don't know how or why but it has been around for along time. It has somehow made it through it's share of upsizing, downsizing, divorce, remarriage, and it is still around. Amazing!</p>
<p> I remember when I first got it that it wasn't in the best of shape. I sanded it down, and stained and finished it. If I had to guess I would guess it might of been in the late seventies or the early eighties. I don't remember where it was all of those years. Maybe my Mom had it for a while. It was one of the few pieces of furniture that survived my divorce. It also survived when I got remarried. Mary Ann was not impressed with my (early) American garage sale furniture. She was even less impressed with the artwork that I had on the walls. She made fun of my art but to my credit it was the hottest selling stuff at the garage sale. This might have had more to do with pricing than quality.</p>
<p> The antique table was getting removed from upstairs. It needed a new home. The last option for it was my music room. Did it really go with my music room? So I set it up and placed a guitar that I refinished to make look old on it. I placed a JESUS sign that I got from my Mom when she passed away. That sign was on a shelf in her home for years. I need that JESUS sign to remind me to keep my focus on him and his will for my life.</p>
<p> It was still missing something. One day when I was writing a song I placed a cup of coffee on the table. It was perfect. I loved drinking coffee with my Mom. It was something we loved to do together. Drink coffee and talk. Don't forget to add in some hazelnut creamer. </p>
<p> I have a lot of good memories when I look at the table. Jesus and all he has done for me. Remembering this sign on Mom's wall, drinking coffee with my Mom, memories of my Grandma and her table, and a guitar. I love playing guitar. It is one of the most enjoyable small pleasures in life. To be able to sit down and pick or strum a guitar. A lot of good memories are shared in this picture. <img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/75582/4d8cb63ec32ffd4de89df986e00faae3f690c4ea/original/img-0591-1.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /><br> </p>Jim McCartertag:jimmccarter.com,2005:Post/64727692020-11-08T13:06:29-06:002022-04-06T05:25:26-05:00Bobby McGee<p> I am a big Eric Church fan. One song that I really love of his is Springsteen. Eric does a great job of connecting a song with a memory. That is what I was attempting to do with my song called Bobby McGee. </p>
<p> My attempt could have some flaws that Eric's song doesn't. Everybody know who Bruce Springsteen is? Or almost everyone.. Not everyone will remember the song Me and Bobby McGee. Especially the younger crowd. They won't know that the song was written by Kris Kristofferson. Kris was a fantastic songwriter. So I am afraid I might be dating the song by choosing this title.</p>
<p> The reason I chose this title is because I like the way it sings. Try it, sing Bobby McGee. It just kinda flows. So that is my reason for writing to this title. Check it out, Listen to it. Provide feedback if you want. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Bobby McGee </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Took you on a first date, on a drive down to the pond </p>
<p>Kissed you in my bronco, held you in my arms </p>
<p>Crank up the radio, to a seventies song </p>
<p>Saw what love was as you sang along to </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Bobby McGee, oh, Bobby McGee </p>
<p>You and Janis Joplin, singing sweetly </p>
<p>Bobby McGee, oh Bobby McGee </p>
<p>It’s a love song about you and me. </p>
<p>It's a love song about you and me. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Bought a used guitar, at a pawn shop real cheap </p>
<p>Long hair rock star gave me lessons for free </p>
<p>I kept it a secret, learning our favorite tune </p>
<p>Waiting for the time when you could hear me play </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Bobby McGee, oh, Bobby McGee </p>
<p>You and my guitar, singing sweetly </p>
<p>Bobby McGee, oh, Bobby McGee </p>
<p>It’s a love song about you and me.</p>
<p>It's a love song about you and me. </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Oh, I believe, you want me to be </p>
<p>Oh, I believe, you want me to be your </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Bobby McGee, oh, Bobby McGee </p>
<p>You and my guitar, singing sweetly </p>
<p>Bobby McGee, oh Bobby McGee </p>
<p>It’s a love song about you and me </p>
<p>It’s a love song about you and me </p>
<p>It’s a love song, about you and me.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>2:35Jim McCartertag:jimmccarter.com,2005:Post/64643262020-10-27T12:54:55-05:002022-04-06T05:25:45-05:00Four tips on becoming a better songwriter<p> Do you ever read a book and apply it to your life or your hobby. I went to see my son, Jeremy and his family on my vacation. He had a book that he suggested that I read. It is call The Ride of a Lifetime. The book was written by Robert Iger. Robert was a former CEO of Disney. Obviously, he knows a lot about how to be a great leader. I was able to use his format and come up with ideas to write better songs. </p>
<p style="text-align: center;">Four ideas to write better songs</p>
<p>1. Tell a great story. I love story songs. I especially love story songs when they are based on true stories. Kinda like Lifetime movies but different. The reason I am a big fan of country music is I am a story lover and a story teller. </p>
<p>2. Innovate or die- As a songwriter we are always looking for a new or a fresh way to tell a story. Another way to say, I love you. Or to write from a different perspective. I wrote a song about the crucifixion of Jesus. It was written from the point of view of the thief on the cross next to Jesus. I chose the thief who Jesus told today you will be with me in Paradise. Paradise is also the name of the song. We got to be original. </p>
<p>3. Pursue perfection- Mediocrity doesn't sell. My boss at my job is not impressed when I give a mediocre day of work. Why would we expect our songs to do anything if we haven't came them our best effort. </p>
<p>4. Be yourself- Why would we ever want to be someone else. We all have our own perspective on life. I love songwriters who are real. I am always looking for the fake songwriters. They write about things they don't know about or have never experienced. It would be like me trying to write a drinking song. I don't drink and never have. What type of drinking song would I write. (Probably, a terrible one.) I could write a song about a small town, about being a county boy, about falling in love, about divorce, a out getting cheated on, and my cat. (It was hard to type that. I like dogs better but right now we only have a cat.) These are things I know about. Be real. People can tell if you're the real diamond or a cubic zirconia. </p>
<p>I only listed four but I'll share more later. Keep writing. </p>
<p> </p>Jim McCartertag:jimmccarter.com,2005:Post/64625842020-10-24T13:53:51-05:002022-04-06T05:25:54-05:00Centricity Publishing Pitch update<p> I have been waiting for my Pitch to Publisher results for my song, Long live the King. I had a problem when I submitted this song. I had to pick a category. This was hard. The problem is that it doesn't fit into a good category, It tells a story like a country song but has a message like a gospel song. To really get this song you need to listen to the whole song.</p>
<p> On a pitch to publisher opportunity, they are only listening to the first verse and the chorus. Not really enough to get the full effects of the song. It starts out with Ryan Cunningham, from NSAI and Justin Nicolet from Centricity listening on a split screen as the song plays. Here are the words to the first verse and the chorus.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Long Live the King</p>
<p>One white glove, he danced the moonwalk</p>
<p>from the Jackson five to the King of Pop</p>
<p>I watched the crowd as he played Billie Jean</p>
<p>I saw a young girl and I heard her scream</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Chorus- Long live the King, Long live the King</p>
<p>Come on everybody lets sing</p>
<p>We love you, we need you, it's your song we sing</p>
<p>Long live the King. </p>
<p> </p>
<p> You could see the puzzled look on Ryan's and Justin's face as they listened. Also you could see them staring at the screen, reading the lyrics as their brain tried to make sense of the song. Justin started out and said, " Hey Jim, wait a minute, wait a minute. This is about Michael Jackson but the genre is gospel. Ryan from NSAI comments and says, "but further down," Justin says, "There we go, Very clever. Good! Uh Huh! Yup, then it goes to Elvis and then the true King.</p>
<p> Justin continues, " I don't know if you all knew this but Elvis did not like to actually be called the King. Ryan says, "Oh, really I did not know that." Justin said, " Elvis said there is only one King and that is the Lord himself." Jim, (pause) very clever." I've not really come across something like this before. It wouldn't work commercially in the Christian music realm but Man, kuddos to you for writing a unique song like this." </p>
<p> Ryan said, " I was wondering the same thing as you were but I read down a little bit. I must say, Jim I am a sucker for song that have the same chorus but mean different things each time but very clever. I think this is a very clever song and thank you Jim. "</p>
<p> Here are the words for the rest of the song. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>The music in Memphis it rocks and it rolls</p>
<p>made famous by Elvis, part blues and part soul</p>
<p>The ladies smiled as his hips swayed </p>
<p>an idol to millions in the USA.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Chorus- Long live the King, long live the King</p>
<p>Come on everybody let's sing</p>
<p>We love you , we need you, it's your song we sing</p>
<p>Long live the King. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Bridge- Our kings and their crowns crumble and rust</p>
<p>We cry when they die as we all turn to dust.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>but there's a baby in a manger, Hope of Israel</p>
<p>Slain on a cross to save me from hell</p>
<p>We all worship, someone or something</p>
<p>I worship Jesus, King of all Kings</p>
<p>Long live the King, Long live the King</p>
<p>come on everybody let's sing</p>
<p>We love you, we need you, it's your songs we sing</p>
<p>Long live the King,</p>
<p> </p>
<p>I love you, I need you, and You're why I sing</p>
<p>Long live my King.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> What did I learn from this experience? Publishers are not looking for clever songs. They are looking for songs that fit in the box that they are trying to fill. This is one of my favorite songs. It is unique, It is different but it wasn't right for this pitch. I don't know if it is the type of song that I can pitch to a publisher or anyone else. The only person that this song could work for is me. I could sing this song at a concert and it would work for me. </p>
<p> Bottom Line- Keep your song simple. Make sure they fit in the category that you are writing your songs for. Also, don't try to be clever. Clever doesn't get your songs recorded. </p>
<p> Here is the song if you want to listen to it.- Long live the King. </p>3:43Jim McCartertag:jimmccarter.com,2005:Post/64538642020-10-12T10:30:58-05:002022-04-06T05:26:02-05:00Pitch to Publisher day<p> Today I pitched one of my songs to Centricity Music Publishing. Centricity is a Christian music publishing company. I have written some Christian music but have not spent money getting them demoed. I do have one song that I like that I am pitching. It is called, Long live the King. </p>
<p> It does not fit in the praise category and it doesn't fit in the gospel category. I would lean toward the country Christian music category but don't know if that is quite right. I am hoping that they are looking for something different. Something that doesn't fit a category but would fit an artist. So why not give it a try. Here are the words to the songs.</p>
<p>Long live the King </p>
<p> </p>
<p>One white glove, you danced the moonwalk </p>
<p> Jackson Five to the King of Pop. </p>
<p>I watched the crowd when you played Billie Jean </p>
<p>I saw a young girl and I heard her scream. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Chorus-Long live the King, Long live the King </p>
<p>Come on everybody let’s sing </p>
<p>We love you, we need you,</p>
<p>it’s your songs we sing. </p>
<p> Long live the King.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The music in Memphis, it rocks and it rolls </p>
<p>Made famous by Elvis; part blues’n part soul. </p>
<p>Ladies smiled when his hips swayed </p>
<p>Idol to millions, in the US of A.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Chorus-Long live the King, Long live the King </p>
<p>Come on everybody let’s sing </p>
<p>We love you, we need you, it’s your songs we sing. </p>
<p>Long live the King. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Bridge- Our kings and their crowns, crumble and rust. </p>
<p>We cry when they die, as it all turns to dust. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>A baby in a manger, the hope of Israel </p>
<p>Slain on a cross, to save me from hell. </p>
<p> We all worship, someone or something </p>
<p> I worship Jesus, King of all Kings. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Chorus-Long live the King, Long live the King </p>
<p>Come on everybody let’s sing </p>
<p>We love you, we need you, it’s your songs we sing. </p>
<p>Long live the King.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Outro- I love you , I need you, and you’re why I sing. </p>
<p>Long live my King.</p>
<p> I guess I'll see if they like it. I entered it today and will find out results next Friday. I love waiting. Lol</p>3:43Jim McCartertag:jimmccarter.com,2005:Post/64523572020-10-09T08:54:23-05:002022-04-06T05:28:09-05:00Song titles<p> Song titles. Every song has a title. Duh! Can I be more obvious? lol. It is true that every song has a title but not all titles are good titles. It is easier to talk about bad titles than good titles. What are some examples of bad titles? I wrote a song called, Man in the mirror. Yes this is the same title as a Michael Jackson song. I am not in trouble with MIchael for stealing his title. Anybody can use a song title. Song titles are open for everyone to use. Now I may not want to use it if my song will be so overshadowed by the original that nobody will ever listen to it. Let me ask you this, Has anyone every written a song called Amazing Grace? The song that you wrote called Amazing Grace might be one the best songs ever but it is being compared to a classic and those are mighty big shoes to fill.</p>
<p> Ordinary titles that do not draw attention to the person looking at songs is another problem. How about this title- I love you? How original is that? Not very. There is a song that I love that talks about somebody missing a soldier who didn't come home from the war. The theme of the song is about how much he was missed and loved. The title could of been, I love you. The title of this song is I Drive Your Truck. When I hear that title I wonder what is that song about. It catches my interest. </p>
<p> I wrote a song that I love the title. It is called, Stealing Jesus.. What do you think this song is about after reading the title? Listen to the song and see if you were right on where I was going with this title. </p>2:31Jim McCartertag:jimmccarter.com,2005:Post/64451252020-09-29T07:31:16-05:002022-04-06T05:27:08-05:00Songwriter struggles<p> We all have our struggles. We have struggles at work, home and basically, anything we do or touch. I remember one struggle I had on learning to play the guitar. Barre chords. A barre chord is where you take your index finger and lay it across all six strings and press down hard. They with your other three fingers you play your chords. My struggle was pressing down hard enough to get a good sound out of my guitar.</p>
<p> Part of my problem was that I was playing an acoustic guitar. It is so much easier to play barre chords on a electric guitar. The strings are easier to push down and they might me closer to the frets. I say might be. This probably depends on how good of a acoustic guitar you own and how low the action is set up on the guitar. I have owned some pretty bad guitars in my life. Guitars where the strings were higher off the fretboard that they should of been. I am sure that this didn't help with the learning curve.</p>
<p> My songwriting struggle is when I go to write a song. I have a hard time turning off the editor. Let me explain who the editor is. Let' say the line I write down is- I like creamer in my coffee. A nice simple line. The editor in me says, I need to fix this line before I write my next thought. So I change it to- I love creamer in my coffee. Oh yeah, that is better but I want more details. I love hazelnut creamer in my coffee. Do I really need the I ? I don't think so. Love hazelnut creamer in my coffee. How about an adjective to describe my coffee? Love hazelnut creamer in my morning coffee. Okay, I like that alot better. </p>
<p> It tales longer to write a song when you let the editor in at the beginning of the process. I wrote a song this week and I was able to get down a couple verses and chorus before he took over. The more work you can get done without the editor getting involved the faster the process can go? Sure, I might throw away one of those verses and not use a single word but I might use one verse and not have to change a thing.</p>
<p> Try to write your songs without editing for first fifteen minutes of your writing session. If you can go longer great. if you can thirty minutes that is even better. The more ideas you get down the better. You will have more material to edit. The more material you have to edit the better your song will be. This keeps you from having to switch back and forth between being creative and being in editor mode. </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>Jim McCartertag:jimmccarter.com,2005:Post/64428852020-09-25T12:41:20-05:002022-04-06T05:27:18-05:00New song - Love you more- <p> This is my song that I just had demoed and got back this week. Usually, I send it off to get songs evaluated before I post them but decided to let my friends and family hear it first. The names of the song is Love you More. It is hard to write a love song. Everybody writes love songs. The hard part is writing one that is personal and universal. Personal is that it means something to me, Universal is when it speaks to others. Hope this song does both. Thanks for listening. </p>2:47Jim McCartertag:jimmccarter.com,2005:Post/64274872020-09-07T20:28:06-05:002022-04-06T05:27:31-05:00I lost my phone<p> I am not very responsible. I lost my phone. No, I'm not a teenager but I do know where I left it. I took my grand daughter, Ella to Lake Shawnee to play at the park. I was taking a break and sitting on a table looking at my phone. Ella came over and we started eating sunflower seeds. Let me clarify, I was cracking sunflower seed shells and Ella was eating the seeds. Then I taught her how to break them open with her teeth and remove the seed herself. I remember setting my phone down on the table but I never picked it up.</p>
<p> The bad part was I didn't even miss it. I missed it when I was going to bed and I couldn't find the phone to charge it up. I did a thorough search and called the phone. Calling the phone did not do me any good. I went to church in the morning and I turned off the ringer. The ringer was still off. </p>
<p> It was time to go to the computer and do an Iphone search. I was able to locate my phone as it traveled around Topeka. I watched it go from here to there for an hour and a half. It made the rounds around east Topeka and then it stopped. Where did it stop? At the Topeka Police Department. I watched as it went from the parking lot into the building. I got a call from the police department saying, My phone had been turned it. Thank you to whoever turned in my phone. I appreciate your kindness,</p>Jim McCartertag:jimmccarter.com,2005:Post/64158242020-08-24T07:17:27-05:002022-04-06T12:21:01-05:00Hear the publisher's version of Sing<p> After hearing the second version of Sing, I decided to pitch it to Ammar Music Group. They are the same company that I had signed a contract with on my song, "Something you can See". So i sent them a copy and they liked it and offered me a contract on Sing. I was thrilled. This was a brand new song that I had just written. I believe almost every songwriter has gems that they have written in the past that are really good songs. Anytime we get an opportunity to pitch to a publisher we go with our go to song. This was not a go to song, it was so new that I still messed up the words if I didn't read them while singing. </p>
<p> Ammar Music took the song and gave it a more rock flavor. Check it out and let me know which you like better? The country version or the rock version. Still the same song, just done in a different style. Give me your thoughts about your preference. </p>2:59Jim McCartertag:jimmccarter.com,2005:Post/64157232020-08-24T07:06:39-05:002020-08-24T07:08:09-05:00Can a publisher know your songs a hit by a rough demo?<p> Can a publisher know your song is a hit by listening to your rough demo? The answer is Yes and No. It depends on your publisher and your singing and guitar playing ability. My singing is not good enough to sell my songs. You will be able to compare my rough demo with my pitch to publisher demo.</p>
<p> I have a friend who is an artist and a songwriter. He records demos on his phone.(I believe) He has a great voice and is a really good guitar player. I will let you be the judge. He is cheaper than getting a professional demo done in Nashville. This is a more economical way to get your music heard without breaking the bank. </p>
<p> Please click on the circle below to hear the song- Sing. </p>2:47Jim McCartertag:jimmccarter.com,2005:Post/64157002020-08-23T21:26:55-05:002020-08-23T21:26:55-05:00How not to write a song ( Rough Demo)<p> During this series of How not to write a song, I have tried to show you the nuts and bolts of songwriting. I also wanted to share the demo making process. Here are some things that you will need to have completed before demoing the song. Lyrics- You will need a typed or a legible hand written page of lyrics with the chords. I will get my lyrics on my music stand and practice it to get better at singing it. After I get the kinks worked out I will hit the record button on my Roland digital work station. </p>
<p> I will set up my microphones and tune my guitar. If I need new guitar strings I will replace them. I am now ready to record. I will do my best to play and sing my song. I don't do individual tracks for my rough demos. I hit the record button and play and sing. I am not the best singer so the main thing I am trying to do is come across with feeling.(especially in the guitar playing) I want the vocals to be clear so you can hear the lyrics and not just the guitar. </p>
<p> I will do multiple takes of my song. I can have the words right in front of me and still sing the wrong words. So it might take me five or six takes to get an acceptable one. Acceptable does not mean perfect singing. It is singing the correct lyrics and playing the right chords. Pretty basic stuff. I am going to share my rough demo, a better demo, and the final demo of the song, Sing. </p>
<p> </p>2:57Jim McCartertag:jimmccarter.com,2005:Post/64156882020-08-23T20:48:54-05:002020-08-23T20:48:54-05:00Something you can see<p> This is the title of the song that I got a publishing single song contract on. It is a song about my Mom and Dad and their love for each other. I heard my Dad say time how you ought to be able to see love. (but he didn't say it that way) He used a real life example. We had gone over to a couple's home that were friends of my parents. This couple was big on saying, I love you to each other with everyone around. They liked to place their love on display.</p>
<p> On this particular night, we got to see the B-side or the flip side of the record. What started out as a bad joke between the couple turned into a fight. A name calling fight with words of hatred. I had never seen this type of behavior from my parents and never did. Dad and Mom believed if you truly loved someone why would you speak hateful and angry words to them to hurt them.</p>
<p> I don't know if I ever heard them say I love you, but I saw them say, I love you everyday. They said it everyday by the things they did for each other. Mom would cook Dad's favorite meals. Dad would buy Mom a color TV or a microwave when these items were what everyone had to have. Dad could of done without both of them buy he knew Mom wanted them and he wanted to make her happy.</p>
<p> I guess, I really didn't write the song, I just watched them live it and I wrote down what I saw. Please click on the bottom to hear the song. </p>
<p> </p>2:36Jim McCartertag:jimmccarter.com,2005:Post/63896592020-08-21T08:09:18-05:002020-08-21T08:09:18-05:00How not to write a song (Part 11)<p> I am an Nashville Songwriting Association International (NSAI) member and chapter coordinator. I sent my song to them to have it evaluated. The evaluation came back. I got the impression that they liked the song but didn't love it. They said it still needs some revising. They thought the first verse was confusing. Let's look at the first verse. </p>
<p>You're the girl next door, cheating boyfriend,</p>
<p>rumor round here is your leaving him</p>
<p>I sit on my front porch, strum my guitar</p>
<p>as you tell him Goodbye, step outta his car.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> The evaluator thought it wasn't clear. There are two things that you can do with advice. One- you can follow it or Two- you can ignore it. So it is up to me to decide if I think they have a valid point. I like to ask myself, Does the verse say what I want it to say? It does. I'm sitting on the porch playing my guitar as she get's home. This is how the story begins. The characters in the story is- The girl next door and me, The setting- my front porch and the action- She is getting out of her Boyfriends car and telling him Goodbye. </p>
<p> I like it the way it is. I am not going to change it. Now, maybe in the future if I get negative feedback about it I can rethink my decision. For now, I am going to roll with it the way it is. </p>
<p> Feedback and evaluations are so important. Sometimes I will have a teeny tiny mistake that can ruin a song and I am nose blind. (Nose blind- Is the commercial saying about the teenager with stinky feet who can't smell it but his Mom can) Maybe I am song blind. Don't make a demo without getting some feedback to make sure it is where it needs to be. You don't want to waste money and have to redo the demo. I have a tendency to rush things when I am excited about a song. So I totally understand impatience. </p>
<p> Take your time. Slow down and get an evaluation. Play it for others. Remember- Songwriting isn't a race, but it feels like one. </p>
<p> </p>Jim McCartertag:jimmccarter.com,2005:Post/64025152020-08-06T05:20:11-05:002020-08-09T05:13:03-05:00The wait is over (for now)<p> I love to wait. (That is a lie.) The great thing was I didn't have to wait long. I received and email the next day from the publishing company and It said, Jim, OK you got my attention with the song, Something You Can See. That line is what a songwriter wants to hear. There are so many songwriters and songs that a publisher could not find enough time to listen to them all. </p>
<p> Ric ( A&R guy at Ammar Music Group) thought the chorus would needed to have a different rhyme than the original one and asked me to see if I could fix it? So I worked on my song and found a better rhyme and sent it in. He loved the new rhyme and we were off to the races. He asked me If I would be willing to sign a single song contract on my song, Something You can See. </p>
<p> What is a single song contract? It is an agreement between the songwriter and the publishing company. When I wrote the song, I owned the whole song. 100%. I was my own publisher 50% and the songwriter 50%. I could do anything I wanted with the song or have anyone I wanted to record the song. The problem was, I needed someone to help me get someone to record my song. (And hopefully, It would become a hit song.) </p>
<p> I am pretty good at math. Do you know what a 100% of zero is? Zero! Do you know what 50% of zero is ? Zero! I had made zero dollars on my song with me as a publisher. With a publisher, I was giving up half of my money that the song was going to make. Half of zero is still zero. I have no where to go but up. Either way I was still at Zero. Math helped make my decision easy to figure out. I needed a publisher. </p>
<p> This is where a publisher becomes so valuable. They are able to get your songs heard by artists looking for songs. (If they are a good publisher) I was not doing a good job of promoting my music in my producer roll. I was terrible. It was a hat that I didn't want to wear and didn't have time to wear. I wanted to write songs not be a publisher. It is very important to remember to keep the main thing, the main thing. The main thing Is being a songwriter. </p>
<p> I was so excited to finally get a song contract on one of my songs. I was thrilled. God is good. I thank him for giving me a song, a publisher, and a contract. (Still struggling with that patience.) It was a dream come true. The next part of the dream is when someone places my song on their record. That is another dream and something else to wait for. God is good. </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>Jim McCartertag:jimmccarter.com,2005:Post/63918972020-08-05T05:35:55-05:002020-08-05T05:35:55-05:00The songwriting Journey ( Where is that piece of paper?)<p> On the last journal I wrote down the name of the Music publishing company on a piece of paper. I say, piece of paper but it was probably one line in a notebook on my desk. Not so bad if you only have one. Sometimes I have more than one. I looked through and was not able to find it. I did remember that is was called Amar. So I did a google search and found out it was Ammar Music Group. I need to work on my organization skills. lol</p>
<p> One of the hardest parts of this job is deciding which song you want to use. Ammar was looking for commercial country music. Commercial country is the term used for Country music that we hear on the radio today. If you can't imagine your song playing on the radio station, they can't either. This reduces the number of songs that I had available to send in. </p>
<p> They are looking for songs that everybody can relate to. Songs about love, falling in love, breaking up, drinking, cheating, kissing a girl, coming home, etc. Common things that we can relate to but that are done differently and uniquely. In the past year I had been focusing on writing more songs like this. I decided to pitch- Something I can see, Linwood Cafe, and No time son. </p>
<p> Something I can See is a love song. Linwood Cafe is a song about small town life and No time Son is about the lessons learned from teaching your kids to ride a bike. So I sent my lyrics and MP3's to get them listened to. </p>
<p> Rejection is part of the business. I will hear more no's than yes's. I can handle the no's and yes's but the waiting is the hardest part. Let's wait and I'll share more later</p>Jim McCartertag:jimmccarter.com,2005:Post/63918862020-07-27T07:30:13-05:002020-07-27T07:30:13-05:00The songwriting journey ( right place, right time)<p> Right place, right time. I have been in the wrong place at the wrong time. Wrong place at the wrong time describes most of my fishing trips. I go fishing when I have time to fish not when they are biting. I like to fish where the grass and weeds aren't too tall and it is easy to get the fish out of the water. Now you can see why I'm not catching too many fish.</p>
<p> I have attended many NSAI (Nashville Songwriting Association International) chapter meetings. I have been a NSAI coordinator for three of four years so I've been to at least forty meetings. These meetings are a great place to go. You are around other songwriters who are on the same journey. They know what it is like to get up in the middle of the night, and find a pen and paper to write down an idea. This is a good place to go on your journey. Kinda like you can't go wrong going to church. Every sermon may not be for you but some of them are going to be for you. </p>
<p> I received an email letting me know that the Kansas City chapter was having a Zoom meeting on a Saturday in April. It was a zoom meeting because the the Covid 19 pandemic. I never receive invitations to the KC chapter meetings. It was a week from Saturday and I was going to be off. The email informed me that if I wanted to get a song evaluation at the meeting to send an mp3 and lyrics to the meeting coordinator. So I sent in the lyrics and music to a song called Sing. </p>
<p> The Kansas City chapter is a bigger chapter than the Manhattan chapter. I would guess they had 12-15 people on Zoom. About five people played their songs and my song Sing was one of them. It was a good meeting and I enjoyed it. There was a guy at the meeting who said he worked for Ammar Music Group and he was their A&R Director. (A&R stands for Artist and Repertoire) He is responsible for finding and signing new music talent. He told the KC songwriters that we could request permission from him and he would be willing to listen to three songs. No more than three songs. </p>
<p> So I wrote his name down on a piece of paper and thought I need to do this. I have played my songs for music publishers before but this sounded like a great opportunity. I was in the right place at the right time. A music publishing company is looking for commercial songs and they asked me to send in three songs. It was a great feeling but I didn't know yet where this would lead.</p>
<p> On every opportunity that comes our way, we always have choices. We can grab the door handle and open the door. We can wait outside the door and hope it opens by itself. I was going to open the door not knowing what was on the other side. I'll share more of this story later. </p>Jim McCartertag:jimmccarter.com,2005:Post/63915952020-07-24T08:31:07-05:002020-07-24T08:31:07-05:00The songwriting journey (1)<p> I call songwriting a journey. It is like taking a trip with no end destination. At every destination you arrive at you find out it is a rest stop. Something new to learn, a new skill to master, or maybe just a little rest to carry you to the next stop. Always traveling but never getting where you are going. Kinda like shooting at a basketball goal that keeps getting higher. </p>
<p> I started writing this blog more seriously a few years ago. I honestly believed that any time now something big was going to happen. I was writing songs, traveling to Nashville to play at songwriter's night and auditioning for the Bluebird Cafe songwriter round spots. It was an exciting time. </p>
<p> Have you ever looked at a time n your life and thought this is going to happen? Is that hope? Dreaming? Believing? I had gone through the Bluebird Dafe auditioning process twice. I knew that the third time was going to be the charm. I was confident that this was going to be the time. I was blogging about my journey and the start of my success was going to be getting past the audition process at the Bluebird. </p>
<p> It didn't happen. As much as I wanted it to, it was not going to be. That was my plan, not God's plan. It would of put a nice bow on my blog if it had worked out how I planned. It makes me think of that saying, God laughs at our plans. I laugh at my plans too. </p>
<p> There has been a lot going on in my songwriting journey since May. So much that it doesn't seem real. No, I don't have a hit song on the radio, Yes, I would like a hit song on the radio but I am getting closer. Or maybe I just think I'm getting closer. I will share what has been happening and what I am learning along the way. The journey continues. </p>Jim McCartertag:jimmccarter.com,2005:Post/63908482020-07-23T11:05:26-05:002020-07-23T11:05:26-05:00The songwriting journey (Feels so Right)<p> I have been writing songs for many years now. I remember one of the songs I wrote. It was called Feels so Right. Yes, this is the same title as the Alabama song. It also had the same melody and the chorus was the same. So really I borrowed or stole this song. I made up my own lyrics for the verses. It was a song about what I was going through at that time in my life. I was going through a divorce and living in a cheap apartment. ( Really cheap!). My apartment did not have air conditioning and the building was drafty and expensive to heat. So I was hot in the summer and cold in the winter. I used to joke that my apartment was like camping inside.</p>
<p> My song Feels so Right was about how through my situation I got closer to God. I will try to remember how it goes</p>
<p>Sitting here reading my Bible, your spirit talks to me</p>
<p>Convicting me of sin, showing me what I should be</p>
<p>Draw me close and teach me</p>
<p>Show your will to me, Oh, oh oh. Feels so right.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> I was writing a song as a form of therapy. I was trying to deal with my life and my feelings. My life looking in from the outside didn't look very rosy. Going through a divorce, my kids not living with me, child support, ;and money problems. Really, I didn't have money problems because I didn't have any money, Hardly. I was bringing home about $130 a week after my child support came out. All I had to pay on that was tithe, rent, utilities, (no water or trash), car insurance and groceries. You learn what is necessary and what isn't real quick. </p>
<p> It is amazing how life gets clearer when it gets simpler. I developed a closeness to God. He was what I was depending on. He was in control of my life. I was singing this song to him. I was telling God that even though my life looked bad from the outside. From a spiritual journey aspect, it really was great. I was depending on him and it felt so right. </p>
<p> This wasn't where I was planning on going when I started typing. I will share more about my songwriting journey later. </p>Jim McCartertag:jimmccarter.com,2005:Post/63318622020-07-22T07:57:22-05:002020-07-22T07:57:22-05:00How not to write a song (Part 10)<p> During this series of How Not To Write a Song. I have tried to breakdown and show you my process. The process changes on every song. I sure haven't tried to make songwriting look easy. Yeah, I've probably make it look hard. (Because it is!) Everything is always hard until we master it. </p>
<p> I have been watching Last Dance. It is the television sports series about Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls. Michael Jordan makes playing basketball look easy. He glides to the basket, with his tongue hanging out and slams the basketball through the net. Looks easy. How many leg exercises did he do to get the strength in his legs to do this? How many dunks has he done? How many has he missed and clanged off the back of the rim? It took him a lot of work to get this good at basketball. Yes, it does help to have natural ability. I for one could never jump high enough to dunk a basketball. But, I sure do wish I could. That is why i played on 8 foot goals so I could experience how it feels. It felt great. </p>
<p> At this point in my process I have written the song Sing. It is basically done but let me continue to show you what happens next. I have played the song at two NSAI monthly meetings. I have received feedback and made a few easy changes from suggestion. I am now ready for the next level of evaluations. I sent Sing to NSAI for a professional evaluation. </p>
<p> At Nashville Songwriting Association International (NSAI) you get to choose your evaluator. Kinda like getting to choose the teacher you like in school. I have tried many different evaluators and I have a favorite one. He or she give me feedback and let's me know what they think. Here is some of the feedback on my song Sing.</p>
<p> They have five different categories that they use in the evaluation and closing comments. Form/structure, Title/hook, Lyric, Overall theme/idea, Melody/Meter, and Closing comments. Form- You have the basic structure- ( good on this one) Title- It's a good simple hook used in a memorable way. ( OK) Lyric- A cool concept. It seems you are setting the scene. She's getting out of the car and you heard she's leaving him and now you are trying to get her attention. It's not quite setting the story. Try to simplify the story. Maybe she's just the girl next door who is outside her house in the front yard and you are trying to get her attention. You can get the rumor thing in the second verse. You have options. (Might need to think about changing?) Idea- Good idea. With some tweaking this could work for the country market. Melody/Meter- Good simple country melody and feel. (Good on this.) </p>
<p> Closing comments is where you get the most bang for the buck. Comment- This can be cool. It needs some revising. You do need a good singer in order for it to come across. Get it tight. Keep up the good work. </p>
<p> Basically a few suggestions on the lyrics and get a better singer. I kinda like the lyrics the way they are written. I am going to proceed and see if I get any more negative comments on the lyric. If I do then I will probably need to change them. On to the next step.</p>Jim McCartertag:jimmccarter.com,2005:Post/63275792020-07-18T21:14:37-05:002020-07-18T21:14:37-05:00How not to write a song (part 9)<p> I have taken you through the song process. It has been quite a journey. Different titles, a variety of verses, and tweak this and tweak that. I have gotten my song to the place where I am ready to share it. I'm not talking about sharing it with the whole world. (Not there yet!) I usually will pla</p>
<p> In the month of May I attended two NSAI meetings online. Both of these were Zoom meetings. One was the Kansas City chapter of NSAI and the other was the Manhattan, KS chapter. I am one of the coordinators of the Manhattan chapter. This process is like the first time you show off your new born baby to family and friends. It helps when they are kind and considerate at this stage. The great thing is they are all songwriters and they know how it feels to be vulnerable. </p>
<p> Here is the song with the new tweaks. I will <strong>bold </strong>the lyrics that I changed from feedback at the meetings.</p>
<p> Sing</p>
<p>You're the girl next door, a cheating boyfriend</p>
<p>Rumors round here are you're leaving him</p>
<p>Sit on my front porch, play my guitar</p>
<p>as you tell him Goodbye, step outta his car.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Chorus- So I strum a little louder</p>
<p>Sing a little sweeter,</p>
<p>Sing about love</p>
<p><strong>and the joy it brings</strong>.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Hope you like it</p>
<p>Hope you love it</p>
<p>Hope it makes</p>
<p>your heart sing.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>You walk up the sidewalk, across my front lawn</p>
<p>Say, "Hey Cowboy! Play me a song.</p>
<p>Don't make it sad, don't wanna cry</p>
<p>Tell me it's all, gonna be alright.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Chorus- So I strum a little louder,</p>
<p>Sing a little sweeter</p>
<p>Sing about love</p>
<p>and the joy it brings</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Hope you like it</p>
<p>Hope you love it</p>
<p>Hope it makes</p>
<p>Your heart sing.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Bridge- My heart sings, love songs</p>
<p><strong>my heart sings</strong>, baby when you sing along</p>
<p> </p>
<p>So I strum a little louder</p>
<p>sing a little sweeter</p>
<p>sing about love</p>
<p><strong>and the joy it brings</strong></p>
<p> </p>
<p>Hope you like it</p>
<p>Hope you love it</p>
<p>Hope it makes</p>
<p>your heart sing.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Here are the two changes I made from the suggestions.</p>
<p>The second line in the chorus was- Sing about love, Joy it brings</p>
<p>Suggestion was to add words. Sometimes I cut out too many word in my editing process so I changed it to Sing about love and the joy it brings. I agreed that this made the lyrics clearer. The other tweak was in the bridge. The original was My heart sings, love songs. Yes it sing, Baby sing along' The new lyric is - My heart sings, love songs, my heart sings, Baby when you sing along. I like this better.</p>
<p>Okay, the song is ready for the next step. I sent it to NSAI with the lyrics before these last two changes. I was in a rush and didn't want to wait. This is a problem. I should of been patient and waited. But remember this is how not to write a song. Humor me and follow me on this songwriting journey. ;</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>Jim McCartertag:jimmccarter.com,2005:Post/63114412020-07-04T20:01:49-05:002020-07-04T20:01:49-05:00How not to write a song (Part 8)<p> Guess what? I was on my way to Walmart to pick up some mulch for the flower garden. I was thinking about the first tow lines of the song. Here are the original lines.</p>
<p>You're the girl next door, with a bad boyfriend</p>
<p>I fell for you before you knew him.</p>
<p>I wasn't a fan of bad boyfriend and did it really matter who fell for who first? Probably not. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Here is my revised first verse-</p>
<p>You're the girl next door, a cheating boyfriend</p>
<p>The rumor's I hear, You're leaving him</p>
<p>I sit on my front porch, play my guitar</p>
<p>You tell him goodbye, step outta his car.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>I think this works better. Bad was to vague. One persons bad could be another persons good. Cheating is definitely bad. Word on the street is their is trouble in paradise. That gives me a good reason to be sitting on my front porch playing love songs. Also, the line you tell him goodbye. It could be the final goodbye, which helps explain the second verse.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Second verse- You walk up your sidewalk, across my lawn</p>
<p>said," Hey Cowboy, play me a song.</p>
<p>Don't make it sad, don't wanna cry</p>
<p>tell me everything's, gonna be alright.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Oops! I see a problem with the last line. Too long. Not conversational. I like this better.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Tell me it's all, gonna be alright.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>I am ready to make a second rough demo. How do I define a rough demo? That is anything that I sing. lol I will make this and sent it to NSAI to get a professional evaluator's opinion. Cross your fingers. </p>
<p> </p>Jim McCartertag:jimmccarter.com,2005:Post/63114402020-06-17T06:56:00-05:002022-04-06T12:22:10-05:00How not to write a song (Part 7)<p> This is a very important step in the songwriting process. I am thinking this song is done. Good to go. Wrong! I didn't send it to Nashville to get a professional demo made. It it time to get some feedback on the song. I am so close to the process that I can sometimes miss the obvious. Kinda like the commercials for Febreeze on TV where the teenager can't smell his own stinky socks.</p>
<p> I recorded a rough demo of my song and played it at the monthly NSAI meeting. I like getting feedback at these meetings. Usually you have some songwriters who are really good at the craft of songwriting who are willing to be honest in a nice way. Also, you will have less experienced songwriters who give you their feedback which is different. It is more how a music lover would listen to your song. Both are equally important.</p>
<p> Music is subjective. Not everybody will love your songs. It would be great if they did. It is probably a hit song if this is the case. Here are some of the comments that I remember</p>
<p>1. I like the title- Sing- commented on liking on word titlews</p>
<p>2. I don't like the title- I think it would be better if it was Sing with me.</p>
<p>3. I think this sounds like a John Prine song. (this was my favorite) lol</p>
<p>4. I believe it drags a little. Just a few BPM's (beats per minute) faster and it would be better</p>
<p>5. I would like it better if the last half of the bridge was melodically different than the front half.</p>
<p>6. Maybe you don't mention the bad boyfriend, why is he bad?</p>
<p> </p>
<p> How to decide which advice to take or follow. If something is repeated multiple times that is a good sign that it needs more attention. If people disagree then it is debateable. Maybe it doesn't matter. So I listen to the advice and change the ones that bother me. Let take a look at number 2. Change title to sing with me. It ain't going to happen. I have labored to get a title that I like. Remember if I change it to sing with me, it can change the verses and the feel of the song. Number 6- I agree with the bad boyfriend line. I think it needs tweaking. I am probably okay with the song being a little faster. </p>
<p> This is my first round of feedback. Feedback is a gift. Sometimes it is a gift that we don't like but we need. Kinda like getting new clothes for Christmas as a kid. Yes, you can always look sharp in a new shirt but not as fun to get as a new basketball. </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>Jim McCartertag:jimmccarter.com,2005:Post/63114102020-06-09T20:27:24-05:002022-04-06T12:22:18-05:00How not to write a song (part 6)<p> This is a good place in the songwriting process. I have done the hard work. I have lyrics and have been singing melodies to them as I have progressed to this point. I now have what I consider a completed song. Is it done? I wish. I am still going through and trying to find the weakest lines and make them better. The great news is I got a title. I am sure pro songwriters would start with a title and slam this baby out in a couple hours. Not me and not on this song. It has been a 2-3 week process. Here are the lyrics to Sing</p>
<p>You're the girl next door, with a bad boyfriend</p>
<p>I feel for you, before you knew him</p>
<p>I sit on my porch, play my guitar</p>
<p>You tell him goodbye, step outta his car.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Chorus- So I strum a little louder, sing a little sweeter</p>
<p>sing about love, joy it brings.</p>
<p>Hope you like it, Hope you love it,</p>
<p>Hope it makes your heart sing.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>You walk up your sidewalk, across my lawn</p>
<p>said, "Hey Cowboy, play me a song.</p>
<p>Don't make it sad, Don't wanna cry.</p>
<p>Tell me everything, gonna be alright.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Chorus- so I strum a little louder, sing a little sweeter</p>
<p>sing about love, joy it brings</p>
<p>Hope you like it, hope you love it,</p>
<p>Hope it makes your heart sing</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Bridge- My heart sings love songs</p>
<p>Yes it sings, Baby sing along</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Chorus- So I strum a little louder, sing a little sweeter</p>
<p>sing about love, joy it brings</p>
<p>Hope you like it, hope you love it</p>
<p>Hope it makes your heart sing</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Hope you like it , hope you love it</p>
<p>Hope it makes your heart sing. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>This is the version that I made a rough demo of to play for my Nashville Songwriting Association International (NSAI) on line chapter meeting. </p>Jim McCartertag:jimmccarter.com,2005:Post/63114082020-05-27T08:54:46-05:002022-04-06T12:22:25-05:00How not to write a song (part 5)<p> I was playing my chorus over and over and here was a new version that I came up with.</p>
<p>Chorus- So I strum a little louder, sing a little sweeter</p>
<p>Sing about love, like dreamer's do</p>
<p>Hope you like it, Hope you love it</p>
<p>Hope you sing, my song with me.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>I really liked the work sing in the last line of the chorus. As a songwriter we want people to sing our songs. We want our new girlfriend to sing the song we wrote for her. I kept singing the chorus and came up with my last line of my chorus. </p>
<p>Hope it makes your heart sing. That was the line I had been looking for. It was more than her singing my song. The song made her heart sing. She fell for me. This was the plan all along. The girl falls for me because of the song. Here is the new chorus</p>
<p>Chorus- So I strum a little louder, sing a little sweeter</p>
<p>sing about love, joy it brings.</p>
<p>Hope you like it, hope you love it</p>
<p>Hope it makes your heart sing.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Sing is a great word to sing. So I thought I would use it in the bridge</p>
<p>My heart sings love songs</p>
<p>Yes it sings, Baby sing along.</p>
<p>The hook of this song is Makes your heart Sing. The title of the song is Sing. I will share the lyrics tomorrow to Sing. </p>Jim McCartertag:jimmccarter.com,2005:Post/63111832020-05-23T09:37:48-05:002022-04-06T12:22:34-05:00How not to write a song (part 4)<p> Okay, I'm still searching for that perfect title that I haven't found. On top of that I am trying out verses for the new titles that I am writing. Seeing what works and what doesn't work. I have another Title to try- Perfect like you. Here is how it worked in the chorus.</p>
<p>So I strum a little louder,</p>
<p>sing a little sweeter,</p>
<p>Sing a love song, That's about you.</p>
<p>Hope you like, Hope you love it.</p>
<p>Hope it's perfect, perfect like you. </p>
<p> </p>
<p> I have a big problem. I don't believe any of my old verses go with the new title. Let's take a look.</p>
<p>You're the girl next door, with a bad boyfriend</p>
<p>I fell for you, fore you fell for him</p>
<p>I sit on my porch, play my guitar</p>
<p>as you tell him good bye, get outta his car.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>So I strum a little louder, </p>
<p>sing a little sweeter</p>
<p>sing a love song, about you</p>
<p>Hope you like it,</p>
<p>hope you love it</p>
<p>Hope it's perfect, perfect like you.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>So I decided to write a verse for this chorus. I wanted it to be about her. After all she is perfect.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>I love those peek a boo holes in your ripped jeans</p>
<p>the way the wind blows your hair in spring</p>
<p>Not a thing about you that I would change</p>
<p>Just one thing, your last name</p>
<p> </p>
<p> I don't like the second line. It rhymes but doesn't do anything for me. It is the weakest line in my new verse and the last name line is pretty cliché to. Let's talk about some problems with this new title. I like the title Perfect like you but I believe most of the song would need to be rewritten. Instead of investing more time I decide to move on in my title search. This was probably a wise decision. I could save this title and use it later on another song. </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>Jim McCartertag:jimmccarter.com,2005:Post/63111822020-05-12T17:20:00-05:002022-04-06T12:22:53-05:00How not to write a song (part 3)<p> Okay. so far I have written two verses and a chorus to a song called You Know Where I'll Be. I don't like it. So I decide I need another title. So I get out my guitar and I sing the chorus. Over and over. Thinking about what I want to say. I want the girl to leave her boyfriend and fall in love with me. The new title is now, Fall for me. </p>
<p>Here is the chorus- So I strum a little louder, </p>
<p>sing a little sweeter, </p>
<p>sing a love song, I wrote for you.</p>
<p>Hope you like it, Hope you love it</p>
<p>Hope it makes you fall for me. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>So I read the first verse to see if it still works</p>
<p>You're the girl next door, with a new boyfriend</p>
<p>I fell for you before you fell for him</p>
<p>I sit on my front porch, play my guitar,</p>
<p>as you kiss him goodbye, step outta his car.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> I don't like the second line. I fell for you. The song title is Fall for me. Too similar. So I decide to rewrite the first verse. Here is the new first verse.</p>
<p>with the chorus.</p>
<p>You're coming in late from a wild weekend</p>
<p>been kissing in the car with your boyfriend</p>
<p>You're the girl next door, who I love more</p>
<p>So I play my guitar on my front porch.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>So I strum a little louder, </p>
<p>sing a little sweeter,</p>
<p>sing a love song, I wrote for you.</p>
<p>Hope you like it , Hope you love it</p>
<p>Hope it makes you fall for me. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>It's Friday night, playing down at the bar</p>
<p>almost closing time, I wonder where you are</p>
<p>You come walking in, all by yourself</p>
<p>This songs for you and no one else</p>
<p> </p>
<p>so I strum a little louder, </p>
<p>sing a little sweeter,</p>
<p>sing a love song, I wrote for you.</p>
<p>Hope you like it, hope you love it</p>
<p>Hope it makes you fall for me. </p>
<p> </p>
<p> What problems do I see now? Okay for one. Now she is on the wild side of life. She's been making out with her boyfriend in the car and I am going to win her over by playing a love song I wrote for her. Not gonna work. So what do I do? I write a second verse and she comes walking into the bar that I am playing at and I get another chance to win her over with my song. I probably should of rewrtten the first verse to work with the new title, Fall for me.But no, I decided to write a bridge. In the bridge the next door girls is singing-</p>
<p>You poured your heart into this song</p>
<p>so I drink it in, I sing along as you</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Chorus- Strum a little louder, sing a little sweeter</p>
<p>we sing the love song, you wrote for me.</p>
<p>You know I like it, You know I love it</p>
<p>You know it made me, fall for you.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> I kinda liked that idea but didn't like the new first verse. I prefer to keep the chorus the exact same every time it is sung to make it easier to remember and sing. Also, what if I wanted to get a demo of this song. I would need a female singer and this would cost extra. Also, I wasn't thrilled with Fall for me. It says exactly what I wanted it to say, but it was to cliche. It has been said and done before. Remember this- I liked some of these idea but I wan't sold yet. So I kept looking for a better title. </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>Jim McCartertag:jimmccarter.com,2005:Post/63111462020-05-10T10:59:56-05:002022-04-06T12:25:30-05:00How not to write a song (part 2)<p> Yesterday, I shared about the latest song that I wrote. The mistake I made that cost me a lot of time was no title. I gave you the Reader's Digest version on How not to write a song. I told you about the different titles that I tried trying to find perfect one. If all I did was write a chorus over and over until I figured out the title or the hook that would of been a wiser choice. But this isn't what I did, I wasn't done wasting time. It was now time for me to take my new title and run with them. So I took my first title "You know where I'll be" and wrote a second verse. Here is the song so far with my second verse.</p>
<p>You're the girl next door, I took for granted</p>
<p>I fell for you, when you found someone else.</p>
<p>I sit on my porch, play my guitar</p>
<p>as you kiss him goodbye, step outta his car.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Chorus- So I strum a little louder</p>
<p>sing a little sweeter</p>
<p>sing about love, like I know what it is.</p>
<p>Hope you hear me, hope you see me.</p>
<p>Whenever you need me</p>
<p>You'll know where I'll be.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Second verse- I'm down at the bar on Friday night</p>
<p>drink in my left hand, a mic in the right</p>
<p>Looking at the door, hoping you'll walk through</p>
<p>If you walk in, I know what I'll do</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Strum a little louder,</p>
<p>sing a little sweeter</p>
<p>sing about love, like I know what it is</p>
<p>Hope you like it, hope you love it,</p>
<p>Whenever you need me</p>
<p>You know where I'll be</p>
<p> </p>
<p> I am in editing stage. I am looking for problems with the song. Now I have the singer in two different places. The title is - You know where I'll be but we don't know if he's at the bar or at home on his front porch. This is when I knew I still didn't have the right title. So on to the next title.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>Jim McCartertag:jimmccarter.com,2005:Post/63102622020-05-09T08:48:13-05:002022-04-06T12:25:39-05:00How not to write a song<p> How many blogs, articles, and book have been written about how to write a song? Probably too many to count. I wrote a new song that I completed this week. I have been working on it for about two weeks. Not an everyday kinda working on a song but a gradual process. Let me share my process and hopefully it might help you on your songwriting journey. Remember- this is how not to write a song. </p>
<p> I had a beginning line for the song. You're the girl next door that I took for granted. This line was the feeling of the song. It is about me and I am in love with the girl next door. She has found somebody else but I want to be with her. Let me share the first draft. </p>
<p>You're the girl next door, I took for granted </p>
<p>I fell for you, when you found someone else.</p>
<p>I sit on my porch, play my guitar</p>
<p>as you kiss him good bye, and step outta his car.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> I wrote the verse and I kinda liked it. It had that good stalker feeling. Laugh out loud. Kinda like the song from the seventies- My Eyes Adored You. One of the lines of that song was- My eyes adored you, thought I never laid a hand on you, my eyes adored you. Definitely a stalker song. Probably need to come back later and fix this problem. </p>
<p> The first verse gave me a direction to go with the chorus. I am going to win the girl next doors love by playing her a love song. Yes, she is in a relationship but I am trying to win her over. So what do I do?</p>
<p>Chorus- So I strum a little louder, sing a little sweeter</p>
<p>sing about love, like it know what it is.</p>
<p>Hope you like it, hope you love it.</p>
<p>Whenever you need me</p>
<p>You know where I'll be.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> This is where everything falls apart. The title and the hook of my song is You know where I'll be. (Right next door) Of course, stalkers always live next door. This isn't going to work. What if the title were fall for me.</p>
<p>Chorus- So I strum a little louder, sing a little sweeter</p>
<p>sing a love song, I wrote for you.</p>
<p>Hope you like it, hope you love it</p>
<p>Hope it makes you, fall for me.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> I liked this better but thought fall for you was to cliché. Everybody falls in love. Then I had another thought about changing the last line again.</p>
<p>Chorus- So I strum a little louder, sing a little sweeter</p>
<p>Sing a love song, That's about you</p>
<p>Hope you like it, hope you love it</p>
<p>Hope it's perfect, perfect like you.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> So far I have had three different titles or hook at the last line of my chorus. 1) You know where I'll be, 2) Fall for me and 3) Perfect like you. Every time I changed the title it totally changed the whole song. I still had a problem. I wasn't sold on any of these titles. So I kept singing the song, trying new things until I finally came up with the missing puzzle piece I was looking for.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Chorus- So I strum a little louder, sing a little sweeter</p>
<p>sing about love, joy it brings</p>
<p>Hope you like it, hope you love it</p>
<p>Hope it makes your heart sing.</p>
<p> The title of my song is Sing. The hook is makes your heart sing. This was what I wanted to say. I wanted her to fall for me and the song I was playing for her was my golden ticket to her heart. This was the puzzle piece. If I would have found the title first I could of competed this song faster and quicker. It is so much easier to write a song when you have the title first. </p>
<p> </p>Jim McCartertag:jimmccarter.com,2005:Post/62970412020-04-28T12:08:38-05:002022-04-06T12:25:47-05:00Follow that line- Documentary about Sarah Cooper<p> </p>
<p> I love it when I watch something on TV that interests me. Songwriting is one of my hobbies. Another hobby of mine is bike riding. I love to ride my bike. It is fun. I have been on many organized bike rides. I have ridden on the BAK (Bike across Kansas), GOBA (Great Ohio Bicylce Adventure), and RAGBRAI (Registers Annual Great Bicycle Ride Across Iowa. All of these are rides where you ride between 40 and 70 miles a day for a week. At night you sleep in a tent or in a gymnasium. ?Does that sound like fun to you? Id does to me. </p>
<p> Sarah Cooper is a 45 year old mother of four who does extreme bike riding. She won first place for women in the Race across the West. Race across the West is a 928 mile race that takes about two and a half days to compete. In 2018 she entered and won again. This time she won the Race Across America. It is a 3069 mile race that ran from the west coast to the east coast. She completed it in 11 days, 18 hours, and 56 minutes. To understand how extreme this ride is you need to compare it to the Tour De France. The Tour De France is about a 2100 mile ride completed over 22 days. About a 1000 more miles but done in ten less days. What is the difference? No sleep or very, very, very little sleep. She got to sleep about two hours a day. I take naps longer than that. </p>
<p> I loved a couple of quotes about bike riding on the documentary. One of my favorites was - <em>The higher I go, the stronger I get. </em>These were the words her crew and friends told her as she was climbing the mountains of Colorado. We all need encouragement. Another quote I liked was advice a friend had given another rider. <em>Go out a little slow, but don't slow down. </em>That reminds me of the old saying, <em>Hurry up and wait!</em></p>
<p><em> </em>At the beginning of the show the question everyone wanted the answer to is why. Why do you do this? Why ride 3000 miles in all types of weather with hardly any sleep. I liked her answer, Why not? I believe we don't always know why we do what we do? But we do it. </p>
<p> I write songs. I have been writing songs for years. Almost all of my songs have been written in the last twenty years. I spent my hobby time before songwriting learning to play the guitar. Guitar playing and songwriting are the perfect fit. I had no intention of becoming a songwriter. It was something that happened over the years.</p>
<p> I believe part of the answer to Why I do it is- I love the struggle, or the challenge. Learning to play guitar was a challenge for me. I worked and worked and worked at it. It has been the same with songwriting. I know what it is like to be terrible at something but to keep on trying. Not quitting. Hanging in there. I might not write a lot of song like some songwriters but I keep on writing. I have a new song every month that I play at our monthly NSAI meeting. That is my goal. It keeps me writing. Keeps me looking for song ideas, Keeps me motivated to get better. Keeps me from quitting. </p>
<p> My encouraging words today are Keep going. Don't quit. It is like the biking quote- <em>the higher I go, the stronger I get. </em>Keep climbing higher. You got this. </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>Jim McCartertag:jimmccarter.com,2005:Post/62967512020-04-28T04:09:56-05:002022-04-06T12:26:04-05:00The struggle of songwriting<p> I took a couple vacation days this week. I thought it would be an ideal time to write a song. I got up early and went down to my music room. I played my guitar and got on the computer and worked on a song. Nothing felt fresh. It felt old and stale. Like I was writing a song that I have already written. Everything felt the same as before. Same old boring chords. Same pattern. It was not working for me. </p>
<p> We all know the meaning of insanity. Doing the same thing, everyday and hoping to get a different result. I decided I needed to fill up the tank. I started off by going to You Tube and listening to some music videos. I listened to a Riley Green's Grandpa song. I then went to Utlimate guitar to see the lyrics and watch some of the how to play it on guitar videos. Sure, I could of listened to the song and figured out the chords but this is so much easier. </p>
<p> Next I listened to a Justin Moore song, If heaven wasn't so far away. I looked up the lyrics, listened to the song and played guitar and sang along. It was fun. I really like Justin Moore's music. The next song I picked was a John Prine song. Angel from Montgomery. I really like that song. I listened to Bonnie Raitts version. Then I sang it and learned to play it.</p>
<p> I probably spent an hour or two just playing around. No agenda. Just having a good time listening to music. Finding the lyrics and chords to the songs. Watching a video of the song. On some of the songs I would watch the original music video. On others I would watch a learing guitar video. The great things about watching the guitar videos is it helps with my learning process. I can read music and I can play by ear but it is quicker if I can see and hear it done. </p>
<p> I was able to write a verse and a chorus for a new song. What was exciting was that I really liked the chords and the new melody. It was fresh. It was different. I had something in the songwriting tank that I could take out. The next time you are struggling to write a song and are feeling frustrated give this a try. </p>Jim McCartertag:jimmccarter.com,2005:Post/62699812020-04-02T19:27:55-05:002022-04-06T12:26:11-05:00I love my boss, sometimes<p> </p>
<p> I am a self published songwriter. I own 100% of the songs that I write by myself. The name of my publishing company is McCarter Music Publishing.(I think that is the name I chose.) It might be McCarter Publishing. I might need to look that up. The day that I signed up I had to pick a name and I choked under pressure. I had never thought of naming my publishing company so I get zero points for orginality. </p>
<p> What are the advantages of self publishing? The biggest advantage is I'm the boss. I also love my boss, sometimes. Other times he can be a real jerk. If I worked for a Nashville music publisher I would have deadlines to meet and I would be confined on what types of songs I could write. Usually, a songwriter with a publishing deal would need to write an acceptable song a month or twelve songs a year. My goal is to write one new song a month. I have been doing this for years. It is great to create your own deadlines and have expectations to meet. It gives me a sense of accomplishment when I achieve my goals. </p>
<p> So what would be acceptable? That is the magic question. It would need to fit the country music category. This would be the country music that is now being played on the radio or the latest and greatest version of country music coming down the pipe. The songs would need to be about universal ideas. In the country world this would be love, heartbreak, makeup songs, breakup songs, drinking, and partying songs.</p>
<p> There have been lots of songs written about these items. What makes it hard is coming up with new and fresh ideas to say the same old thing. Like saying I love you without every saying I love you in the song. Maybe I would say, you are the moonlight shining on the dresser drawer mirror. The sunshine streaming throught the window that l wake up to. </p>
<p> I have the freedom to write whatever I want. I might write a gospel song, a blues song, and instrumental or a folk song. At the present,, I am trying to write songs that could work on radio without too many do's and don't attached to them. The last song I wrote was a song called Good Good Goodbye. It is a song about my saying goodbye to my Mom for the last time. If I was working for a publisher this would probably not be an acceptable song. It would probably be too personal. </p>
<p> Have you ever heard the song Elephant by Jason Isbell? It is an example of a moving song that would not be on country radio but has been a big hit for him. Sometimes I think that is what is missing on the current country music. It doesn't make you feel anything. Music should make us feel something. Happy, sad, wanting to dance, or singing along. </p>
<p> Well, I better go. My boss told me I need to be writing songs instead of blogging on the computer. I love my boss, sometimes. </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>Jim McCartertag:jimmccarter.com,2005:Post/62682792020-04-01T08:24:17-05:002022-04-06T12:26:21-05:00Merry Christmas<p> Merry Christmas. Happy April Fool's Day. I know it isn't Christmas but it is for me. As a songwriter, it always feels like Christmas when I get a song back that I have professionally recorded. The name of my song is called, No Time Son. I won't describe the song and tell you all about it, I'll let the song do the talking. Hope you like it. </p>3:26Jim McCartertag:jimmccarter.com,2005:Post/62626192020-03-26T11:34:39-05:002022-04-06T12:26:30-05:00Happy birthday, Mom! I wrote you a song. <p> Today is my Mom's birthday. Shame on me. I wouldn't of realized it if it weren't for Facebook and my son, Jordan reminding me. Part of my problem, without going to deep into a therapy session is I never look or think about a calendar. I don't want to tell you how many anniversaries I have missed. My wedding anniversary is on December 1st. That is a bad time for an important date. April sneaks by me and Oops! we are two days into May before I realize it. Thankfully my wife is very forgiving.</p>
<p> This was a hard song for me to write. We all hate goodbyes. There are a lot of songs about there is nothing good about goodbyes. So I wrote a song that talks about a good, good, goodbye. That is the name of my song. I believe there are two things we want to know when a loved one passes away. We want them to know that we love them and we want to know that they loved us. If those two things happen it truly is a good good goodbye.</p>
<p> If my sister Lana Mae is reading this or listening to the song. I'm sorry if this song makes you cry. I had the same problem trying to write it. Here are the lyrics to the song. </p>
<p> <strong>Good, good, goodbye</strong></p>
<p><strong>Tubes in your nose, IV with morphine</strong></p>
<p><strong>ICU is empty, just you and me.</strong></p>
<p><strong>You whisper softly, I lean in close</strong></p>
<p><strong>Hold your hand gently, we both know</strong></p>
<p> </p>
<p><strong>You're longing for home, dreams coming true</strong></p>
<p><strong>Better place is prepared, waiting for you</strong></p>
<p><strong>Your eyelids are heavy, can't keep'm open</strong></p>
<p><strong>Hugs and kisses, time to be going</strong></p>
<p> </p>
<p><strong>Chorus- You said, I love you, I said, I love you too.</strong></p>
<p><strong>that's a good, good, good, a good good goodbye.</strong></p>
<p> </p>
<p><strong>Walked across the room and I stopped</strong></p>
<p><strong>Momma asked me to turn the lights off</strong></p>
<p><strong>I said, Goodnight, don't let the bedbugs bite</strong></p>
<p><strong>Same words you told me every night, then</strong></p>
<p> </p>
<p><strong>I said, Later alligator, after while crocodile</strong></p>
<p><strong>We started laughing, I love your smile</strong></p>
<p><strong>A moive moment, my mind pressed record</strong></p>
<p><strong>repeated the words, we said before</strong></p>
<p> </p>
<p><strong>Chorus- You said, I love you, I said, I love you, too</strong></p>
<p><strong>That's a good, good, good, a good, good, goodbye</strong></p>
<p> </p>
<p><strong>Sometimes I miss you, I get depressed</strong></p>
<p><strong>There's a button in my mind, I like to press</strong></p>
<p> </p>
<p><strong>Chorus- You said, I love you, I said, I love you, too.</strong></p>
<p><strong>That's a good, good, good, a good, good, goodbye.</strong></p>
<p> </p>
<p>My friend Henry has problems hearing my songs. If you look in the bottom left hand corner, This is an arrow that you left click once with your mouse to hear the song. Hope this helps. </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>3:37Jim McCartertag:jimmccarter.com,2005:Post/62603092020-03-24T11:59:18-05:002022-04-06T12:27:30-05:00My plans for my vacation were changed<p> I am on vacation this week. I had big plans. Here is some of the things that I had planned and that I had paid for. I was going to drive to Nashville on Sunday. I was going to leave early in the morning to make the trip in one day. I was going to leave at 4 or 5 am so I could be in Nashville by 6pm. I would drive straight through. My straight through is different than most people. I like or need to stop every hour or so. I get sleepy, I get hungry, I get bored, or hey, I just want to stretch my legs. To my credit the stops are fast. Fast food, rest room and back on the road. Sometimes I'm eating or drinking while I'm driving. Coffee can really increase the number or stops but it really helps me stay awake. So I consider coffee a necessary evil.</p>
<p> Sunday night I was planning on hearing some live music. Monday I was going to a two day NSAI conference call Tin Pan South Songwriter conference. It would be attended by about four hundred songwriters from all over the world. Cool event. It was a two day conference. On Wednesday, I was going to go to the NSAI chapter coordinator training class. Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday I was going to go to concerts every night as part of an event called Tin Pan South Songwriting Festival. </p>
<p> Tin Pan South is the best concerts I have ever heard. I say this because it is the songwriters performing their own songs. Yeah, some of them don't sing as great as the artists that performed their songs but they sing it with so much feeling. I love it because the songs are sung in small venues where you can see the performer up close. No need for a megatron screen or whatever you call those big screens that you have to watch at a concert because the peformer's are 4 inches high.</p>
<p> I was going to hang out with my buddy Dave and see some concerts, do some songwriting and have a grand ole time. It was going to be great. Oh but wait, something happened. Corona V 2019. None of these plans happened. Everything I had planned changed. Life is like this. We can make our plans but we are not really in control. God is. I am thankful that he is in control. I can rest in his goodness and know that whatever happens I will trust in him. Maybe I'll get the virus, or maybe I won't. I don't have to worry because I'm trusting in him. </p>
<p> So what am I doing on vacation? Yesterday, I raked the yard, hauled limbs off, and ate Godfather's pizza. Today, I sent a song off to Nashville to get a demo made. Tomorrow is still in the planning stages but I am going to try to accompish alot in my days off this week. </p>
<p> </p>Jim McCartertag:jimmccarter.com,2005:Post/62561342020-03-20T11:04:16-05:002022-04-06T12:27:38-05:00Who was the first baseball player to appear on the cover of the Rolling Stones magazine?<p>3 Who was the first baseball player to appear on the cover of Rolling Stone magazine? Let me give you some hints. He was a pitcher who played for the Detriot Tigers. His first season in the leage his won-loss record was 19 wins and 11 losses. He was the AL rookie of the year in 1976. </p>
<p> The answer is Mark(The Bird) Fidrych. I loved to watch him pitch. He was a character. He was very animated. He would get down on his hands and knees and groom the pitcher's mound around the pitcher's rubber. He would talk to himself and talk to the ball. He was a competitor who loved to win but what attracted fans to him was he was just a humble, friendly guy. He was a hero that we could relate to. A farm boy who make it big. He was one of us whose dream came true.Us fans were able to enjoy his success because he was like us,</p>
<p> What do you think his salary was in 1976? Remember this was before sports stars were paid astronomical amounts. His yearly salary was $16,500 dollars. True things were a lot cheaper in 1976 but I remember what I was making at the grocery store. I was freshly graduated from high school and was full time at Rick' Super Saver in Oskie, KS. I was on salary and I worked forty hours a week. My paycheck before taxes was 100 dollars a week. That would make ny yearly salary 5200 dollars a year. He would of make about three times more money than me.</p>
<p> The minimum salary for a major league player in 2019 was 555,000. A full time stocker at a grocery store makes about ten bucks and hours. That would be 400 week of twenty thousand a year. That would figure out to be more than 25 times what a stocker would make. What a crazy world we live in. I bet if we lowered the pay not everyone would want to be a major league player. If that happened the players who played would be the ones who truly love the game. Ticket prices would go down. Everyone could go to a game without breaking the piggy bank. </p>Jim McCartertag:jimmccarter.com,2005:Post/62537702020-03-18T12:18:21-05:002022-04-06T12:30:06-05:00Writing instrumental music for movies and TV shows<p> Life can be very vanilla sometimes. We go to work at the same job, sometimes we work the same hours, talk to the same people, even drive the same route to and from work everyday. This is great if you like to be regimented and I must admit I can be that way. So last week I decided to try something new. Usually I always write songs and my main focus is the lyrics. I love it when you craft a song and it comes out the way you imagine it in the recording of your mind. </p>
<p> I had a guitar riff that I really liked. It has more of a rock feel than most songs that I write. So I decided that I would try to write a song that could fit the Sync market. The sync market is music that is played in movies, commercials, tv shows, soap opera's, ( Do they still make soap opera's?) and any where else that you might need music playing in the background. Maybe a Kroger grocery store. </p>
<p> I have submitted songs for sync opportunities before. They were songs that I wrote and had a professional studio style them up and add bows and ribbons. I have never sent one in that was me and me only playing all of the instruments. I'm not trying to add the bows and ribbons, I just want to create a decent sounding acceptable sync song. The great thing about creating these songs myself is that it doesn't cost me any cash. Time, yes. Cash, No.</p>
<p> Hey, maybe you are a musician or vocalist and would be interested in doing this with me. Hit me up and let me know what you play or how great you sing. The only thing that it would cost us to chase the dream is time. Even though, that is one of the most important commodities of life. </p>
<p> Let me know if you like it. Is there a problem area that needs fixed? I am open to suggestions to make it better. Have a great day. </p>
<p> </p>2:29Jim McCartertag:jimmccarter.com,2005:Post/62417462020-03-08T12:17:20-05:002022-04-06T12:27:56-05:00Night of Worship next Sunday night<p> I am a member at Topeka Baptist church. We are having a music program night on Sunday night, March 15th from 6 to 7pm. I signed up last week to play a song for the program. The name of the song is called Broken crayons. Here are the lyrics to my song.</p>
<p> <strong> Broken Crayons</strong></p>
<p><strong>You got lots of pretty crayons in your crayon box</strong></p>
<p><strong>Red and black, blue and green, violet and apricot</strong></p>
<p><strong>You know every colors name and where they should go</strong></p>
<p><strong>Can I be the indigo in your rainbow?</strong></p>
<p> </p>
<p><strong>Chorus- Broken crayon, that's what I am</strong></p>
<p><strong>wax and paper, in your hand</strong></p>
<p><strong>You love broken crayon, you love me</strong></p>
<p><strong>you say you need me to paint a masterpiece</strong></p>
<p><strong>Jesus use me.</strong></p>
<p> </p>
<p><strong>The devil says I'm worthless, I know that's a lie</strong></p>
<p><strong>if that were true, Why did Jesus die?</strong></p>
<p><strong>So I give you my all, my love and loyalty</strong></p>
<p><strong>to the sunset painter who see's the gold in me</strong></p>
<p> </p>
<p><strong>Chorus- Broken crayon, that's what I am</strong></p>
<p><strong>wax and paper, in your hand</strong></p>
<p>Y<strong>ou love broken crayons, you love me</strong></p>
<p><strong>You say, You need me to paint a masterpiece</strong></p>
<p><strong>Jesus use me.</strong></p>
<p> </p>
<p><strong>Grind me down, use me up</strong></p>
<p><strong>Grind me down, use me up</strong></p>
<p> </p>
<p><strong>Broken crayon, that's what I am</strong></p>
<p><strong>wax and paper in your hand</strong></p>
<p><strong>You love broken crayons, you love me</strong></p>
<p><strong>You say, You need me, to paint a masterpiece.</strong></p>
<p><strong>Jesus use me. Jeus use me, Jesus use me.</strong></p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>Jim McCartertag:jimmccarter.com,2005:Post/62239142020-02-22T08:59:05-06:002022-04-06T12:30:09-05:00Beets don't taste like chocolate cake<p> Beets don't taste like chocolate cake. That is the reason that I don't eat beets. I probably should eat beats. My Mom and Dad were beet lovers. They must be good for you. My Dad lived to be ninety-five and Mom was ninety-four. Dad must of liked beets a little more than Mom.</p>
<p> Mom would make them regularly. They were a side dish on the table at dinner and lunch time. Mom always liked to ask me, "Jim, do you want some beets?" That line always made me laugh. No, I didn't want beets and she knew that I didn't want beets. I used to say, "I'll pass." and smile. I needed a better response. So this is the one that I started using. I said, "Mom, I had beets for breakfast so I think I'm gonna pass." Her and Dad would both laugh. </p>
<p> My son, Jeremy eats beets. I don't know if he eats beets but he drinks beets. He mixed them in with his smoothies. He told me that if you add beets to your smoothies. Your smoothies will always be the dark red beet color. I don't drink smoothies either. What happened to me? I am surrounded by healthy people who care enough about their health that they eat and drink beets. I am going to eat my chocolate cake and pretend it is a bowl of beets. Will that work? </p>Jim McCartertag:jimmccarter.com,2005:Post/62188872020-02-18T05:04:05-06:002022-04-06T12:30:13-05:00Seven Year Plan<p> Success of any type does not happen overnight. I have heard that to be successful in Nashville, as a songwriter, it will take about seven years. Oh sure, there are a few lucky ones that come to Nashville and hit home runs on their first at bat at the plate. The thing to think about is what were they doing before they came to Nashville? They were probably the girl who practiced her guitar for hours and hours after school, or the guy who started his own band at fifteen and has been playing every weekend up till he turned twenty- one and moved to Nashville </p>
<p> Success is hard work. My grandson is a basketball player at Rossville High School. Aiden is a good basketball player who got to play varsity as a freshmen last year. I was more excited about this than he was. Last years team struggled to win games. Every team we played used a full court press on us. It worked. We threw the ball out of bounds, double dribbled, took longer than ten seconds to get to mid court, and passed the ball to the opposing team so they could score. It was ugly to watch and I know it was frustrating for the team. </p>
<p> This year is a different story. Our team has practiced and now we attack the full court pressure. We are breaking the press and getting easy baskets. Guess what? Everybody has quit trying to use the full court press on us. Instead of being a weakness, it is now a strength. It took a lot of practice and hard work to turn from failure to success.</p>
<p> I am reading a book called Grit to Great. It had a great story in it. The University of Florida did a study and found out that to master a skill at the highest level takes a minimum of ten years. This ten years would need the right kind of focus. Learning to break a full court press would be part of that process and then you would go on to other aspects of the game. Like defense, rebounding, boxing out, inbound plays, and the list goes on and on. </p>
<p> Pablo Casals is a world-renowned cellist. He is generally regarded as the greatest cellist of all time. He was asked at the age of ninety-three, Why he practiced three hours a day? I love his response. He said, " I'm beginning to show some improvement." He was continuing to invest his time to get better at his craft. He had another quote that I like. The most perfect technique is that which it not noticed at all. This is breaking the full court press and making it look easy. It is three passes and a layup. </p>
<p> My hope for you is that you spend the time to master your craft. It doesn't matter what it is. It could be writing a song, or making chocolate cake. I love chocolate cake. It takes time and practice to master it. Keep practicing, it will be worth it. </p>
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<p> </p>Jim McCartertag:jimmccarter.com,2005:Post/62065722020-02-06T12:47:22-06:002022-04-06T12:30:16-05:00How to find song ideas<p> 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.</p>
<p> 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. <em>Somebody will take his job but nobody will take his place. </em></p>
<p> Let me repeat that line. That line is songwriting gold. Somebody will take his job but nobody will take his place. I love it.</p>
<p> 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.</p>
<p> 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.</p>
<p> 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. </p>
<p> 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. </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>Jim McCartertag:jimmccarter.com,2005:Post/61981772020-01-31T08:15:33-06:002022-04-06T12:30:18-05:00Make people laugh- You can do this<p> 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. </p>
<p> 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. </p>
<p> 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. </p>
<p> 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. </p>
<p> 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,<strong> make people laugh.</strong> Sounds simple but it's not.</p>
<p> 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.</p>
<p> 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. <strong>Make people laugh.</strong></p>
<p> . </p>Jim McCartertag:jimmccarter.com,2005:Post/61951542020-01-29T06:25:25-06:002022-04-06T12:30:44-05:00New Music USA grants<p> 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.</p>
<p> 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.</p>
<p> 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. </p>
<p> 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. </p>
<p> 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. </p>3:43Jim McCartertag:jimmccarter.com,2005:Post/61751442020-01-28T13:22:51-06:002022-04-06T12:30:52-05:00Pastor Mark's sermon<p> 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. </p>
<p> What did he find out? Nothing brought him the satisfaction he was looking for. Read what he wrote in Ecclesiastes 2:22,23<em> 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.</em></p>
<p><em> </em>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. </p>
<p> 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.</p>
<p><strong> L</strong>et God write your story- We are not in control. Never will be. It would not turn out good if we were. </p>
<p><strong>O</strong>bey God no matter what- God knows best. </p>
<p><strong>V</strong>alue every moment- Being single, getting married, raising kids, working, retiring. etc.</p>
<p><strong>E</strong>njoy life in God's will- Doing what God had planned for our lives and loving it. </p>
<p><strong>LOVE</strong></p>
<p>I thought this was pretty good stuff. </p>
<p><em> </em></p>Jim McCartertag:jimmccarter.com,2005:Post/61751352020-01-26T18:50:31-06:002022-04-06T12:31:02-05:00Where do songwriter's write songs? <p> 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. </p>
<p> 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.</p>
<p>Mary had a little lamb, little lamb, little lamb</p>
<p>Mary had a little lamb his fleece was white as snow. </p>
<p> 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. </p>
<p> 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.</p>
<p> Title??????</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Jimmy drove a Cadillac, Cadillac, Caddilac</p>
<p>Jimmy drove a Cadillac, down to Mexico.</p>
<p>Looking for his Mary Ann, Mary Ann, Mary Ann</p>
<p>looking for his Mary Ann down in Mexico.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Heard she had a new boyfriend, new boyfriend, new boyfriend.</p>
<p>Heard she had a new boyfriend down in Mexico</p>
<p>Jimmy bought a Winchester, Winchester, Winchester.</p>
<p>Jimmy bought a Winchester down in Mexico.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Jimmy shot his cheating wife, cheating wife, cheating wife,</p>
<p>Jimmy shot his cheating wife, down in Mexico.</p>
<p>Cops don't know where Jimmy is, Jimmy is, Jimmy is</p>
<p>Cops don't know where Jimmy is down in Mexico</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Jimmy he ain't going back, going back, going back</p>
<p>Jimmy he ain't going back down to Mexico.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> 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. </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>Jim McCartertag:jimmccarter.com,2005:Post/61743122020-01-26T08:41:39-06:002022-04-06T12:31:11-05:00Is there such a thing as writers (songwriters) block ?<p> Is there such a thing as writer's (songwriters) block? A lot of writers and songwriters would say yes. I don't know if I believe that. There is always something to write about. My granddaughter Ella is four years old. She hears Papa writing songs. She was talking to me a couple of weeks ago and she said she had written a song. I said, " Really, that is great! Do you want to sing it for me? "</p>
<p> She shook her head yes and started singing, "The rain came down, the rain came down. Splish! Splash! I told her, "That is a great song. I love it. My favorite part is the Splish! Splash! She smiled. Her day was made and so was mine. </p>
<p> If a four year old can write a song, how can a teenager or an adult not be able to write a song? Sometimes I believe that people start editing a song too soon. Write, write, write, and then write some more. After you have a few verses or a chorus then you can put on your song publisher hat and figure out what is wrong with your song. Ella had an advantage over other songwriters. She wasn't worried about Splish and Splash rhyming. She didn't know about near rhymes. She was just singing a song. </p>
<p> I believe people struggle writing not because they don't have anything to say. We probably have too much to say. I could write a song about anything. As I look around my music studio I could name a number of song titles. Cold coffee. Wanna be Rock Star. Sunday morning regrets. Brown carpet and beige walls, Empty tip jars, Jobs to do. Headphones and guitar picks. Pawn shop guitars. Black song notebook. Etc. </p>
<p> Sometimes all we need to do is start. Write something down. Anything. You can even write down what you can't write a song about. Example, I could wirte a song about a leaf who was afraid of heights and was afraid to fall. He worried that he would fall like a rock and not float to the ground. The winter wind blew on a cold December day. He finally let go and he landed softly. He was A okay. Silly yes. Song lyric. Yes. Hit song. No. Every song is practice for the next song. Practice, Practice. Practice. </p>
<p> Go ahead and write a song today. You can do this. </p>Jim McCartertag:jimmccarter.com,2005:Post/61313032020-01-18T10:09:10-06:002022-04-06T12:31:37-05:00Rednecker song<p> We all think that we can spot talent. I think that is why so many people watch Voice and American Idol. We tell our wives and our kids, "That guy is good. He's gonna win." The crazy thing is sometimes we get it right. Isn't that a great feeling. </p>
<p> I have had that feeling when I went to Nashville. I went to see a show at the Bluebird Café. In the writers round was a guy named Jaren Johnson. I loved his songs. I was telling all my family and friends, "He's gonna make it and be a big star." Did he? Yes, He is the lead singer for Cadillac Three. They are a rock/country band. Also he has written hits for other people. Meanwhile Back at Mama's, Drunk on a Plane, Riser, and Raise "Em up. Everyone calls a good one every now and then.</p>
<p> A few years ago, I listened to a song called Rednecker by Hardy. I really like it. I had that feeling that he had what it took. Fast forward a couple years and I'm playing videos on You Tube. I'm watching a singer songwriter sing his version of the song he wrote for Blake Shelton. The song is God's Country. It was a big hit. It was written by Hardy and two other songwriters. I got another one right. Yee! Haw! I am like a gambler. I will brag about my winning and never say a word about my losing. </p>
<p> Here is a video of Rednecker. Tell me what you think. </p>Jim McCartertag:jimmccarter.com,2005:Post/60636032020-01-06T09:28:04-06:002022-04-06T12:35:26-05:00A place for everything<p> Saturday was moving day. No, I didn't move to a new house. It was music room moving day. My buddy Rick came over and helped me move. We moved all of my music collection from a ten by ten bedroom to a bigger room in the basement. The new room is double the size of the old music room.</p>
<p> I don't like clutter. It is hard to keep a small room from getting cluttered. Especially when you start recording. What happens is, I decide I want to record a song but I want to use more microphones. I will need to get out a couple more mic stands. I will need to more microphone cords. Maybe, I want a different sounding guitar so I drag one out of the closet. Now I have two more mic stands, an extra guitar and a guitar case. It can snowball real quick. After it gets cluttered I got to clean it. I don't like working in a cluttered workspace. The new music room will be easier to keep from getting cluttered so easily, I hope.</p>
<p> I am hoping a new music room and a new year will produce new songs for 2020. </p>Jim McCartertag:jimmccarter.com,2005:Post/60510982019-12-30T08:09:11-06:002022-04-06T12:35:22-05:00How many hats are you wearing?<p> I like to wear ball caps. I wear them on my day off and I wear one to work. I have quite a selection of caps. I have a gray cap that has a US flag on it, (bought it to wear on stage), KU cap, NY Jets cap, (not a Jets fan but liked green) , NSAI black cap, and many others. My favorite cap is my Bluebird Café cap. It is comfortable and broke in. It has sweat stains around and is looking pretty rough. You can definitely tell it has been worn a lot. I have different caps for different activities. I wear a Dillons cap to work, and NSAI cap to my monthly meetings, and I work outside and mow my yard in my Bluebird Café cap.</p>
<p> As a songwriter I wear many different hats. Here is a list of some of the hats that I wear. Lyric writer, song idea creator, melody writer, guitar player, bass guitar player, recording engineer, blogger, NSAI coordinator, performer, and the list goes on and on. It is so easy to get sidetracked and not write songs. I could spend all my time working on my guitar playing or all of my time blogging. </p>
<p> I remember when I first bought my Tascam DP-01 digital audio workstation. I went from being a songwriter to being a recording engineer. (and not a good one either.) I had so much to learn that it took up all of my time. I had to learn to record tracks, how to EQ tracks, how to mix tracks, how to master a CD, how to burn a cd, and how to make it sound better. It was a full time job being a recording engineer. </p>
<p> It took me a while to realize the error of my ways. Now, I don't try to make a perfect demo. I do my best. I probably spend 30 minutes making a demo. I play my guitar and sing at the same time. If I mess up singing the wrong words I will record it again. Usually I can get it right in three or four tries. Is the singing perfect?No! Is the guitar playing perfect? No! Does the demo give me a permanent copy of my song? Yes. Is my rough demo good enough to allow a pro studio to create a great demo? Yes.</p>
<p> It is necessary to wear many hats. Maybe you are like me and you are doing too much. Remember to keep the focus on what is important. I am a songwriter, not a recording engineer. </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>Jim McCartertag:jimmccarter.com,2005:Post/60502992019-12-29T12:11:48-06:002022-04-06T12:35:30-05:00God's Country video by Blake Shelton<p> I went to the library on Thursday. I never know what I am going to get at the library. I pick books randomly. I have one author that I try to read every book that e has written. His name is John Grisham. You have probably heard of him. Here is a list of some of his books. Many of these have been made into movies. The Rainmaker, A Time to Kill, The Pelican Brief, The Client, The Frim, etc.</p>
<p> I got four books this week. Tap Out- a book of modern day poetry. Cruel Shoes is a comedy book written by Steve Martin. ( I didn't get the jokes.) lol The third book I picked out was An American Summer. It is a book written by a social worker telling stories about the danger of living in Chicago and stories about living in poverty and bad neighborhoods. The last one I picked was How to Shoot Video that doesn't Suck. </p>
<p> Why did I pick out that book? Someday I might want to shoot a music video of one of my songs. This book might have some info that I need to know. Videos are more entertaining to watch that just listening to a song. I thought I knew enough to make a good video. Wrong! I learned so much. A lot of it is stuff that I know but really don't know. Here is an example- Keep your shots or scenes under ten seconds. </p>
<p> The point of watching a movie or a music video is to be entertained. To be entertained we need variety. A music video would be boring if all we saw was Blake Shelton singing his song with one camera angle. This is what I see when I go to a concert. His video God's Country is definitely not boring. The song is 3 minutes and 27 seconds long. I counted the scene changes and it was 146 and I might have missed a few. Lets do the math. The song is 207 seconds long and has 146 scene changes. This average length of a scene was 1.4 seconds. Some scenes were a picture flashed on the screen. The longest on was about ten seconds as Blake sang the chorus. </p>
<p> I did a little more research on scenes. I watched part of the movie The Siege. A movie with Denzel Washington and Bruce Willis. The scene were short and changed often. None of them were longer than ten seconds. I noticed that if it was a long scene where two people were talking they would break it up by changing the camera angle. First it was on the guy in the scene. A close up of the girl. Different angles, Focusing on different people, items in the room, etc. I will not be able to watch a movie now without analyzing the scenes. </p>
<p> I like it when I learn something new. I learned to keep my scenes short and entertain your audience. </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>Jim McCartertag:jimmccarter.com,2005:Post/59681532019-11-21T10:17:27-06:002022-04-06T12:35:34-05:00My song idea I got from my family reunion<p> You never know what you might learn about your family tree at a family reunion. Here is my latest claim to fame. I am related to Tom Dooley. Some of you young folks may not know who Tom Dooley is. Tom Dooley is a character in an old folk song. It goes, Hang down your head Tom Dooley, Hang down your head and cry, Hand down your head Tom Dooley, Poor boy you're gonna die. </p>
<p> It is pretty bad that my claim to fame is a song about a horse thief and a murderer. What is even worse than that is I don't even know if it's true. Maybe it was a different Tom Dooley. I have learned that you can't believe everything that you learn at a family reunion. It might make a great story but we got some real good story tellers in my family and I love them all. </p>
<p> Damn this Road</p>
<p>Tom Dooley's kin folk of mine</p>
<p>Hung his head and cried</p>
<p>some say, I look and act like him</p>
<p>all the trouble, I get in.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Chorus- Damn this road, crooked road</p>
<p>Dam this road, I'm going down</p>
<p>Wish I could, Know I should</p>
<p>stop and turn myself around.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>I'm no better than Tom Dooley was</p>
<p>Can't see Jesus light because</p>
<p>Love those smoking, drinking Southern belles</p>
<p>They're Okie crazy, wild as hell,</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Damn this road, this crooked road</p>
<p>Damn this road, I'm going down</p>
<p>Wish I could, know I should</p>
<p>stop and turn myself around.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Momma prays, Jesus save, he hears her, when she says</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Damn that road, that crooked road</p>
<p>Damn that road, he's going down</p>
<p>Wish he could,, knows he should</p>
<p>Help him Lord, turn him around</p>
<p>Help him Lord, turn him around. </p>
<p> </p>
<p> The great thing about being related to old Tom was I was able to get a song out of it. </p>
<p style="text-align: center;"> </p>2:41Jim McCartertag:jimmccarter.com,2005:Post/59374772019-10-24T10:16:43-05:002022-04-06T12:35:37-05:00Talking about habits- Hazelnut creamer and coffee<p> Today, I had to go to the grocery store. I was out of Coffeemate Hazelnut Creamer.I have always liked coffee but I love coffee with hazelnut creamer. I love hazelnut creamers but my favorite is Coffeemate. I've tried others but keep coming back to my first love.</p>
<p> My Mom and Dad made and drank coffee everyday. Dad would get up and make it every morning. He was an early riser and Mom was a night owl. I remember he would make coffee on the stove. He used the tin looking coffee pots that looked like a pot on the bottom and had a silver shaped bowl on top. The top part was very similar to a drip coffee maker that wasn't invented yet. I wanted to be a coffee drinker because my Mom and Dad were and I thought it was cool to drink coffee. Probably not much different than how some kids want to drink alcohol because there parents do. </p>
<p> My biggest problem with being cool was that I didn't like the taste of coffee. I thought it had a bitter taste to it. Sure I tried to make it taste better by doctoring it up. I added cream and sugar. I still didn't like the taste. It was worse when I added the cream and sugar. </p>
<p> I remember the first time that I knew I was going to be a coffee drinker. I went to watch an Oskaloosa Bear's football game. I wasn't a football player. but I did feel sorry for my friends standing on the sidelines freezing to death. I was bundled up and I was still freezing. I could only imagine how cold they were. I needed something to warm me up and coffee became my new best friend. It was hot and it helped with the cold. I decided I would drink my coffee black. Nothing I added made it taste better, so black it would be. </p>
<p> I drank my coffee black for the next twenty years. I remember when I got started adding hazelnut creamer. I was divorced and I did my laundry at the laundromat mat at 6th and Clay. The laundromat was located next to the Tilton's grocery store and across the street was a Kwik shop. I would go over and get me a cup of coffee to drink while my laundry was washing. </p>
<p> I would guess a cup of coffee at that time was forty-nine cents. I wouldn't pay that for a cup of coffee but they had a deal. If you bought one of their Kwik shop mugs or brought in your own coffee cup you could get a cup for ten cents. I decided for ten cents I ought to try out some of those liquid creamer packets.I started going to Kwik shop on days that weren't laundry days to buy my coffee. This was the end of drinking my coffee black. I loved the taste of hazel nut creamer in my coffee. </p>
<p> Do you ever notice that when we get hooked on something, we want others to try it too? Kinda like a heroin user getting his buddies to start the habit. I was a bad influence on my Mom. She was in the hospital at Stormont Vail. She was there because she had cancer surgery and was recovering. I took her a cup of coffee that I doctored up with three hazelnut creamers. Three is the magic number that you need to get the perfect rush. </p>
<p> She was hooked. She went home from the hospital cancer free but with a new habit. Hazelnut creamer in her coffee. She bought it at the grocery store and always had on or two extra bottles to make sure that she didn't run out. I would go see Mom and Dad and we would sit around and drink our doctored up coffee all day. </p>
<p> My Mom passed away a couple years ago. A cup of hazelnut coffee reminds me of her and our time together. Two hazelnut addicts enjoying our coffee and talking about life. Today, I lift up my cup and take a sip to great times, great memories of Mom and hazelnut coffee. </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>Jim McCartertag:jimmccarter.com,2005:Post/59347372019-10-22T06:36:05-05:002022-04-06T12:35:41-05:00Atomic Habits<p> I like to read. Reading is more enjoyable than watching TV. After writing that I thought, why do I watch TV. I watch TV because it is a habit. It is a habit that is easy to do. We all do things that are easy to do. It is the path of least resistance. It is easy to spend time of Facebook. It is easy to eat candy when it is sitting in a bowl on the table. Which would you do? Eat M&M's out of a candy bowl on the table or got to the refrigerator, open up the veggie drawer, get an apple, wash it off, peel it, throw away the peel, and then finally eat it. Are we on the same team? Yeah, M&M's. What it the M&M's were in the veggie drawer and apples were in the middle of the kitchen table? You know what, an apple sounds good today. </p>
<p> I read the book Atomic Habits when I went to visit my son, Jeremy and his family on vacation. Jeremy told me it was a great book and that he was reading it a second time. I only had a couple days left on my visit so I started reading it. It was one of those books that I couldn't put down. I read the book in two day and still spent time with my family. The book talks about habits. Good and bad. We all have them but it helps to understand why we do what we do. </p>
<p> One thing that I thought was very interesting is attitude. If people ask we what my hobbies are that I enjoy, I could tell them I try to write songs. That is true. Sometimes I write partial songs, chorus's, boring songs, etc. This is the wrong answer. My answer should be, I am a songwriter. Songwriters write songs. If I tell everybody that I write songs then I will write more often because deep down I believe I am a songwriter. </p>
<p> You can go to so many areas of your life with this. I am a Christ follower instead of I am trying to be a Christ follower. I am a good Dad, instead of I am trying to be a good Dad. I am a runner, instead of I try to run more than I walk when I exercise. I eat healthy, except when I am eating M&M's. Maybe, I eat healthy when I hide or don't buy M&M's. What we tell ourselves is what we believe about ourselves. </p>
<p> If you get a chance you need to read this book. Atomic Habits by James Clear</p>
<p>#atomichabits #jamesclear</p>Jim McCartertag:jimmccarter.com,2005:Post/59100782019-09-30T08:08:04-05:002022-04-06T12:35:44-05:00Walnut Valley Song Contest<p> Last weekend on vacation I went to the Walnut Valley Festival. It is a four day bluegrass and folk music festival in Winfield, Kansas. It also is the home of multiple instrument competitions. The most famous of these is the fingerstyle guitar competition. Competitor come from all over the world for the opportunity to win. The top three winner receive top quality guitars. Really, really nice guitars. The guitars are in the two thousand to four thousand dollar range. </p>
<p> Some of the other competitions they host are flat pick guitar, fiddle, and mandolin. All of these competitions have fine quality instruments for the prizes. I entered the songwriting contest. I was fortunate to win this year, The prize for winning is a red, white and blue ribbon medal. The best part is getting to perform your song on stage at the festival.</p>
<p> How much does it cost to win a medal? I entered four songs at $15 each. Sixty dollars. I spent $130 for festival tickets and camping. Five dollars for a hot shower. Thirty five dollars for gas to get to and from Winfield. Twenty dollars on food at the festival. The price I paid to win a medal was $215. That sounds about right. It is probably cheaper to win a medal than it is to win a trophy playing sports. </p>
<p> My song that won this year was called Better than New. Here is a link to listen to it if you want to. Have a great day. </p>2:28Jim McCartertag:jimmccarter.com,2005:Post/58788632019-09-03T08:33:54-05:002022-04-06T12:36:06-05:00Michael Strahan's Kuwaharah bike<p> I was watching an interview of Michael Strahan. Michael is a pro football Hall of fame player. He played his whole career with the New York Giants and led them to a Super Bowl victory over the New England Patriots. He then went on to have a successful career on TV. He has been a host on Good morning America, Live with Kelly and Ryan, and Strahan, Sara, and Keke. He told this story about his childhood. I can see how this story as a child has impacted and led him to be successful as an adult.</p>
<p> At the age of nine his bike got stolen. It was not a new bike. Michael wanted a new bike, but not just any bike. He wanted a Kuwaharah BMX bike. His Dad told him that he would buy him one but that he would need to save up his half of the money. It took Michael two years to save the money. He saved $500 dollars and brought the money to his Dad. Michael's dad had not been saving his money and planning ahead like Michael so he had to scrape up the money. </p>
<p> Michael still owns and has this bike. For years he kept it in his Mom's attic. Now he has it as his home and it is hanging on the wall, He was asked if he was going to give it to his son. He laughed and said," No, that is my bike." That is great. He earned his bike and wants his son to work hard for what he wants. Sure Michael could afford to buy his son a fancy bike but he wouldn't learn a life lesson like he did. Michael learned a valuable lesson early in life and wants I love stories like this. </p>Jim McCartertag:jimmccarter.com,2005:Post/58691232019-08-24T19:55:43-05:002022-04-06T12:36:15-05:006:53 - A song about the Linwood, KS tornado<p> Here are the new lyrics for 6:53. Also, you can listen to the song. I hope you like it. </p>
<p> 6:53</p>
<p>It's seven till seven, chores left to do</p>
<p>Tornado siren's blaring, F5 passing through</p>
<p>Race for the house, it's not very far</p>
<p>Yell for the dogs, hiding under the car.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Down to the basement, huddling together</p>
<p>under a mattress, holding each other</p>
<p>Cry out to Jesus, Oh, Jesus hear me.</p>
<p>A miracle happened at 6:53, 6:53, at 6:53.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Grain silos missing, swing set and shed</p>
<p>Milk barn is gone, show cows are dead.</p>
<p>Path of destruction, plowed through our land</p>
<p>God kept us safe in his loving hands.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Clock on the wall, up in the kitchen</p>
<p>It read 6:53, now I'm believin'</p>
<p>God heard me, I can see</p>
<p>My life changed at 6:53, 6:53, at 6:53.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>It brought us together, should of tore us apart</p>
<p>I got a new start when that clock stopped</p>
<p>at 6:53, 6:53, it was 6:53.</p>
<p> </p>2:41Jim McCartertag:jimmccarter.com,2005:Post/58489902019-08-06T09:05:37-05:002022-04-06T12:36:24-05:006:53<p> 6:53. This is a song I wrote about the Linwood tornado and how it impacted my family. </p>
<p> </p>
<p> 6:53</p>
<p>Milk cows in the barn, chores left to do</p>
<p>Tornado sirens blaring, F5 passing through</p>
<p>We race for the house, it's not very far</p>
<p>Yell for the dogs, hiding under the car.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Down to the basement, huddling together</p>
<p>under a mattress, holding onto each other.</p>
<p>Cry out to Jesus, Oh Jesus, hear me.</p>
<p>A miracle happened at 6:53.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The milk barn is gone, show cows are dead</p>
<p>two silos are missing, swing set and a shed</p>
<p>a path of destruction, plowed through our land</p>
<p>God kept us safe in his loving hands.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>I saw the time on our kitchen clock</p>
<p>It read 6:53 when that clock stopped</p>
<p>Thank you Jesus for hearing me</p>
<p>my life was saved at 6:53.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>My life didn't stop like that clock did that day</p>
<p>I'm so glad my life's still ticking away.</p>
<p>Thank you Jesus for hearing me</p>
<p>My life changed at 6:53.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> <br> </p>Jim McCartertag:jimmccarter.com,2005:Post/58460052019-08-02T19:40:59-05:002022-04-06T12:40:18-05:00Pin Striped Key Bib Overalls<p> I was flipping through movie channels and I saw a guy wearing Pin striped Key bib overalls. This is the brand and the color of overalls that my Dad used to wear. This was his everyday work attire and after work attire. I don't remember ever seeing my Dad wearing a pair of shorts or blue jeans. I did, however see him wear dress pants, a suit coat, and a tie to church. I think he believed in wearing nothing but your best to church, especially on Sunday morning. On Sunday nights he was not opposed to wearing one his of newer pair of overalls.</p>
<p> He would always wear a button up shirt with his overalls. Dad kept his billfold and checkbook in one of the front pockets. For those of you that are not Key apparel experts. Here are some facts that will help you paint the picture. Key overalls have two pockets in the front on your chest. One on the right and the other on the left. One pocket had a flap and a snap and the other side just had a snap. </p>
<p> In between the two pockets was a small slit to keep a pen or a pencil. Dad always had a pen and a checkbook. He needed these to write and sign checks when he would buy cattle. He could buy cattle by the pound (live weight). This would be how much you and I would weigh on our bathroom scale. Then he would sell them for how much they weighted after they were killed and processed. He was very good and knowing how much he could buy cows for and sell them for and still make money. </p>
<p> Key overalls also had a hammer loop. This was great when Dad worked construction. Who wants to carry around a hammer all day? All he had to do was store it in his trusty hammer loop. Also, Key overalls had a place for a pair of pliers. My dad always had his pliers. You never know when you might need them to tight a loose battery connection on your truck. Or you might need them to snap a piece of wire into to tie two hog panels together to keep the hogs from getting out of the pen. How often would I ever use a pair of pliers? Once a year, maybe.</p>
<p> Isn't that amazing how a pair of Key overalls can bring up all of these memories. Good memories of a hard working father. A man who loved Jesus, his wife and his kids. Who went to work and worked hard to meet the needs of his family. and never complained. Oh, sure, He might say his feet hurt after a hard day pouring concrete as he soaked his feet in hot Epson water. The only reason he said something then was because I was a youngster asking him why he was doing that. I love my Dad and I miss him and his Key pin striped bib overalls. </p>
<p> </p>Jim McCartertag:jimmccarter.com,2005:Post/58392892019-07-28T08:35:28-05:002022-04-06T12:40:14-05:00Peppa Pig<p> Have you ever watched the show Peppa Pig? It is a cartoon on the Nick Jr. cartoon channel. It is a British cartoon and the character all have British accents. It is a show about a little girl pig named Peppa, her little brother George, and her Mama and Papa. I like to tell Ella that it is my favorite show on TV. </p>
<p> It is a great show. They know who their audience is. Their audience is kids. To be more specific it is kids between the ages of two and five. I love the simplicity of this show. Simple is never easy. What do pigs like to do? They like to play in mud puddles. So almost every episode you can find the whole family wearing rubber rain boots jumping up and down in a muddy puddles.</p>
<p> Another thing they do on every episode is fall down on the backs and laugh. How great is that? It is showing a family having fun together playing in puddles and the joy that they feel. A joy that can't be contained so they have to laugh out loud with each other. This happens in every show. Think about how many families don't play and laugh together. </p>
<p> Yesterday was the McCarter family reunion in Wamego, Ks. We get together each year to have a pot luck dinner and hang out. Do you know my favorite part of family reunion? Or any other family gathering? Everyone laughing and having a good time. Telling old jokes or funny stories about our latest misadventures. I don't know if everyone's family reunions are like mine but I hope that they are. It reminds me of Peppa Pig when the whole family lays on their backs and laughs. We don't do the lay on our back part.. Some of us might have trouble getting back up. </p>
<p> So today if you get a chance, play in muddy puddles and laugh with joy. </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>Jim McCartertag:jimmccarter.com,2005:Post/58343962019-07-23T19:52:22-05:002022-04-06T12:40:11-05:00Walnut Valley New Song contest deadline<p> It is getting close to the deadline for the Walnut Valley New Song contest. The deadline is August 1st, 2019. The songs need to be there before August 1st. They use the actual date that the songs are received and not the date that it is post marked, so you better hurry if you are interested in entering.</p>
<p> I am entering four songs this year. You can enter as many songs as you want. It just depends on how many songs you have and how much you want to spend. The contest has ten different categories. The categories are Songs about Winfield, Sweet Memories, Suitable for Children, Love songs, Songs for a Better World, Feeling blue, Humorous songs, Religion or Spirit, Instrumentals, and None of the Above. Which category do you think has the most entries? Normally the category with the most entries is None of the Above.</p>
<p> Probably because songwriters like to think that are songs don't fit in categories or boxes. They are our little creations and how dare we try to limit our songs. It would be similar to saying your child has ADD. (Attention Deficit Disorder) We would prefer to say our child is hyper active and not label them. I like the old days when we were more concerned about people than the labels that others placed on them. I am okay with labeling my songs now. When I first started writing it was harder because my songs were more wild and didn't conform well to playing with others. </p>
<p> I am entering Better than New in the sweet memories category. Jesus in Me in the religion category, Something you can see in the love category, and Rose in the Humorous category. The prize for winning is you get to play your songs on stage at the festival. I will have four chances. This is kinda like playing the lottery but the tickets cost more. It is fifteen dollars a song to play the game. I am betting sixty bucks in hopes of getting one winning song. </p>
<p> Let me know if you're interested in hearing any of these songs. </p>
<p> </p>Jim McCartertag:jimmccarter.com,2005:Post/58209102019-07-11T08:44:26-05:002022-04-06T12:40:04-05:00Golf balls and songwriting<p> It was my turn to teach the lesson this last Tuesday at our monthly NSAI meeting at the Bluestem Bistro in Manhattan. The little apple. The big apple is New York City and the little apple is Manhattan, Ks. </p>
<p> I believe when you are teaching that you need to share a story that relates to the subject you are talking about. This concept is nothing new. Jesus used it when he talked about spiritual things. He talked about the missing coin, the prodigal son, lost sheep and planting crops. My story is about golf balls. Golf balls and songwriting. What in the world do those two things have to do with each other?</p>
<p> For those of you that don't know me very well, I am cheap. I am cheap and golf balls are expensive. I remember the first time I went and played golf at a real golf course with my buddy Rick. I was going to find lost golf balls so in the future I would not need to buy them. I was not having any luck finding any golf balls. I was looking in easy to get to area. The middle of the fairway or next to the cart path. I wanted it to be easy and I looked in places that were convenient and easy. I had no luck.</p>
<p> I know where and how to find a golf ball now. I look for golf balls where I lost my golf ball. If I hit my golf ball there and lost it, you can bet other golfer are doing it too. Usually, golf balls are in tall grass, weeds, poison ivy, buried in leaves or at the bottom of the lake. Sometimes I may not find my ball but I will find somebody else's ball. I will stop looking and consider this par for the hole. A good game of golf is when you have more golf balls at the end of the game than you had at the start of the game. </p>
<p> How do you find good ideas to write about as a songwriter? It is the same as looking for golf balls. A lot of great songs are written about the messy parts of our lives. One of my favorite songs is by T. Graham Brown. It is called Wine into water. It is about his struggle with the bottle. One line is Can you help me turn the wine back into water? I could try to write this song but I could never do it as well as T. Graham Brown. The reason is because I don't struggle with alcoholism. It would not feel real or authentic.</p>
<p> I could also write about happy times in my life. We all have happy times, Times when we are in love, getting married, the birth of children or grandchildren. These are happy things that everybody experiences, If you tell your story, other people have had the same type of stories. Their story might be a little different but very similar. People want to hear a song that is about them not you, but when you write a story about you it resonates with them. (If it is a great story.)</p>
<p> Songs are like golf balls. They are hidden and you have to look hard to find them. They are not out in the open. You will find them as you are living your life. The more weeds and tall grass and the deeper the water is the best place to find those great ideas. Remember that the next time you are going through a difficult struggle in your life. Maybe God is giving you an opportunity to share your story to help other people get through their difficult times. Good luck finding those golf balls. </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>Jim McCartertag:jimmccarter.com,2005:Post/58071802019-06-28T08:49:42-05:002022-04-06T12:40:00-05:00Free Country Stampede Tickets<p> My daughter Heather called me last Saturday night and wanted to know if I wanted to go to Country Stampede. She had free tickets if I wanted to go. I glanced outside at the weather and you could tell that the weather was going to be a factor in my decision. I asked," Who's playing tonight? "" Jason Aldean." was her reply. :Yeah, I'd like to go, maybe it won't rain." Those were my famous last words. </p>
<p> Yeah, I might win the lottery. I might get a big raise. I might get promoted to CEO of Kroger. I might write a hit song and quit my grocery store job next week. So I grabbed my umbrella and out the door I ran to go hear my favorite Jason Aldean song. The truth. Talking about the truth. If you are taking an umbrella, deep down you know it's gonna rain.</p>
<p> We arrived at the concert and were parked over by Lawrence. Lawrence is the next city east of Topeka by about 20 miles. It just felt like twenty miles after walking all day at work. We paid fifteen dollars to park. Not a bad deal. Heather, her husband Anthony, and my two grandkids, Alyssa, Aiden and me going to a concert for fifteen bucks.</p>
<p> Looking good. We made it to the concert and no rain. We set up our lawn chairs and sat down to enjoy some music. We listed to three songs and the rain started. Over the intercom an announcement was made. "Please clear the pit area and move away from the stage. A thunderstorm is headed this way. Please go to the campgrounds and seek cover. The Jason Aldean concert will be backed up but will still take place.</p>
<p> Decision time. Do we walk all the way back to our car? What if it blows over quickly? We decided to take cover in one of the tents that hosted live music. It was a big white carnival looking tent with open side but a place to stay kinda dry. The storm hit like a fury. The wind was blowing, thunder boomed and lighting lit up the sky. Alyssa, my eleven year old granddaughter started crying because she was scared. I was too, I wasn't sure that tent was the best place to take cover. Especially since about a month ago, I had saw my niece's house that had been blown away by the tornado that hit Linwood, Ks. </p>
<p> We all huddle together trying to stay dry as the rain poured down. Praying quietly that the storm would pass over but the rain continued to pour. I noticed the lead singer of the band. He grabbed his acoustic guitar and was getting ready to play a song. I thought, this could be good. It might help to take our minds off of the storm. I was wrong. </p>
<p> He started singing a Hank Jr. song called Family Tradition. You all know it, "Tell me Hank why do you drink? Why do you smoke? Why must you live out the songs that you wrote? Yeah, I know all the words to the song but it was definitely the wrong song at the wrong time. The crowd started singing off key and slurring their words as the storm eased up a bit.</p>
<p> He could of sang, How Great Thou Art,, Amazing Grace, or any one of a hundred hymns. Didn't we want God to protect us in this situation? And the best song that he could come up with was Family tradition. This was one of those defining moments. It was time to leave the safety of the tent and head for the car. We would trust God for our safety out in the storm.</p>
<p> God is in control of the storms of your lives. He knows when we are in a bad situation and he is still there. We just need to trust him. He led us safely to our car and as we sat through the thunderstorm that continued to pour down rain. I am thankful for his safety. It could have been a bad situation if the storm had turned worse. I guess trusting in God is part of my Family Tradition. </p>Jim McCartertag:jimmccarter.com,2005:Post/58019722019-06-24T10:35:02-05:002022-04-06T12:40:59-05:00Take a rest<p> For Father's Day my kids bought me a Fit Bit. I thought it would be cool to have one and to see how many steps or miles I walk at work. My first day of using my Fitbit I walked over 17,000 miles with a goal of 10,000. No wonder my feet hurt. </p>
<p> My second day I had even more steps. I worked a full day at the grocery store and went to the Country Stampede. The Country Stampede is the country music concert that is held in Manhattan, KS. This year it was moved to Topeka because of all the rain at Tuttle Creek Reservoir. It was a long walk from our parking spot to the concert and a wet run back to the car after a thunderstorm canceled the Jason Aldean concert. I probably walked about 17,000 steps at work and I ended the day with 27,446 steps. This would be about 13 miles altogether. </p>
<p> Yesterday was my third day, I only had 19,740 steps. Last night, I was looking at my Fitbit and it said that I needed to take a rest. I thought it was strange that a program designed to help me be fit decided that I had done enough exercise. So, I decided to listen to it. Today is my day off and I am resting.<i> It is almost 10:30 and I have taken 314 steps. You don't have to tell me twice to take a rest. </i></p>
<p><i> </i>It is great to chase our goals and dreams. Sometimes we are doing the work, putting in the miles, taking the steps we need to advance our career and to get our jobs done. There is a time to push and work hard but we also need rest. Taking the time to have fun, listen to the radio, watch a movie, play with your kids or grandkids, or do nothing at all. Maybe you need to listen to my Fitbit and we'll all take a rest. </p>
<p> </p>Jim McCartertag:jimmccarter.com,2005:Post/57912332019-06-13T22:46:07-05:002022-04-06T12:41:02-05:00Overcoming obstacles in life<p> I am typing this as I am watching game six of the NBA finals. I am a fan of the Golden State Warriors. My favorite player is Seth Curry. He is a great shooter and a good role model. One aspect of his game that I love is that he can shoot free throws. I believe if you are in the NBA is that you should be able to make free throws consistently. </p>
<p> This has been a rough series for the Warriors. Kevin Durant out with a calf injury and did not play until game 5. Klay Thompson got hurt and was unable to play in game 4. Kevin Durant got hurt in game 5 and had to have an Achilles surgery. In game six Klay Thompson hurt his knee and had to leave the game in the third quarter. It is now the fourth quarter and the Warriors could win it. They are down by three with about three and a half minutes left in the game. </p>
<p> The Warriors may or may not win but they have battled like true Warriors. I love their competitiveness. Playing without two of their star players and still in the game. I love it. </p>
<p> We are all going to have obstacles in life. Life is hard. Cars will break down, Paychecks will be short. The AC unit will quit during the hottest day of summer. Your heart will get broken. Wives will leave their husbands. Husbands will cheat on their spouse. Kids will get broken bones riding their bikes. Obstacles are everywhere. </p>
<p> The game is down to the wire. Eighteen seconds left and the Warriors are down by 1. Golden State has ten seconds left and are down by one. The Warriors barely lost but I love the way they fought. The lesson for us is we need to keep fighting. God is on our side. </p>Jim McCartertag:jimmccarter.com,2005:Post/57862792019-06-10T10:59:29-05:002022-04-06T12:41:06-05:00A Star is Born<p> Yesterday, I was watching the movie a star is born. It is about a guy who is an established superstar who is falling in love with a girl. The girl happens to be a struggling singer songwriter who is about to give up on her dreams. He decides to give her advice on songwriting. I thought it was good so here it is. </p>
<p> Bradley Cooper say<strong>s, Talent comes everywhere. Everybody's talented. Everybody in the bar is talented at one thing or another but having something to say, and a way to say it, so people will listen to it. That is a whole 'nother bag. Now listen, until you get out there and try to do it, you will never know. That's just the truth. If there's just one reason we are suppose to be here is so people can hear it.</strong></p>
<p> Sometimes we thing that all it takes to be successful is talent. Talent is over rated. There are better singers out there than alot of the singers that are superstars. I like to watch the Voice and American Idol. Sometimes the contestants are better singers than the superstar judges that are judging them. It takes more than talent. Songwriters got to have something to say. I listen to some songs, ( country and pop) and there is no substance to it. I remember making fun of the song, Walking on Broken glass. Walking on broken glass was repeated and repeated and repeated over and over.</p>
<p> A good example of having something to say is a song by T. Graham Brown. The name of the song is Wine into Water. He had something to say. Here are the lyrics. </p>
<p>You've heard a multitude of prayer's on my behalf</p>
<p>I pray one more is not too much to ask.</p>
<p>I've tried to fight this battle by myself</p>
<p>but it's a war that I can't win without Your help.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Chorus- Tonight, I'm as low as any man can go</p>
<p>I'm down and I can't fall much farther</p>
<p>and once upon a time, You turned the water into wine</p>
<p>and now, on my knees, I'm turning to you Father.</p>
<p>Could You help me turn the wine back into water.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> I really like that song. That is a songwriter who really has something to say. If you listen to the song, he has a great way to say it. and people like to listen to it. That is why that song was a hit. </p>
<p> Songwriter's need to get out there and play there music. That is the only way you can find out if your songs connect with other people. If there is not a connection, it is time to go back to the drawing board or maybe, you are playing your song to the wrong audience. If you are playing to the wrong audience then you need to be out there playing so you can find out who your audience is. </p>
<p> I hope that this has been encouraging as you chase your dream. Even if your dream isn't songwriting. We all need to be chasing our dream. Remember the way you do your dream is not how somebody else does there dream. Dream chasing is not baking cookies and they are the same size and shape. We are all created different with our own way of how we see and do life. Keep on chasing your dream, your way. </p>
<p><strong> </strong></p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>Jim McCartertag:jimmccarter.com,2005:Post/57492162019-05-09T19:51:03-05:002022-04-06T12:41:09-05:00Somewhere in Texas<p> I wrote a song with someone I met over the internet. The name of the song is Somewhere in Texas.</p>
<p> </p>
<p><strong>Somewhere in Texas</strong></p>
<p> </p>
<p>Playing guitar all day</p>
<p>Living on tip jar pay</p>
<p>Singing on Friday nights</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Trying to get a break</p>
<p>Takes every penny I make</p>
<p>Want my name in the marquee lights</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Chorus- Someday, I'll get there</p>
<p>I ain't there yet.</p>
<p>Out on the road</p>
<p>doing what I do best.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Chasing the blacktop</p>
<p>wherever it takes us.</p>
<p>You can find me</p>
<p>Somewhere in Texas.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Singing Jason Aldean </p>
<p>Selling homemade cd's</p>
<p>singing my autograph.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Mixing memories</p>
<p>with opportunities.</p>
<p>It's one step up, one step back.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Chorus- Someday I'll get there</p>
<p>I ain't there yet.</p>
<p>Out on the road</p>
<p>doing what I do best.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Chasing the blacktop</p>
<p>wherever it takes us.</p>
<p>You can find me</p>
<p>Somewhere in Texas.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>From Dallas to El Paso</p>
<p>From Lubbock to Laredo</p>
<p>I play every county fair.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>It's dance halls and bars</p>
<p>but no stadiums, so far</p>
<p>Maybe, you'll see me there.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Chorus- Someday, I'll get there</p>
<p>I ain't there yet.</p>
<p>Out on the road</p>
<p>doing what I do best.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Chasing the blacktop</p>
<p>wherever it takes us</p>
<p>You can find me</p>
<p>Somewhere in Texas.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> I worked on adding melody and chords to this song. I spent time trying to get the words to sing correctly. I chose the words very carefully. Finally I liked it and recorded a rough demo of it. I quickly sent it to NSAI (Nashville Songwriting Association International). No sooner than I sent it in and I thought, Oops!. It is not commercial. .What do I mean by commercial? Not everybody will care about the singer out on the road. I believe it needs tweaked to make it better. </p>
<p> Another problem with the song.is---- There is no girl in the song. After thinking about the song some more. The second verse could be about why he plays guitar and travels around. He is looking for the perfect girl. And where will he find the perfect girl- you guessed it. Somewhere in Texas.</p>
<p> What happens next.? This could be the bridge on the third verse. He falls in love with the perfect girl, gets married, buys a house and lives happily every after, Somewhere in Texas. This makes the song more appealing to a bigger audience. That is what commercial songwriting is about. and I am trying to get better at writing songs this way. </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>Jim McCartertag:jimmccarter.com,2005:Post/57425822019-05-04T06:40:20-05:002022-04-06T12:41:29-05:00Hopelessness is a town<p> I am always looking for song ideas. It might be a title, some catchy words that sing well together or maybe I'll write a few lines. It might be the start of a song or just practice at writing lyrics. Every Thursday I get a Title from Songwriter Pro. I will write a verse and a chorus to the title and post it on the website. I do this because it is good practice and it is fun.</p>
<p> I decided to write a lyric about hopelessness. I don't know if I'll do anything else with it but I thought I would share it. </p>
<p>Hopelessness is a town, everybody drives through</p>
<p>Some stop for a while and spend a day or two.</p>
<p>I stayed so long that I built a home</p>
<p>but nobody visits and I'm here alone.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>How depressing is that? Do I really feel hopeless? No, but that day when I wrote that, yeah it felt like a bad day. Maybe a pity party day and I was the Grand Marshall of the parade that got rained out. I hope you have a day filled with hope. I hope God blesses you today. </p>
<p> </p>Jim McCartertag:jimmccarter.com,2005:Post/57240442019-04-18T10:11:58-05:002022-04-06T12:45:05-05:00Samantha's pillow cries<p> Have you ever lived in a bad neighborhood? I have. Our family has lots of stories about our experiences that we love to share. I wrote a song with my friend Dave about living in central Topeka. The first verse is about when Heather's bike got stolen when she was about eleven year old. She was so sad. The good news is that we did get the bike back. The police found a grown man riding it down Topeka Boulevard at 2am with bolt cutters strapped onto the bike. </p>
<p> The second verse is about a drive by shooting that took place as Jeremy was getting his homework out of the car. The shooters were letting the bullets fly at a house that was two doors down. This was when we realized it was a drug house. Sometimes we need hints. Fortunately, the neighbors moved out pretty soon after this incident. </p>
<p> Samantha's pillow cries</p>
<p>Her birthday gift's chained to the porch rail</p>
<p>The purple streamer shine in the light</p>
<p>She feels free when she's riding</p>
<p>one last glimpse through the hole in the blinds.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>A broken chain is all that's left now</p>
<p>Shadow stole her heart of joy. </p>
<p>She sighs, "Oh, no! It's gone!</p>
<p>only God hears her voice.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Chorus- There's no home sweet home in our neighborhood</p>
<p>Lives shatter like windows, banshee curtains blowing in the wind.</p>
<p>Somebody lock the doors, somebodies gonna cry</p>
<p>Nobodies sleeping sound tonight, as Samantha's pillow cries.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Daddy's cars parked by the curb</p>
<p>As an SUV rolls by</p>
<p>Pistols brandished out the window</p>
<p>Hear the bullets fly.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Chorus, There's no home sweet home in our neighborhood</p>
<p>Lives shatter like windows, banshee curtains blowing in the wind</p>
<p>Somebody lock the doors tonight, somebodies coulda died</p>
<p>Nobodies sleeping sound tonight as Samantha's pillow cries.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Time heals the scars, the scars nobody sees</p>
<p>Hopes the medicine, Samantha really needs.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Chorus- There's no home sweet home in our neighborhood</p>
<p>Lives shatter like windows, banshee curtains blowing in the wind</p>
<p>Somebody lock the door tonight, Nobodies gonna die</p>
<p>Nobodies sleeping sound tonight as Samantha's pillow cries.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>Jim McCartertag:jimmccarter.com,2005:Post/57171562019-04-12T09:32:11-05:002022-04-06T12:45:08-05:00Frank Brown International Songwriter's Festival<p> Do what you say and say what you do. I posted on face book that I was going to enter a music contest. The music contest that I was going to enter is the Frank Brown International Songwriter's Festival. It is a big contest with prizes and the chance to perform you winning song on stage. You can also win money. Five hundred dollars. I would need to use the five hundred dollars to go to the festival. The song I entered is, Something You Can See. </p>
<p> This is the same song that I sent to a Steve Rutledge at Groove House Recording today. You can listen to my song if you're interested. Thanks, Jim</p>2:36Jim McCartertag:jimmccarter.com,2005:Post/57171162019-04-12T08:32:56-05:002022-04-06T12:45:12-05:00Keep on Pitching<p> It is a challenge to find Publishers that will listen to your songs. It is more difficult when you write country songs and don't live in Nashville. Why would I want to live in Nashville when I can live in Topeka? (Sarcasm) Nashville really would be a great place to live if all my family was living there with me. Or if writing songs was my full time, high paying career.</p>
<p> My full time, high paying career is as an assistant manager at a grocery store. Okay, we can scratch out the high paying part. My full time job gives me resources (money) that I can spend on my musical pursuits.(buying guitars, musical equipment, getting demo's made, etc.) If I was a full time musician I would probably not have health insurance, I would be playing an old beat up pawn shop guitar and driving a thousand dollar car. Trust me I have already been in that boat before. </p>
<p> On facebook, one of my contacts is Sandy Ramos. Her website is The Song Tuner. She posted that Steve Rutledge at the Groove House Recording is looking for songs for three projects. Here is the list of what he was looking for. </p>
<p>1. Tracy Lawrence/Trace Adkins</p>
<p>2. Johnny and June</p>
<p>3. Carry Underwood/Miranda Lambert</p>
<p>Wow! Those are some big names in the industry. The next thing you have to ask yourself as a songwriter is, Do any of my songs fit these artists? I decided that my best fit was Tracy Lawrence/Trace Adkins. The song I sent in was Something you can See. You can't pitch a song once and quit, you gotta keep on pitching. Here is a track of the song if you would like to hear it. Have a great day. </p>2:36Jim McCartertag:jimmccarter.com,2005:Post/57114222019-04-08T08:54:15-05:002022-04-06T12:45:38-05:00Finish what you start<p> I am better at starting projects than I am at finishing projects. This is a fact of life. I really learned this lesson when I took shop in high school. I had a whole semester to finish my project. My project was going to be a book shelf. Nothing fancy. A basic bookshelf made out of cherry wood. It had three shelves and a top shelf and was about four feet tall and two feet wide. (Approximate guess.) </p>
<p> I was excited when I started the project. It was going to be great. The worst part about shop was having to share the equipment. If I needed to use the saw to cut the shelves, I had to wait. Or if I needed to use the plainer, again, I had to wait. This waiting was really no the problem, it was more of an inconvenience. It slowed me down but it was not the real problem. </p>
<p> The real problem was, I hate sanding. Sanding is manual labor and it is slow and tedious. Slow and tedious are words that I would use to describe learning how to be patient. Patience and fifteen year old boys are not compatible.. I am still learning how to be patient. it is a life long process and I still struggle with it. </p>
<p> How did my book shelf turn out? Terrible. I had to rush to get it finished before the semester was over. I was adding the finish to it just before school was out for the summer. I don't know what I did wrong, but the finish never dried. It was always sticky. Books and papers would stick to the shelf. Needless to say, my book shelf was not on display in the living room. It was hidden upstairs in a hallway where no one would notice it. Mom asked me if I wanted it? I told her I would pass. I think it got sold when they sold the farm at the auction. I bet it is still sticky. </p>
<p> I have lots of songs that I have started. Some of them might be a title, or a couple lines of a verse to go along with the title. Others might be a chorus that I really like but no verse. Or maybe lyrics that I co-wrote with a friend that I never added a melody or music to it. Last month I finished a song that Captain Dave and I wrote the lyrics to. It was called Samantha's pillow cries. </p>
<p> This month, I worked on adding music and melody to another song we wrote together. It is called Four more years. I sent both songs to NSAI to get them evaluated. Both of them need tweaking to make them more commercial. So I am still not finished with them but at least, they are now finished songs that need tweaking instead of lyrics on a page without a melody. </p>
<p> Maybe you are like me also. The hardest part is getting started the second time. The enthusiasm has faded and it is time to go to work. As you work on it, you get excited about where it is going. Hopefully, this excitement will carry you through till the end of the project, if not finish it anyway. My new motto is Finish what you start. I hope this helps you to finish some of your projects too. </p>
<p> </p>Jim McCartertag:jimmccarter.com,2005:Post/56994042019-03-29T10:04:31-05:002022-04-06T12:45:48-05:00It's Gonna be a Good Day<p> <img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/75582/49d4f88262c46fd0092abb99b148589c2f19ff8f/original/20190319-181549-hdr-film4.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" />Do you ever notice how we make life more difficult than it really is? We accomplish a goal and then we downplay it. I have done it and you have done it also. I say to myself, I want to be on the basketball team. I practice and practice, learn to dribble, shoot free throws, run wind sprints, run more wind springs and guess what? I make the basketball team. This was back in the day.before everybody made the team. We only had so many jerseys (12) and the school district had a budget. </p>
<p> Okay, what do I say after I make the team? Yeah, I made the team but I sit on the bench. Or I'm not a starter. It's only a 2A school. Or my role is to play good defense and pass the ball. What I should be doing is celebrating. Yee! Haw! I made the team. I am a basketball player. </p>
<p> I am celebrating today. I had my first song (that I co-wrote) recorded on an artist's cd. This was one of my goals as a songwriter. The song is called- Gonna be a Good day. The artist's name is Skep Pascoe and the album is called American Dream. </p>
<p> I could do, what I (we) always do and tell you why this isn't a big deal but instead, I am going to celebrate the small victories. Today is like my song title, It's Gonna be a Good Day</p>Jim McCartertag:jimmccarter.com,2005:Post/56746262019-03-09T09:23:08-06:002022-04-06T12:45:57-05:00Jesus in Me<p> I remember the first Bible my Mon and Dad bought me for my ninth birthday. It was a black Scofield Bible with my name on the front cover in gold letters. Mom wrote on acronym on the inside of the cover that said, Jim- J for Jesus, I for Is and M for mine. Jesus is mine. I wrote a song with those same acronym letters. It is called Jesus in Me. Jim. </p>
<p>Jesus in Me</p>
<p> I don't go to weddings do miracles, turn water into wine</p>
<p>that ain't me mixing dirt and spit together to heal the blind.</p>
<p>No, I'm a sinner who's in need of lots of love and grace</p>
<p>My life is a script, his finger prints are on every page.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Can you see him? Do I act differently?</p>
<p>Trying to be the man, designed me to be</p>
<p>Can you see, Jesus in me? </p>
<p>I hope everyone can see, Jesus in me.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>He chose the perfect parents and town where I was raised</p>
<p>brought a hell damnation preacher to the church where I got saved</p>
<p>When I got knocked down, his hands helped me to my feet.</p>
<p>Doesn't give me everything I want, He's everything I need.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Can you see him? Do I act differently?</p>
<p>Trying to be the man, Designed me to be.</p>
<p>Can you see, Jesus in me?</p>
<p>I pray everyone can see, Jesus in me.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>I only have one life with a solitary view</p>
<p>The whole world watches as Jesus shines through you.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Can other's see him? Do you act differently?</p>
<p>Try to be the one, you're designed to be</p>
<p>He's in you, He's in me</p>
<p>I pray everyone can see, Jesus in you and me.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>3:55Jim McCartertag:jimmccarter.com,2005:Post/56563962019-02-23T08:34:00-06:002022-04-06T12:46:05-05:00Concord Music/NSAI Pitch to publisher<p> </p>
<p> I am a NSAI (Nashville Songwriter Association International) member and coordinator for the Manhattan, KS chapter. There are many benefits to being a member. My first and foremost reason was that<iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="R4PCtLTmWsg" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/R4PCtLTmWsg/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/R4PCtLTmWsg?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="180" width="320" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe> they do twelve evaluations a year with your paid membership. This one benefit alone is worth the price of a membership. My goal is to send in twelve new songs a year to get evaluated.</p>
<p> Another great thing that they started a few years ago is called Pitch to Publisher. The great thing is you do not have to go to Nashville to get a music publisher to listen to your songs. You get two chances a year to send in your song to be listened to by a publishing company. If you live in Nashville they have these events twice a month at the NSAI office and you can go every time that you are available. I love being able to pitch a song and not have to drive nine hundred miles.</p>
<p> The song that I pitched to Jen Duke from Concord Music was "Something you can see." Fifty members get to pitch one song and she listens to one verse and one chorus. If she likes the song she will ask for a copy of it. She will them listen to the rest of the song and see if it is something she is truly interested in or not. I pitched this song last year to a different publisher and she liked it but did not ask for a copy of it. </p>
<p> The Pitch to Publisher event lasts about an hour and a half. It is recorded and emailed to me so I can watch it whenever I want. I received and email with the video and a second email that read. Winners selected. Guess which email I opened first? The same one that you would of opened. I wanted to know if I had won but I didn't want to get my hopes too high. I couldn't believe it when I saw that I was a winner. Yee! Haw! I was one of eight members whose song was taken to be listened to later.</p>
<p> Here is a copy of the video and the comments about the song. Thousands and thousands of songs are listened to by publishers everyday. Very few will every make it to radio or onto a cd. I am grateful that they listened to my song. It is a step in the process of being a songwriter. It is like learning to walk. You take small steps, fall down, bigger steps, fall down, and big steps and fall down. Sometimes there is more falling down that stepping. </p>
<p> Thanks for reading and watching me as I take my journey. I love you. Jim</p>
<p> </p>Jim McCartertag:jimmccarter.com,2005:Post/56484032019-02-18T07:52:47-06:002022-04-06T12:46:35-05:00The truth in a song<p> Songs are not autobiographical. They can be but that is not the point of a song. I read a quote in a book by Pat Pattison called "Write better lyrics." He said, <em>Never let reality get in the way of truth. </em>The emphasis of a song is telling the truth. Or maybe it might be the way that I see truth. I have an example from my songwriting of how this works.</p>
<p> I wrote a song called, " How to fish". The story is about going fishing with my Grandpa Cowhick. There are some lines in my song which are not accurate. The first line of the song is, He taught me how to row a boat. Okay, he didn't really teach me how to row a boat. We didn't have a boat. Now if we would of had a boat, he might of been the one to teach me. The truth is I went fishing with him and a I learned how to fish from him. That is the truth. </p>
<p> I do like that opening line. How many of us remember the first time we tried to row a boat? It is really difficult if you chew gum at the same time. It takes awhile to train your muscles to do movements that are new. Does it really matter to your audience, the color of Grandpa's shirt, if the sun was really shining that day or whether you owned a boat? If the accuracy of these details really matter, then go ahead and write your autobiography. I hope this helps the next time you go to write a song. </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>Jim McCartertag:jimmccarter.com,2005:Post/56376612019-02-11T10:05:05-06:002022-04-06T12:46:48-05:00Grandpa is a guitar teacher<p> My grand daughter Alyssa is eleven years old. She loves music and want to learn how to play guitar. I have started giving her guitar lessons. This is not an easy job. A guitar teacher has a big impact on creating an environment where the student wants to learn. I don't want to be the reason she stops playing. I want to be the person that inspires her to play.</p>
<p> There are a couple avenues that you can take to become a great guitar player. One method is to practice and learn musical scales. If you are playing in the Key of C. You would play C,D, E,F,G,A,B. This would be all white keys on a piano. If you were going to write a song in the key of C you could play any of these notes and they would sound good. (They would be in the right key.) Now you might have to play around with them to get a great melody that is easy to sing. </p>
<p> Another method is learning from music books. This was one of my earliest methods of learning. I had the Alfred's basic guitar method and Mel Bay books. These books are a combination of scales, sight reading music, and learning songs. I remember when it was thought the best way to learn music was the Suzuki method. I never learned this method. It involved listening to a simple melody and learning how to play by ear. I think this is a great way to learn if you have an ear for it. </p>
<p> All of these are great ways to learn the guitar but we are not very patient students. As a student we want to play songs. I remember playing songs but they were often times not the songs that I wanted to learn how to play. I wanted to play the songs that were on the radio now. The songs in the song books were Hank William, Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Patsy Cline songs. I wanted to learn Alabama, the Eagles, Grand Funk Railroad, and Three Dog Night. Alyssa and I have worked on a couple songs. One was Blake Shelton's- Boys Round Here. It is an easy song with two chords. Next we worked on a Taylor Swift song, the riff for Smoke on the Water, and For What It's Worth. </p>
<p> I started out taking piano lessons. I learned how to read music. I believe this hurt my piano playing. I played the right notes (most of the time) but it lacked feeling. Louis Armstrong was a world renowned trumpet player. He was asked, Do you read music? I love his reply. He said, "Not enough to hurt my playing." Music is about feeling not exact notes. </p>
<p> I hope that I become a good guitar teacher. No, that is not what I want. I want Alyssa to love playing guitar and have fun doing it. That is why I play guitar. </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>Jim McCartertag:jimmccarter.com,2005:Post/56362332019-02-10T11:44:00-06:002022-04-06T12:47:00-05:00Love Yourself<p> I started this music gig as a guitar player. My goal was to not sing. I was going to play guitar only. That worked out fine until I needed more songs to fill up a show. This led to finding easy songs that I could sing. I sure wasn't going to sing Bohemian Rhapsody like Freddie Mercury of Queen. I decided I would play it safe and sing Bob Dylan songs. Bob is not famous for his singing ability. His songwriting was his ticket to success. I started writing one song for each upcoming gig to help fill up space. This worked great because I could make the songs (more) sing able for me. </p>
<p> This week I had some free time so I decided to learn a new guitar song. It is hard to pick a new song to learn. You would think that I would learn a song by one of my favorite bands or artists. Maybe and Eric Church song like Record Year or Monster, maybe I would learn a new Luke Combs tune like Beautiful Crazy or a fun song like When it Rains it Pours. Or I could learn a Red Dirt song off of a Jason Boland album. Did I do that? No! I am almost afraid to admit this. I learned a Justin Bieber song. The song is Love Yourself.</p>
<p> This song has some finger picking in it and I like to finger pick. I also need to practice my finger picking so what few skills I have learned don't disappear completely. This song has a nice finger picking pattern in the verses and the chorus is really catchy. My favorite lyric of the song is- My Momma don't like you and she likes everybody. That line is so honest and straight forward it shocks you when you hear it. I love it.</p>
<p> I have played that song for the last three days and feel comfortable with it. It has been fun learning a new song. Sometimes when you learn a new song, bits and pieces of it find their way into the songs you are writing. Maybe you use a different chord change from the song you learned has. Or maybe a note interval that you sing is cool and it is part of your new song. I don't know how this song will affect my upcoming songs or if by singing this song I will have a sudden urge to get a tattoo. Time will tell. </p>
<p> Have a good day and love yourself. </p>
<p> </p>Jim McCartertag:jimmccarter.com,2005:Post/56256792019-02-03T12:29:29-06:002022-04-06T12:50:10-05:00Life ain't about me<p>n Have you every been driving and found yourself off course and asked yourself, "How did I end up here?" The other day, my friend, Rick and I were driving to a the Brass Armadillo Antique shop in Grain Valley, Missouri. MapQuest was our guiding voice to get us there. Most of the trip is very easy. Get on I-70 and drive east. This worked great for almost all the trip. I listened to MapQuest as it took me past the antique shop and took me into a residential neighborhood two block away and it said, " You have reached your destination." Yes, I had reached my destination but it was not the destination that I was going to. Life can be the same way. </p>
<p> Sometimes this happens because we are given bad advice. Let me back up a little, It might be great advice but it is the wrong advice for me. I listen to a podcast called, The Climb. It is a music broadcast video about how to succeed in the music business. After all, Who doesn't want to succeed? Success is a great thing. I love wining. </p>
<p> Brent Baxter and Johnny Dwinell share their expertise. Brent is a successful Nashville songwriter who has written hit songs and Johnny owns a production company and shows artists how to get noticed. Johnny sent me an email and made a suggestion to get more fans. He suggested that I go to Twitter and follow forty new people a day. His suggestion was to pick an artist that I like and that my music is similar too. So I picked Eric Church and Jason Boland. Both of these artists have lots of fans that they would be glad to share with me. To be honest though, my music is not like theirs. I wish it was but my songs have more of a folk or Americana flavor. </p>
<p> Johnny had a saying that I thought was good. Jesus was the only person that changed the world with twelve followers. I decided to take his advice. I got on my Twitter account and started shopping for new followers. This is a time consuming process. On Twitter you can look at a profile description line and it might help you decide if they would like you and your music. I looked for folks that liked country music, loved Jesus, songwriters, DJ's, or were members of a band. I spent hours doing this for two days. Yes, I started following eighty to one hundred new people and twenty of them followed me. I followed one guy because he was a regular Joe like me. His profile said, I sell real estate in California. He followed me back. I thought that was kinda cool. How was I going to help him? and how was he going to help me? Nobody had anything to gain by us being friends. </p>
<p> This is the background for my real story. Today at church, Pastor Mark talked about Absalom in the Bible. Absalom was King David's son. Absalom was the son who tried to take over the kingship from his dad. He would stand outside the court of David and tell people that he disagreed with King David's ruling if they lost. He was a typical politician/baby kisser. He did everything he could do to make himself look successful. He hired a chariot and had fifty men run before him. This would be like having a chauffeur, a limo, and having your own parade. He was successful in the world's eye. He was great at promoting himself. If Absalom was living today he would have a million followers. </p>
<p> The story of Absalom does not end well. He tries to steal his Dad's kingship, sleeps with the Dad's girlfriends, and is killed during the battle for the kingdom. Not a very good ending but it did help to bring clarity to my life.</p>
<p> I believe success in life is accomplished from doing the right things for the right reasons. If I want to be a success, I should follow God and he will take care of the details. God could give me the lyrics to a great song tomorrow. He could get my song noticed my somebody who is looking for a great song., Or that might not be God's plan for my life. He can bless me with hundreds of followers, twelve followers and no followers. </p>
<p> I take something simple like writing a song. A gift that God has given me and I make it about me. Life ain't about me. Hey genius type that again. Life ain't about me. It's about God and him working in and through me. It's about God getting the glory for what he has done in my life. </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>Jim McCartertag:jimmccarter.com,2005:Post/55937632019-01-13T08:53:21-06:002022-04-06T12:50:07-05:00Rock, Paper, Scissors<p>Rock, Paper, and Scissors. I wonder who started that game? It is a game that almost everyone has played. It was a step up the ladder from playing Eany, Meany, Miney, Mo. There were flaws with the Eany, Meany, Miney, Mo game. Kids would slow down and start adding extra words so they could win. . I am sure that this led to Rock, Paper, and Scissors becoming more popular. </p>
<p>Is there a way to have an advantage playing this game? I turned to google to find out. The best strategy to win is to play the thing that would beat what your opponent just played. If your opponent played rock on the last hand, you would want to go with paper. If he played paper, it would be a great time to go with scissors. If only I had known this as a kid. I could of been great at this game. </p>
<p>I am thinking about making a video . The video would be similar to watching the evening news. It would show the border patrols in their jeeps cruising the border looking for Mexicans trying to sneak in. In the next scene it would show protesters holding signs saying, "Vacation in the USA! Everyone Stays for Free! (Yeah, I kinda stole that line from Holiday Inn commercial where kids stay for free.) In the next scene we would show more violence. Protesters are more vocal. The National guard soldiers are trying to maintain law and order. The music in the background is more intense and dark. The tension is building.</p>
<p>The scenery changes and Trump and Obama are standing in an elementary school playground next to a eight foot tall chain link fence. Trump looks at Obama and glares as Obama gives him his Hollywood smile. Trump says, "Let's do this. Fence or no fence." Obama says, "Best two out of three." Both men hit their fist to their hands. One, two, three. Rock, paper, scissors. </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>Jim McCartertag:jimmccarter.com,2005:Post/55284922018-11-26T18:48:50-06:002022-04-06T12:50:03-05:00New CD (Linwood Cafe) is coming out soon<p> Today was my day off. I decided I would get a cd ready to sell today. I went to CD Baby and did almost all of the work. I am going to do a digital album. It is called Linwood Café. Linwood Café is the title of the first song on the album. If you have been to my website you have probably heard some of these songs. Here is a list of the songs that are on the new cd. Linwood café, Puddles of Pain, Man in the Mirror, Little Black Dress, How to Fish, Long live the King, Lucky One, That's what crazy does, Walmart Bargain Bin, and Something you can See. All of these are original songs. </p>
<p> It has been an all day project. I had to pick ten songs, Pick a picture for the cover. Upload all of the songs in wav. files. This would all be easy if I was more organized with my music. It is on my computer somewhere, it just takes time to find it. </p>
<p> I haven't decided if I should do a traditional cd. I thought about doing fifty but they are kinda pricey. My pricey may not be your pricey. CD's are pretty cheap if you buy three hundred to a thousand. If you only get fifty, the price is about 4 times as high. Let me know if you would like a cd. If enough people are interested I will spend the money.</p>
<p> I will be releasing my album in the next couple weeks if everything goes smooth. You will be able to buy downloads on my website, CD Baby, Amazon, and iTunes. I will make one real cheap for my friends and family to get a bargain. I will let you know where to get the deal on Facebook and my website. </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>Jim McCartertag:jimmccarter.com,2005:Post/55240792018-11-22T08:59:51-06:002022-04-06T12:50:14-05:00Pitching a song to a Publisher<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> What is it like to pitch a song to a publisher? I am going to share my lat<iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="7xkOh0GCwKs" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/7xkOh0GCwKs/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/7xkOh0GCwKs?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="180" width="320" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe>est song pitch with you. This song pitch was done through NSAI. Nashville Songwriting Association International. Every member is allowed to do two song pitches a year. This is one of the benefits of being a NSAI member.</p>
<p> Lisa Johnson works for Rhome Phrey (Pronounced Roam Free) Publishing. Rhome Phrey is a new start up publishing company. On this pitch she listened to fifty songs. Out of the fifty songs she did not pick any but she did provide good feedback on every song that she listened to. Lisa has worked for Sony records in the 90's, Columbia records as a A & R, and with Barbara Orbison. One of the writers that she worked with was Chris Tompkins. Chris is the writer of Carrie Underwood's big hit- Before he Cheats. </p>
<p> It is kind of a neat process to go through. Of course, I am always disappointed when they don't pick my song to be the next radio hit. It is still fun and this is all part of the process to be a songwriter. </p>
<p> </p>Jim McCartertag:jimmccarter.com,2005:Post/55118832018-11-17T18:24:57-06:002022-04-06T12:50:18-05:00Would you give up half of your songwriter's share to a big star?<p>' I love questions like this. Would you give up half of your songwriter's share to a big star? That is a tough question. First of all, let's pick the big star. If you are a girl in your teens or twenties, I would say the star is Taylor Swift. Taylor has had great success. Would you take the half and smile all the way to the bank? Or would it be a sore that never heals? Would you lay awake at night and be mad at yourself? Mad because you wrote all of the song and just because she is (Taylor Swift) she is allowed to steal half of your song. (If you let her.)</p>
<p> I am not saying that Taylor has or ever would do this? I read a story about a similar incident that happened. The star in the story was Elvis Presley. At the time this happened Elvis was the big cheese. Nobody was bigger and yielded more power. Elvis had a streak of number one hits. At this time he had nineteen number one hits and thought that this song could be another number one for him.</p>
<p> The song was written by Dolly Partron. The name of the song was "I will always love you." Did you notice Dolly didn't need a co-writer to write a hit? It was her song and she owned the whole enchilada. I will always love you was a number one hit for Dolly twice. It was a hit in 1974 and she re-released it in 1982 and it was a #1 country hit a second time. </p>
<p> Dolly heard that Elvis wanted to record her song. Colonel Tom Parker, (Elvis's manager) contacted Dolly and told her, it was a regular practice by Elvis to have songwriters sign over half of their publishing rights to any song the King was going to record. This was giving Elvis credit and money from future royalties on not only his version but also on anybody else's version of this song. Colonel Parker had met his match when he met Dolly.</p>
<p> She told Parker, " Well, now, it's already been a hit. I wrote it, and I've already published it. And this is the stuff I'm leaving for my family when I'm dead and gone." And he said. " I can't record it. Dolly looked at him and said, "I'm real sorry." </p>
<p> Twenty years later Whitney Houston recorded Dolly's song. I will Always Love you went to number one on the charts and stayed there for fourteen weeks. Dolly was later asked about her foresight of not giving half of her publishing rights to Elvis. She said, "When Whitney version came out. I made enough money to buy Graceland. I love stories where the underdog wins. Dolly was the underdog who was being bullied in this story and she came out like a big dog. This makes me smile.</p>
<p> </p>Jim McCartertag:jimmccarter.com,2005:Post/55056982018-11-08T20:33:16-06:002022-04-06T12:50:41-05:00I remember what you said<p> Today was my day to get those little things done that I keep putting off. The first thing on my list was to get the oil changed on my SUV. It is amazing how fast three months or three thousand miles rolls around. I was exactly three months to the day but I was over on the mileage. Oops! I get my oil changed at a place that sells tires and the workers speak better Spanish than English. I had a light on my dash that said, Low tire pressure. I had the shop check out my tire. It has a bad valve stem that was leaking air. I. I am glad that they were able to fix it. I was not looking forward to adding air to my tire in the cold Kansas winter days that are coming. Oh yeah, It snowed today. </p>
<p> The next thing on my list was my annual flu shot. I went over to the grocery store on the other side of town to get my shot. I used to work at that store and still go over there to get my prescriptions filled. Julie, the pharmacist, told me this story as she was giving me my shot. She said, " I still remember what you said. " I was kinda shocked and flattered at the same time. Words of wisdom is probably not my specialty. I do think I have a knack for witty sarcasm but that tends to get me in trouble and is not memorable. </p>
<p> She started telling a story about receiving an email from upper management. It was one of those emails that we have all received. She did not go into the specifics but basically it was a confronting email. Sometimes these email lump everybody together. An example might be- We need more sales, You are using to many hours, too much over time, working too fast, working too slow, and the list could go on and on. We have all received emails like this. I happened to be in the pharmacy shortly after she had read her email.</p>
<p> Julie said, "Her normal response would be to fire back an email and defend herself." She said, " Jim you asked me one question. Did they ask you a question? " and I said, No." And this is what you said that I still remember, "If they don't ask you a question then don't give them an answer." She said, "I still follow your advice. Those are words of wisdom from a wise man." That was a very nice statement even though most of the time I would disagree with it. </p>
<p> We never know the impact of our words. Sometimes we can share wisdom, encourage others, uplift other or sometimes we hurt others. Julie made my day a little brighter when she shared this story. I now have a story that I can share about Julie, I can say, I remember what you said. </p>
<p> </p>Jim McCartertag:jimmccarter.com,2005:Post/54529232018-10-02T21:09:51-05:002022-04-06T12:50:47-05:00Upcoming birthday party in the recording studio<p> My granddaughter Alyssa has a birthday in October. Heather asked her, "What she wanted to do for her birthday party this year?" Heather was probably expecting the normal answers that kids give. I am not normal but here is what I would guess that kids would like. Bowling party, going to a movie, sleep over, video games, discovery zone, bonkers, World's of fun, going to a concert, etc. </p>
<p> Alyssa threw her Mom a curve ball. She wanted to bring her friends over to Grandpa's house and record a song in my studio. Each girl could sing a song with an instrumental track and take home their own cd. Today I spent some time recording and finding instrumental tracks on Spotify. I had a list of seven or eight songs that the girls liked. I was able to find three that would work. </p>
<p> Not all of the songs had instrumental tracks but maybe less will work out better. They can hear the other girls sing their songs and this will help them to learn their parts. It should be fun. Happy birthday, Alyssa!</p>Jim McCartertag:jimmccarter.com,2005:Post/54411142018-09-24T03:10:28-05:002022-04-06T12:50:57-05:00More Jesus<p> I played at church a couple weeks ago. I was planning on playing a new song that I wrote called, Broken Crayons. I started working on a new song called More Jesus and I decided that I liked it better. Here are the lyrics to More Jesus. It is a worship and praise, or maybe a church camp song. </p>
<p> <strong> More Jesus</strong></p>
<p><em>Everybody wants more, everybody need more</em></p>
<p><em>Oh, the thing about more is there's never enough.</em></p>
<p><em>That's why I want more, that's why I need more</em></p>
<p><em>More Jesus.</em></p>
<p> </p>
<p><em>Everybody wants love, everybody needs love</em></p>
<p><em>Oh, the thing about love is there's never enough</em></p>
<p><em>That's why I want more, that's why I need more</em></p>
<p><em>More Jesus.</em></p>
<p> </p>
<p><em>Everybody wants faith, everybody needs faith</em></p>
<p><em>Oh, the thing about faith, is there's never enough</em></p>
<p><em>That's why I want more, that's why I need more</em></p>
<p><em>More Jesus.</em></p>
<p> </p>
<p><em>Everybody wants peace, everybody needs peace</em></p>
<p><em>Oh, the thing about peace, is there's never enough.</em></p>
<p><em>That's why I want more, that's why I need more</em></p>
<p><em>More Jesus.</em></p>
<p> </p>
<p><em>Everybody wants more, everybody needs more</em></p>
<p><em>Oh, the thing about more, is there's never enough</em></p>
<p><em>That's why I want more, that's why I need more</em></p>
<p><em>More, more, more Jesus.</em></p>
<p><em>More, more, more Jesus.</em></p>
<p> </p>
<p> A simple message that would solve a lot of my own personal problems and a lot of the world's problems.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>Jim McCartertag:jimmccarter.com,2005:Post/54315312018-09-17T07:49:32-05:002022-04-06T12:51:04-05:00Songwriters are like home builders<p> I remember when I was a kid and we drove over to Lakewood Hills. Lakewood Hills was a housing community that was built by Lake Perry. It had a community swimming pool and lots of new homes. New homes were different than the old farm houses that you drove by getting there. One of the most popular styles was one called the A frame. A frames looked like a capital A. The two side of the house were the roof. I bet this was a great way to save money on a home and it was the latest fad. </p>
<p> If an A frame were a song, "What type of song would it be?" Bro country, disco, rap country, or whatever everybody is trying to do that is exactly like everybody else's. Their are lots of imitators in the songwriting world and very few originals. I believe Eric Church does a great job on being original. I read an article about him in American Songwriter this week. Kip Moore had a statement that I thought was great.</p>
<p> "The artist community is kinda like housing communities to me," says Kip Moore, another independent masses. Then you get those little shell houses (A frames in the seventies) that get thrown up super fast. They're the hot hip thing in an upcoming part of town, (Lakewood Hills) but usually have a questionable foundation and go out of style fast. Lastly, you got that house that is separated from the others, out on a piece of land. It's built the right way, outta love, passion, and detail That house has a solid foundation and always holds its value. That's his house." Eric Church's song are solid well built homes made to stand the test of time.</p>
<p> I want to write songs like his. Songs with meaning that are different than the crowd. Songs that tell a story, where you can see the details of the song and smell the bacon cooking on the stove. I love a great song and the work that goes into it. Eric is one of my favorites. </p>
<p> </p>Jim McCartertag:jimmccarter.com,2005:Post/54315002018-09-17T07:20:13-05:002022-04-06T12:51:24-05:00Walnut Valley Bludgrass Festival<p> I went to Winfield, KS to the Walnut Valley Bluegrass festival last week on vacation. I drove down from Topeka on Thursday and stayed through Saturday. Have I ever mentioned that I do not like to camp? Some people think that camping is fun. I was not in that camp. I had the brilliant idea that camping would be better if I slept in the back of my SUV instead of sleeping on the ground in a tent. Let me assure you that quality sleep and camping do not go together. I know that some people will disagree with me. The campers that disagree with me are sleeping in nice comfy RV's. I bet I could sleep good in a climate controlled RV with a comfy bed but I do not consider that camping. Some of those RV's are nicer than my home. The only difference between a nice RV and a home is that the RV is smaller and it has wheels.</p>
<p> I played my song Linwood Café on Thursday at 4:30 pm on Stage 11. Stage eleven is the Songwriter Stage in the campground area of the festival. It is really a white 14'X14' shade tent for shade with microphones, speakers, lighting, etc. On Thursday night I got to play two songs on the stage. I played Big Hit and Picker's Paradise. Picker's Paradise is a song I wrote a few years back about Winfield. Big Hit is a song about being a songwriter and there were many songwriter's in the audience. I was trying to play to my crowd.</p>
<p> Friday morning I had my first radio interview. All of the winners in the songwriting contest were granted an interview on KC Café Radio.com. The website is www,kccaferadio.com . Yes, it is internet radio and not AM or FM radio. Maybe next year I can get on AM or FM radio. (Another dream.) They also made a video of the interview and of me playing my song Linwood Café. I will share it on this website when they send me a copy. </p>
<p> Friday night was Songwriter New Song night. Any songwriter could sign up to play there song but it had to be written in the last thirty days. I had one song that fit this category. My song is called More Jesus. I would call this song a praise song. Praise songs are different than a standard gospel song or a hymn. A praise song is a simple song where you only sing the chorus but you have many different versions of the chorus. The crowd didn't sing along to my tune like they sang along to Big Hit. It was still fun to get to play my latest song. (without a cheat sheet). Some songwriters had copies of their lyrics on music stands. The only reason I didn't was because I had played More Jesus last Sunday at church for the Night of Worship program.</p>
<p> I had a good time at the festival and made some new friends. I got to play some songs on stage. I wrote a song with my friend James Sperman called, "Almost Cinderella". I also came home and took a three hour nap in my own bed. I slept like a rock. Well, maybe I didn't sleep like a rock because rocks don't snore. It was a good time. </p>Jim McCartertag:jimmccarter.com,2005:Post/54090752018-08-31T09:08:06-05:002022-04-06T12:55:08-05:00Walnut Valley New Song contest results, (Drum roll)<p> </p>
<p> The results are in. I won. I get to go to Winfield and play my song Linwood Café. I got second place. It's not a blue ribbon but it's a ribbon. Well, to be honest, I don't get a ribbon, I get a medal. A medal is better than a ribbon, and better than a sticker, but not as good as a new guitar. </p>
<p> Walnut Valley has more contests than the song contest. They have flat pick guitar, fingerstyle guitar, ( I competed in this one.), fiddle, mandolin, etc. If you win one of the guitar playing competitions they give away really nice guitars as the prizes. The guitars they give away could be a Martin, a Collins, a Taylor, or something else fantastic. The value of the guitar would be worth two or three thousand dollars. That's okay, I get a medal. Priceless. </p>
<p> Have you ever heard Linwood Café? Check it out. This is the demo that I sent in to the contest. I get to sing this song at the festival. I also, get to buy a ticket to get into the festival to sing my song. Lucky me. This doesn't sound right does it? There is something funny about this. If they are expecting me to sing like my Nashville buddy they will be disappointed.</p>
<p> It will be fun and I am looking forward to it. Maybe, I'll meet some nice folks, play some good music, and maybe, write a great song with somebody I meet. </p>2:57Jim McCartertag:jimmccarter.com,2005:Post/54019852018-08-26T05:57:32-05:002022-04-06T12:55:04-05:00Color TV Set<p> This song really shows my age. In forty years kid will be writing how cell phones, X-Box, play station 27 and the influence that it made on their lives. I wanted to have a little fun and write about our first color tv set. You hear songs like this all the time on country radio. Not! Just kidding. I was checking to see if you were reading or asleep. I could write more about this but I'll let the song do what songs are suppose to do. Tell the story. </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>3:33Jim McCartertag:jimmccarter.com,2005:Post/53982372018-08-23T05:29:05-05:002022-04-06T12:55:12-05:00Broken Crayon<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/75582/56c21982849487ad2c666faa3366cf9f79020237/original/screenshot-2018-08-23-05-31-52-1.png/!!/b:W10=.png" class="size_l justify_center border_" /> Broken crayons is the title of the last song that I wrote. Here are the lyrics.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"> </p>
<p> Broken Crayons</p>
<p>There are many pretty colors in his crayon box</p>
<p>Black and red, blue and green, violet and apricot.</p>
<p>He knows every color's name and where they go</p>
<p>Can I be the indigo, in his rainbows?</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Chorus- Broken crayon that's what I am</p>
<p>Wax and paper in Jesus hand.</p>
<p>He loves broken crayons, he loves me</p>
<p>He says, He needs me to paint a masterpiece</p>
<p>Jesus, use me.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>People call me worthless, I know that's a lie</p>
<p>If that were true, why did Jesus die?</p>
<p>So I give him my all, my love and loyalty</p>
<p>to the sunset painter who see's the gold in me.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Chorus- Broken crayon that's what I am</p>
<p>Wax and paper in Jesus hand</p>
<p>He loves broken crayons, he loves me</p>
<p>He says, He needs me to paint a masterpiece</p>
<p>Jesus, use me.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Grind me down to nothing, lift me up to heaven</p>
<p>Grind me down to nothing, lift me up to heaven</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Chorus- Broken crayon that's what I am</p>
<p>Wax and paper in Jesus hand</p>
<p>He loves broken crayons, he loves me</p>
<p>He says, He needs me to paint a masterpiece</p>
<p>Jesus, use me. </p>
<p>Jesus, use me.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Written by and with a broken crayon. </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>Jim McCartertag:jimmccarter.com,2005:Post/53867942018-08-14T07:35:00-05:002022-04-06T12:56:01-05:00Walnut Valley New Song contest<p> I wrote about sending in my latest entries for the songwriting contest at the Walnut Valley New song contest. I had a request for the lyrics and the song called, Picker's Paradise. This is the song that I got to play on stage at Walnut Valley Bluegrass festival. . If you have a song that you want to hear and it isn't on the website, let me know and maybe I can get it on here. Here are the lyrics and music to the song Picker's Paradise.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>Picker's Paradise</strong></p>
<p><strong>Were a Winfield campfire band strumming new guitar strings</strong></p>
<p><strong>an older gray haired lady who yodels when she sings.</strong></p>
<p><strong>Her voice is sweet as honey as she glides from note to note</strong></p>
<p><strong>felt a tear run down my face as she sang this song she wrote.</strong></p>
<p> </p>
<p><strong>Chorus- It's a simple melody played in 4/4 time</strong></p>
<p><strong>Her verses told a story of her rocky times.</strong></p>
<p><strong>We all sang the chorus and we sang it twice.</strong></p>
<p><strong>all our feet were tapping, it's a picker's paradise.</strong></p>
<p> </p>
<p><strong>The chords were very simple, just a D and an A</strong></p>
<p><strong>A boy on a banjo, could that boy play.</strong></p>
<p><strong>His Dad plucked the bass, Mom's on mandolin</strong></p>
<p><b>I picked my guitar and it blended in.</b></p>
<p> </p>
<p><b>It's a simple melody played in 4/4 time</b></p>
<p><b>her verses told a story of her rocky times</b></p>
<p><b>We all sang the chorus and we sang it twice</b></p>
<p><b>All our feet were tapping, it's a picker's paradise.</b></p>
<p> </p>
<p><b>There's a guy in a dress shirt, thimbles on his thumbs</b></p>
<p><b>He taps a tin necktie and beats it like a drum.</b></p>
<p><b>A pretty fiddle player, hot as 4th of July</b></p>
<p><b>A farmer in a lawn chair, his harmonica cries</b></p>
<p> </p>
<p><b>It's a simple melody played in 4/4 time</b></p>
<p><b>Her verses told a story of her rocky times</b></p>
<p><b>We all sang the chorus and we sang it twice</b></p>
<p><b>All our feet were tapping, it's a picker's paradise. </b></p>
<p> </p>
<p><b> </b><strong>Many contests say, "The production doesn't matter. We are judging songs on the songs themselves and not on the singing or the production." I didn't believe that was true. Deep down, I still believe that you need a great production and singer to get your music heard. I have sent in songs for the contest that were professionally produced that I thought sounded great but this is the song that won. (Go figure!) If you notice some of the lyrics don't match up. The reason is that songs change over time. This is the original copy of the MP3 of the song I sent in to the contest. . I was totally shocked that the song that I sang won. Laugh out loud. </strong></p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>2:42Jim McCartertag:jimmccarter.com,2005:Post/53785042018-08-07T19:24:34-05:002022-04-06T12:56:05-05:00The difference between a rough demo and a professional demo<p> Maybe you are a songwriter and you have never had a professional do a demo for you. You might be wondering if it is worth it? How much does it cost? Would it be better if I bought recording equipment and recorded it myself? I will give my opinion on the cheapest way to go.</p>
<p> If you are a great singer, and can play a mean piano and/or guitar, I would buy a quality computer program like Ableton live or Pro Tools. This would allow you to make your own high quality demos. You could also do this if you know someone who is a great singer who would be willing to sing your demos for you.</p>
<p> If you are lacking in the singing department, I would suggest making a rough demo and having a professional studio produce one for you. Most professional studios have samples of their work on their website. I have used a couple different studios in the past. Green Jeans Studio, (Kansas), Pitch Perfect, (Nashville), and Mason Douglas (Nashville). They do excellent work without breaking the bank.</p>
<p> To make your rough demos, I would suggest using a program called Audacity. It is a simple to use set up and it is free. I understand if you want to spend more and try to make better music all by yourself. I've learned a lot and spent a lot of money during the process.</p>
<p> Today, I am sharing my song that I recorded and sang in the home studio. You will be able to compare and see the difference. A professional guitar/vocal demo costs about $150. This could add up if you were writing and recording a song or two a week. Sometimes I have to decide which songs are worth spending money for the demo. The song is called Long Live the King. </p>3:56Jim McCartertag:jimmccarter.com,2005:Post/53760662018-08-06T07:21:34-05:002022-04-06T12:56:08-05:00After and before instead of before and after<p> Today I am sharing the song, Long Live the King. I got the demo back on Friday and decided I would share it today. Tomorrow I am planning on sharing my rough demo of the song. This is like before and after diet pictures but I am doing it in the reverse order. I am always amazed at the difference between me singing my best and the talent of somebody who can really sing. </p>
<p> I wish that I could sing great. God didn't give me the talent to be a great singer. He gave that talent to somebody else. All I need to do is pay the talented singer to use his talent to sing my song.</p>
<p> The demo is more than just a great singer. I have a nice recording studio setup. I have quality condenser mics, a Martin D-28 guitar, a Roland 2480 recorder and CD maker, and acoustic wall treatments hanging to keep the room from echoing. There is definitely a knack to bringing a song to life. Better guitar playing, percussion that is not out of sync, and backup vocals. Getting the demo back is one of the best parts of writing songs. A completed project. </p>
<p> Try to check out my website tomorrow to hear the before version. Thanks for listening. </p>3:43Jim McCartertag:jimmccarter.com,2005:Post/53516242018-07-18T07:22:22-05:002022-04-06T12:56:13-05:00What's wrong with this picture feeling<p> I want to talk about feelings. Yes, I must be sick. Guys don't talk about feeling and yes, guy's do have them. Not very many and not to often. I want to talk about bad feelings. That feeling you get when you know something is wrong. Here is an example that I thought would fit this situation.</p>
<p> I used to work in Customer service at Dillon's grocery store. Dillon's is part of the Kroger company. My job at the store was to help customers at the customer service counter. Back in the day we didn't have and open counter like they do now. Dillons wanted it to feel safer so we had an enclosed area. It was a counter top with metal netting and glass. I don't know if it was there to protect us from the customers or to protect the customers from us. It reminded me of a chicken coop with thicker wire and fluorescent lighting. We called our work area , The Gage.</p>
<p> My job was to count tills, cash paychecks, deal with customer complaints, and to perform refunds. Did you know that people pass stolen checks? I remember the first time that I knew I took a bad check. My supervisor showed me a payroll check that I had taken. It was a handwritten check and it looked terrible. You couldn't read the signature, the company name was not a company that anyone had heard of, and I should have been fired. I looked at the check and I remembered it. I cashed it but I had my doubts. My inner voice was going, "It's bad. Don't cash it. Something wrong.", but I wasn't listening. </p>
<p> I hear that same voice when I write songs. I will write down a lyric and say to myself, I like that. I try hard to convince myself that I truly like it. Sometimes I'm successful and other times I give in to the inner voice. Other times I need to hear it from somebody else. I might hear it from a song evaluator at Nashville Songwriter Association . They might say," This line could be stronger." That is the nice way of saying, "This line is terrible."</p>
<p> I want to share a lyric that I fixed today. I think it is better but I could be wrong. Sometimes you have to live with a lyric a few days to see if it really is better. Today I am still in the honeymoon stage with my new lyric. </p>
<p> Here is the original lyric- </p>
<p> I fell in love with Marcia on the Brady Bunch</p>
<p> Wanna drive the General Lee when I grow up.</p>
<p> Commercials told me how to find happiness</p>
<p> I believed the lies they told me on my color TV set. </p>
<p> </p>
<p> You might notice that the new lines are longer. The reason I had to change the length of these lines is so that they would match the first verse. Publishers are picky that way. Also, this makes the song easier to sing. Nursery rhymes are great at matching the words and melody up perfectly. </p>
<p> I fell in love my first time with Marcia from the Brady Bunch</p>
<p> Wanna drive the General Lee, real fast, when I grow up</p>
<p> Didn't know what I wanted until I saw those TV ads.</p>
<p> I was buying what they sold on our color TV set. </p>
<p> </p>
<p> I like the new lines but remember it could all change tomorrow. Today is the honeymoon stage and I am in love. I hope this marriage lasts. </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>Jim McCartertag:jimmccarter.com,2005:Post/53470532018-07-15T07:57:17-05:002022-04-06T13:03:04-05:00Something you can see<p> This is a story about my Mom and Dad. They were married for over seventy years. Wow! My Dad was a kid during the depression and he was not big on showing affection. He believed in showing love by acts of kindness. I don't know if I ever heard him say I love you but I never ever doubted that he loved me. My dad wasn't a big talker. If you wanted to know him you had to dig deeper than words. He told me and showed me that love is more than words. Here are the words to my song, Something you can see. </p>
<p>He worked hard from sun up to sunset </p>
<p>Dad repainted our old farmhouse white </p>
<p>Nailed up shutters and new shingles </p>
<p>Fixed it up for Mom, real nice. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Chorus- I never saw him raise his voice in anger </p>
<p>Never saw him say an unkind word to her. </p>
<p>She’s his everything </p>
<p>I love you wasn’t something that he said, </p>
<p> Love was something you could see. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>She picked wild flower by the creek bank </p>
<p> Mom arranged them in a coffee can. </p>
<p>At night, she lit scented candles </p>
<p>Glad to sit and hold Daddies hands. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Chorus - I never saw her raise her voice in anger </p>
<p>Never saw her say and unkind word to him </p>
<p>He’s her everything, </p>
<p> I love you wasn’t something she just said </p>
<p>Love was something you could see.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Girl, you’re like a flower, you need water and sunshine </p>
<p>I can be the rain that falls in the springtime. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Chorus- I hope I never raise my voice in anger </p>
<p>Hope I never say and unkind word to you. </p>
<p>You’re my everything. </p>
<p>I love you isn’t something I just say </p>
<p>Love is something you can see. </p>
<p> <br>Here is the demo of this song. I hope you like it. Love is something you can see. </p>2:36Jim McCartertag:jimmccarter.com,2005:Post/53447202018-07-13T10:23:04-05:002022-04-06T12:57:05-05:00There's more to songwriting than just writing songs<p> Today is a songwriting morning but I'm not writing songs. Sometimes songwriting is not about playing guitar and trying to come up with fresh new and exciting lyrics. I won't need to record any songs or try to sing in tune because I have officially declared today as <strong>Songwriter Contest Day</strong>. I entered four songs in the Winfield, Ks- Walnut Valley Festival New song contest. The four songs that I entered are Little Black Dress (Humorous category), Average Joe (None of the above category), Something you can see, (Love song category) and Linwood Café. (Sweet Memories). I also entered one song in the American Songwriter lyric contest. The song I submitted was Long live the King. Now all I need to do is wait. Waiting is not one of my favorite things to do. Unless I'm standing in line at a grocery store. (Sarcasm.) I work at a grocery store and I hate standing in line. I will go home without groceries before I will stand in a long line. You can tell that I need to learn to be more patient. </p>
<p> What are the prizes for these two contest ? The reward for the Walnut Valley song contest is getting to play on stage at the Walnut Valley Festival in October. I have been a runner up twice and got to perform on stage once. The runner up might get to perform if the first place winner does not show. Both times I went the first place winner was present. The lyric contest is a co-writing session with a country songwriter named Charlie Worsham, a demo session for my song, and a new guitar. A man can never have to many guitars. To verify that you will need to ask me and not my wife. </p>Jim McCartertag:jimmccarter.com,2005:Post/53277282018-07-02T08:31:35-05:002022-04-06T12:57:02-05:00Linwood Cafe<p> Today is Christmas. Not Christmas, Christmas. It is songwriter Christmas. One of my favorite things to do is to send in a song that I have written and get the demo back. It is like a Christmas present. You have high hopes that your song will turn out great. Sometimes we can be disappointed. Maybe we set our bar of expectation too high. Or maybe our song is not that good. Not all rocks shine like diamonds. </p>2:57Jim McCartertag:jimmccarter.com,2005:Post/52599982018-05-27T07:29:42-05:002022-04-06T12:56:58-05:00Thrill of the Ride<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/75582/8b6901e7816104bf131477d92ba44385f602fd72/original/screenshot-2018-05-27-07-26-20-1.png/!!/b:W10=.png" class="size_l justify_center border_" /> This is a title to a song that I wrote. It started out as a writing assignment at our monthly NSAI (Nashville Songwriting Association International) meeting. The assignment was to write a song about rodeo. </p>
<p> I am a country boy but I am not that familiar with rodeo. I took my kids to a local rodeo thirty years ago. They had bull riding but these bulls weren't in the same class as the ones you see on TV at the professional rodeos. I still don't want to ride one. Tame or not. I had to do some research to write this song. I had to look online to see what cities had rodeos. My song would not be realistic if I said, New York City was a rodeo destination and it wasn't. I wouldn't think it would be but I don't know. I know that they have rodeos in Pueblo and Waco. Research is important when you are writing a song. </p>
<p> Thrill of the Ride</p>
<p>She loves cowboy boots and rodeos,</p>
<p>Miranda on the radio.</p>
<p>I never saw a horse</p>
<p>my girl can't ride.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>I said, "Get a job, be a wife.</p>
<p>Run from my cowboy life."</p>
<p>She said," I got the fever.</p>
<p>Wanna try it."</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Chorus- Watch those barrels, hold on tight</p>
<p>Needing cash for gas tonight.</p>
<p>Cup of coffee, rolling fast </p>
<p>down the highway.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Watch your speed in little towns</p>
<p>Barney Fife's are all around.</p>
<p>You're a Jeff county rodeo queen</p>
<p>loving the thrill of the ride.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>She won a trophy up in Pueblo</p>
<p>Broke her wrist down in Waco.</p>
<p>She smiled and said, "When I win</p>
<p>I feel no pain."</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Momma's praying for her daily</p>
<p>and shouting, "Let's go Baby."</p>
<p>as she races toward</p>
<p>the finish line.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Watch those barrels hold on tight</p>
<p>Needing cash for gas tonight</p>
<p>Cup of coffee, rolling fast</p>
<p>down the highway.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Watch your speed in little towns</p>
<p>Barney Fife's are all around.</p>
<p>She's a Jeff county rodeo queen</p>
<p>loving the thrill of the ride.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>She says, " I stare up at the stars</p>
<p>and wonder how I got this far."</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Watch those barrels, hold on tight</p>
<p>Needing cash for gas tonight</p>
<p>Cup of coffee, rolling fast </p>
<p>down the highway.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Watch your speed in little towns</p>
<p>Barney Fife's are all around.</p>
<p>She's a Jeff county rodeo queen.</p>
<p>loving the thrill of the ride.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Copyright Jim McCarter</p>
<p> </p>
<p> I played this song for a mentor at NSAI. He hated it. I played the song a medium speed and he thought it should be a fast song. Remember, everybody has an opinion on what we do. Yes, we need too listen to feedback, especially if it is from someone who is more experienced and qualified than us. I decided I liked the song the way I wrote it and it is my song and I ain't changing it. Thanks for the feedback. (lol)</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>Jim McCartertag:jimmccarter.com,2005:Post/52588842018-05-26T09:02:17-05:002022-04-06T13:03:22-05:00George Lucas (Story Writer and Creator of Star Wars)<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/75582/2dd7af9a3ed797d85adb21207d2c458564a0d45b/original/screenshot-2018-05-26-08-55-31-1.png/!!/b:W10=.png" class="size_l justify_center border_" /> Last week I finished reading a book about George Lucas. He is best known for being the creator of Star Wars. Do you know what his first hit movie was? American Graffiti. American Graffiti was a movie that starred Ron Howard, Richard Dreyfuss, Harrison Ford, Mackenzie Phillips, Suzzane Sommers and Wolfman Jack. This was before all of these people made it big. Yeah, Ron Howard had been Opie on the Andy Griffith show and Wolfman Jack was a popular deejay. George Lucas was promoting American Graffiti to Hollywood as a musical. Not a standard musical where all the actors sing the songs. His idea was to take songs that Wolfman Jack was playing on the radio and incorporate them into the movie. The songs would be played on a car radio, or at the local drive in over the PA system. </p>
<p> Here is a list of some of the songs that were on the soundtrack of the movie. Rock around the Clock, (Bill Haley), That'll be the day, (The Crickets), She's so Fine, (Flash Cadillac), Barbara Ann, (The Regents), Johnny B. Goode, (Chuck Berry), Love Potion #9, (The Clovers), and Teen Angel, (Mark Dinning). George Lucas said this about himself, " I made movies that nobody thinks are going to work. " That was true of American Graffiti and Star Wars. </p>
<p> It was hard to start a career in the movie making business in the seventies. You had to have connections to the movie studios and they were in control. This reminds me so much of the music industry in Nashville and LA. This has started to change with digital recordings and social media to help promote sales of music. </p>
<p> The first thing that George did was to learn as much as he could about making movies. George graduated from USC where he studied cinema. He made a film in school that was impressive to the teachers and staff. This helped him to one day be able to get Hollywood to finance American Graffiti and the first Star Wars movie. After his initial success he invested his own money that he made from these two hits back into his own company Lucas Films. He was then able to have total control of his movies and not have Hollywood executives trying to edit and change his movies.</p>
<p> If Star Wars was not a hit, George would have lost millions of dollars of his own money. The gamble paid off. George rolled the dice again and invested all of his profits from Star Wars back into making the second movie, The Empire Strikes Back. This bet paid off also. After this he was able to have the control that he craved and needed to be successful. His next big hit would be Raiders of the Lost Ark. Wow! Those are some pretty powerful movies to create and produce. I like that George believed so much in his vision that he invested all of his money. George bet on himself and he won. </p>
<p> How does George's story make you feel? I love the feeling I get when I hear a great story. Rags to riches. A slave becomes a princess. A nobody becomes a king. We are writing our stories each day that we live. It might be a short story, a boring story, a thiller, a tragedy, a comedy, etc. But the one thing that is will always be is "Our Story." </p>
<p> Write your own story and make it a great one. </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>Jim McCartertag:jimmccarter.com,2005:Post/52567482018-05-25T07:07:18-05:002022-04-06T13:03:35-05:00What is the greatest invention of all time ?<p> What is the greatest invention of all time? I remember asking my Dad that question. My Dad was born in 1915. He saw so many changes in the world in his ninety-five years on earth. He was raised on a farm in northeastern Kansas. They farmed with horses back then and lived in a home that was heated by a wood stove that was in the center of the living room. My grandparents owned an Old model T ford when I was a kid. Lots of people have owned model T's. They are sitting in their garages and they don't run. This model T was their transportation. It was their only car. My uncle Noah was driving this Model T to Topeka in 1972. There is a long gradual curve on Highway 4 just outside of Meriden, KS. The taillights on a Model T are not very bright and Model T's do not go very fast. A semi ran into the back of the car and demolished it and killed my uncle Noah. </p>
<p> Here is a list of some of the things that were invented during his lifetime. Airplanes, microwaves, indoor plumbing, and electricity- I remember my Mom and Dad talking about which houses they owned that had electricity. The radio. We have all heard stories about families sitting around listening to the radio shows and baseball games. Television. Black and white TV. I remember black and white TV's. Color TV's. Think about all of the technology that was created after color TV's. Computers, video games, Pixar movies, cell phones, internet, etc.</p>
<p> What was my Dad's answer to the greatest invention of all time? The automobile. He said, "It made traveling so much easier and faster. The dirt roads were replaced with highways. It made the world a smaller place." I decided to write a song about the greatest invention of all time. My choice is not as logical as my Dads. I have more of an emotional connection with my choice. Here are the lyrics to the song.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> Color TV</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"> </p>
<p>My whole world was black and white til nineteen seventy one</p>
<p>My brother came back from Vietnam with a TV from Taiwan</p>
<p>Watching cartoons on Saturday, life's as good as it gets</p>
<p>Nothings sweeter than cartoons on a color tv set. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Chorus-I loved the Flinstones, and Bugs Bunny</p>
<p>Dad favorite show was All in the Family</p>
<p>Mom liked Marcus Welby MD and Carol Burnette</p>
<p>We spent time together watching our color TV set. </p>
<p> </p>
<p> I fell in love with Marcia on the Brady Bunch</p>
<p>Wanna drive the General Lee when I grow up.</p>
<p>Commercials told me how to find happiness</p>
<p>I begged for the toys that I saw on our color tv set. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Chorus - I loved the Flinstones, and Bugs Bunny </p>
<p>Dad favorite show was All in the Family </p>
<p>Mom liked Marcus Welby MD and Carol Burnette </p>
<p>We spent time together watching our color TV set. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Time passes quickly even when it's going slow.</p>
<p>One day I'll wonder where did my life go?. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Chorus - I loved the Flinstones, and Bugs Bunny </p>
<p>Dad favorite show was All in the Family </p>
<p>Mom liked Marcus Welby MD and Carol Burnette </p>
<p>Time wasn't wasted watching our color TV set. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>The greatest invention of all time</p>
<p>was the color tv set. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>It is pretty obvious that I am not the deep thinker of our family. </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>Jim McCartertag:jimmccarter.com,2005:Post/51710852018-04-08T19:19:55-05:002022-04-06T13:03:44-05:00Puddles of Pain (Free Download)<p> I spent this week in Nashville, Tennessee. I went to an NSAI (Nashville Songwriting Association International) event. The event is called Tin Pan South. On Monday and Tuesday I attended a workshop at the Maxwell House Millennium Hotel. The main speaker was Tom Douglas. Tom is a great songwriter. He played two of his biggest hits for us. He played a keyboard and sang his own songs. The first song that he performed was Little Rock. Little Rock was his first song that became a number one hit. This happened in 1994. Do you remember the song? Here are some of the lyrics to the chorus to help refresh your memory. </p>
<p style="text-align: center;">Little Rock</p>
<p style="text-align: center;">I think I'm on a roll , here in Little rock</p>
<p style="text-align: center;">I'm solid as a stone, wait and see</p>
<p style="text-align: center;">I got just one small problem</p>
<p style="text-align: center;">Here in Little Rock</p>
<p style="text-align: center;">Without you, Baby I'm not me</p>
<p style="text-align: center;">Without you, Baby, I'm not me. </p>
<p> I love that song. He also, performed another song that he wrote. The house that built me. This is a number one hit that was sung by Miranda Lambert. Tom wrote this song with his friend Allen Shamblin. Tom and Allen wrote this song and did not get it finished. Something about the song was not right. Seven years later they finally found the correct direction to take the song and it became a hit. That is a long time to have a song and to come back to it. I would struggle to fine the lyrics and the demo after that long. </p>
<p> Tom did something in his speech that I thought was great. He told that it can be very discouraging being a songwriter. He has been there. He said, "If there is anyone here who is ready to quit, I want to encourage you to not quit. I want you to write down my phone number and call me. He then proceeded to tell his phone number to three hundred songwriters. I was so shocked. In today world, who would give out their phone number to a room full of strangers? This is the time frame in life where we try to protect our identity and our personal life from others. This simple act of kindness and his caring attitude was the most impactful thing about the entire conference. </p>
<p> Tom did ask all of us to make a commitment. The commitment was to write two song a month from April until December. In December he wanted us to take our five best songs and make a CD and give it away to our family and friends. So many times songwriters will write songs and they will live in notebooks or may be get burned to a cd and never listened to. </p>
<p> I decided I might do something a little different. I thought I could take advantage of my website. I have songs that I have written and only a handful of people have every heard them. I decided that I will share them. The first song that I decided to share is Puddles of Pain. I recorded this song in Nashville at a Pitch Perfect recording studio. Originally I had this song sung by a professional demo singer and he sounded great. I always wanted to hear what one of my songs would sound like if I went to a professional studio and if they used auto tune to make my vocals sound better. The professional singer is so much better but I wanted to try this. You can download a copy of this if you want to. </p>3:31Jim McCartertag:jimmccarter.com,2005:Post/51278492018-03-14T11:40:31-05:002022-04-06T13:03:52-05:00Topeka Baptist Night of Worship<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/75582/9a2ef2d30cd18a8ee0a3f7920b856b6be874ff0c/original/img-9202.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /> Twice a year we have an event called Night of Worship at Topeka Baptist. I was excited to get to play. I wrote a song called Make it Rain. I shared a few words about why I had written the song. Have you ever had a bad day at work? A bad week? A bad month? We all have. I am an assistant manager at Dillons and we have had lots of sickness and reasons that people have missed work. We have seven full time grocery associates and we were down to two. It was a very stressful time. During the rough times in life it is great to know that God is in control. All I have to do is trust him. I don't have to understand what he is doing or even why he is doing it. I need to trust him. Here are the lyrics to the song. </p>
<p> </p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>Make it Rain</strong></p>
<p><span class="font_regular"><b>No matter how hard I try, I can't see past the clouds</b></span></p>
<p><span class="font_regular"><b>the sun might be bright but I can't see it now.</b></span></p>
<p><span class="font_regular"><b>I hear the thunder roll, the lightning scares me</b></span></p>
<p><b>The pain I feel, it's you changing me.</b></p>
<p> </p>
<p><b>Chorus- Oh, Lord, Oh Oh, make it rain</b></p>
<p><b>Oh, Oh, make it rain,</b></p>
<p><b>Oh, I feel the pain,</b></p>
<p><b>Oh Lord, make it rain. </b></p>
<p> </p>
<p><b>Yes, Jesus see's my rough edges, he sands them smooth</b></p>
<p><b>I trust in his greatness, that's what I do</b></p>
<p> </p>
<p><b>Chorus- Oh, Lord, Oh, Oh, make it rain</b></p>
<p><b>Oh, Oh, make it rain,</b></p>
<p><b>Oh, I feel the pain,</b></p>
<p><b>Oh, Lord, make it rain.</b></p>
<p> </p>
<p><b>The joy I receive will outlast the hurt.</b></p>
<p><b>I'll give you praise as I watch you work. </b></p>
<p> </p>
<p><b>Chorus- Oh, Lord, Oh, Oh, make it rain</b></p>
<p><b>Oh, Oh, make it rain,</b></p>
<p><b>Oh, I feel the pain.</b></p>
<p><b>Oh Lord, make it rain.</b></p>
<p> </p>
<p> This can be an easy song to sing but a hard song to live. It is me saying to God, I am going through this rough time and I am good with it. If you want to bring difficulties into my life, I am willing to accept it and trust in you. <b> </b></p>Jim McCartertag:jimmccarter.com,2005:Post/50849532018-02-17T20:20:38-06:002022-04-06T13:04:09-05:00When I make it Big (Ch 21) Moses and Grandma Moses<p> There is something about turning forty. You have proven yourself to be a survivor. You have survived your teenage years and all the learning experiences that you had to learn on your own. Yes, it would have been easier to listen to your parent, but what did they know? Other than everything. It is great when you see a teenager that has success at a young age but it doesn't ruin their lives or the lives of people around them. A good example of this is Taylor Swift. </p>
<p> There are many people in life that have success when they are young. They have made lots of money and life is good. Taylor Swift achieved success by the age of sixteen. She became a hit songwriter and has made a connection to her fans through her music. When Taylor sings about getting her heart broken by her boyfriend, her fans understand and have felt her pain. When Taylor sings about castles and white horses and fairy tales coming true and love saving the day. Her fans understand and sing along with the words to her songs. Taylor knows how to relate to her fans. To Taylor's fans, she is not a star, she is a girl with a guitar, who understands who they are and what they want, They want to be like her. </p>
<p> Let's be honest. Not everyone is going to have a success story like Taylor Swift. Taylor is not alone. Some people will achieve success in their twenties and thirties and then there are the rest of us. The people who go to work on Monday's and on days when we don't feel good because come Friday we are going to need every dollar of that paycheck to pay the rent. We are the people who get paid weekly but know which months have five paydays in it. May would be a great month. That is the month that car insurance is due. September is also a good month for an extra paycheck to get the kids enrolled in school and buy school supplies and book bags.Hopefully one of those will be December so we can buy presents for our kids. This was my life. </p>
<p> Forty is a wake up call. What have you done with your life? At the age of forty, I was working at Dillon's grocery store. I had been at Dillon's for twelve years. I was divorced with three kids. Driving a used car that was worth less than a thousand dollars but I was thankful it was paid for. Yes my life didn't have the ring of success to it. I am not complaining. I did and still do feel very blessed by God. I am thankful for all of my blessings and I am content with my life. Would I like a better car, a bigger house, more money in savings, sure you bet. Sign me up, but that would just be more icing on the cake. </p>
<p> I was reading the story of Moses yesterday. Moses was an Israelite who was born during a difficult time. Pharaoh, the King of Egypt had made a decree that all baby boys had to be killed. Moses parents could not kill their beautiful baby boy. They hid him for as long as they could. They were able to hide him for three months. They took Moses and placed him in a basket that would float and set it in the river. Pharaoh's daughter, the princess, came by and saw the baby. Moses was like a puppy to her. She took Moses home and begged her Daddy to let her keep him. How could he say no to his little princess?</p>
<p> That is an interesting story. Pharaoh, a ruler that hated Israelites, has a Jewish son/grandson living in his home. I would bet Pharaoh felt exactly like me when my son Jordan asked if we could keep a stray kitten. We didn't need a kitten but because I loved Jordan and wanted to make him to be happy, we were now the proud owners of a cat.</p>
<p> I wonder if Moses was like my stray cat. That cat really liked me. He wanted to play with me, sit by me, and purr when I held him. Moses was probably the same way. He probably loved to sit on Pharaoh's lap and listen to him read stories to him. He may have played catch with a ball in the backyard of the palace. Moses might of painted pictures for Pharaoh to hang on the kitchen walls. Moses had a very gifted life. He was an Israelite living in a mansion. Going to the best schools with the best teachers. His friends were the smartest and brightest kids around. What a life! Isn't it amazing how God works? </p>
<p> At the age of forty, Moses went to visit some of his relatives. While he was there he saw an Egyptian mistreating an Israelite. I believe Moses had a deep compassion for the Israelites. He truly loved them and wanted the best for them. I am sure that Moses had seen the Israelites mistreated all of his life. I bet it broke his heart when this happened. Moses might of assumed that being a member of Pharaoh's home would help him to be a leader for the Israelites. Moses stood up to the Egyptian and killed him. Moses probably thought that the Israelites would accept him as their leader but they didn't want him to be their leader. Moses decided the thing to do was to run for safety. </p>
<p> Moses would wait another forty years before God decided to use him to lead his people out of Egypt. God let Moses know that he was the leader when he spoke to Moses from a burning bush. God didn't want Moses to lead his people at forty. He wanted him to do it at the age of eighty. </p>
<p> This story reminds me of a lady who had the nickname Grandma Moses. Grandma Moses's real name was Anna Mary Robertson Moses. Grandma Moses worked hard all of her life. She worked on other folks farms and that was where she met her husband. She was always a creative and artistic person. Moses like to create embroidered pictures of yarn. She did this until the age of seventy six when her arthritis started acting up. Her sister suggested that she take up painting. This would be easier on her arthritis and cause less pain in her hands.</p>
<p> Grandma Moses started painting. She loved to paint. She started out selling her paintings for three to five dollars depending on the size of the picture. As her paintings became more popular she sold them for eight to ten thousand dollars. When she was asked, " What she would of done for a living if she wasn't selling paintings? " She replied, " I would of raised chickens."</p>
<p> This is the favorite part of this story. As Grandma Moses painted the arthritis in her right hand started hurting. What would most people do at this point in life? Probably quit painting would be the answer most of us would expect. What did Grandma Moses do? She switched hands. She painted with her left hand. I love this story. </p>
<p> To wrap up this story. Grandma Moses went on to become one the most successful painters ever. A career that she started up at the age of seventy-six. One of Grandma Moses's pictures that she painted and sold was later sold for 1.2 million dollars. After hearing this story how could anyone ever stop trying? Age doesn't matter. After reading this story I might have to start practicing playing a left handed guitar in case I ever get arthritis in my right hand. What a story!</p>
<p> </p>Jim McCartertag:jimmccarter.com,2005:Post/50766592018-02-13T06:01:00-06:002022-04-06T13:04:17-05:00When I make it Big (The Moment)<p> Yesterday I was watching Audience music. It is one of my Direct TV channels. The group that was featured was the band Hanson. In the early nineties they were called the Hanson Brothers. I didn't realize how popular of a band that they were. They have sold 6 million records worldwide, had eight top 40 albums, and six top forty singles. There first big hit was a song called MMBOP.</p>
<p> I thought they were just another boy band. They were so young when they started out. They were so young that they couldn't get gigs because they were too young to play in bars so they played lots of festivals.The ages of the boys around this time frame, (my best guess) was ten, eleven and twelve. They were from Tulsa, OK. and built a following around the Midwest by playing as many shows as they could. They attended the SXSW music festival in Austin and busked on the sidewalk. It was there that they met there manager who was an attorney who believed in them. </p>
<p> I was listening to the interview and they were asked about the big moment. What was the big moment that happened that took them to the next level. We all like to think of these big moments as being earth changing. When I think of a big moment this is how I imagine it. This is a big moment from the Bible.</p>
<p> The shepherds were watching their sheep when Jesus was born. An angel appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord's glory surrounded them. "Don't be afraid!" he said. "I bring you good news of great joy for everyone! The Savior -yes, the Messiah, the Lord-- has been born tonight in Bethlehem, the city of David! And this is how you will recognize him: You will find a baby lying in a manger, wrapped snugly in strips of cloth!" Suddenly, the angel was joined by a vast host of others-- the armies of heaven --- praising God: "Glory to God in the highest heaven, and peace on earth to all whom God favors." Then the angels returned to heaven. </p>
<p> That is a moment. I bet that being a shepherd was not the most exciting job. No cell phones, no tv, no video games, etc. An angel shows up and announces that the Messiah is born and they are invited to go see him. The angel choir is belting out the latest praise song to God. That is incredible. We all want moments like this in our life when we go WOW! That is a story to tell. </p>
<p> The Hanson's big moment and Jesus's big moment don't compare. There big moment happened when they were playing a show in Coffeyville, KS. I don't know about you but I have been to Coffeyville, KS. It is a very ordinary small town. They were playing at a festival and they were the opening band for a karaoke singer singing a Garth Brooks tune. The small crowd loved her but the crowd was less than thrilled with the Hanson's music. </p>
<p> In the crowd that day was the head A&R (Artist and Repertoire) guy for Mercury Records. His name was Steve Greenberg. He had traveled to Coffeyville, KS to hear them play and ended up offering them a record deal. No bright lights from heaven. No angels singing. It was an ordinary day in a small Kansas town but for the Hanson's it was the big moment that they had been waiting on.</p>
<p> Sometimes life is a lot of small moments. Think about it. You meet a girl. You learn her name. You remember the first time you talked to her. You remember what you said when you asked her out and she says, "Yes." (hopefully) We all have a lot of small moments with a few big moments sprinkled in. The big moments are weddings, birth of children, new jobs, promotions, etc. Don't over look the ordinary waiting for the big moment. Enjoy the ordinary. The big moment could be today or tomorrow, or next month. We don't know when but we keep on hoping. </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>Jim McCartertag:jimmccarter.com,2005:Post/50746312018-02-12T07:23:56-06:002022-04-06T13:04:24-05:00When I make it Big (Ch 20) Write me a love song<p> There are upsides and downsides to being a songwriter. The upside is when you can write a song that people can connect with. I have had people come up to me after playing a song and tell me how much they enjoyed a song. I have been told how they loved my song and how they could feel the emotion behind the song. That is a great feeling. This is definitely the upside of the songwriting journey. </p>
<p> Let's swing over to the downside. If you are a songwriter you should be able to write a great love song. That is how my wife feels. This is how every girlfriend, wife, lover, of any songwriter feels. If you love me as much as you say, Prove it. Write me a song that makes me feel something. A song that moves me. </p>
<p> This is pressure. Their are two ways to look at this. Number one- You are a terrible songwriter. You say that you love me so much but you can't write a song to back it up. Number two- Maybe you are a good songwriter and the reason you can't write a moving love song is because you don't love me. I did write a love song that I used to perform at the coffee shop. It was called, Why don't you write me a love song? It was a light hearted song about this situation. </p>
<p> Valentines Day is the day after tomorrow. I wrote a love song. It has an old fashioned feel to it, maybe a Chris Stapleton feel. The name of the song is I'll be. </p>
<p>You're a sunrise after a storm</p>
<p>a double bed, soft and warm. </p>
<p>Will you be my girl, fix my shattered world?</p>
<p>Teach me to rope and ride again?</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Chorus- I'll be a cowboy in your rodeo</p>
<p>a love song on your radio. </p>
<p>Kisses you taste, memories you chase</p>
<p>I'll be anything you want me to be, That's what I'll be. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>You're a cold drink from a mountain stream</p>
<p>sunshine that makes a sparrow sing.</p>
<p>A lake that's still, a cabin on a hill</p>
<p>I gotta tell you how I feel. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Chorus- I'll be a cowboy in your rodeo.</p>
<p>a love song on your radio.</p>
<p>Kisses you taste, memories you chase</p>
<p>I'll be anything you want me to be, That's what I'll be. </p>
<p> My wife's gift for Valentine's day could be me singing this song to her. She would probably rather have Russell Stover Brown Ribbon box of chocolates. I have a question for the ladies reading this. I wonder, which of these two gifts would you prefer? A love song or a box of chocolates? I would really like to know. Please comment. Your vote counts. </p>Jim McCartertag:jimmccarter.com,2005:Post/50686032018-02-08T06:56:41-06:002022-04-06T13:04:32-05:00When I make it Big (Ch 19) Dreams start where the last dream died. <p> It has been two months since I wrote the last chapter of this book. Why did I take two months and not write a single chapter? That is a great question. Great questions need great answers. Oops! I don't have a great answer maybe just a weak excuse. Deep down I had plan when I started writing this book. My goal was to write for thirty days and take you along on my songwriting journey. </p>
<p> We all have pre-conceived ideas of how things are going to turn out. Let's use the subject of love for an example. Love. We are going to fall in love and it is going to be better and stronger than anybody else's love. It is going to be kind, intense, passionate, and forever. We picture falling in love, dating, getting married and living happily ever after. It sounds like a fairy tale. A fairy tale that we hope happens. If only life was that simple. We could fall in love and live happily ever after. That would be a great story with a great ending. We could celebrate and have a victory celebration. Take the football hold it above our head and spike it down in the end zone. </p>
<p> Every book needs a great ending. I knew how I wanted to end my book. My plans were to document the process of going to Nashville and trying out at the Bluebird Café. I had already tried out twice and I was hoping the third time would be the charm. I was going to pass my audition and that would be a great ending. Our life stories don't always end how we planned. It would be great if they did. Dreams start where the last dream died. I failed to pass the audition but I received an email with words of encouragement to tryout again. There goes my great ending. What do I do now for and ending? </p>
<p> It is so easy to tell people about what your are going to do. Maybe you are going to apply for a new job? You are not happy with your old job and there is a job that you heard about the would be a perfect job for you. Maybe the new job has weekend off and you would love to have weekends off. Or it pays more money and we would all love to have more money to pay bills and have a little extra to spend on ourselves or somebody that we love. You tell your friends about your interview, the new suit you bought to go on the interview, the interview questions they asked, the answers that you thought were brilliant, and how long it will take to get the results. </p>
<p> Then comes the hard part. You don't get the job. Maybe you are like me? I don't bring it up. It is like it never happened. I might tell a handful of people, my wife, kids, and family and friends that ask about the results. Why do we do that? I do that because I feel like ashamed. What am I ashamed off? I guess because I feel like I did something wrong. In my case, maybe I picked the wrong song to play? Or maybe my songs were too personal? Not personal enough? Or something was missing? Or going back to the job interview example, What if you would of asked that one question differently? Was your answer to that one question the reason that you did not get the job? It makes you wonder. </p>
<p> My songwriting journey is still going on. I haven't quit. I don't know how it is going to end? I am still writing songs and working on the craft of songwriting. I'm going to keep writing this book about the journey even if I don't have a great ending. Dreams start where the last dream died. </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>Jim McCartertag:jimmccarter.com,2005:Post/49602992017-12-03T18:13:50-06:002022-04-06T13:05:01-05:00When I make it Big (Ch 18) The Rookie<p> I read about one book a week. Also, I try to read the Bible everyday. I like to read biographies, auto biographies, John Grisham, and books about songwriting. I like to read about songwriters and how they write their songs, where they get their inspiration and any tricks and tips that I can pick up to write better songs. </p>
<p> I finished reading a book that I started two days ago. It is a good book, maybe a great book, when you consider how quick I read it. It is called the Oldest Rookie. It is an auto-biography about Jim Morris. You might have heard of him. The story of his life was made into a movie called The Rookie. The star of the movie was Dennis Quaid. This is one of those books that is better than the movie. How many times have we heard that? I think it all depends if you are a reader or a watcher. I am more of a reader but it is a lot easier and quicker to watch a movie than to read the book. </p>
<p> Jim was a child that loved balls. He loved to throw balls, kick balls, roll balls, etc. His favorite sport was baseball but he also was a basketball and a football player. After high school he was drafted into the baseball. Injuries put a stop to his career. He gave up on his dream, got married, went to college, and had kids. Baseball was a dream that he left behind. </p>
<p> The story takes a twist. He became a head coach at a small Texas school. His baseball team had talent. He believed his team could be very successful. He told them to "Reach out. Put a dream or a goal just past where you can touch it at that moment. Then, once you do touch it, you've gotta reach a little higher. And a little higher. And a little higher. That's how you get better know matter what you do in life."</p>
<p> The players wanted to know why he wasn't chasing his dream of being a major league pitcher. They had seen how hard that he could throw. Their question was, "Why aren't you still playing?" He laughed. No professional baseball team would take a chance of a thirty-five year old player who had been out of the league for ten years. </p>
<p> The coach and the player made a deal. If they won the district championship, he would have to try out for a major league team. Sure he could and would try out but the reality of his dream coming true was impossible. </p>
<p> True to his work Coach Morris went to a Tampa Bay Rays tryout. The scouts could not believe it when the left handed picture threw the ball ninety-five miles per hours. The scout changed radar guns to make sure that it was not a false reading. It wasn't. This started the process of him making the major leagues as a pitcher at a time when most baseball players are considering retirement. </p>
<p> Jim Morris had achieved his goal. Many times throughout the book his goals had changed. His goal at a youngster was to play major league baseball. He did play professional baseball but only in the minor leagues. Another goal was to marry his wife. He went to college to get a degree so he could make more money and coach. His major league career ended after ten months when he had a career ending elbow injury. </p>
<p> Sometimes when we chases our dreams we become so focused that our life gets off kilter. During his last stint in the majors it was hard on his relationship with this wife and children. He said, "Sometimes I imagine myself at deaths door sorting through memories like souvenirs. I'll remember the people, the places, the dogs. I'll remember the long road to my dream and all the turns and obstacles along the way. I'll smile because I won't have to regret losing my wife and family to a dream that I learned didn't mean as much to me as they did."</p>
<p> Let's all chase our dreams and hope they never turn into nightmares. We all need to keep our priorities in line with what we believe is most important. We might be dreaming about driving a brand new Ford F-150 four wheel drive and we already own a $70,000 Hummer. Maybe, the life we are living is the dream? </p>
<p> </p>Jim McCartertag:jimmccarter.com,2005:Post/49543462017-11-30T06:30:29-06:002022-05-11T11:31:02-05:00 When I make it Big (Ch 17)Excuses, Excuses,<p> Excuses, excuses, we hear them every day and the devil will supply them if from church you stay away. When people come to know the Lord, the Devil always loses. So to keep them folks away from church he offers them excuses. This is the chorus from the song Excuses. It is a song that The Kingsmen played. We all use excuses. Excuses on why we don't go to church, why we don't tithe, why we are late for work, why we struggle with finances, and the list goes on and on. </p>
<p> I like that old saying, "Excuses are like noses, everybody has one." Another saying, "A bad excuses is better than not having one at all." I have a job that gives me more work than I could possibly get done. The leadership demands that everything get's done. If a job or a task is not completed, well that is an excuse. Excuses are not acceptable. </p>
<p> I wonder how the same companies that expects employees to meet their expectations but they fail to meet their stock holders expectations? This happens all the time. What does the company offer as an explanation? An excuse. We have increased competition, it is hard to hire quality employees, the economy is bad, stores are outdated, warehouse costs are up, inflation, deflation, excuse, excuse and excuse. How does the company justify the difference between these two comparisons?</p>
<p> I know the answer to this question. The answers that they give are <em>reasons</em>. Reasons are excuses dressed up in a business suit. If I am explaining to you why I haven't had time to write a song, I would give you a reason. If you were a songwriter and you told me why you weren't writing songs, I would call it an excuse. It all depends on which side of the fence we are standing in. </p>
<p> I think it is okay to have reasons and excuses as long as we don't let them stop us from accomplishing what needs to get done. The problem happens when we start believing our own excuses. I have done this and maybe you have also.</p>
<p> I am a member of NSAI. Nashville Songwriting Association International. Each year I receive twelve song evaluations as part of my membership. Each year it is my goal to send in twelve songs. I have a couple reasons that I do this. Also, it helps me to keep organized. Each time I send in the lyrics and the song recording it is kept in their website. I can play my song, read the lyrics, and read the evaluators comments in one convenient location. </p>
<p> I checked the website and I had six songs that I had sent in this year. I looked at the calendar and it was November 28th. I had about a month to get six more songs evaluated. I had songs that I had written but maybe I hadn't made a final rough demo. Or I had changed the lyrics since my last recording. So I decided to spend some time and try to reach my goal. </p>
<p> The first song I sent in was Good Day. It is a song that I wrote with my buddy Skip from New Mexico. I really like this song but. That is not good when you have to put a but in a sentence. It might need some work on the verses. Or it might not need any work at all. I wanted to get a professionals opinion to see how they feel about the song. </p>
<p> The next song that I sent in was called Nashville. A song about a girl in Nashville, who's name is Nashville. I also sent in a song called Little Black Dress. This is a song that I played at my last writer's round there. It is a fun song to play. </p>
<p> The last song that I sent in was Daddies Little Girl. This is the song that I have rewritten for the third time. Why three times? It wasn't right. I was writing somebody else's song and not mine. It was going to be a song about a girl who struggled through life, people looked down on her, but she was somebodies little girl. Too vague. Keep it simple. I wrote a song about my daughter Heather.</p>
<p> Heather used to drive my old blue 85 Ford half ton pickup. That truck was a lemon. My dad gave it to me, I drove it for awhile, Heather drove it some, and then Jordan inherited it and all of the problems that came with it. During one phase, the battery would not stay charged up. To keep the battery from draining you had to unhook the positive battery cable when you got home. I remember living at the Hick's Block apartments and Heather would park it across the street at Terry's Bar and Grill. She would grab her socket wrench, pop open the hood, unhook the cable wire, and slam the hood shut. Heather is not the mechanic type but you do what you got to do.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Daddies little Girl</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Got milk and eggs and bread on your grocery list</p>
<p>Worrying 'bout the total, hope a twenty covers it.</p>
<p>Looking for a coupon, trying to save a buck</p>
<p>Life's got you down, You keep getting up. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Chorus- My little girl, you loved nursery rhymes.</p>
<p>Played peek a boo, laughed every time.</p>
<p>Rocked you to sleep, my little Bo Peep</p>
<p>the Man in the moon shines down on Daddies little girl. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Jumper cables in the trunk, in case you car won't start</p>
<p>Flashlight and toolkit for repairs in the dark.</p>
<p>Hoping things bet better, it all turns out fine.</p>
<p>Getting through life, one prayer at a time. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>My little girl, you loved nursery rhymes</p>
<p>Played peek a boo, laughed every time</p>
<p> Rocked you to sleep, my little Bo Peep</p>
<p>the Man in the moon shines down on Daddies little girl. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>On Sunday you drop your offering in the plate</p>
<p>God looks down and he see's your faith. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>You're his little girl who loves nursery rhymes</p>
<p>Saw you play peek a boo and laugh every time.</p>
<p>He watches you sleep, my little Bo Peep</p>
<p>the Man in the moon shines down on Daddies little girl. </p>
<p> </p>
<p> I am now down to two more evaluations to turn it to reach my goal of sending in twelve songs this year. I can do this. I had two choices. We all have choices. I work too many hours, I don't have time, my granddaughter is asleep in the room beside my recording studio and I might wake her up, etc. I was talking to my boss Kelly at work and I made an excuse about something. She said, "We all got out problems." That is when it hit me. </p>
<p> We all got our problems. Life is about how we deal with those problems. I was accepting my problems or excuses instead of working through them. I was allowing my excuses to control my destiny instead of confronting my excuses I was accepting them as truth. Yes, I do work too many hours. Yes, I need to find a time to write music when my granddaughter is awake. Yes, we all have our problem. Yes, we all make excuses but No we don't have to believe our own excuses. </p>
<p> I feel better about myself after getting closer to my goal. It wasn't easy, I spent six hours getting it done. Six songs in one month and two days, down to two songs in a month. No excuses to not get this done. Yet. </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>Jim McCartertag:jimmccarter.com,2005:Post/49303372017-11-15T09:12:39-06:002022-04-06T13:05:17-05:00When I make Big (Chap 16) One of these days<p> I was sitting at a table at the Walnut Valley Bluegrass festival eating lunch. It was a warm sunny mid October day in Kansas. You never know what the weather will be like in Kansas. This day was a great autumn day. Across the table was a friend that I had just met. We were talking about the Bluegrass festival. </p>
<p> He was a guy in his fifties with gray hair and a beard. He loved coming to the Walnut Valley Festival. He had been coming for years. He would bring his motor home and camp in the same area with all of his family and friends. At night they would sit around the campfire and play music. Bluegrass and country songs. A few songs that somebody in the group had written themselves. It was a great time. </p>
<p> He told me that he was a guitar player. Not only was he a guitar player, he was a fingerstyle guitar player. You might not be too familiar with fingerstyle guitar playing. Have you ever heard Chet Atkins play? He is the original fingerstyle player or maybe a better way to say it is he is the most popular original. He was able to combine chords with a melody. He would play a bass melody with his thumb and play the melody with his fingers. The music would sound like two or three guitar players but it was only one person playing. Chet Atkins. </p>
<p> He said, "One of these days I am going to enter the Walnut Valley Bluegrass festival fingerstyle guitar contest. I have been practicing all of these years and I'm gonna do it." I asked him, " Did you sign up?" </p>
<p> I knew the answer before I asked the question. I had signed up earlier in the day and I hadn't seen him in the competition. The event sign up is on the Walnut Valley Festival website and people sign up in January to get a chance to compete. I asked the lady at the table if it was full. She said, " Some of the people that signed up don't show. They were taking names of folks that were interested in completing, and would I like to sign up?"</p>
<p> I said, "Sure." I knew that I was not going to win the contest but I wanted to compete. I had some fingerstyle guitar songs that I played at the coffee shop and I figured I would play them. They might not be the style of music the judges were expecting but it was fingerstyle guitar. I was told to come back at 10 am and meet under the awning behind the stage. They would explain the rules and have a drawing to determine who would get to play. </p>
<p> The contest was limited to forty contestants but thirty five could be on the stand by list to replace any of the original forty that were no shows. The contestants that had signed up on the computer nine months ago were automatically in the contest. The rest of us who had signed up at the tent would be decided by drawing names out of a hat. I waited anxiously hoping that my name would be called. It was not looking very good. They were down to the very last person to be in the contest. The guy reached into the hat and said, "Jim McCarter."</p>
<p> Up until that moment I was not nervous at all. Now I was nervous. I was actually going to be competing in the contest. What song to play? I better do some practicing to warm up for this big moment. The truth was that I had been practicing for this moment for the last thirty years. All of the times that I played songs over and over trying to get better was in preparation for this moment in time. </p>
<p> I decided to play a gospel song and a Eric Clapton song. I played As the deer. You might not know the song by that title. The lyrics go, As a deer panted for the water so my soul longeth after you. The Clapton song that I decided to play was Layla. I had played both of these songs at the coffee shop so I knew them well. The hard part was the waiting to play. Everybody plays two song so the contest runs for about three plus hours. </p>
<p> The rules are that you can't talk on stage. You play your songs. This was hard for someone who likes to talk before and after songs. Did I mention that they five away free guitars and money to the winners. The guitars are top of the line guitars. Brands like Taylors, Martins, etc. The prize money would be maybe $3000 to the winner of the contest and first pick of the guitar that you wanted. They would have three winners. </p>
<p> If you won the first round you would need to play two different songs in the next round. I didn't know what I would play then. I was playing my best songs in the first round. It was not the time to worry about the future. I was worried about the first round. If I did win the first round, then I would question my strategy. </p>
<p> I heard a lot of songs that were played in the competition. The total contest would consist of eighty songs. Almost all of the songs were originals. I heard about five songs that were popular songs. I played two of the songs that I recognized. One guy from Japan played Michael Jackson's Beat it. It was great. He was one of the winners of the contest. The reason that they write their own songs is to be able to show off their techniques they have learned. I would rather hear a song I know with the techniques applied. Personal preference. </p>
<p> The contest lasted about three hours and I was one of the last performers. I played my songs and had a great time. I was glad that I did it. We had to wait about an hour to get the results. Drum roll! Not a winner. You noticed I didn't call myself a loser. I just didn't win this particular contest at this exact moment in time. I am still on my journey to be a winner. </p>
<p> I am glad I did this. I am glad that I am not the guy I met at breakfast that said, One of these days I'm going to _______. I would love to have a dollar for every time I have said if or thought it. How would you fill in the blank? Take a vacation to Alaska, retire and travel the country, find a job I love, marry my best friend, buy a home in the country, or play a writer's round at the Bluebird Café. </p>
<p> I am still waiting to hear if I was selected to play at the Bluebird Café. The tryout winners were to be announced in four weeks. It has been four weeks and three days but I'm not counting. The great thing about not knowing is that I still have hope. When I find out the answer, that is the results and hope goes away until another day. </p>
<p> </p>Jim McCartertag:jimmccarter.com,2005:Post/49210732017-11-12T07:44:55-06:002022-04-06T13:05:25-05:00When I make it Big (Ch 15) Great songs aren't written, they are rewritten<p> I am not a big fan of leftovers. I remember when the kids were younger that we would order pizza. We would always order extra and I would have leftover pizza the next day. This is okay if you only eat pizza once a week. I would eat pizza twice. The night it was ordered and the next day for lunch. The problem was that my wife would order pizza twice a week. This doubled my pizza intake not to mention my calorie intake. Instead of eating pizza two days a week, now I am up to four days a week. I got burned out on pizza real quick. Now I only eat pizza when it is fresh. No more leftover pizza. </p>
<p> There are a few foods that make good leftovers. Chili is great on the first day and I love chili dogs on the second day. If I have leftover sausage gravy from biscuits and gravy, I will eat it every morning until it is gone. Yummy for my tummy! I can only think of one food that is better as a leftover. Lasagna. Do you agree? The second time it has more flavor. It is great. </p>
<p> Leftovers are going back to an original meal and eating it again. This reminds me of songwriting. I go back to every song and see if there is anything I need to do to make it better. Usually there are a multitude of problems that need to be spotted and fixed. Great songs are not written. They are rewritten. If you don't like eating leftovers or going back over your work looking for problems, you might not like songwriting.</p>
<p> I will use a song that I have written in Chapter thirteen. It is called Daddies Little Girl. I wrote it the first time and it had an Americana feel. The story line was about how people look down on people. The main character in the song was a prostitute. I played this song at my NSAI meeting and received some feedback. It was suggested that maybe it might work better as a rock song. I guess there are more prostitutes in rock songs than Americana songs. Makes sense to me.</p>
<p> I got out my guitar, changed chords, the lyrics in the verses, and came up with a bass line part. I worked on it but it never felt quite right. I did like the instrumentation on the rock song.</p>
<p> A few days ago I decided to rewrite the song for the third time. I didn't say the final time. Usually I will write a song and get it down on paper. Typed it up and check to see if their are any major flaws that stick out like a sore thumb. Then I will tweak and make sure the prosody is correct. Prosody is the flow of the song. You can sometimes feel the prosody as you read lyrics. Maybe I am trying to place a three syllable word where a two syllable word would work better.</p>
<p> My new version of the song is more of a country version. The prostitute is now a struggling girl who is trying to get by. She has her problems and the world looks down on her. Here is the rough draft of that song.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>She's barely scraping by working down at Wal-Mart</p>
<p>She worked over time to by the groceries in her cart.</p>
<p>sorting through her coupons to try to stretch a buck</p>
<p>Life's got her down but she keeps getting up.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Chorus- She's my little girl, I read her nursery rhymes</p>
<p>Played peek a boo, laughed every time.</p>
<p>I rocked her to sleep and she rocked my world</p>
<p>The man in the moon shines down on Daddies little girl.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Some folks call he white trash, they say, "God bless her heart."</p>
<p>She's got jumper cables for when her car won't start.</p>
<p>She don't need a silver spoon cause stainless steel works fine</p>
<p>I tried to raise her right and I'm proud to say, "She's mine."</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Chorus</p>
<p> </p>
<p>She serves breakfast at the mission on Friday's at nine</p>
<p>She knows all the names of everybody in her line.</p>
<p>Pours gravy on the biscuits with her ladle of love</p>
<p>She helps others when their down cause that what she does.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>She's my little girl, I read her nursery rhymes</p>
<p>Played peek a boo, laughed every time</p>
<p>I rocked her to sleep and she rocked my world.</p>
<p>The man in the moon shines down on Daddies little girl.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> I wrote this song on how we judge people and we shouldn't . That girl or boy that is struggling has a Mom and Dad just like me and you. Let's not be critical of others. Being critical is the easy thing to do. Loving them is the right thing to do. </p>Jim McCartertag:jimmccarter.com,2005:Post/49198802017-11-05T07:41:18-06:002022-04-06T13:05:42-05:00When I make it Big (Ch 14) Square Peg<p> We all know the saying, "You can't put a square peg in a round hole." Or it might be reversed. "You can't put a round peg in a square hole." Either way it means the same thing. Not everybody is chasing their dreams. Instead of dream chasing people try to fit in. What does fitting in look like? </p>
<p> I can tell you what fitting in looked like in high school. Long hair. All guys wanted long hair to be cool. If you didn't have long hair, you weren't cool. Bell bottom levi jeans. The bigger the bell the better. Dingo boots. Dingo boots were usually brown with a square toe with straps around the back that connected to a bottom strap that was held together with a brass hoop. Cool!</p>
<p> It was also more than just clothes. It was the type of car that you drove. I drove a 69 Chevy Impala Fastback. To be super cool you had to add chrome wheels. I had Keystone slotted dish chrome wheels. I would of liked Cragers but it cost too much to be that cool. My brother Rich helped me to install air shocks on it in his garage. I would jack up the back end. I think my Dad kinda liked the way it looked also. That was cool. </p>
<p> Clothes, cars, and music. You couldn't have a car and be cool without having a great stereo in it. Just typing the word stereo feels funny. Today they are called sound systems. I had a Jensen AM/FM stereo with an eight track player. Do you remember eight track player or was that before your time? There is a reason that eight track players are no longer around. </p>
<p> Eight track players had bleed over. The five seconds of quiet between songs was not always quiet. Or the low volume spot on your favorite song that was in the song to add dynamics would be a great place for another song to sneak through. This was very annoying. I was glad to see eight tracks go away, except for the music that I had bought was never replaced. I went on to find new and different music instead of repurchasing my Carpenter's greatest hits eight track. </p>
<p> You might not be my age but we all have things that made us cool. Maybe yours was Michael Jordan shoes, parachute pants, army jackets, leather jackets, tie dyed t-shirts, sandals, crocks, Ugg boots, disco music, etc. The list goes on and on. Did that stuff really make us cool? No. Did it make us feel better about ourselves? Yes. Maybe, when we felt better about ourselves it make us feel cooler or more accepted.</p>
<p> Sometimes to fit in we do what everybody else does. I am going to make a guess on what I think people do. Maybe I am saying this wrong. This is what I would do if I wasn't chasing the dream. Here is what a typical day would look like. I would get up an hour and a half before work. Take a shower. Get dressed for work. Eat breakfast. Go to work. Eat a healthy fast food lunch. Okay, that is probably not correct- Eat fast food. Get off work at 6pm. Drive home. Eat dinner. Watch TV. Go to bed. Repeat tomorrow. This would take care of a five day work week. This does not sound to exciting.</p>
<p> Watch TV. I read a book about how we can spend our lives watching TV. It is our social entertainment. We talk about the TV shows we watched last night with our friends at work. We spend time with our spouses watching lifetime movies. We have our favorite most comfortable recliner lined up at the correct angle so it feels comfortable. We have five hundred channels and more shows recorded on our DVR than we will ever watch. Also, if that isn't enough we will do Facebook during the slow time and commercials of the shows that we are watching. You can decided to look and Facebook for five minutes and you look at you watch and two hours are gone. Wasted time. </p>
<p> I don't know about you but I don't want to waste my life watching TV. I want to live my life. Instead of watching TV all of the time, I will play my guitar, write a song, read a book, go watch my grandkids play baseball or gymnastics, take my granddaughter for a ride around the block in a wheelbarrow, etc. I could be a round peg in a round hole and watch TV but I choose to be a square peg. </p>
<p> There are down sides to being a square peg chasing a dream. It is easier to watch TV than to work on a lyric that is too wordy or that doesn't sing well. It is easier to sleep in than it is to get up and write a book. It is easier to sit in my chair and do nothing. Sometimes, it is great to sit and soak up the silence. Occasionally, everybody is out of the house and it is just me. This is a great time to play my guitar loud which I do sometimes. Other times I enjoy the solitude. No television. No music. Just me and my thoughts in the quietness. </p>
<p> We all need quiet time. I need time to think, regroup, and sort out feelings. Yes, believe it or not us guys do have feelings. My stomach just rumbled. I am feeling hungry. I didn't say I had deep feelings. </p>
<p> I was in Nashville three weeks ago for my Bluebird audition. I had a week's vacation scheduled for the second week of October and this was the same time as the audition. I originally scheduled my vacation so I could do some work around the house and go see my son in Oklahoma. I needed to close down my pool. It didn't happen as I was out chasing my songwriting dream. </p>
<p> On Halloween day in Kansas it snowed this year. We are used to weather changing quickly in Kansas. We could have a forty degree temperature change in one day or less. The bad news was that I was afraid the cold weather might be here to stay and my swimming pool would become a hockey rink. Fortunately, my buddy Rick came over the day after Halloween and we got it closed. That water was so cold.</p>
<p> I respect dream chasers. The reason they deserve my respect is that those daily chores don't go away. There are still groceries to buy, carpets to vacuum, meals to cook, yards to mow, and pools to close. My wife, Mary Ann does a lot of the daily issues so that I have more time to chase the dream. I thank her for helping me chase the dream. </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>Jim McCartertag:jimmccarter.com,2005:Post/49131902017-10-31T07:30:40-05:002022-04-06T13:05:52-05:00When I make it Big (Ch 13) Long live the King<p> After I auditioned at the Bluebird Café I went to Oklahoma to visit my son Jeremy, his wife Kristi, and my three grandkids, Titus, Mac, and Tate. I had a great time and we celebrated my birthday. My birthday was Thursday and I traveled from Nashville to Edmond. I left Nashville around 7 am and got to Edmund about 6pm. That is enough driving for me. </p>
<p> Kristi made chocolate cake for me. Have you heard about the chocolate cake? This is the cake recipe that my Mom made for me on my birthday's when I was a kid. I have been eating this cake for the last fifty-nine years. My Mom passed away this year but the tradition continues. My daughter Heather and Kristi have both made this cake for me. It is so good. It has a homemade chocolate frosting that is heated in a pan on the stove. The frosting reminds me of the chocolate frosting on a Hostess cupcake but better. I love chocolate cake and the people that make it. </p>
<p> I was talking with Mac and he asked me to play a song on my guitar. He asked me a question that I wasn't prepared for. What is your favorite song? That is like asking which child do you love the most, or which child is your favorite? They are all my favorites and I love them all the same. Each song is special in it's own way. I like Best Friend because it is about my Mom and her walk with Jesus. This is the song that I played at her funeral.</p>
<p> I like the song, How to Fish. It is a song about going fishing with my grandpa. Shelter in the Storm is a song about life being unfair. Pair of Dice (Paradise) is a song about the thief dying on the cross beside Jesus. Big Hit is about playing my guitar at my family reunion. Backroads is about driving down backroad with your girlfriend. Man in the Mirror is about a man looking in the mirror and not liking what he see and how he wants to change his life. That's what crazy does is about a guy under suicide watch in an insane asylum who wants his crazy girlfriend to come visit him. Lot's of different emotions and directions are found in these songs. </p>
<p> The song that I played for Mac was Long live the King. I won't tell you what the song is about I will let the lyrics do the talking. </p>
<p>Long live the King</p>
<p>One white glove, he danced the moonwalk</p>
<p>from the Jackson Five to the King of Pop</p>
<p>I watched the crowd as he sang Billie Jean</p>
<p>I saw a young girl and I heard her scream. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Chorus- Long live the king, Long live the king.</p>
<p>Come on everybody let's sing</p>
<p>We love him, we need him, It's his songs we sing</p>
<p>Long live the king. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>The music in Memphis it rocks and it rolls</p>
<p>made famous by Elvis part blues and part soul</p>
<p>The ladies swooned when his hips swayed</p>
<p>an idol to millions in the US of A. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Chorus- Long live the king, Long live the king.</p>
<p>Come on everybody let's sing</p>
<p>We love him, we need him, It's his songs we sing</p>
<p>Long live the king.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Our kings and their kingdoms the crumble and rust</p>
<p>We cry when they die as we all turn to dust. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>There's a baby in a manger, King of Israel</p>
<p>Died on a cross to save me from hell.</p>
<p>We all worship, someone or something</p>
<p>I worship Jesus, King of all Kings.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Long live the King, Long live the King</p>
<p>Come on everybody let's sing.</p>
<p>We love him, we need him, It's his song we sing</p>
<p>Long live the King.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>I love you, I need you and your why I sing</p>
<p>Long Live the King. </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>Jim McCartertag:jimmccarter.com,2005:Post/49119612017-10-30T17:37:23-05:002022-04-06T13:05:59-05:00When I make it Big (Ch 12) Daddy's Little Girl<p> I as still waiting for the results from the Bluebird audition. I had my audition fifteen days ago and I should get a response back in thirteen days. Isn't it amazing how at the beginning we can't wait to get a positive answer and toward the end of the waiting process, we just want an answer. It is funny how we are wired. </p>
<p> I am currently having some computer issues. I bought a new used laptop computer. The computer guy installed all of my songs onto my new/used computer. The other day I went to send an MP3 to friend of mine and it would not send it. I need to follow up and see what the problem is. I will probably do what I normally do. I will try to fix it myself. I will take some educated guesses on what might be wrong. Do a Google search and see if I find an answer there. And the last thing I will do is seek professional help. </p>
<p> This sound like how things work in my personal life sometimes. I might have a problem and the first thing I do is try to ignore it and hope it goes away. Followed by the I can fix this myself mode. I will use my Eany, Meany, Miney, Mo, method of problems solving. I might share my problem with a close buddy or a family member and when none of this works. Yeah, it is now time to pray about it and give it to God to solve the problem. Life would be so much easier if I would take everything to him first. I could skip all of these other time wasting steps. </p>
<p> I have been writing my book for six weeks. Writing has been fun and it let's me use my creative side. The down side is that it takes time away from songwriting. I have been able to meet my songwriting quota I have set for myself. Every month I attend an Nashville Songwriters Association International (NSAI) meeting in Manhattan, KS. My goal is to have a song written for every meeting to share and to get critiqued. </p>
<p> I wrote a song for the meeting in October called Daddies Little Girl. I have been working on it trying to make it better. I am still not sold on this song. I am thinking about changing direction but I am willing to share it. My original thought was of a girl who is a prostitute and society looks down on her. You don't have to be a prostitute to be looked down on. A person could be poor, a drinking problem, or a multitude of problems. I wrote a song about this idea. The title is Daddies little girl. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>She's wearing too much Maybelline</p>
<p>High heel boots, and fake earrings</p>
<p>Passed out with a bottle in her hand.</p>
<p>Pimp is wondering where's she's gone. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Chorus- She's somebodies little girl, read her nursery rhymes.</p>
<p> Played peek a boo and laughed every time. </p>
<p>Rocked her to sleep, she rocked his world.</p>
<p>The man in the moon knows she's Daddies little girl. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Sleeping on a bench in the park.</p>
<p>Hiding from her life, in the dark.</p>
<p>Cops woke her up at daybreak</p>
<p>hauled her to jail with handcuffs on. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Chorus- She's somebodies little girl, read her nursery rhymes</p>
<p> played peek a boo, laughed every time. </p>
<p>Rocked her to sleep, she rocked his world.</p>
<p>The man in the moon knows she's Daddies little girl. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Daddy can't sleep, tears drip down his face</p>
<p>He's trusting Jesus to keep his baby safe. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Chorus- She's Daddies little girl, he read her nursery rhymes.</p>
<p>played peek a boo, laughed every time. </p>
<p>Rocked her to sleep, she rocked his world. </p>
<p>The man in the moon, knows she's Daddies little girl. </p>
<p>I thought about the Bible story as I was writing this song. It is the story about the woman who was caught in adultery. She was naked and the crowd was gathered around her getting ready to stone her for her sins. Jesus said, "Let him that is without sin throw the first stone." and then he bent down and wrote in the dirt. Everybody dropped their rocks and left. The stone hurlers were gone. Jesus and the woman were standing in the middle of the crowd. Jesus asked her, " Where are your accusers? Didn't even one of them condemn you?. She said, "No Lord." And Jesus said, "Neither do I. Go and sin no more." </p>
<p> I can be quick to condemn people and point fingers but Jesus is not condemning her. He has compassion on her. This song is for anybody who has someone in their life that is struggling. We all struggle with life, sin, and life's problems. That person that is struggling had a Dad or a Mom that loved them. They also are loved by God and Jesus died for their sins, just like he died for mine. I don't know if I wrote a song that did those thoughts justice. Sometimes a song idea is too big for me to capture. I guess that is part of the journey. I can always try to write a song that says this better. </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>Jim McCartertag:jimmccarter.com,2005:Post/49085722017-10-29T07:23:16-05:002022-04-06T13:06:07-05:00When I make it Big (Ch 11) $1000 lesson<p> Third Day is one of my favorite Christian bands. I don't listen to them as much anymore but I still like them. They had a song on one of their albums that was basically a guitar instrumental. It was a remake of a classic song, maybe Amazing Grace. I loved it. The guitar sound was so pretty. This was exactly what I wanted my album to feel like. </p>
<p> I was not able to achieve this at my home studio. Home studio sounds a lot more impressive than it really is. At the time it was my Tascam DP-01, a couple mics, and my Martin guitar. I did my best with what I had but was not satisfied with the results. I decided it was time to go to a professional studio. I knew that this would be the answer for the sound that I was searching for. </p>
<p> I am cheap. Gun's and Roses spent 13 million dollars recording their last album, Chinese Democracy. In 1972, The Rolling Stones spent three years recording the album, Exile on Main Street. It took three years and cost over two million dollars. If could hire the best producer, engineers, the best musicians, with the best instruments and go to a recording studio with the greatest recording equipment. I would need to spend lots of time to get everything perfect. Every note in tune and on beat. I could possibly spend $150,000 to a million dollars. This is the route that record companies go. They hire the very best producer and musicians. They are in the pursuit of quality. In hopes that you will buy millions of albums so they can make millions of dollars. </p>
<p> I could shop around and do my homework and save some money. It is possible to produce a really good album for $10,000. That is still a lot of money. I decided that I was going to need a budget to complete my first album. I was going to save money and time by not having too many instruments. It was my Martin guitar, a drum track on a couple songs and a couple songs with me singing. I decided I could invest one thousand dollars to make my first album. </p>
<p> We all know the saying, " We get what we pay for." Yes, I did. It was better than I could do myself in my home studio (at that time) but not where I wanted it to be. This is a good stage to be in. This is the spot in life that drives us to get better. To change. To say this didn't work, I'm going to do this instead. You might be in a similar spot in your life. A time where you question your career choice or life choices and think, "This is not working out like I thought it would." </p>
<p> Sometimes in life we need to figure out what doesn't work. I was positive that a professional studio was going to sound fantastic. I needed to find out that this was not true. Until I found out it wasn't true, I would of always used that as an excuse. I could say to myself, "If I could go to a professional studio, I could make a great album." It would not matter if that was true (because it wasn't) or not. This reminds me of another saying that we have all heard, "The truth shall set you free." </p>
<p> I don't know what said that but sometimes the truth is hard to hear. I liked watching American Idol. I liked when they had the auditions and most of them were not very good. Some were downright terrible. I would ask myself, "Did this contestant not have a friend, family member, or anybody in their life that could tell them the truth? The truth. "You cannot sing." </p>
<p> Or did they have multiple people tell them and they were in denial? Maybe they were delusional and thought, "I am going to be a big star. All I need is a big break. " I don't know about you but I have friends and family that tell me the truth. Example- My kids like to tell me that fanny packs are out of style. Is that the truth? Sadly to say, It is. But I still wear one. Let me tell you why? A fanny pack allows me to wear my gym shorts that are super comfortable. I don't like having my billfold in my front pocket. It is not comfortable and I am afraid I might lose it and all the cash that is in it. No that it is a lot a cash but hey, ten bucks is ten bucks. </p>
<p> Last year I went to my 40 year high school reunion. It was the last week of June and I wore my fanny pack and shorts. I was comfortable. I must admit that I thought about not wearing my fanny pack. It was kinda like a flashback to high school days and everybody dresses and looks the same. This thought lasted for about ten seconds and then I proudly strapped it on and went to the reunion. </p>
<p> How long do you think I was at the class reunion before someone commented on the fanny pack? Five minutes? Ten minutes? One hour? Six hours? Drum roll. No one commented. Not one person. Maybe they commented to other people and that's okay. I don't care. I have learned to march to my own drummer while wearing my fanny pack. </p>
<p> Okay, I have done some rambling in this chapter so I want to clean it up and give a bottom line to it. We learn lessons in life. Some we learn the hard way. Sometimes the best way to learn the lesson is to fail or spend a thousand dollars and say, "That didn't work." Learning what didn't work is just as important as learning what does work? Failure is part of life. We might miss the game winning free throw one game but that will drive us to practice shooting free throws. So remember the next time you learn a lesson the hard way, " It's okay, because I learned a lesson. " One thousand dollar lesson. Lesson learned. </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>Jim McCartertag:jimmccarter.com,2005:Post/49071972017-10-26T07:41:56-05:002022-04-06T13:06:23-05:00When I make it Big (Ch 11) Missing Ingredient<p> Have you ever cooked something and it did not taste like you remembered it? Something was missing? Yes, it should be sweeter. Maybe, more chocolate. If only you could figure out what the missing thing was, your problem would be solved. This was the problem that I encountered when I went to record my songs. Something was missing and I was on a search to figure it out.</p>
<p> We have entered the digital recording age. No longer are folks recording on analog tape. Analog tape involved actual tape like a cassette tape or a reel to reel. To get rid of a bad section they would cut the tape and splice it back together. In the digital world you can erase a section, or cut and paste like we would do in a word document on our computers. It is so much cheaper and quicker but it does loss so of the warmth of the analog process. </p>
<p> As a songwriter I want my songs to sound great. I bought a Tascam DP-01 about fifteen years ago. It was a DAW. Digital Audio Workstation. It had sliders like you see on a mixing board. It had a forward/backward button, a play button, a stop button, and a record button. These buttons were like the buttons we all used to control our old cassette recorders in the eighties. </p>
<p> My goal was to achieve the perfect sound. The Tascam DP-01 gave me an accurate sound but not the perfect sound. The next problem was to figure out why my sound didn't match the sound in my head. Digital recordings can be harsh. My guitar which sounds sweet to my ears did not have that same sweetness on the recordings. </p>
<p> I needed to find out what the problem was. Let's just talk about the guitar for now. I play a Martin D-28. Martins are known for having a deep low end. I love the bass sound that my Martin delivers. My recorder doesn't. It makes is sound boomy. Not a good boomy. This can be adjusted by the EQ frequencies. A real life example of this is the old am/fm transistor radios. They had a knob that said, Tone. Turning the tone knob would give it more treble or more bass. If you found the sound that you liked you would leave it set in that position. </p>
<p> Another way to make you guitar sound better is to put on new strings. I love new guitar strings. I used to change my strings once a year. After changing them I would think, "I should of done this sooner. It sounds so good." I change my strings about every two months. I am due to change my strings now. A simple fix that made my guitar sound better was using a thinner pick. A thin and more flexible pick took out a lot of the harshness. </p>
<p> A more expensive way to get a better sound it to get a better microphone. Shure 57 and Shure 58's are great for live performances and electric guitar recordings. If you really want a good sweet sounding acoustic guitar you will need a condenser microphone. I bought my 57 and my 58 for around a hundred dollars each. A condenser mic starts at two hundred dollars and goes up. Usually higher price equals better quality and a better recording. </p>
<p> Are you starting to see a trend here? It is expensive to buy the equipment to get the great sound. You will need a quality recorder or a computer software program, mics, quality musical instruments, new guitar strings, and the list goes on and on. Currently, I have a set up that works great for me. I have a Roland 2480 (DAW) Digital Audio Workstation. Fifteen or twenty years ago it was a Cadillac. A great piece of equipment but technology has kept improving. I use it to make rough demo recordings. The rough part is my singing. I am not trying to record a perfect demo. I am trying to get a good enough recording so I can send it to a professional studio to reproduce my song but better. </p>
<p> It is amazing how much better my songs sound with a great singer. I wish I could sing like that but I can't. That is not in my skill set. Maybe the singer wishes that he could play guitar or write songs. We all have different talents and abilities. It is up to us to figure out what we can and can't do. The stuff we can't do we need to get someone who can do it better than us. This is how to get a great performance instead of an average demo.</p>
<p> I am still working on a way to do this cheaply. I don't want to spend a lot of money on a song that doesn't make money. I know that most of my songs will not be hits. The hard part is figuring out which ones could be and getting them done professionally to help them reach their full potential. What If I wrote a big hit and a producer could not imagine it because my singing was off key. I have heard songs that sounded great because of a great singer but the lyrics were terrible. So it can go both ways. The magic is when you have a great song and a great vocalist. </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>Jim McCartertag:jimmccarter.com,2005:Post/49042572017-10-24T09:39:17-05:002022-04-06T13:06:31-05:00When I make it Big (Ch 10) My co-writing partner <p> "You get what you pay for." That was one of my Dad's favorite sayings. It is so true. I don't think that the shoplifters that steal from the grocery store that I work at, have ever heard that line. I remember the first acoustic guitar that I ever bought. I bought a Harmony guitar at Capital City Pawn shop on east sixth street. It was 1977. It was brand new. It was an acoustic guitar. It was a dreadnought. A dreadnought is basically the most traditional shaped guitar and has been around forever. It was your basic guitar. </p>
<p> It looked better than it played. I started taking guitar lessons. I was serious about learning to play guitar. My fingers hurt so bad from those steel strings. It did not help that the strings were half and inch from the neck of the guitar. Okay, it wasn't that bad but it was not easy to play. That is the problem with starting out. I didn't know if I would stick with it. I would hate to buy a more expensive guitar and not play it. I am cheap. I don't like to waste money if I don't have to. I remember at the time I couldn't have bought a more expensive guitar even if I wanted to. I was nineteen years old and married with a one year old son working full time at a grocery store. The money was not rolling in 1977. </p>
<p> My next guitar was a Fender guitar. It was a nice step up. It was a traditional natural wood guitar. It was easier to play. The strings were closer to the frets and I didn't have to press as hard. The great thing was that my fingers were calloused from the Kay guitar. I had finger tips of steel. It is great when your fingers get calloused. This allows you to practice more and not be in pain. I believe that old saying we have all heard is about guitar playing, "No pain. No gain." The fender would be considered a bottom of the line Fender but Fender was a better brand of guitar. I got this guitar for Christmas the year that my daughter, Heather was born. 1981.</p>
<p> It was a good guitar. I took lessons off and on. If had extra time and money I would take lessons. I started taking lessons at Manning Music in the Brookwood shopping center. Cliff Manning was my guitar teacher. Cliff was the high school band and music teacher at Washburn Rural High School. He was a great teacher. I learned so much from him. It was a great time. </p>
<p> Manning music sold guitars. They had a top of the line Fender Star burst acoustic guitar. Okay, it might not of been top of the line but it was closer to the top than any guitar that I had ever played. It was eight hundred and fifty dollars. Wow! I was in love. It sounded so great. It had a deep bass sound to it. I wanted that guitar so bad. I traded in my Fender and made payments of thirty-seven dollars a month until it was paid for. I bought this guitar in the early 90's.</p>
<p> I remember when I lived at the Hick's block. This guitar was the most valuable possession in my apartment. I hid it under the bed. I don't know if a robber would look under the bed but I was hoping that they wouldn't. I would also turn on the security system when I went to work to protect my guitar. I didn't have a traditional security system. I had a TV and I would turn up the volume so you could hear it playing in the hallway. My hopes were that robbers would think there was somebody home watching TV. </p>
<p> I thought that the Fender would be my final guitar. It was great. I loved the sound and played it a lot. I practiced and started playing it at church. I became a guitar player for the praise team at Eastside Baptist church. This guitar had a pickup in it so it amplified the sound. All I had to do was plug it into the church sound system and turn up the volume. I felt like a rock star with that guitar. An acoustic rock star.</p>
<p> Kansas weather and humidity is hard on acoustic guitars. Humidity is not good for guitars. Over the years it caused the action to get high on this guitar. It still played and looked great but the strings were further from the neck of the guitar as you went further down the neck. This was a problem but usually I played most of my songs closer to the top of the neck. I owned this guitar for thirteen years.</p>
<p> In 2003, I bought the guitar that I now own. It is a Martin D-28. It is made out of Rosewood and has a spruce top. It is a great sounding guitar. I have written many songs on this guitar. My wife, Mary Ann bought this guitar for me. I love it. I remember when I was looking for guitars how much I shopped around. I was listening for the perfect sound. I found it in this guitar. It sounded very similar to the sound that I loved in my Fender.</p>
<p> I never told my Dad how much I paid for my Martin guitar. Martin guitars are expensive. It retailed for twenty-six hundred dollars when I bought it. That is not what I paid for it though. I was wheeling and dealing like my friend Randy does at a new car dealership. You got to remember, "Nobody makes money unless something gets sold." Business's need sales. They need cash paying customers. </p>
<p> Yes, it did cost more than most of my cars that I drove. Here is a list of some of my used car prices- Dodge Dart 70's model- $125, 81 Honda Accord- $900, Olds Cutlass $1700, and a 87 Cadillac Seville without AC $900. I have gotten my money's worth out of my guitar. I play it almost everyday and was worth every penny that it costs. I could make a long list of things that I have owned that were not worth the money and were a waste of money. Thankfully this guitar was not one of my bad decisions. </p>
<p> After I brought my new guitar home, I got out the old guitar to compare sounds. The new guitar sounded better but it was so much alike. The reason for this is because they are both the same size and shape. They were both good quality guitars made out of real wood. My Fender had aged giving it a more seasoned sound. I have owned my Martin for fourteen years. It sounds better every year. It helps me to write songs. It is my songwriting co-writing partner. Mr. Martin. </p>
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<p> </p>Jim McCartertag:jimmccarter.com,2005:Post/49027162017-10-23T08:43:33-05:002022-04-06T13:10:33-05:00When I make it Big (Ch 10) Talent<p> It is amazing all of the talented people in Nashville. Let me list some of the different areas of talent that you can see. Great singers. People that can sing in key and have great dynamics and powerful voices. Great songwriters. Songwriters that can make you feel what they are feeling as they play the song. These feeling could be love, anger, heartbreak, or joy. Great musicians. I love guitar. I am always impressed when somebody can really play guitar. The really good players make it look so easy. I guess, everything is easy once you master it. </p>
<p> I am going to be a myth buster. I have always assumed that the most talented people will be the ones that are successful. (Make it Big) This is a false statement that we see lived out in real life. To play basketball in the NBA you have to be extremely talented, but their are guys who are as talented and/or more talented who aren't there. Usually there are reasons that they are not their. Some examples would be lazy, unmotivated, not at team player, selfish (does not pass the ball), sin issues- drugs, alcoholism, over weight, not in shape, family drama, etc. The list could go on and on. </p>
<p> I have a good example of this from this weekend. After driving to Nashville to audition at the Bluebird, I drove to Edmund, OK to spend time with my son Jeremy and his family. Jeremy is married to Kristi and they have three kids- Titus, Mac, and Tate. It was great to get to spend time with family. We watched movies, played basketball, went to church, celebrated my birthday and ate chocolate cake. Great times.</p>
<p> Jeremy and I both love to play basketball. Jeremy was born when I was eighteen years old. I was a kid raising a kid. What does a kid raising a kid do? I played with my son. We played any sport that involved a ball. Baseball in the backyard, learning to throw wiffle ball curves, shooting baskets, tossing a football, playing video games, board games, checkers, Uno, and etc. </p>
<p> I am competitive and I like to win. Family members say that I am a trash talker. That might be going a little to far. I do admit that I like to use self doubt to my favor to win a game. I like to remind players of how important free throws are as they at trying to win the game shooting one. Sports is more than physical. It is mental. To be a winner you need to work on all aspects of your game. I learned this from my older brother Richard. I was a sophomore in high school and he would beat me at ping pong. I would practice ping pong and he would still beat me. I thought I was better and that I could beat him. He would tell me this and laugh, " Jim you think you are better than me but I know that I am better than you." I couldn't wait to use his saying on him after I beat him. </p>
<p> My son Jeremy and I have the same fire when it comes to basketball. I would not let Jeremy beat me. I would make him earn a victory. That is the reason that victories are so special. I was able to dominate for many years due to experience, size, and practice. I remember Jeremy beating me in Junior High when we played one on one. During his high school years I was still able to win most of the time. I didn't know it then but my days of beating my son at one on one were coming to a close. </p>
<p> Jeremy went to college at Baptist Bible College in Springfield, Mo. He went to school to be a preacher. He tried out for the basketball team and made the team. Jeremy played basketball everyday. He was practicing his shooting, dribbling, three point shots, defense, conditioning, you name it an he was practicing it. Meanwhile, Dad is back at home. Dad has a job. Dad does not have time to practice. Can you see where this is going?</p>
<p> Jeremy came home for Thanksgiving on his sophomore of college. We had reserved the gym at Eastside Baptist church for our McCarter Thanksgiving dinner. After dinner it was time for some one on one basketball. I played Jeremy three or four games and lost every one. I wasn't even close. The crown had passed from me to my son. It was a tough day for my pride. Also, my trash talking didn't help. Truly my son was more talented at basketball his Dad. Let me repeat this one more time because this is important. Truly my son was more talented at basketball than his Dad. </p>
<p> Jeremy bought and installed a new professional quality basketball goal on his driveway. It is really nice. It can be adjusted and it is super sturdy so you can dunk on it. Not that I was doing any dunking. We lowered that goal and we played Twenty-One. Titus, my grandson, Jeremy, and me. I was able to win the first game. Lucky me. </p>
<p> The second game was close. Well not really. Jeremy scored lots of points. He made many shots and free throws. He scored fifty-two points and lost the game 21-17. How did this happen? When you play Twenty-One it has some odd rules. A shot counts for two points. After making a shot you go to the free throw line and shoot free throws till you miss. You can make three and then you take the ball back out. If you score again, then you go back to the free throw line and shoot till you miss. </p>
<p> Here is the tricky part. You don't want to get stuck on the score "11". If you are on nine and make a two pointer you now have eleven points. You must make the free throw or you go back to Zero. Also if you are on twenty and miss the free throw you go back to thirteen. The emphasis on this game is in making your free throws. </p>
<p> Jeremy was the most talented player on the court. He scored almost three times as many points as I did but I won the second game. Life is like the game of Twenty One. Not always does the best player win. Jeremy was having a hard time making his free throws that day. He still made more free throws than me but he made errors that cost him the game. A bad bounce here and there, a rebound that bounced the wrong direction, etc.</p>
<p> Life is more than talent. Success is more than talent. Yes, you do have to practice and have some talent to be in the game but the person with the most talent does not always win. The songwriting and musical talent in Nashville is amazing but life is more than talent. Some people will talk about luck being involved. They will say that this person got lucky. </p>
<p> I am not a believer in luck. You can take luck and throw it out a window. I believe that God has a plan for our lives. A destiny that we are designed for. He knows the blueprints for our lives. He has added the correct ingredients into your life to make a great chocolate cake. He knows how high and how long to turn up the heat to make you turn out exactly as he had planned. He is in control of the outcome but we still have to do our part. </p>
<p> My part is I have to write songs. God can't bless me if I never write a song. God can't bless me if I never work on getting better at writing song. I got to do my part. Just like Jeremy practiced everyday to become a better basketball player. We all have to do our part so that God can do his part. This lesson can be applied to anything that you are trying to accomplish in your life. Maybe you want to be a doctor, a nurse, a professional umpire, a clown, a comedian, we all have to do your part. Don't give up because somebody has more talent than you. Life is more than talent. God is in control and he can make you successful. </p>
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<p> </p>Jim McCartertag:jimmccarter.com,2005:Post/48976552017-10-18T20:47:00-05:002022-04-06T13:10:24-05:00When I make it Big (Ch 9) more patience<p> Did my audition go better this time than in the past? I remember singing a wrong word last time. Would the judges notice that I sang a wrong word? Probably. I think it was a rhyming word at the end of a phrase. It might of still rhymed but it didn't make sense. How does that happen? I had never sang it with my new word. Hey, I don't even remember what the word is. </p>
<p> This time went smoother. I remembered the lyrics. I prefer to sit down when I play guitar. The reason for this is because I very seldom practice at home standing up. Playing guitar is a relaxing activity. No physical activity required. I do have another reason I prefer to sit. If I stand, I have a left knee that likes to shake. I am thinking, "Stop it. Can't you see I have enough going on here, Mr. Knee? I am trying to play the guitar, get the lyrics correct, and sing in Key. Plus, I got a shaky left knee that is distracting me. Maybe, it makes it easier. You can't worry about more than one thing. Okay, knee, go ahead and shake. I'll be like Elvis but different. </p>
<p> Do I think I will get past the audition process? No clue. I listened to fifty songwriters. Everybody played their one verse and one chorus. I thought everybody was good. I didn't think anybody was great. I didn't hear a song and say, "Wow! That song is going to be a hit." I would hate to be a judge. I don't know what they are judging on. This is not information that is shared with the auditioners.</p>
<p> It would be great to know. Maybe they have a scoring system that all of the judges use. It could be designed like the Olympics where three or four judges grade you on a scale of 1-10. The scores are total up and the top scores win. Do they give more points if you are a better singer? Better musician? Are they looking for a commercial hit? (A song that could be on a country radio station.) Which one of these two gets more points- 1) the lyrics or 2) the groove of the song? Out of fifty performers how many are they going to select? One? Ten? Forty-nine? Who are the winners? If I knew who the winners were I could try to write a similar type song. It makes it hard to know how to tailor your performance to win.</p>
<p> At the end of the audition they let us know when we would find out if we had won. I have been through this part before. The answer is four weeks. Four weeks is a long time to wait. I have found out the waiting doesn't kill me, it just feels like it. We spend our lives waiting. The grocery store line. It takes nine months to have a baby. That is a long wait. I feel sorry for sick people who are waiting results of medical tests? They don't feel good. The news could be terrible. After they get the news the doctor will need to schedule more testing to confirm or challenge the results. If more tests are done, then the process starts all over with more waiting. </p>
<p> I should know the results before Thanksgiving. I added some extra days to it to make it feel like it is going to get here sooner than later. I think I will just sit here and wait. </p>Jim McCartertag:jimmccarter.com,2005:Post/48949792017-10-17T10:23:51-05:002022-04-06T13:10:20-05:00When I make it Big (Ch 9) Patience<p> One of my favorite parts about auditioning at the Bluebird is meeting people. I met a young man named Chase. He was sitting on the cement flower bench beside the sidewalk. Thirty contestants were already in line in front of him. Chase looked liked your typical twenty-one year old. He kinda had the Justin Bieber look with brown instead of blonde hair. Not as many tattoos as Justin but he's not as old as Justin is now. We talk about his love of music. How he loves to write music in his bedroom for hours. How music is spiritual to him. It is him and God spending time together. I can feel the passion as he shares his story. It is the same passion that is driving everyone that is sitting and standing in this line. </p>
<p> What I love is the connection that we all have as we wait to audition. We all have the belief deep down that this is what we were designed or crafted to do. The reality is that not everyone can win. I know that Millennials will have a rough time accepting this. It is difficult for all of us to accept disappointments and defeat. Life is filled with hard times. Life tests us and teaches us how to keep on keeping on. Taking the next step and the next and the next. Until we are almost there, and then the steps get harder. The grade is steeper. The competition is another level up and we have to step up our game. We take another step. Maybe the final step. We don't look down at the step. We are focused on the goal. The goal is growing closer. I can barely see it. It is a light under door. A door that is at the top of the steps. I take the last step and reach for the knob. I have arrived. My hands are sweaty and my pulse is elevated as I swing open the door. I'm taken back as I look at what I now see. Another set of steps. </p>
<p> The Bluebird is a very small venue. The crowd capacity is about eighty people. Thirty people were already filling up seats as I looked for a table to sit at. In front of the stage were three small tables. I picked out the one in the middle. This was the best seat in the house. Why was nobody sitting here? Maybe, they thought this was a church and the best seats are in the back. Maybe, it made people nervous to be closer to the stage. No idea. </p>
<p> I sat in this exact location the last time I tried out. I wouldn't call it my lucky seat but hey I'm not a believer in luck. I'm a believer in God but not luck. Some people use the terms interchangeably. My new friend, Chase went and sat on a bar stool in the back. I few minutes later he decided that my seats looked better than his. They were. </p>
<p> I can tell you why I picked those seats up front. It is because of an event that happened about twelve years ago. I went to the Classic Bean coffee shop on a Saturday night. I would play my guitar and songs that I had written every time I could. I usually ended up performing three or four times a year. This worked out well. I got to play enough to scratch the itch without making it bleed. </p>
<p> On stage was a solo performer. He was in his mid fifties, over weight, and struggling. I watched him as he played his songs. He played songs and nobody clapped. I could see that he was dying up there. This is one of the worst feelings that a musician can have. I have been there. I have played and the silence is deafening. </p>
<p> I remember I was playing with Jason and Art. Jason is a fantastic bass player and Art played a mean timbale. The timbale is a small drum that makes a big sound. I bought a piece of foam for art to place inside the timbale when we practiced at my home. I still remember the first song that we would open up the show with. It is a song that every guitar player plays but very few can perform it well. We played Stairway to Heaven. We would jam down to that song. I would strum and pick my Martin, Jason would pluck a foot stomping beat and Art would beat that drum like a drunk redneck beats his wife. And when we were done. Silence. Nobody clapped. I don't know why. Later in the show the crowd would warm up and everything was cool. I never figured out why?</p>
<p> I picked my table and chair in the front row. I was picking the best seat in the house. I decided that I was going to be his biggest fan. I was probably his only fan but I wanted to be secure in my position. I sat there and listened to every word of every song. At the end of each song. I clapped. I clapped loud and hard. It took a couple songs but guess what? People joined in. They had no choice. Clapping is contagious, when people clap, it makes you want to clap.</p>
<p> Something happened that day. The anxiety that the performer felt melted away. He started singing louder and stronger. His guitar licks were smoother and catchier. He became the star of his own show. He owned the stage. It was a great night for him. I was glad to be there. </p>
<p> I went up and shook my new friends hand after the show. He looked me in the eye and said, "Thank you. I am glad you came to my show. " I smiled and said, " I am happy to be here. Great job. I enjoyed your show. "</p>
<p> Wow! Isn't it great when we get to encourage someone? To be able to say, "Hey, I've been there. I understand how you feel but I know you can do this. I love that song. I love your voice. You are great." We all need encouragement. It is jet fuel for a VW bug. </p>
<p> My example is an extreme example. Let me give you another one. Last night I went to the Commodore Grill. Jimmy Payne was the successful songwriter that was the feature act. Two of his hit songs were "My eyes only see you." sung by Charlie Pride and "Woman, Woman." by Gary Puckett and the Union Gap. He wrote some great songs. It has been a few years since he wrote a hit song. Maybe he has doubts about his ability like I do? Maybe he wonders if he is still capable of writing a hit song?</p>
<p> I watched him as he was getting ready to leave. He had his guitar case in his left-hand and was headed slowly toward the door. I was seated at a table close to the exit. I gave him an smile, reached out and shook his hand, and said, "Great job." I am sure he has heard that hundreds, maybe even thousands of times, but those are in the past. He needed to hear it today from me. One more time. A word of encouragement. Encouragement is rocket fuel. Fill 'er up. "Go Jimmy."</p>
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<p> </p>Jim McCartertag:jimmccarter.com,2005:Post/48935302017-10-16T13:08:05-05:002022-04-06T13:10:18-05:00When I make it Big (Ch 8) Nashville<p> Nashville. The home of country music. It makes me think of the past. The Grand Ole Opry, Tootsie's, Music Row, the Bluebird Café, and Waffle house. Does Waffle house deserve to be on the list of the great things about Nashville? My tummy thinks so, and it is full from going to breakfast there today. </p>
<p> I was talking to a songwriter named Skip that I met at the Commodore Grill last night. We were both playing the Open Mic on Sunday night. We both commented on how friendly folks are in Nashville. He told me that he noticed it as soon as he walked off the plane. Nashville is everyday people, doing the same everyday jobs, (like we all do) but with a friendly smile and a Hi. </p>
<p> How does a town get a reputation like that? I bet every city wishes that visitors to their towns felt that way. I work at Dillons grocery store (Kroger) and that is what my company wants. They want us to be friendly to get more customers, to get more customers to come back, so they can sell more groceries and make more money. We are always coaching and training our associates to be friendly but how do you get everybody in town to be friendly. </p>
<p> Let me share what I think the reason is with a story from my audition yesterday. This was not my first time to audition at the Bluebird. This was audition time number three. At the audition yesterday they asked, " How many people have been here twice?" I raised my hand. Was that the total truth? The truth was that it was my third time but I have been here twice. </p>
<p> Fifty people were there to audition. You get to play one minute. A verse and a chorus. The reasoning is this, If somebody is listening to a song on the radio, if they don't like it they will change stations after one minute. This is how they have done the auditioning at the Bluebird for years. Today we live in a faster paced world than ever. If I am watching something on You tube I always check the time to see how long it is. I can make a decision if this subject, song, skit, etc. is worth investing my time. Who knows in the future the Bluebird may only give us 30 seconds to make a great impression. </p>
<p> The host showed us how and where to hang the chords after we unplug it from our guitars. She also demonstrated how to adjust the mic stand to get it to be the correct height. Also what information that they wanted us to share before we play. Our name, where we are from, and the name of our song. It is amazing how many people can not follow simple directions. </p>
<p> The last audition I attended had three girls that were pre-teens. They were very talented and had very good songs. Here is an example of what they would say, " Hi! My name is Emily and I am twelve years old. I am from Memphis, Tennessee. The name of my song is Rainbows and Glitter. Did you catch the extra piece of information in their introduction? I am twelve. Twelve! At twelve, I wasn't auditioning at the Bluebird. I was sitting on the couch watching a black and white TV that got four channels on a sunny day. </p>
<p> After the third child had told her age, a guy about my age got up to play. He looked very serious. He said, " My name is Alan. I am fifty- three years old and the name of my song is "Life lessons." The whole crowd started laughing. I made up the song title because it was a trivial detail. </p>
<p> I was amazed at how many people had just moved to Nashville. A twenty year old girl from Texas had been in Nashville for one month, a thirty year old guy is going into his fifth month, and old gray hair guy has been her ten years and the list goes on and on. The people that are coming here are dream chasers. They are not sitting on the couch saying, "Someday, I want to move to Nashville." No, they are quitting their jobs, packing up the kids clothes, finding a new school for their children to attend, finding a new home in a good or not so good neighborhood, and rolling the dice with their life.</p>
<p> They are the Lewis and Clark adventurers of the twenty first century. I believe that people are happier in Nashville because they are chasing the dream. Maybe, their dreams won't come true, maybe they will be going back home in a couple years but they won't have to live with regrets. The coulda, woulda, shoulda regrets. I think this makes Nashville residents happier and friendlier. </p>
<p> The Bluebird is now owned by Nashville Songwriter's Association. I have been a member their for about ten years. I have sent in many song to be evaluated at NSAI- Nashville Songwriting Association International. In the old days you could pick your evaluator. I remember the first song that I ever sent in. It was called Fourth and Main. My evaluator was Richard Helm. Richard gave me what I needed from an evaluator. Open and honest feedback with lots of encouragement. His encouragement was like a crazy man throwing gasoline on an open flame. </p>
<p> Richard wrote a page and a half on my first evaluation. I was dying for feedback. I wanted to get better but I needed help. One thing to remember was how green I was to the process. I had ideas for songs and they were creative but I didn't know how to edit a song. What a curse and what a blessing. I would write down ideas with no filter. What is a filter? The voice in your head that says, "Change that" even before you type it. Some stuff was good and some was bad but in the beginning you just need stuff. Richard coached me on the things that I needed to improve on. </p>
<p> I remember one comment that Richard said to me in my evaluation. "Jim you need to move to Nashville." These words were coming from a former A&R guy from a major label. Some folks may not know what an A&R person is. A&R stands for "Artists and repertoire. It is the division of the record label or music publishing company that is responsible for talent scouting and overseeing the artistic development of recording artists and songwriters. I was thrilled. Somebody thought that I had the goods. I was excited but then I read the next line. </p>
<p> "But Jim, I'm afraid that Nashville would ruin you." I was so glad that Richard went on to explain because I was confused. Nashville is all about hit songs. Nashville is about the music business. Did you catch that last word? Business. Business is not a fun word. I like fun words and fun things. I like to play sports. I like to play games. I like to play basketball. I like to play guitar. Play is my key word. Business and play don't go together in my world. </p>
<p> Business's have rules. Kroger had lots of rules. If I want to remain an employee at Kroger I got to follow their rules. Rules are not fun but I will admit that they are necessary. Kroger can not stay in the grocery business if we don't sell groceries. Plain and simple. We also got to sell the groceries for more money than we paid for them. This is called profit. Every business needs to make a profit or they will not be around very long. These principles apply to the music business also.</p>
<p> The money makers in the music business are hit songs. You can have the best artist in the world and he will not succeed without a great song. We have heard the comment about how great singers can sing the phone book. What is a phone book? Yes, they can but the phone book won't become a number one hit and that is where the money is. </p>
<p> I was writing songs that meant something to me. Were they universal like the music business wants? No. Were they creative? Yes. I remember one song I wrote, God in a box. The song was about how I limit God by my lack of faith. God can do great things but I forget that he can. I don't shoot for the stars instead I throw Frisbees onto the roof top. What would God do in our lives if we fully believed that he wanted nothing but the very best for us. Would their be anything that we would not be willing to try?</p>
<p> I struggled with the idea of moving to Nashville. Every book you read about being a songwriter tells you that you need to be present to win. "Move to Nashville." I want to win. I like to win and I hate to lose. I understand this about myself. I am a terrible gambler. A gambler loves to wins and is okay with losing. That is how they can bet big sums of money and roll the dice. </p>
<p> I remember the day that God gave me a peace about if I should move. I was at an NSAI event in Nashville and Tom Douglas was the speaker. Tom has written many hits over the years and is in the country music songwriting Hall of Fame. Here is a list of some of his songs, Little Rock, recorded by Collin Raye. Grown men don't cry and Southern voice recorded by Tim McGraw and another one of my favorites- The house that built me, recorded by Miranda Lambert. Great songs. </p>
<p> Tom went to college at Georgia State University and received an MBA. He sold advertising in Atlanta. At the age of twenty-seven he quit his job and started a publishing company with a couple of his friends. Two years later he packed up and moved to Nashville. He spent four years in Nashville writing and playing at coffee houses and plugging his songs. He acknowledged later that , "He never got anywhere because my songs weren't very good. " He moved to Texas with his wife and started a successful career in commercial real estate. </p>
<p> Tom did the commercial real estate for thirteen years. The last five years his interest in songwriting came to life. He started reading books and attending the Dallas songwriting chapter. His songs were getting better and people could feel the emotion in his songs. Tom was writing songs because he loved it. He didn't have to write. His paycheck did not hinge upon his ability to write a song. He was free to write his songs in his way. After finding this freedom he wrote a song that would become a hit song. "Little Rock" </p>
<p> Tom told that story to the crowd at NSAI. A room full of songwriters from Nashville and other cities throughout the USA and the world. Tom said something like this. " You don't have to live in Nashville to be a hit songwriter. I am living proof of that. I don't know where you are from but I am telling you that your dreams can still come true. You can be from Topeka, Kansas and you can make it big. "</p>
<p> That was a God moment in my life. Here was a problem that I had been thinking about and struggling with. I will tell you how I felt. God in that moment of time said, " Jim you are right where I want you. I want you in Topeka, Kansas. I know you want to do this but trust me, you don't have to move to Nashville." When Tom made that statement that day to a crowd of two hundred fifty songwriters I heard someone shout out, "Amen!" That someone was me. </p>
<p> How long can a God moment like this affect a person? A long time. As I type out these words I feel the rush of adrenaline I felt that day. Do I think that my songs are better than the seasoned songwriters in Nashville? How in the world will you get a publisher to even listen to your songs without being in Nashville? I don't have the correct answer to either of those questions. It's not my responsibility to figure it all out, to worry about it, to scheme about it, to meet the right people, and the list goes on and on. God is in the music business. God is in the life business. God will take care of the details. I need to do my job. Write the best songs that I can. The rest is up to him.</p>
<p> </p>Jim McCartertag:jimmccarter.com,2005:Post/48850082017-10-10T08:19:31-05:002022-04-06T13:10:15-05:00When I make it big (Ch 7) <p> The last two songs that were entered were Man in the Mirror and Lucky One. I already talked about Man in the Mirror on a previous chapter. I want to share the behind the scenes thoughts that went with the song Lucky One. </p>
<p> It is written about a friend of mine that died of pancreatic cancer. Raymond was a good guy. I worked with him at the grocery store. He was the assistant grocery manager and we worked many an evening together stocking and cleaning up the backroom. Raymond was a storyteller. He told me about fast cars, crazy women, getting shot at, being a concert promoter, owning a mechanic's shop and running an illegal gambling house. He would shake his head and say, "Its a wonder I lived through it all."</p>
<p> He loved slow pitch softball. He was the shortstop on a top notch tournament team. He enjoyed playing and spending time hanging out with his buddies. He was as passionate about softball as I am about songwriting. </p>
<p> I went to Raymond's funeral at Mount Carmel Missionary Baptist church. I had to work that day so I decided to go on my lunch hour. It was a long lunch hour. I was gone for a couple hours and I didn't go to the graveside service. I have been to funeral's where the preacher calls the service a celebration of life. This was definitely true at Raymond's service. The organ player made that organ dance. The music was a mixture of blues and boogie woogie while playing Amazing grace. The singers on the stage sang strong and loud just like the friends and family sitting in the pews. Raymond had two preachers and about thirty people come up front at talk about their friend, brother, and teammate. </p>
<p> The preacher told stories about Raymond. How that Raymond had come to know Jesus as he was battling cancer. The change it had made in his life. Raymond's teammates told stories of his pre-Jesus finding life. The carousing, the trouble he got into, the crazy women who loved him (at the same time), etc. One man with two different sides of him that was loved by all. I can picture Raymond smiling and laughing as they are telling the stories about him.</p>
<p> As I left the service that day I knew that somehow their was a song there. Lucky One is the song title I chose. Sitting in that pew I knew that Raymond was in heaven. I wasn't the Lucky One because I was still alive. He was the lucky one. He was in heaven and I am still here. Here are the lyrics,</p>
<p>Give me a weekend, a softball and a glove.</p>
<p>green grass in the outfield, a sun up above</p>
<p>I'm sprinting turning triples into runs</p>
<p>doing what I love. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Chorus- and I think, Oh I'm the lucky one</p>
<p>I know, oh, I'm the lucky one.</p>
<p>Like a desert soaking up the rain,</p>
<p>Yeah, I'm the lucky one. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Give me a guitar and a chair on a stage</p>
<p>a room full of people, a promise to get paid.</p>
<p>I'm sharing feelings in the write</p>
<p>in the songs I play tonight. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Chorus- and I play, Oh I'm the lucky one.</p>
<p>I know, oh, I'm the lucky one</p>
<p>I'm like a desert soaking up the rain</p>
<p>Yeah, I'm the lucky one. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Tonight as I cuddle neath these covers</p>
<p>it dawns on me how much I love her. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Chorus - and I cry Oh, I'm a lucky one</p>
<p> I know, Oh, I'm a lucky one.</p>
<p>Like a desert soaking up the rain</p>
<p>cause I'm the lucky one. </p>
<p> It is best not to tell people what songs are about. If you have to explain it, you haven't written a very good song. Sometimes we all look and get different things out of a song. It all depends on our own perspective, where we are in life, old or young, blessed or bitter, etc. I don't like the word luck or lucky. I believe that God is in control and luck is thrown out the window. I do feel lucky as in being very fortunate and blessed and am very thankful for that. We are all Lucky ones. </p>
<p> Lucky One was not a Walnut Valley Festival winner. That's okay, I'm still the lucky one. </p>Jim McCartertag:jimmccarter.com,2005:Post/48820342017-10-07T21:38:40-05:002022-04-06T13:10:09-05:00When I make it Big (Ch 7) Continued<p> What does a millionaire do after he earns his first million? Well, I wouldn't know but my best guess is that he wants to earn his second million. What does a songwriter do after he wins his first contest? Of course, I enter the song contest again. I entered it in 2015. I had high hopes. Maybe, I got this figured out. Ha! Ha! If songwriting was easy everybody would be doing it. This is part of the struggle. We chase the dream and make a step closer and then we pick ourselves back off the ground. </p>
<p> I decided that I would enter four songs in the Walnut Valley festival song contest. The first song I sent in was Puddles of Pain. This is a song about heartbreak. We have all been through it, have a family member who has gone through it or we are going to go through the pain of a broken relationship. I was thinking about a friend of mine who was going through this struggle. </p>
<p>Puddles of Pain</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Water pours like a waterfall on a rainy Kansas day</p>
<p>I stomp down on the gas, in my beat up Chevrolet.</p>
<p>My hands grip the steering wheel, court docket in my pocket</p>
<p>Life is like a sad song of love and how I lost it. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Chorus- Rain falls, down, Pain is all around.</p>
<p>Puddles everywhere I go</p>
<p>I'm driving through puddles,</p>
<p>Puddles of pain. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>This morning stopped by a pawn shop, saw her ring on display</p>
<p>clerk behind the counter said, "He bought it yesterday."</p>
<p>I asked, "If I could hold it?" That diamond it still shined.</p>
<p>Flipped out my Visa, it's mine a second time.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Chorus- The rain falls down, pain is all around</p>
<p>Puddles everywhere I go.</p>
<p>I'm driving through puddles,</p>
<p>Puddles of pain. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>The weather man on the radio said, "The forecast is bright.</p>
<p>Storms will pass through and stars will shine tonight."</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Chorus- The rain falls down, pain is all around</p>
<p> Pain everywhere I go. </p>
<p>I'm driving through puddles</p>
<p>Puddles of pain. </p>
<p> </p>
<p> Here are the judges comments- Cool country tune. I would have liked to see some sort of connection between the first verse and second. The theme is going through life's pains but it'd be cool for there to be a kind of narrative throughout. Great production as well. The second judge wrote- A really fine performance and production. I like the way you told the story through the pawning of the ring. There is a lot of mystery left to the listener though. A very fine portrayal of universal heartbreak. </p>
<p> The judges commented on the performance and the production of this song. This was a song that I really liked so I spent some money to get it recorded at Pitch Perfect Studio in Nashville, TN. Steve is the owner and plays all of the instruments. Steve suggested Stewart Halcomb to sing on the recording. Steve and Stewart both did a great job, but this song did not win the contest. I had won the previous year with me singing and playing my guitar in my home studio.</p>
<p> Songwriters hear this statement all of the time. It is not about the production. It is all about the song. Yes, and I roll my eyes and disagree. You can wax and polish and old car and it will shine like a diamond. It is still an old car. On the other hand, you can have a brand new car and it can be dirty and muddy. It is still a new car. Great songs are new cars. </p>
<p> The second song I entered was Linwood Café. It is the song that I am going to play for my next Bluebird tryout. It did not win but I still believe in the song. I went for a mentoring session at Nashville Songwriting Association International. My mentoring session was with Mason Douglas. He is a songwriter in Nashville. I played him some of my songs and asked him, "Which one he thought would have the best chance of winning at the Bluebird Café?" He suggested, Linwood Café. </p>
<p> He had a couple great suggestions. I had written the song as a folk song. It had the alternating bass notes in it. What are alternating bass notes? The best example I can think of is Johnny Cash's- I'll walk the line. Mason felt that dated the song. He played a more straight forward approach and it sounded more modern and better. He also suggested changing a line. He said, " It would be cool to mention "eggs over easy" in the song." So I adopted his idea. </p>
<p> It is hard to know what songs to play. Remember they are all my babies. Freckles and all. It is great to get advice from someone who is a pro in this area. I appreciate all of the help that I have received from NSAI over the years. I can't reach my goals by myself. I need help to do what I love to do. You will also need help to reach your goals. We don't have to do it all by ourselves. Maybe the person that is helping you is exactly what you need. Maybe you are Paul McCartney and your helper is John Lennon. Wow! They wrote so many great songs. Wouldn't it be sad if you missed the opportunity because you wanted to do it all by yourself?</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>Jim McCartertag:jimmccarter.com,2005:Post/48811172017-10-06T20:32:55-05:002022-04-06T13:11:01-05:00When I make it Big (Ch 7) Tuh! Duh!<p> Tuh! Duh! That is one of the sound effects that I like to make. The problem is I don't know how to spell it. It could be Ta! Duh! maybe Ta! Da! It just loses a lot in writing. I love to do this at work. I will do something easy and celebrate like I just accomplished some gigantic success story. It is even more fun if you raise your arms in celebration. Yes, I was able to clock in to the time clock. I am going to get paid. Tuh! Duh!</p>
<p> In chapter six my goal was to win the songwriting contest at the Walnut Valley Bluegrass festival. I had tried for four years and I had one second place finish. It was time for a new strategy. I did not have a copy of my entries in 2013 and the entries for 2014 are not dated. I am guessing I lost 2013 and 2014 is accurate or maybe I didn't enter. I might of missed the deadline. I don't remember. Not remembering is a great songwriting as we previously discusses in previous chapters. It makes rejections of your songs easier to deal with. </p>
<p> I entered three songs in 2014. Big Hit, Pair of Dice (Paradise) and Picker's Paradise. Big Hit is one of my personal favorite songs. I played it at the Bluebird café at an Open Mic and the crowd loved it. The chorus feels like a sing a long song. It is fun to play. </p>
<p> Pair of Dice (Paradise) is a play on words. I was trying to write a song about the crucifixion of Jesus. I wanted it to be different so I thought that I would write it from the standpoint of somebody watching the crucifixion and then I had what I thought was a better idea. I would be one of the thieves on the cross beside Jesus. My favorite line in the song is the first line. </p>
<p>I'm a crook on the cross, where I deserve to be</p>
<p>and the King of the Jews is hanging beside me. </p>
<p> If only I could come up with lines that were that impactful all the time. (but I don't) The song continues with</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Four soldiers dividing up the clothes that he wore. </p>
<p>part of the job they've done before.</p>
<p>The robe of a King and it was nice.</p>
<p>Let's decide the winner, with a pair of Dice.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Chorus- Pair of Dice, throw the dice</p>
<p>Pair of Dice, roll the dice.</p>
<p>There are losers and a winner</p>
<p>Pair of Dice. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>The other thief on the cross was hateful and rude</p>
<p>he yelled, "Save yourself and save us too."</p>
<p>I yelled, "He's done no wrong. He's not like me and you. </p>
<p>Jesus cried, "Father forgive them, they don't know what they do"</p>
<p>"Jesus please remember me,"those words I cried</p>
<p>He said, "Today you'll be with me in paradise.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Chorus- Paradise, Paradise</p>
<p>Paradise, Paradise.</p>
<p>This losers a winner in Paradise. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Looking back at that cross, that soldier and me. </p>
<p>He won a robe and me eternity. </p>
<p>What a strange way to meet, God's only Son</p>
<p>Jesus the Messiah, the Holy One</p>
<p>I know that he died to be my sacrifice</p>
<p>and it's because of him, I'm here in paradise. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Chorus- Paradise, Paradise,</p>
<p>Paradise, Paradise,</p>
<p>This losers a winner in Paradise. </p>
<p> </p>
<p> That song did not win and neither did Big Hit. I was down to one song. The last song that had a chance was Picker's Paradise. Here is where I decided to use strategy. The song contest has many different categories. Here are a few of the categories that I remember, Songs about love, Spiritual songs, Songs about heartbreak or maybe it was called songs about feeling blue and songs that don't fit in a box (other) and songs about Winfield. The category that has the most entries is the ones that you don't know where they go. I decided my best odds would be to write a song about Winfield. </p>
<p> I have been to the bluegrass festival three times. It was known for everybody playing instruments with other musicians and having a grand time. I must be honest. I had never had that great of an experience. I played with some folks but it wasn't like I had hoped or imagined. You have different levels of experience, different types of music, folk, bluegrass, country, etc., different ages, and the differences go on and on. I had never really clicked and thought this was great.</p>
<p> This was when the light came on. Don't write a song about what Winfield is really like. Write a song about how I wish Winfield was like. I picked out a song title that painted the picture. Picker's Paradise. It sounds like a band playing in heaven. Here are the lyrics-</p>
<p> </p>
<p>We're a Winfield campfire band playing new guitar strings</p>
<p>and older gray hair lady who yodels when she sings</p>
<p>Her voice is sweet as honey as she glides from note to note</p>
<p>I felt a tear run down my face as she sang that song she wrote. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Chorus- It's a simple melody in 4/4 time</p>
<p>Her verse told a story of her rocky times</p>
<p>We all sang the chorus and we sang it twice</p>
<p>All our feet were tapping, It's a picker's paradise. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>The chords were very simple, just a D and an A</p>
<p>That boy on the banjo, That kid could play'</p>
<p>His Dad plucked the bass, Mom's on mandolin</p>
<p>I played a solo, my Martin blended in. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Chorus- It's a simple melody in 4/4 time</p>
<p>Her verses told a story of her rocky times</p>
<p>We all sang the chorus and we sang it twice</p>
<p>All our feet were tapping, It's a picker's paradise. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>There's a guy in a dress shirt, thimbles on his thumbs</p>
<p>He taps his tin necktie and plays it like a drum</p>
<p>There's a pretty fiddle player, hot as 4th of July</p>
<p>A farmer in lawn chair his harmonica cries. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>It's a simple melody in 4/4 time</p>
<p>Her verses told a story of her rocky times</p>
<p>We all sang the chorus and we sang it twice</p>
<p>All our feet were tapping, It's a picker's paradise. </p>
<p> </p>
<p> Tuh! Duh! It won. I was so excited. Six years of entering the contest. I had learned so much in those six years. I appreciated winning and getting to play on stage. It was a lot of fun. </p>
<p> Chasing our dreams should be fun. Waiting is part of the journey. Would I have enjoyed if I would of won the first year? No, I would of taken it for granted. I do not take it for granted. I worked hard and put in the time and the effort. I want to encourage you to do the same. Have a goal and work toward it. It might seem like nothing is happening but behind the scenes God is working. Don't fret and try to rush the process. You have things that you need to learn. I had to learn to write better songs. I took guitar lessons. I took singing lessons. You might have some things that you will need to work on to get to your goal. A class to take, a degree to get, or maybe more wisdom from just getting older and wiser. Chase your dreams. </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>Jim McCartertag:jimmccarter.com,2005:Post/48783012017-10-05T10:43:55-05:002022-04-06T13:11:09-05:00When I make it Big (Ch. 6) continued. <p> </p>
<p> 2012 was going to be my fourth year to enter the songwriting contest. This year I selected two songs to enter. Point A to Point B and Red Oklahoma Clay. I liked both of these songs and I hoped that the judges would like them also. I remember where I got the idea for the song Point A to Point B. I have owned many cars that were not in the best of shape. I owned an old Ford F-150 pickup that had some wiring problems. If you wanted to listed to the radio you had to turn on the headlights. This was before they started putting this feature into new cars to make them safer. Maybe, some guy saw me going down the street in broad daylight and thought that would be a great feature on all new cars. My cars were not fun to ride in. My kids would rather walk to school than have me drop them off in front of the school in my car that I bought for $125. My cars did what cars were made to do. They got me from point A to point B without a car payment. </p>
<p> The song was about being broke down on a country road in an old car. I am the main character in the song and I am late for work. I'm just trying to get from home to work. I am changing a tire, looking for a flashlight, trying to get from Point A to Point B. I am feeling sorry for myself in the first verse. In the second verse I hear a song on the radio playing as I'm changing the tires. The song is a kids song. Jesus Loves me. It feels like God is talking to me. When I sing the chorus the second time, it is about getting from earth to heaven. Point A to Point B.</p>
<p> I would of shared the lyrics but that song is in a notebook stuffed in a closet. They say, that you need to write at least a hundred songs before you get good at songwriting. That song was one of my first one hundred. It got some good comments from the evaluators and some suggestions for improvements. One judge wrote- This is a really fine song, you might want to experiment with taking the tempo up just a touch? Just a thought. What an interesting 'spiritual song... it took awhile to get the spiritual aspect of the song. I like the cameo of, Yes, Jesus Loves me. Fun song. </p>
<p> The second judges comments were- The way you are very specific is a real good way to build your image for the listener. (Ferguson road, Slough creek, and finding a little change). The car broke down on Ferguson Road not to far from Slough creek. I lived on Ferguson road in grade school and used to play and fish in Slough creek. </p>
<p> The judge then pointed out some things that needed work. Your rhythm was a little forced in places. The connections between what's happening to the guy in the song and the song on the radio is a little weak because we don't hear what happens after he hears the song. Try developing this some more, you've got a good start. </p>
<p> As a songwriter you have some choices to make when judges make suggestions on your song. If you really like your song the way you wrote it, you don't change it. You leave it as is. If you think the judge is correct and the song is worth keeping. You do the hard work and rewrite it. The old saying about great song, Great songs are not written. Great songs are rewritten. (Probably many times.) The third option is what I did with this song. I called it one of my first one hundred songs and headed on down the road. Just trying to get from Point A to Point B. </p>
<p> The second song I sent was Red Oklahoma Clay. Here are the lyrics to that song. </p>
<p>There ain't no obituary in the OKC Gazette</p>
<p>but there's a memorial service for Lacy Ann Pruett. </p>
<p>She didn't get sick with cancer or die from a heart attack</p>
<p>but she left him forever and she's never coming back. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Chorus- She ain't in purgatory, she's not in heaven or hell</p>
<p>Bottom line, she's gone with no goodbye farewell. </p>
<p>She didn't have to leave, he wonders why she couldn't stay?</p>
<p>Now he's burying her memories in that Red Oklahoma clay. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>He's wearing a blue suit with a tie that's green and brown.</p>
<p>A cardboard box sitting by his leg, a spade stuck in the ground. </p>
<p>The box is overflowing with memories and stuff. </p>
<p>And I can tell he's wondering, if this hole is deep enough?</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Chorus- She ain't in purgatory, she's not in heaven or hell </p>
<p>Bottom line, she's gone with no goodbye farewell. </p>
<p>She didn't have to leave, he wonders why she couldn't stay?</p>
<p> Now he's burying her memories in that Red Oklahoma clay.</p>
<p>The box is over flowing with memories and stuff.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The air is crisp, the sun is bright, and no other guests are here.</p>
<p>He clears his throat, and bows his head, then wipes away his tears. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Chorus- She ain't in purgatory, she not's in heaven on hell.</p>
<p>bottom line she's gone, with no goodbye farewell.</p>
<p>She didn't have to leave, he wonders why she couldn't stay.</p>
<p>Now he's burying her memories in that Red Oklahoma clay.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>He reaches into the box, grabs the first thing he can get</p>
<p> a pink nail file, red hair clip, half a pack of cigarettes</p>
<p>A valentine card with " I love you", picture of their wedding day.</p>
<p>He's burying her memories, in that red Oklahoma clay.</p>
<p>He's burying her memories, in that red Oklahoma clay. </p>
<p> </p>
<p> This is the song that won second place in the feeling blue category at the Walnut Valley songwriting contest. It wasn't first place but I was making progress. If the first place winner does not go or show up to play their song on stage, the second place winner gets to play. I drove to Winfield hoping to get to play but the first place winner showed up. </p>
<p> I was excited to get second place but I still hadn't reached my goal of first place and playing on the main stage. The journey continues. </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>`</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>Jim McCartertag:jimmccarter.com,2005:Post/48751212017-10-03T11:44:09-05:002022-04-06T13:11:16-05:00When I make it Big (Ch. 6) Walnut Valley songwriting contest<p> The president of the United States. This is one of the most coveted jobs in the USA. It is a good paying job but their are jobs that pay better. CEO's of big companies, Warren Buffet, professional athletes like Kevin Durant, Tom Brady, and then you throw in movie stars and artists like Taylor Swift and Kenny Chesney. The president of the USA should make more than an athlete. He has so much more responsibility. </p>
<p> Presidents don't go from college straight to the White House. They usually have attended college. Have been successful as a lawyer, a businessman, or as an actor like Ronald Reagan. Donald Trump was a successful businessman other presidents had successful military careers. Many have worked their way up through the political world. Starting out as a state legislator, a senator, and then a president. The point of all this is to recognize that it takes many small victories and goals to reach our big goals. </p>
<p> In 2009 I entered my first songwriting contest. It was the Walnut Valley Bluegrass festival in Winfield, KS. The price to enter is ten dollars a song. I usually enter three songs a year. The prize for winning is getting to play your winning song on a main stage at the festival. You can pick if you want to play on a Thursday or a Saturday. </p>
<p> In my music room I have a bulletin board. It has pictures of family members that need to be updated. Pictures that were take ten years ago. I has birthday cards, Country Stampede tickets, a country stampede wristband, a family reunion picture of my Dad and his two sisters, a birthday invitation to my grandson, Aiden's fifth birthday party, a picture of my grandson, Titus holding a sign saying Thank you, and an envelope from Walnut Valley song contest dated 2009. It is filled with evaluations from all the songs I sent in. </p>
<p> The first year I sent in three songs. The titles were Living the Dream, Blessed, and Kibbles n Bits. I remember playing all of these songs at the coffee shop. Living the dream is about my daughter Heather and teaching school. Blessed is about living at the Hick's block as a divorced parent. Kibbles n Bits is about how my dog died and why I felt responsible for her death. </p>
<p> I had some issues with my early songs. Here are a few things that I needed to work on. Need more careful editing. The second verse is odd- I don't understand the final line. Need to be consistent on the rhyme scheme. If you rhyme lines two and four on the first verse, then you will need to use that rhyme scheme on all of your verses. There were some encouraging words mixed in like- it made me smile, or a sweet slice of life and very honest, and a nice song overall. I needed someone to tell me that my songs weren't where they needed to be. I don't want to be an American Idol contestant on national TV and learn for the first time that I can't sing. I appreciated the honest and open feedback. </p>
<p> We can't get this honest and open feedback from our friends and family. They are our support system. They are our encouragers. They believe in us when nobody else does. We need them in our corner. We can't do life without them but songwriting evaluations isn't what they do for a living. My Dad could tell me how to spend my money wisely but he doesn't know what makes a great song on the radio. </p>
<p> In 2010 I took a step backward in my songwriting journey. The two songs were Working Man Blues and a Love Song for Me. Working Man Blues was about playing a song and my boss coming to hear me play. The song I am playing when my boss comes in the door is a song about him. We don't want our boss to hear us complaining about work after work. One of the positive comments was I like the sarcasm you express toward your boss. It resonates with me. The other song is a sarcastic song also. Definitely not my best songwriting year. </p>
<p> In 2011 I turned in three songs. The three songs were Justin Case, Late night DJ, and Superman cried. Definitely and improvement over the previous year. Justin Case. This is the song that I performed at my first open mic and the Bluebird Café. It is about a guy trying to pick up a girl. The catchy part of the song is the guys name. He shakes her hand and says, </p>
<p>Chorus- Justin Case you every get lonely</p>
<p>Justin Case you ever need a friend</p>
<p>Justin Case you need someone to talk to.</p>
<p>Don't forget, my name is Justin Case. </p>
<p>In the second verse you are introduced to the girl in the song. She comments on his pick up line and then she tell Justin her name. Her name is Annie Time. She sings the chorus,</p>
<p>Annie Time you every get lonely</p>
<p>Annie Time you every need a friend.</p>
<p>Annie Time you need someone to talk to</p>
<p>Don't forget my name is Annie Time. </p>
<p> It wasn't a winner but it was an improvement from the previous year. The rhyming mistakes were missing. The comment- It is reminiscent of a classic country tune and a wonderful turn of a lyric. It is easier to hear praises than negative comments but I learn more from my mistakes. </p>
<p> Late night DJ is a song about a Dj playing her favorite songs. There were some things that still needed fixing on this song. More careful editing could take this song to another level. Didn't like a line about red shoes. I agree. The red shoes line needed to go. </p>
<p> Superman Cried. I love using Superman in a song. Superman in the first verse is my Dad. I tell the story about my Dad hearing that his father had passed away. It was the first time I saw my Dad cry. Superman cried. The second verse is the story in the Bible about Jesus and Lazarus. Lazarus was sick and he died. Jesus could have gotten there sooner and maybe Lazarus would not have died, but he didn't. He was sad. His heart was broke. Lazarus's sisters were hurting from the pain of losing their brother. The shortest verse in the Bible is Jesus cried. Superman cried. </p>
<p> I still had a few rhyming challenges. Here is an example, The Son of God was he. It should read, He was the Son of God. Guess what? Son of God didn't rhyme. I needed the he on the end. Lyrics need to be conversational. We need to talk to everyday language. If you are writing a gospel song don't throw in thee's an thou's. That is not how we talk today. It might have worked one hundred years ago. </p>
<p> Three years down and not a winner yet. How many years would this process take? I was improving but still not there. This is a tough stage to be in. This is when we start to get impatient. Would I ever win? Maybe, or maybe not. Next year, I'll try again. 2012 here I come. </p>
<hr><p> </p>
<p> </p>Jim McCartertag:jimmccarter.com,2005:Post/48746552017-10-02T23:39:23-05:002022-04-06T13:15:29-05:00When I make it Big (Chapter 6) Linwood Cafe<p> I have auditioned at the Bluebird twice and am getting ready to go for my third time. I am struggling to remember what song I played the first time I auditioned. I remember I was undecided on what song to play. I had practiced both songs and felt that I could do either one. The two songs were Big Hit and Man in the Mirror. </p>
<p> Big hit is a fun song. It is a songwriter song. It is about how songwriters feel about the music that we write. If you're not a songwriter, I can let you know some of our frustrations. The song that you are currently working on is your best song yet. It might not be finished but you have super high hopes for it. After you are done with it and have had it evaluated by a professional song evaluator, you are back to reality. All of our songs are our babies. They are all precious and they probably have flaws that proud parents can't see.</p>
<p> Big Hit is a song about another song that I wrote. The song that I was thinking about when I wrote Big Hit was Shelter in the Storm. I like Big Hit better now than Shelter in the Storm. I love the chorus to Big Hit. Here is the chorus-</p>
<p>It's a big hit, it's my Mommas favorite song.</p>
<p>It's a big hit, everybody sing along. </p>
<p>It's a big hit, can my family be wrong? </p>
<p>At my family reunion, It's a big hit.</p>
<p> The other song I was thinking about playing was Man in the Mirror. Yes, I stole that title. Thank you Michael Jackson. It is perfectly legal to steal titles. It is illegal to steal lyrics and melodies. Man in the Mirror is about a guy who looks in the mirror at his life that needs changing. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>I refolded her love letter stuffed it in a dresser drawer</p>
<p>neath a Bon Jovi t-shirt, I don't wear anymore. </p>
<p>She's a hard one to get over, lust and liquor didn't work.</p>
<p>I'm tired of feeling numb, I wanna feel the hurt. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Chorus- I see tears in the mirror,</p>
<p>Wanna see a little clearer,</p>
<p>everything you'd love to change,</p>
<p>in the life of the man in the mirror. </p>
<p> </p>
<p> I remember talking to my son, Jeremy and he thought I should go with Big Hit. I had one line in the song that said, Nashville won't listen to it. I didn't know if they would see the humor in that line. I was on the fence and don't remember it I fell off of the left or the right side of the fence. I guess it doesn't matter. I still fell off the fence. There is a lot of disappointments when you are having folks listen to your songs. You need to have alligator hide and a short memory. I am doing really good on the short memory.</p>
<p> My second audition I played, "Paid" The lyrics for it are in chapter 5. It was a songwriter song that is fun to play. It was the only fun song that I heard out of the fifty songwriters that auditioned. Maybe, that should tell me something. Don't go funny but I love funny songs. Two strikes. </p>
<p> I have been practicing the song that I am going to play. It is called "Linwood Café". Linwood Café is a song that I wrote about my brother-in-law Robin Leach. Robin was a dairy farmer, a politician, and a character. He loved to stir the pot and he didn't cook. I loved to watch him as he had fun getting people going. He always talked about the Linwood Café. It was more than the food. It was about the people and the interaction with people. Here is the first verse and chorus. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>I drive my Dodge downtown, before I do my chores.</p>
<p>White Stucco building, brass bell on the door. </p>
<p>A diner with a counter and mismatched silverware.</p>
<p>You can hear the bacon sizzle, smell the coffee in the air.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Chorus- It's old friends and politics, biscuits and grits.</p>
<p>farmers wearing flannel shirts and dusty baseball caps.</p>
<p>Home cooked food and home town ways, a good start to my day</p>
<p>I like my eggs over easy, at the Linwood café. </p>
<p> </p>
<p><br> Robin passed away from heart problems a couple years ago. I miss Robin. I wanted to do a song about his favorite café. I hope I did it justice. My favorite verse is the second verse. I won't be playing it at the Bluebird because you only get to play one verse and a chorus. Here is the second verse-</p>
<p> </p>
<p>I'm worried bout this season, our quarterback is hurt</p>
<p>they had another split, down at the Baptist church.</p>
<p>I bought a raffle ticket to help out the PTA</p>
<p>We're solving world problems at the Linwood Café.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> Does that sound like a small town? If only world problems were that easy to fix. Maybe, I should play the second verse? No, first verse. It is tough not to second guess yourself. I would hate to be a football coach. </p>
<p> I have been working on my arrangement of the song. Originally it had a folky feel so I have tried to give it a more country feel. I am playing in Nashville not Arkansas. I hope all of the judges have been to an old fashioned small town café and can relate to the song, Linwood Café. </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>Jim McCartertag:jimmccarter.com,2005:Post/48712372017-09-30T10:45:29-05:002022-04-06T13:15:27-05:00When I make it Big (Chapter 5) Bluebird Cafe<p> Today is the day to sign up on the computer for a chance to audition at the Bluebird Café. I have tried to sign up a number of times. I had a rough time getting past this hurdle at the beginning. If there was a way to do it wrong, I did it. The process is going to the website and getting in a computer line. It is called Queue It. I thought I had to be at the computer and time it down to the second when I would enter the digital line. Wrong. All you do is pick the day of the event, hit enter, and it places you in line. Yes, I try to make simple things difficult. </p>
<p> I had a good feeling about signing up today. I didn't at the beginning though. I was anxious and had my doubts. It was getting close to crunch time. I believe God answers prayer. I decided I needed his help. It was prayer time. We all say prayers. Sometimes while we are driving down the road, on the computer typing, listening to a sermon, or maybe, taking a test. </p>
<p> I believe that God listens when I get down on both knees and pray. The truth is that he listens even if I am not on my knees. He is always available and waiting on us to talk to him. If I can be honest, the reason I think it feels like it works better is- I am bowing to him. I am humble. I am not in control, He is. I am recognizing that life isn't about me. It is about Him. His will in my life. </p>
<p> It wasn't a long prayer. The sun wasn't shining any brighter when I was done. I had a good feeling. Would that good feeling of went away if didn't get an audition. Maybe, yes. Maybe, no. I was trusting that He knew better than me. I hate spending money unnecessarily. If God wants me to go and I pass the audition. Thank you, Lord. </p>
<p> I remember the first time I went to Nashville for an audition at the Bluebird. It was when eight inches of snow fell in Nashville in January of 2016. In Kansas we can handle snow. We don't always like it but we can handle it. We have snowplows and road crews clearing the road. We have four wheel drive pick up with scoops on the front. A buddy of mine own a four wheeler with a big scoop that he uses for driveways and sidewalks. </p>
<p> I flew into Nashville on Saturday for my audition on Sunday. The snow storm had already hit Nashville and they were trying to recover. I went downtown and the parking lots and the roads still had snow on them. I walked by the Ryman Auditorium and they were having the Grand Old Opry their on Saturday night. They had a parking lot beside the building where they park the big Greyhound tour buses with tourists from out of town. This was a good size parking lot. They had one employee with one shovel trying to shovel it. That is crazy. </p>
<p> I am. I arrived in town and went to eat in downtown Nashville at the Hard Rock Café. It sat down to eat at 11:15 am. I received an email on my cell phone. It was the Bluebird Café letting me know that the audition had been canceled because of the snow storm. Really! It was still twenty four hours away and it was already canceled.</p>
<p> Okay, let's skip back to the part about me being cheap and not liking to spend money. I had paid for plane tickets to fly to Nashville. I had paid for a hotel room in Nashville. I had rented a rental car to be able to get around Nashville. On top of that, the audition was canceled. I was planning to spend five days in Nashville. If you are going to pay for a plane ticket you might as well get your money's worth. </p>
<p> I remember praying to God in my hotel room. Again, this was bowed down on both knees. I was frustrated. Why did I come all this way for nothing? I wanted God to bless this trip. To make this trip worthwhile. I needed his help. There is a verse in the Bible that says. Casting all your cares upon Him, for he careth for you. </p>
<p> I had other songwriter activities lined up for my week. I went to Nashville Songwriting Association International (NSAI) for two mentoring sessions. I also had a mentoring session scheduled with Amanda Williams. Her dad is a famous Nashville songwriter. He was one of the cowriters on the Randy Travis song of the year- Three wooden crosses. I love that song. </p>
<p> Amanda was able to help me with the process of playing an open mic at the Commodore. The Commodore is a songwriting listening room that is part of a fancy Holiday Inn close to Music Row. Debi Champion is the host of the songwriters round and open mic. I appreciate her spending her time to have a place for songwriters to play. I showed up early and watched the Songwriter round that took place before the open mic. It was very good. They had three or four rounds of really good songwriters. They had three songwriters on the stage at the same time. They all played three songs each. So I got too hear twelve songwriters performing thirty six songs. </p>
<p> One of the singers was a lady who wrote a George Strait number one song. I should write down names, it would make a better story. Another guy named Randy played his song that I recognized as a big hit. Also, I met a guy named Jim that I really enjoyed his songs. It was great. </p>
<p> After the songwriter round, it was time for the Open Mic. I was in the last group to play. I played a song that I had written called Paid. Here are the lyrics.</p>
<p>I got little scraps of paper scattered all around my home.</p>
<p>Hooks, titles, and ideas stored on my cell phone.</p>
<p>A list of chores to do, a half mile long</p>
<p>I'm strumming my guitar, writing my next big song.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Chorus- I wanna make me people laugh, make people dance, </p>
<p>touch somebody's hearts, help them find romance. </p>
<p>But when I make it big</p>
<p>I wanna get paid. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>I bought a new guitar to write a better song</p>
<p>A Roland twenty four hundred to record it on.</p>
<p>A trip down to Nashville, and no hits yet. </p>
<p>All I'm getting is deeper in debt. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Chorus- I wanna make me people laugh, make people dance, </p>
<p>make people smile, help them find romance.</p>
<p>Yeah , I love to play. </p>
<p>But when I make it big, I wanna get paid.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>I'm giving away sample like Chic fil A</p>
<p>the songs I'm writing are just ok</p>
<p>I'll keep trying to write better each day</p>
<p>and maybe, someday.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Chorus- I'm gonna make people laugh, make people dance</p>
<p>touch somebody's hearts, help them find romance. </p>
<p>yeah, I love to play</p>
<p>But when I make it big, I'm gonna get paid. </p>
<p> </p>
<p> The song went over great. It was a song that songwriters could relate to. After I was done Debi Champion, the host, invited me back to play on at a Writer's round. It is so neat when we see God answer prayer. I thought that my trip to Nashville was for nothing. God didn't give me a gig at the Bluebird café but he opened a door for me to do the same thing at the Commodore Grille. I was so excited. God is good. </p>
<p> Okay, enough suspense. Back to my audition at the Bluebird. I am going to Nashville in two weeks to audition for the Bluebird. I am excited for another opportunity to try out. It should be a lot of fun. Maybe, God will open that door this time. It is my job to knock on the door. Knock! Knock!</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>Jim McCartertag:jimmccarter.com,2005:Post/48691872017-09-28T14:48:04-05:002022-04-06T13:15:33-05:00When I make it Big (Five)<p> Making it big. What does that really mean? How big is big? Is big rich? Is big successful? Is big content? I have heard people say, "If I had lots of money I would be happy. If I had a bigger home, I would be happy? Ask yourself, what would make you happy? I could make a big list of things that some people believe would be the key to the making it big. Financial security, great marriage, great kids, happiness, respect, fame, or being your own boss. Did any of these things make you go that would be "nice".</p>
<p> I am not against shooting for the stars. I believe that God sometimes calls us to do the impossible. I believe God calls us to chase dreams bigger than us. Dreams so big that we shake our heads and say, "There is no way I can accomplish that!" I think God is up in heaven listening to me and my doubts. He smiles and shakes his head up and down. He knows that I know, it is impossible. He knows that he has me where I need to be. I am not bragging about what I am going to accomplish because I can't. God size dreams need God to make them come true but it is up to me to do my part. </p>
<p> I love to go to Nashville and go to the Bluebird Café. The Bluebird Café is (in my opinion) the #1 singer songwriter venue in the USA. I would say the world but I've never stepped foot outside of our borders. What do I know? My favorite part is to go to the Bluebird on a songwriter in the round night. They will have three songwriters on the stage and they will take turns sharing their songs. The crowd is listening to every word intently. Nobody is talking. Everyone in the crowd is focused on the music and the lyrics. This is songwriter heaven. </p>
<p> Anybody who has ever played music knows that there are good and bad places to share your music. I played an Open Mic at RC McGraw's in Manhattan, KS. The place was packed. It was taco night and college students were tearing up some tacos and drinking beer with their buddies. Everyone was talking and laughing and having a great time. I got up on stage and I played four or five songs. Some people looked at me, a few listened, and to the rest of the crowd, I was elevator music. I was background noise to fill in the gaps in the conversations. </p>
<p> It am not complaining. I love to get up and play. I would do it again, "but" I would rather play at the Bluebird Café. The Bluebird Café is not like Cheers where everyone knows your name. The Bluebird Café is where everyone hears your songs. Priceless. </p>
<p> At the Bluebird on songwriter nights they will have a big time songwriter close out the show. He or she will play their hit song that are played on the radio. They will tell stories about why they wrote their song. The might tell about the first time they heard it on the radio. They will share their stories of how long they wrote songs before getting a hit song. What they are really doing is saying, " I had the same struggles, problems, obstacles, etc. as you, but I am so blessed to be here."</p>
<p> After watching these shows I come out knowing what I want to do. I want to be on that stage sharing my songs and telling my story. I have played at the Bluebird on three Open Mic nights. I have also auditioned twice to play on a Sunday night Songwriter night. I have not been selected to play but I haven't given up. </p>
<p> Tomorrow is September 28th. It is the day that I can sign up again to audition. I am going to try again. Sometimes I am not able to make it through the wait in line on the computer to get to audition. Tomorrow I will get on my computer and I will try again. There are many songwriters who won't try. They will talk about signing up, they will talk about auditioning, and then they will wonder why their dreams never came true. Don't be like them. Chase your dreams. Dream big. I want to hear your story of making it big. </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>Jim McCartertag:jimmccarter.com,2005:Post/48663422017-09-26T18:53:58-05:002022-04-06T13:15:38-05:00When I make it Big (Chapter four)<p> It is hard to be young and decide what you want to be in life. What did you want to be? Some kids dream of being President of the United States, professional athletes, doctors, lawyers, rock stars, etc. I remember when I was in the sixth grade what I wanted to be. I wanted to be a barber. We all know rich barbers who are raking in the money. Okay, you can tell that making lots of money wasn't the goal for me. </p>
<p> I remember my plans for the future upon graduation. I wrote it down and the Oskaloosa Independent printed it underneath my picture in the paper. <strong> I wanted to own my own grocery store. </strong>That is the great thing about being young. You can want something and not see all of the obstacles that are in the way. I had a flaw in my plan.</p>
<p> The good part was that I enjoyed working at the store. I liked helping the customers. I liked to work. I liked working in AC. My summer job before working at the grocery store was putting up hay. I hated it. It was hot. This made me love the grocery business more. </p>
<p> I remember how much I was paid when I went full time after high school. I made a salary of $100 a week. It was a forty hour work week. If I was able to save fifty dollars a week toward buying a store, it was going to take a long, long time. It didn't take too many years of working full time and scraping by to decide "Houston we got a problem." In life, not all of our goals will come true. </p>
<p> In high school I was a" B" student. My teachers liked to tell my Mom at the teacher conferences that I was capable of being a straight "A" student. Why would a teacher do that? Why would they want to get a mother's hopes up for nothing? Why couldn't they have said, " Jim's a little slow but he's doing the best that he can." It wouldn't have killed them to help me out. </p>
<p> I could do all my work at school and not study at home. This formula worked great for "B's. To get these magical "A's"<strong> I would need to study at home</strong>. I have no problem studying at school. My problem is with the last two words. "At home." My home was my sanctuary. A sacred place of rest, play, and TV. I must admit that there were a few times that I did take a book home. I had the best of intentions. Intentions are like noses, we all have them. All I achieved by taking my books home, were better cardio workouts. </p>
<p> I had two classes that I did pull in those magical "A's". Physical Education and Music. Neither of these classes involved homework. Maybe I could have went on to get a degree as a PE major. What do you do with a PE degree? Master how to do push ups? See how many reps you can lift with fifty pounds on the bar?</p>
<p> I remember in PE we were doing weight lifting. Our PE coach was also our football coach. I was not a football player. My sophomore year of high school, I was six feet tall. Are you ready for my weight? Weighing in, in this corner, from Oskaloosa, Kansas, in the red and blue gym shorts, Jim McCarter at one hundred and seventeen pounds. They say, "Muscle weighs more than fat." Or, maybe it's the other way around. "Fat weighs more than muscle." Well, I didn't have either. </p>
<p> In PE class, we had weights to lift upstairs beside the basketball court and more weights to lift in the locker room downstairs. We were all suppose to do so many reps at each station. After you had completed all of the stations you were allowed to go shoot baskets and wait for everyone else to finish lifting weights. I spotted a flaw in this program. One coach could not watch all the students upstairs and downstairs at the same time. If the coach was up, I went down. When he went downstairs, I was headed up. I should have used this idea to develop "the Stairmaster.</p>
<p> I wasn't doing much lifting at all. I was always one of the first students on the basketball court. The PE coach was my freshman basketball coach. His expectations were that all athletes go out for football. Needless to say, Football players were the starters and not me. The same football players that I could beat everyday one on one is basketball. Lifting those weights don't make you a better shooter. Swish!</p>
<p> Back to grades and the "A's" in music. It was easy. Yeah, I had been taking piano lessons for five or six years. Please re-read that last sentence. I said, I took piano lessons. Nowhere in that statement did I mention practicing piano. It is really hard to get good at something if you don't practice. My piano teacher was in cahoots with my school teacher. She said, " Jim has a great ear. He is capable of being a very good piano player." I had no problem playing the piano at piano lessons. I kind of enjoyed it. My problems was with practicing at home. I had to take my music books home and practice. Practice equals music homework. Foul! </p>
<p> Usually, Mrs. Jenkins would give me three or four songs a week. My job was to play each song four times a day. Four time four equals sixteen times. When I played I had an upbeat, fast paced delivery. I played all my songs fast so I could get done sooner. I wonder if this was how rock music got started? Looking back now, I feel bad. I even felt bad about it then. I wasted Mom and Dad's money on those lessons. This is what I learned from this experience. When I get older and I take lessons, I am going to practice. I will not waste my money and not practice. Lesson learned.</p>
<p> Last year I went to my forty year high school reunion. I told some of my classmates about my music, playing guitar, writing songs, etc. They probably thought," Where did this come from? He never played in the band. "They might have heard me talk about piano lessons but never heard me play. How did he go from a wanna be basketball star to wanting to be a songwriter?</p>
<p> Life sure doesn't turn out like we plan. People get married, divorced, find jobs, quit job, get fired, move out of state, have kids, get rich, get sick, lose their money, and it goes on and on. And somewhere, somehow in the midst of all this, I figure out, I want to be a songwriter. </p>
<p> Have you got yourself figured out? I saw a poster one time that had a gorilla on it with a puzzled look on his face. The caption underneath read, I figured out all of life's questions but then they changed the questions. In ten years, I might have to say, Oops. I got this wrong and that wrong. I've been wrong before just ask my wife.</p>
<p> I believe God directs our paths. I have seen him work in my life and in the lives of those I love. I will trust in him. That takes the stress out of the equation. I no longer have to write a hit song. I can write a song and God can make it a number one song. Or it might be just another song in my notebook. My job is to write it, after that, it is in his hands. </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>Jim McCartertag:jimmccarter.com,2005:Post/48641562017-09-25T17:19:11-05:002022-04-06T13:15:41-05:00When I make it Big (Chapter three) Passion<p> The Merriam-Webster definition of passion is a strong feeling or excitement for something or about doing something. The Urban dictionary goes deeper. Passion is when you put more energy into something than is required to do it. It is more than just enthusiasm or excitement, passion is ambition that is materialized into action to put as much heart, mind, body, and soul into something as is possible. </p>
<p> We can be passionate about many things. We can be passionate about many things at once. Sometimes it can be hard to pin point what it is that we are passionate about. Or you might be like me. Your passion is like a moving target that keeps moving. It is hard to hit. That reminds me of what I have told my bosses at Dillons grocery store. I will be rushing around working hard and they will want to talk. Usually when you talk to your boss, it is not good. They are going to find more jobs for you or coach you on what you are doing wrong. I avoid my bosses by walking fast and acting like I am on a mission. If they ask why I am in a hurry, I like to give them this answer. "It is hard to hit a moving target." Usually they will smile and chuckle. </p>
<p> As a kid I loved sports. I loved to watch baseball, basketball, football, etc. I loved ABC Wide World of Sports. They had a saying at the beginning of the show. " The thrill of victory and the agony of defeat." They would show players celebrating their victories. This was the thrill of the victory part. Then they would show a ski jumper as he crashed and fell off the side of the ski ramp. It looked so painful every time I watched it. The agony of defeat. I also loved playing sports. Basketball and baseball were two sports that I was very passionate about. </p>
<p> I love to play guitar. As a kid I took piano lessons. Piano is a great instrument and I appreciate it more today than I did as a kid. It wasn't cool in the 60's and 70's to play piano. Guitar was cool. I liked acoustic guitar over electric guitar. Acoustic guitars have a sweet sound. It is a warm sound that I fell in love with. </p>
<p> I started taking guitar lessons as an adult. I was nineteen years old and took lessons from a sixteen year old girl who played at church. I remember the first song that I learned. It was an Eagles song. "Lying Eyes". You can't hide those lying eyes. I have owned and played guitars for the last forty years. I was terrible but I was passionate about learning to play. I remember when all my songs sounded like strum, strum, strum. Lying Eyes sounded like Witchy Woman. At this stage you don't want to play name this tune. Trust me. </p>
<p> I got better and then I wanted to play for people. One of the first times I played was for Junior church at Eastside Baptist church. I don't remember what song I played. It was probably a old fashioned hymn. I have played at a lot of different places over the years. I played guitar with at four different churches in Topeka. </p>
<p> I was attending Topeka Baptist and they had more guitar players than any one church needed. I was not getting to play on a regular basis so I went to a coffee shop and asked for a gig. I was so shocked when they said, "Yes." They asked me to play for two hours. It was time to learn some more songs to fill up all of my time. It was also time to learn the lyrics to the songs. I had developed the habit of only learning one verse or the chorus. I had to actually learn all the words to the songs.</p>
<p> Everybody can sing. Some people do it a lot better than others. I am not one of those not so gifted singers. I started writing songs to compensate for my singing. If you write your own songs and you can't sing it, you can only blame yourself. This is how Bob Dylan dealt with not being a very good singer. If it works for Bob, maybe it can work for me. </p>
<p> This was the start of playing music at coffee shops. I played regularly at the Classic Bean. It is a really nice venue. I was even paid to play. Doing what you love and getting paid for it. Can it get any better than this? I started writing a new song for every concert that I played. This went on for a couple years. The coffee shop changed managers and changed the format. They started going with more bands and less singer songwriters. </p>
<p> This was a chance for me to devote more time to song writing. I started spending less time playing guitar and more time working on songs. I started keeping lists of possible song titles. I would also write down any song ideas that I had. I started having a piece of paper by the bed on my dresser. If I woke up in the middle of the night, I would be able to write down my great idea. Sometimes they were not very good, but at 2 am I wasn't a very good judge of quality. </p>
<p> Songwriting is my latest passion. I love it. It is a lot of work and it isn't easy. If it was easy everybody would be a songwriter. I like to write songs that use imagery. I also want my songs to say something. We all have something to say. </p>
<p> Figuring out what you are passionate takes some time. It is easy to get sidetracked. Sometimes it grows into something bigger and better. My passion for guitar playing turned into writing songs. I record my songs and make rough demo's. I thought that this might be something that I was passionate about. It isn't. Mixing and editing a track is very time consuming and it wasn't fun. This is a job for me to have someone else do. Someone is passionate about it. Half of figuring out your passion is knowing what you don't want to do. </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>Jim McCartertag:jimmccarter.com,2005:Post/48639292017-09-25T08:36:57-05:002022-04-06T13:16:10-05:00When I make it Big (Chapter Two) My Dad<p> I can't write a book with a this title and not tell you about my Dad. My Dad was born in December of 1915. He was raised on a farm in Jefferson county about three miles from Oskaloosa, KS. He lived through the Great depression. He told me that nobody had any money. He used to run a trap line with his brother Wesley before they would go to school. They trapped coyotes, possums, rabbits, squirrels, etc. They would take the skins and sell them in town and the meat was supper. I don't think they ate coyotes or possums. </p>
<p> The one room school house that my Dad attended was on the corner of Grandpa's farm. The government took part of his land that he had paid for and built a school. Grandma and Grandpa McCarter were not happy about giving up their land. I remember hearing Grandma complain about it fifty years later. Dad went to school up till the eighth grade. Dad was a good worker and Grandpa needed him to work on the farm. Dad wanted to go to school. Dad and Grandpa got into a fight one day about going to school. Grandpa won the fight and that was the end of Dad's formal education. </p>
<p> That is hard to imagine now. Getting in a actual fight with your Dad because you want to go to school. Today kids don't want to go to school. The parents fight with the kids to make them go. I believe my Dad knew the value of a good education. I didn't know how this story would later affect me. </p>
<p> My senior year of high school we had an organized skip day. I didn't see a problem with skipping one day. I never skipped. I was always at school and on time. My Dad told Mom to tell me that I needed to go to school. She proceeded to tell me this story about Dad's fight with his Grandpa. How do you argue with a story like that? I skipped the skip day and went to school. That story is part of my Dad's character. Standing up for what's right. He wanted the best for me and that was going to school. It was a valuable life lesson. </p>
<p> Dad was a union construction laborer. Dad's dream wasn't to be a construction worker. He loved the cattle business. He had taken care of livestock since his childhood and continued to do so after getting married and having kids. Dad had some Holstein cows that had to be milked everyday. This was before there was automatic milking machines. Dad, Mom, my brother Larry and Rich, and my sister Lana Mae would go out and milk cows before going to school. Luckily, Dad was out of the milking business by the time I was old enough to milk. </p>
<p> Dad received an inheritance when the family farm was sold. He was in his mid-fifties at the time. He quit his union job and bought a two ton Ford truck to haul cattle. He would drive to local sale barns and buy livestock. He came home with sheep, cattle, goats, Shetland ponies, etc. He bought anything that he thought he could make money on when he sold it. He would buy cattle and haul them to St. Joe, Missouri or the Kansas City stock yards to sell them. </p>
<p> He worked lots of hours doing what he loved. He was very successful. He listened to the stock market at noon everyday to get the latest price on what cattle were selling for. This can be a risky business. Buying and selling cattle is a lot like playing the stock market. Prices go up and prices go down. He took the good with the bad. He was living proof that if you are doing what you love, it isn't work.</p>
<p> My Dad's story falls right into line with the title of this book, When I make it Big. Dad had been working toward this goal, all his life. Maybe not intentionally. I also believe that God was working in the story. We can do the work but if God doesn't bless us, it ain't going to happen. Dad was a hard worker. He went to work everyday he was scheduled at the construction site. Dad went to cattle auctions every day but Sunday. Sunday was the Lord's Day. Dad honored God by not working on Sunday. </p>
<p> He knew the business. He had been working with livestock all his life. He worked on Grandpa's farm and on his farms. Getting up every morning and doing chores was part of his life. It was like breathing. It was like drinking coffee every morning. </p>
<p> My Dad quit his job to pursue his passion. That is a big step of faith. I was listening on facebook to Steve Harvey. Steve Harvey is a successful comedian who is the host of his own TV show. He is the host of Family Feud. It is one of my favorite game shows. He was talking to people about being successful. He said, "You gotta jump." How true. We want to walk out to the end of that diving board and stay there. The thrill is not looking at the water. The thrill is in the jump.</p>
<p> Do we all quit are jobs and pursue our passions today? If you are saying to jump, how come you haven't jumped? Good point. I believe that we need to look at timing. I believe my Dad waited until the timing was right. He hauled many cattle in a pickup truck with stock racks on it, but to do it full time he needed to be able to haul more cattle to make more money. Bigger is better. </p>
<p> My Dad was in his fifties. We are not limited by our age. Age is something that we can use to our advantage. I know a lot more about life in my fifties that I did in my twenties. Wisdom and experience are great teachers.</p>
<p> I was in seventh grade when Dad became a full time cattle trader. I was the last child at home. My brothers and sisters were married and away from home. He didn't have the family responsibilities that he had. All the kids were gone except one. The risk factors were lower. The odds of success were better.</p>
<p> I learned many things from my Dad. I learned how to pursue my passion. Our passions are totally different. He was a cattle trader and I am a songwriter. Your passion is different than mine. I believe that passion is a God given gift. It is ours to open up like a Christmas present and use it. I hope you will be able to know your passion and then be able to jump when the timing is right. Jump! </p>Jim McCartertag:jimmccarter.com,2005:Post/48629192017-09-24T08:23:43-05:002022-04-06T13:16:22-05:00When I make it Big (Chapter one)<p> I thought this was a different title for a book. I hope it doesn't sound cocky or conceited. To tell the truth it is a line that I stole from a song that I wrote called "Paid. The title could have been, If I make it Big. There is a big difference between those two words." When" has the ring of hope to it. It says to me, "This is going to happen. I don't know how or when but I believe it." If" I make it big sounds so negative. It reminds me a saying I used to say," If we had bacon we could have bacon and eggs. If we had eggs."</p>
<p> You can't write a book without giving some history about the person writing the book. What are their qualifications? What do they have to say that I can use? Is their advice legitimate? And the questions could go on and on. I am a songwriter but I haven't written any hit songs. I want to write a hit song. I am very passionate about music and songwriting. If you want answers on how to be successful from somebody who has done it. Sorry, you got the wrong guy and the wrong book. If you want to hear about my struggles and what I learned on the way, then keep on reading. </p>
<p> I have worked in the grocery business for over forty years and I don't own my own grocery store. I am an assistant manager at a Dillons grocery store. Dillons is a part of the Kroger company. Am I going to make it big in the grocery business? Will I become a store manager? Or a district manager? The answer to these questions is, "No." The reason I know this is because that is not want I want to be successful at. Yes, it is my job. Yes, I need money to pay my house payment every month. Yes, I enjoy getting a paycheck. I know that it is not my passion. It does not light a fire in me. I don't hate my job but it isn't the Wind beneath my Wings as Bette Midler would sing.</p>
<p> I am not getting rich in the grocery business. Ask anyone in this business and they will let you know it is not a lucrative field. My wife was a social worker. Social workers are paid similar to grocery store workers. The only difference is you need a four year degree. What I would really like to be is a songwriter for a publishing company. What does that pay? The answer is terrible. As a songwriter for a publishing company you would get a draw. The beginning draw for a songwriter would be $25,000 a year. Isn't that great. My dream job is a job paying half of what I am making at my current job. Sounds crazy, don't it?</p>
<p> Let me explain a little more how the draw system works. The publishing company is hoping that you will write a hit song or a song that an artist will record and place on a CD. If they sell enough CD's part of the money would go back to the publishing company. The publishing company would then take out their share of your draw. After you pay back your $25,000 for the year then you would make more money. Basically it is a loan that you must pay off when and if you make money. If you don't write a hit song and make money, you probably won't have a publishing deal for very long. No pressure.</p>
<p> I do not have the connections to get artists to listen to my songs, Publishers many times have access to the artists that are looking for songs. Many songwriters are their own publishers. This is great if you have time. Time is the one thing in my life that I need more of. I work many hours at my job and I need and want more time to do the things that I love. </p>
<p> Another advantage of working for a publisher is they listen to and offer suggestions on how to make your song more commercial. Commercial does not mean it will be an advertisement on TV or radio. Commercial is writing songs that everybody can relate to. The best scenario that I can come up with for that is being a painter. </p>
<p> As a painter, I could paint many things. I could paint beautiful masterpieces on canvas and sell them for big bucks. The hard part would be finding the buyer who is looking for the exact style of painting that I created and is willing to shell out thousands and thousands of dollars to own it. I could paint houses. Their are lots of houses that need a good paint job. I could use my creative side and come up with different colors.</p>
<p> In Topeka, where I live, we have a house that is painted like a rainbow. It is across the street from Westside Baptist church. Westside Baptist church is the left of center church that was founded by Fred Phelps. They are known for picketing funerals of gay people that have died and carrying hateful messages on their signs. The last time I checked there is not a big demand for rainbow colors on houses. </p>
<p> I have noticed that if was going to paint houses, the colors that I see most often are tans, beiges, and white. Not too exciting of colors. To get more jobs I would need to use these colors. Colors that are not too wild. Colors that will not offend your neighbors. I remember having a neighbor one time that painted their old two story house a dark charcoal gray with black trim. It looked like a Halloween house. All it needed was some pumpkins outside on the steps and some bats circling around the attic trying to get into it. </p>
<p> If you are writing a song you would need to write songs that everybody could relate to. I could write a song about my Dad being a hard working construction worker who quit construction work to make a good living buying and selling cattle. Some people could relate to this song but a lot of people wouldn't. So what are commercial songs about? Love, breaking up, heartbreak, drinking and partying songs, girls, etc. Pretty basic stuff that everybody can relate to. I call it "White Houses."</p>
<p> The hard part about "White House" writing is that it still needs to be different and interesting. How many ways can a song say, I love you? As a commercial songwriter, it is the songwriters job to say the same old thing in a fresh way. Here are a few ways that others have said it. You light up my life, You are the wing beneath my wings, and You complete me. I could write a song about Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. I'll be the jelly and you can be the peanut butter. Jam us together and we'll stick together. That is hard to do. It is not as easy as slapping white paint on a house. </p>
<p> Okay how bout a little recap on this first chapter? I have not set the world on fire by being successful at my current job. I was raised on a farm in Kansas. I don't know any famous people. My parents weren't rich. I struggle to pay my bills and stay out of debt. I need more time. I work too much. I don't have all the answers. I don't ask the right questions. Maybe, you are in the same boat with me? We both want to be a success but how? Let's continue the journey together. </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>Jim McCartertag:jimmccarter.com,2005:Post/48626852017-09-23T15:32:56-05:002022-04-06T13:16:28-05:00When I make it big. The title of my new book.<p> I went to watch my grandson, Aiden played football on Thursday night. He is an eighth grader and plays slot back on offense and cornerback on defense for the Rossville Bulldogs football team. The game was at Riley County High School. Riley County is a out an hour and a half away from where I live. Aiden had a good game and I decided to leave early to get home at a decent hour. I had it figured out that if I left at 8 pm, I could be home at 9:30 and still get a full nights sleep before work tomorrow. </p>
<p> You know what they say about the best made plans. Me, neither. I do know from personal experience that what I plan on happening and what happens are usually two different animals. I was making great time and then I made a pit stop at Dairy Queen for a chocolate shake. I couldn't resist. I remember as a kid my Dad would take me there. We both had sweet tooth's. I was still on schedule. </p>
<p> I got out of Manhattan, KS and was on Bill Snyder Highway. It is the highway that runs from I-70 to Manhattan. In this part of the country everybody knows who Bill Snyder is. He is the legendary football coach that turned around the K-State football program. If you can do that we will name our streets, highways, town, and children after you. </p>
<p> As I was going down Bill Snyder Highway I was passed by a policeman running his red lights. I didn't know where he was going but I soon figured it out. There was a wreck on I-70. I never saw the wreck but I did get to spend an hour sitting on the highway waiting as tow trucks came and cleared the scene of the accident. </p>
<p> I decided that I would watch some U Tube videos while I was waiting. I like to watch Ted Talks. They are informative speeches by great speakers. The subject I decided on was how to tell a great story. I am a songwriter and yes, I do want to tell a great story when I write a song. This would be a great one to listen to. It was very motivational and is what prompted me to write this blog. </p>
<p> I have been thinking about writing a book. I thought this might be the time to start. I could write my blog like I am writing a book and share it as I go. Forget about editing, I will self edit as I go. I don't know how long this will take. Maybe some people will read it, or maybe not. Also, if my friends and family read it they would help to hold me accountable. Not that I am excited about being held accountable. Those words remind me of my job. My bosses love to hold people accountable. Let me revise that statement. They love to hold others accountable. </p>
<p> Here is the title of my book- When I make it big. It's time to start the journey. I hope you like it. PS. You probably won't need a seat belt. </p>
<p> </p>Jim McCartertag:jimmccarter.com,2005:Post/48376872017-09-05T09:24:17-05:002022-04-06T13:16:36-05:00How the song "Poor little Fool" became a number one hit<p> Sharon Sheeley is the writer of the song, Poor Little Fool. It became a number one hit for Ricky Nelson. She got her start when she tricked her ex-boyfriend, Ricky Nelson, into recording a song she wrote. Sharon said, "Back then, the rock'n roll business was dominated by men, all men. If I had told Ricky that I had written a song that I wanted him to record, it would not have happened. So I made up a story. I told him that I know this guy that had written a song for Elvis and Elvis had agreed to record it after he returned from Germany." Elvis was doing his military service at the time. " I told Rick that Elvis really loved the song. That did it. He believed he was scooping Elvis."</p>
<p> Poor Little Fool was Ricky Nelson's first number one and the first ever US number one written singlehandedly by a woman. Sharon said, " Oh the shock of it when he found out my friend was me. He would have never even considered it if he know from the get go that a girl, a sixteen year old girl, had written this great song. </p>
<p> This was a story that I read in the book, The life and music of Randy Newman. I love stories of how songwriters get their songs recorded. I don't know if lying about it is the way to go, but it did work out. On the flip side it isn't fair to judge somebody because they are too young or a girl. Interesting story. </p>Jim McCartertag:jimmccarter.com,2005:Post/48376802017-09-05T09:07:28-05:002022-04-06T13:16:42-05:00NSAI Manhattan Chapter September Meeting<p> Today is September 5th. A week from today will be the next Nashville Songwriter's Association International meeting in Manhattan, KS. It will be held at the Bluestem Bistro in Aggieville. Our meeting will start at 7 pm and end around 9pm. We will have an introduction time, a songwriting lesson, and song demo derby. Song demo derby is where we share the songs that we have written. After sharing we give feedback and suggestions on how to make your song better. Or your song might be great exactly as you have written it. It is a lot of fun. I hope to see you there. </p>Jim McCartertag:jimmccarter.com,2005:Post/48368412017-09-04T08:23:12-05:002022-04-06T13:22:16-05:00Night of Worship<p> I go to church at Topeka Baptist church. We have a night of worship on Sunday nights. We do this twice a year. Once in the spring and again in the fall. I singed up yesterday to play a song this coming Sunday. It worked out great. I am off this Sunday so I didn't have to ask for the day off or trade for a day off. I am on a short vacation that I scheduled in January. The company that I work for requires us to pick our vacation days at the beginning of the year. It is amazing how God works things out. </p>
<p> Last time I played at church I played a song I wrote called Just as I am. I used the chorus of the old hymn called Just as I am and added my own verses. The time I played before that I did the song, Long live the King. It is a song about Michael Jackson, Elvis Presley, and Jesus Christ. Three kings. The king of pop, the king of rock and roll, and the King of all kings, Jesus Christ. </p>
<p> I am still undecided about what song I will play this time. I have written two worship songs and I might play one of them. The first one is called Be Still and the other is Your Love. I am excited to get to share the songs that God has given to me. It should be fun. Isn't it great when life is fun? </p>Jim McCartertag:jimmccarter.com,2005:Post/48314952017-08-30T10:02:47-05:002022-04-06T13:22:22-05:00Words on a page<p>I wanted to share some lyrics from a song that I am working on. The song is called Nashville. Nashville is the girl in the song but she is also everything that Nashville stands for. I have written about five pages of verses and stuff that will never make it into the song. I thought it might be interesting to share some of the verses that I chose not to use. If I don't share them, all they are words on a page. </p>
<p>She wore a name tag with no name</p>
<p>so I chose a good one to use. </p>
<p>Her name used to be, Emily from Tennessee</p>
<p>but for now, Nashville will do. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Chorus Nashville is my type of lady</p>
<p>A lady that gives me all kinds of hope.</p>
<p>I hope that her love, will smile on me.</p>
<p>I love Nashville, and maybe she'll love me. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>I drove into town on a ten year plan</p>
<p>don't know if my plans will come true.</p>
<p>I dreamed of a good life, a home and a good wife</p>
<p>cause that's what all dreamers do. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Nashville is my type of lady.</p>
<p>A lady that gives me all kinds of hope</p>
<p>I hope that her love, will smile on me. </p>
<p>I love Nashville and maybe she'll love me. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>She's had her share of great lovers</p>
<p>lovers she made rich and then they moved on. </p>
<p>so I wrote her a love song to win her heart</p>
<p>you might hear it when you turn your radio on. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Nashville is my type of lady </p>
<p>A lady that gives me all kinds of hope. </p>
<p>I hope that her love, will smile on me. </p>
<p>I love Nashville and maybe she'll love me.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>I love Nashville and maybe she'll love me. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>This was a really easy way to write a song. I took lyrics that didn't fit my original song and wrote a new chorus. I didn't do much editing just sharing words on a page. </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>Jim McCartertag:jimmccarter.com,2005:Post/48269122017-08-26T09:16:04-05:002022-04-06T13:22:25-05:00The ups and downs of websites<p>I wrote an article a few years ago about how to get people to visit your website. My best advice is to blog. The more you share, the more people visit. The more consistent you are the more progress you make. I went from zero views other than me to about 900 views a month. It was cool to look at the statistics and see where everybody was visiting from. Some of the people visiting my website were from all over the USA. I even had views from all over the world. My most viewed area was Russia. Why would someone from Russia be interested in reading a blog about an American, Christian, songwriter, guitar player who works as an assistant manager in a grocery store in Kansas? I don't know the answer to my own question. </p>
<p>Over time I did less and less writing. We all know the story. We have jobs. Jobs demand our time. Usually the best part of our day. The part of the day when we are the most productive and creative. What does that leave to us workers? We get early morning and late evening. Oh yeah, I have a couple days off a week. I have family and friends that I want to spend time with. It is difficult to find time for all the things I want to do. You can probably relate to this to. </p>
<p>I have not been as motivated to blog as I used to. I have been trying to focus on writing songs. Maybe I should start sharing my lyrics. This would count as blogging and would still help me to improve as a songwriter. I want to do a better job. I want to give people a reason to visit my site. To get to know me and the journey of my life. </p>
<p>The reason I wrote on my blog today is because I checked my site activity for the last week. . I will be honest with you. It is not impressive. I had one visitor. This is down from when I would sometimes have between fifty and one hundred in one day. Today was a motivation day. A wake up call. A time to press the reset button and start over. I hope you will come back and check it out. Welcome back to me and you. </p>Jim McCartertag:jimmccarter.com,2005:Post/48066832017-08-08T10:31:26-05:002022-04-06T13:22:28-05:00Open mic at Douglas Corner (Nashville)<p>Tonight I am planning on playing at the open mic night and Douglas Corner. Every venue has a process to go through to get to play. Today at 1pm, I am going to call 615-292-2530. They take phone calls from 1-6pm. The later you call, the later you play. The night starts at 8pm. Last time I called in about 1:30 pm and got to play between 11:30 pm and midnight. I am going to try to call in earlier this time. This should be fun. </p>Jim McCartertag:jimmccarter.com,2005:Post/48066822017-08-08T10:25:39-05:002022-04-06T13:22:30-05:00Commodore Grille writer's night in Nashville<p> What a fun night. Last night I got to perform at the Commodore Grille. It was a Monday night song writing round hosted by Debi Champion. Debi is a great host. She is very patient and kind. It is amazing all of the talent in Nashville.</p>
<p>I saw one guy who looked about sixty with long hair, blue jeans, an old ball cap with a button up shirt with a flannel jacket that set crooked on his shoulders. He acted shy and timid but when he played his song, I could imagine Bruce Springsteen singing it. His voice even reminded me of Springsteen. Never judge a songwriter until you hear their songs. </p>
<p>Also there was a young man who was visiting from Holland. His name was Olaf Putker. I would guess Olaf is about thirteen. He borrowed my guitar and did a great job playing and performing his songs. You can check out him and his brother on facebook. They are called the OneNightRiders. I am going to check out their music after I finish this post. His mom, Emma bought my supper for letting her son play my guitar. That is so nice. </p>
<p>I played three songs. Guitar- A song that gives ladies free advice on how to pick a good man. (Hint) Look at his guitar. A song that I wrote last month called Little Black Dress. I call this my racy song. The hook is (I think I'm in love with you and that little black dress.) It was fun to play. The last song that I played was Long Live the King. It is a song about three Kings. Michael Jackson- King of Pop. Elvis Presley- King of Rock, and Jesus Christ- King of Kings. The hard part was tying all three of them into one song and making it work. </p>
<p>Thanks to Debi Champion and the Commodore Grille for allowing me to play. </p>Jim McCartertag:jimmccarter.com,2005:Post/47690342017-07-06T09:51:54-05:002022-04-06T13:22:33-05:00How to avoid writing distractions<p> I decided that I was going to write today. I started off on a good note. I decided to not turn on the TV. I also decided to not get on any social media like facebook. I did good on both of those. I went to my writing room and I heard my grand daughter, Ella waking up in the next room. I went and got her out of her crib, changed her and gave her a drink. It was time for her to go downstairs and play with Mommy. I went back to the computer room and decided I needed to pay my Walmart cell phone bill. It is due tomorrow and I didn't want to forget about it. Paying the bill was a ten minute job. Not to bad. I went into Microsoft Word and a message came up that I needed to re-enter my 25 digit code or it would expire in twenty days. I noticed this ten days ago but I had been putting it off. I had to go into my old emails to find when I had purchased it and get the 25 digit code. I was so happy that I was able to find it. I inserted it and it didn't work. Then I had to contact Microsoft support and have them trouble shoot it for me. Needless to say this whole process took a lot longer than I was planning. </p>
<p> My original goal was to be in my room by 7 am and writing a story or some lyrics. After trouble shooting Microsoft Word, I was finally able to start writing something at 9:15 am. I decided I didn't have much time left because I have to get ready for work by 10 am. So I decided to share my writing opportunities with you. I know we all have the same struggles. Family, computer problems, bills to pay, hunger, thirsty, etc. and the list goes on and on. </p>
<p> I would be lying if I claimed to master the process on not being distracted. Obviously! What could I have done to have less distractions? Looking back the answer is simple. I should of went to my room and grabbed a pen and paper. Simple and easy. No websites to go to. No support person to call about why my pen isn't working. Tomorrow I am going to try again. I am looking forward to better results. I am going to find my pen and paper today for tomorrow. </p>Jim McCartertag:jimmccarter.com,2005:Post/47297792017-06-01T09:37:19-05:002022-04-06T13:22:36-05:00Be yourself <p> My Dad was about forty-one years old when I was born. He was older than my friends at school's fathers. He wasn't concerned about fashion. He didn't care about following and keeping up with the latest fad. My Dad's everyday outfit was work boots, a wife beater t-shirt, (Before they were called wife beaters), button up shirt, and blue and white striped overalls. He used to be a construction worker before he started his own business buying and selling livestock. The only difference in clothing between the two jobs was, when he worked construction he wore a silver hard hat with small dents in it and he carried a black lunch box.</p>
<p> My Dad had his reasons for wearing his overalls. One of his reasons when he worked construction was it had a hammer loop. A great place to store your hammer while you were carrying boards or doing other odd jobs around the worksite. Also, their was a pocket on the side where he always had a pair of pliers. How cool is that? Another reason he liked them was because you didn't have to wear a belt. A belt is another clothing accessory that he did not have to buy. Also, you don't have to worry about overalls falling down. They are held in place by two straps that go over both shoulders. I have noticed as I get older and rounder that I have more trouble keeping my pants up. Overalls would be a solution to that problem. The last reason that he liked his overalls was because it had a pocket in the top front. Dad always carried his billfold in it. This is a great idea also. I hate sitting on my billfold. Usually it is too thick to sit on comfortably. I usually have my credit and debit cards, library cards, insurance cards, receipts to keep, and two dollars cash. (On a good day.) This is enough stuff to make me lean to the left when I sit down. Dad did not have this problem.</p>
<p> I decided that my Dad was really smart. I could see why they were a perfect fit for him. I decided to follow in his footsteps and buy a pair of overalls. I had a few problems. I am a lot taller than my Dad. I am six foot tall and my Dad was five foot six. My overalls always felt a little too short from the crotch to the shoulders. Maybe I didn't have them adjusted quite right. Also, I could only wear my overalls on days when I wasn't working. I didn't have a job where I could wear what I wanted. I work at a grocery store and the dress code required shirt, tie, and khakis. The hammer loop was cool but I never used it.</p>
<p> I learned something from trying to dress and be like my Dad. I respected him but we were different. It is okay to be different. What works great for one person doesn't work for the next person. It doesn't make one person any cooler than the other person. We all got to be ourselves. Our own unique person. So when I finish this blog and go get ready for work. I will wear my khakis pants, with a button down collar dress shirt, with a twenty-five cent work tie that I bought at a garage sale last week. How cool is that? A Jerry Garcia tie for a quarter at a garage sale. So the bottom line is - Be yourself.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>Jim McCartertag:jimmccarter.com,2005:Post/47277382017-05-30T18:44:34-05:002022-04-06T13:27:22-05:00Lethal Weapon (TV show) inspired these lyrics<p> I was watching my new favorite show. Lethal Weapon. We had Cox cable and switched back to Direct TV. Cox had the whole season and I would watch a program on demand whenever I had a little extra time. I was watching an episode and I decided to write a song about the TV show. It isn't done so I thought I would share a verse and a chorus. </p>
<p>Riggs is searching for the answers but the bottles gone dry. </p>
<p>So he grabbed another fifth, gave it another try.</p>
<p>He's looking through the files, for what the cops might of missed</p>
<p>Who killed his wife? And whose fault is it? </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Chorus- He's a man on a mission. A mission to succeed.</p>
<p>He's gonna make em pay, and that's a guarantee. </p>
<p>He's kinda suicidal, as crazy as he can be.</p>
<p>He's looking for some closure, that's all he really needs. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Closure. Closure is the period at the end of the sentence. A period make a sentence into a statement instead of a question. Closure is when you break up and know that it is over for good. Closure is getting fired from a job that you were struggling with. Closure is shutting the casket for the final time. Closure is something we all want but we don't always get what we want. The end. (Closure)</p>Jim McCartertag:jimmccarter.com,2005:Post/47204892017-05-24T10:12:32-05:002022-04-06T13:27:33-05:00Improving your music website with Bandzoogle<p>Today is the start of my fifth year of having my website. I have learned a lot by managing my own website. I have learned that the more time that I invest results in more views and more traffic to my website. I have tried different things. I have went with more music and less music. I have blogged more often and not often enough. I have written articles about music, songwriting, life, upcoming concerts, what God is doing in my life, etc. It has been a mix of a lot of different things. </p>
<p>This year I am going to try to improve my website. I spent $50 extra for the upgraded plan. What does $50 get me? I can have up to 50 songs on my website. This is 30 more than I can have now. Also, it gives me a place to sell products and music without a charge. If I sell a song or cd on Amazon, CD Baby, or Itunes I do not get all of the money. On Bandzoogle I get to keep 100% of my sales. This is great. All I need now is something to sell. I would suggest to anyone wanting to improve your website to upgrade from the lite version to the standard version. </p>Jim McCartertag:jimmccarter.com,2005:Post/46903292017-04-29T08:19:50-05:002022-04-06T13:27:47-05:00Everyone's invited I have a gig coming up on August 7th at the Commodore Grille in Nashville, Tn. It is a writer's night that is hosted by Debi Champion. It is on a Monday night and it will start at 9 pm. ( That is my normal bedtime. I might need to take a nap on that day.) I will get to perform three songs that I have written. The hard part is deciding which songs to play. If you are in Nashville or close by, I hope to see you there. Jim McCartertag:jimmccarter.com,2005:Post/46819502017-04-23T09:26:53-05:002022-04-06T13:27:54-05:00Bluebird Audition update The things that I share are different than some people. Have you ever noticed how everybody's life is rosy on face book? Okay, to be fair it is not everybody but it is definitely the majority. We see vacation pictures, birthday parties, anniversaries, pictures of fancy delicious food, and the list goes on and on. I recently went to Nashville and auditioned for my second time to play at the Bluebird Cafe. Drum roll, and, and, and, I didn't make it. What do I do now? Well, I will keep trying.<br> I did learn a lesson while I was standing in line. I have played at a writer's night at the Commodore Grille in Nashville. It is a bigger venue in a nicer location but it is not as famous or as recognizable. I was talking to a fellow songwriter at the Bluebird audition and she commented that I should play there again. All I would need to do is set up a date and time. Both venues are doing the same thing but I was chasing the opportunity that had a closed door instead of using the door that was already open. I still need to send that email. I better get to looking at my work schedule to see what week might be a good week to go.<br> Final thoughts. I am grateful for the opportunity to play at the Commodore Grille. I will pursue that opportunity but I still haven't given up on the Bluebird. Jim McCartertag:jimmccarter.com,2005:Post/46735902017-04-17T08:53:26-05:002022-04-06T13:28:01-05:00Do you need a new computer? The old Toshiba laptop has seen better days. It has been officially retired. It was the first laptop computer that I ever owned. I remember going to look at them at Nebraska Furniture Mart with Mary Ann and my Mom. It was when they first came out with Windows 8. Windows 8 was suppose to be the latest and greatest thing. Now, Windows 10 is the latest and greatest. The next best thing is always right around the corner.<br> How do you know when you need a new computer? At first it is only a few things wrong with the old one. The first thing that went wrong was the mouse pad on the computer stopped working. This was an easy fix. I went and bought a wireless mouse. Problem fixed. The next thing that happened was the left side hinge broke. The good part was that it was still useable. It was annoying. The final straw was the cd burner stopped working. I was in Nashville and was going to play a song for a publisher. The Cd's that I burned did not work. Three broke items was my limit. <br> I needed a song to play for a publisher. I had to record a song on video in my Super Eight Bathroom recording studio. Great reverb. lol. It would have be a better story if the publisher would have loved the song and wanted Eric Church to record it. No such luck.<br> Back to the computer story. My buddy Rick had bought a used computer off Craigslist from a guy in Perry, KS. He really likes his computer. The price was right and it worked great. Those are two things that I was looking for in a computer. Value and performance. My new used computer is a Dell Latitude E6510. It is so fast, I can't believe it. It is like trading a horse and buggy for a sports car. I have no excuses not to blog or write a song. Yes, I still have excuses but I can't blame the computer. <br> Jim McCartertag:jimmccarter.com,2005:Post/46650472017-04-10T09:08:10-05:002022-04-06T13:28:08-05:0030 days GoneThis is a song that I said I was going to write. It is still a work in progress but I wanted to share what I had.<br><br>Thirty Days Gone<br><br>I wrote you a song, and called it Best Friend.<br>You won't get to hear me. play it again.<br>Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, the days go slow<br>I wish you were here but you had to go.<br><br>Chorus- Thirty days gone, I'm holding on.<br>I'm standing strong, your thirty days gone.<br><br>Your birthday was Friday, It came and it went.<br>No ice cream and cake, no money was spent.<br>If you were here, yeah it would have been fun<br>To sing happy birthday at the top of my lungs.<br><br>Thirty days gone, I'm holding on.<br>I'm standing strong, your thirty days gone. <br><br>You left with no notice, left behind everything<br>your clothes, your Bible, your wedding rings.<br>I'll treasure the memories,and store them away<br>like an umbrella to use on a rainy day.<br><br>Thirty days gone, I'm holding on.<br>I'm standying strong, your thirty days gone.<br><br>Bridge- Thirty days, thirty days, thirty days gone.<br>One month closer to seeing you Mom.<br><br>Thirty days gone, I'm holding on.<br>I'm standing strong, thirty days gone.<br><br>Copyright - Jim McCarter<br><br><br> Jim McCartertag:jimmccarter.com,2005:Post/46619862017-04-07T08:57:42-05:002022-04-06T13:28:44-05:00Thirty days goneToday marks thirty days since my Mom's funeral. I wouldn't know that but my brother told me that on Wednesday. I am not very good at keeping track of dates. I am thinking about writing a song with that title. Most days I do pretty good but some days I cry. I had three times that stand out in my mind. 1) Mom's birthday was three weeks after she died. Facebook made an announcement, " Tell Nova Happy Birthday." Yes, I would love to tell her happy birthday. 2) Thank you notes. Oh yes, there is nothing like thank you notes to bring up memories. Now I know why I didn't do them right away. I took me twenty eight days to get them written and addressed. Now all I have to do is send them. 3) I heard a song on facebook. called " A phone in Heaven". It is about a son calling heaven and talking to Jesus and asking Jesus if he could put Momma on the line. The son gets to talk to Momma one more time. That was a tear jerker for me. I'm gonna write me a song and call it "Thirty Days Gone."Jim McCartertag:jimmccarter.com,2005:Post/46424602017-03-23T09:53:01-05:002022-04-06T13:28:52-05:00We found "Gold" Monday was moving day. I call it moving day but really it was packing up all of Mom's belongings. She has moved to a better place. Heaven is her new home. Monday was the day that me and my family packed up the remains of ninety-five years of living. Mom and Dad have downsized many times too help make this easier on us kids. We sorted through looking for the gold ( not real gold) hidden among the everyday items. <br> <br> Stuff is stuff. A couch is a couch. A TV is a TV. Some are bigger. Some are newer. Some are heavy. The precious items are the ones with the memories attached to them. I would say the most precious item we found was Mom's Scoffield Bible. It was black leather with her name on the front. It was her Christmas present in 1974. The words written in it was " Merry Christmas 1974" in my hand writing. You open up the Bible and you see a bible that has been used but never abused.<br><br> Mom had written on the pages, notes from sermons she had heard. Quotes that she loved filled up what used to be the blank parts of the pages. Different color highlighters were used on her favorite verses. Blue and black ink were used to underline other important verses. Mom's Bible was worn and cherished. Faded but full of promises. An old book full of facts to help us live today. Hundreds of one line notes taken from forty years of sermons, saved in her own handwriting.<br><br> God's Word that was read and absorbed into my Mother's life. A life that us kids read everyday. If you really want to know someone look at their Bible. If you want to be like Jesus, read the Bible. Did we find treasures? Yes, we found "Gold".<br> <br> Jim McCartertag:jimmccarter.com,2005:Post/46213382017-03-08T04:39:15-06:002022-04-06T13:29:16-05:00The Fire of 1967 I would have been around nine years old. We lived out on an eighty acre farm on Ferguson Road in Jefferson County. It was a small two bedroom house with slate siding it. It sat on top of a hill and had a circle rock driveway in front of the house. It had a crooked masonite awning covering the kitchen window that Dad installed to stop the sun from glaring through the window. It was home. <br> It was a windy spring day, similar to some of the days that we had this week. The wind was blowing form the south at 15-20 miles per hour. We heard that there was a fire coming our way. I don't know how we knew. We might have received a phone call or a neighbor dropped by. <em>I remember our neighbors coming over with their tractors with plows on the back. They were going to plow around the house to create a barrier so the fire would not burn up the house and all of our belongings. Also they had water tank in the back of the pickup that they were going to use to soak the ground to slow down the fire. <br> Dad and the farmers in our neck of the woods were outside getting to work, Mom and I were inside our home. I remember Mom and I knelling beside our couch and resting our elbows on the coffee table. Mom prayed. She prayed that God would keep us safe and save our home and all of our belongings. After she prayed it was time to get back to work.. We started loading stuff into my brother Rich's Ford Fairlane. Ford Fairlane's are not very big, so we had to be choosy about what to keep and what to leave behind. <br> Everything was happening quickly. I do remember some of the stuff we loaded into the car. I'm sure we had some clothes, Mom's purse, money, pictures, Bibles, baseball glove, basketball, football, etc. That Ford Fairlane never left the drive way. We never found out if the ground that the neighbors plowed was wide enough for the fire to not jump over. We never found out if we had soaked the grass enough to quinch the thirst of the fire. The fire never burned one blade of grass on our place. The wind miraculously switched directions. <br> One thing I did find out that day was that God answsers prayer. God answers Mom's prayers, I considered Mom, my go to person to pray for me. Sure I prayed about my own problems like we all do, but I believe the real power is when someone else prays for us and our problems. Their is a verse in the Bible that says, The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous person availeth much. <br> Yesterday, my Mom passed away. I am going to miss her big time. I am going to miss her prayers, every single one of them. She has prayed for all of our families. She has prayed when we were sick, when our kids and grand kids were sick, when we needed jobs or money and the list goes on and on. I don't fully realized yet how much I am going to miss her prayers. <br> I went to visit my Mom on Sunday night when I got off work. She was struggling but still able to talk and we had a great visit. I knew that this was probably my last time with her. She made a statement that summed up how she felt. She said, I either want to get better or die. I know that was Mom's prayer that night when she went to bed. God answered her prayer, one last time. </em>Jim McCartertag:jimmccarter.com,2005:Post/46072392017-02-26T08:07:54-06:002022-04-06T13:29:25-05:00Saturday at the nursing home I remember being a kid and going with my Mom and Dad to the nursing home. Grandpa Cowhick ( my Mom's Dad) was in an old white house that had been converted to a nursing home. I remember sitting in the living room and watching NBA basketball on TV. This was when the stars of the NBA were Earl (The Pearl) Monroe, Willis Reed, Wilt Chamberlain,Jerry West, and Lew Alcindor (Karrem Abdul Jabbar). The nursing home had a funny smell and I sure was glad I could watch the ball games. <br> Yesterday, I turned the calendar forward forty eight years. I was going for my first time to see my Mom in the nursing home. She is ninety-five years old and has lived on her own for the last seven years since Dad passed away. She fell at home in her kitchen on the day after Christmas and isn't hitting on all eight cylinders health wise. She spent four days in the hospital and needed to go to the nursing home for skilled nursing. Skill nursing means that she isn't able to function by herself at home. She needs some help. Someone to cook, clean, and do laundry. All those jobs she did for years raising us four kids.<br> I got to the nursing home at 11am. It wasn't too hard to find. It was located across the street from the Junior High School. I walked in the front door into the lobby. I tried the doors but they were locked. There was a silver square button that said, Press to open door. It really helps to know how to read, if you do it. I walked into a lobby area and their was a glassed in area with the lights off. The main office and reception area must be closed on Sundays, I thought.<br> I stepped out into the hall and looked left and right for the best direction to go to find some help in locating Mom's room. Looking to the right, at the far end of the hall was a man in a wheel chair. I looked a little closer and I noticed he didn't have on a shirt, or pants, or (wait a second), he's naked. He was talking loudly to a nurse and she was calmly answering his questions. I couldn't catch what was going on, it was then and there that I was positive that to get to my Mom's room, I needed to turn left.<br> What a start to my first visit in a nursing home for many years. One thing I do know is not to judge a situation to harshly. Maybe, they are running slow on laundry. This resident has reached his final straw. If their not going to provide clean underwear in a timely fashion, Fine then! I'll roll down the halls and next time they might be more diligent on getting the laundry done in a timely fashion. <br> I woke up today at home and I was very thankful. My wife had folded my laundry and I had clean underwear. It is going to be a great day.Jim McCartertag:jimmccarter.com,2005:Post/46027922017-02-22T20:34:28-06:002022-04-06T13:30:53-05:00Young at Heart (song set list) I played on February 21, Tuesday at Eastside Baptist Church for their monthly Young at Heart Event. It was a great time. I attended this church for about twenty years. It was great to see old friends and make new friends. I played for thirty minutes. Here is the set list that I played. Best friend, a song written about my Mom. How to Fish, a fun song about fishing with my Grandpa, Pair of dice, a song about the crucifixion, Just as I am, a song about a guy who preaches at a rescue mission, Long live the King, a song about three kings, and Man in the mirror, my song that I wrote using Michael Jackson's song title. It was a lot of fun. I loved it.Jim McCartertag:jimmccarter.com,2005:Post/45586362017-01-21T07:58:20-06:002022-04-06T13:30:57-05:00How to Fish I wrote a song about my Grandpa Cowhick. He is my Mom's Dad. I remember my Grandpa and Grandma coming out to our farm to go fishing. Grandpa would be wearing his fishing hat, and carrying an aluminum plastic webbed lawn chair. In the other hand he would have a zebco rod and reel for him and a cane pole for Grandma to use. He would have been glad if I would have used a cane pole. As an eight year old boy I was more interested in casting and reeling it back in than actually catching fish.<br> Catching fish was an art. Grandpa believed the only way to catch fish was to be quiet. No talking, no rock throwing, no running on the bank, no wading in the water, and no casting your line out multiple times, (you should only throw it out one time and leave it alone). Needless to say that was a lot of no's. For me it was one big No as in No fun.<br> As an adult now, I can see the wisdom in his advice. It only took another twenty years but deep down I am still that eight year old boy. I still love to throw rocks in the pond. I enjoy watching a good long cast as it lands exactly where you aim. If not you reel it in and try again. I guess I am still learning. Maybe I am just not cut out to be a fisherman. I guess it is a life long process for me to learn how to fish.<br> Jim McCartertag:jimmccarter.com,2005:Post/45495802017-01-13T18:16:49-06:002022-04-06T13:31:37-05:00To God be the Glory, Great things he has done My Mom is ninety four years old. She is independent and lives in her own apartment. She had a fall the day after Christmas and broke her pelvis. The doctor told us that it would take a twenty one year old four to six weeks to heal from a broken pelvis. The estimate for a ninety four year old would be about three months. Mom was in the hospital for two days and was moved upstairs to the rehab unit. She has made fantastic progress. She is scheduled to leave the hospital to go home next Tuesday. She will have home health care workers helping her with baths and rehab. Next Tuesday will be twenty-three days. To God be the glory, great things he has done.Jim McCartertag:jimmccarter.com,2005:Post/45057862016-12-10T22:07:28-06:002022-04-06T13:31:44-05:00Does losing make you a loser? No! Does quitting make you a loser? Yes. You might have heard this story before. I want to ask you a question. If all of these thing happened in your life would you consider yourself a loser? Would you keep trying and failing? At the age of 22 he lost his job because the company went bankrupt, at 24 started a business and it failed, at 27 had a nervous breakdown, at 34 ran for Congress and lost, at 45 ran for the Senate and lost, at 49 ran for Senate and lost, but at 51 he won the presidency of the United States. Who am I? Abraham Lincoln. Don't quit. Loser's quit.Jim McCartertag:jimmccarter.com,2005:Post/44944782016-12-02T22:18:56-06:002022-04-06T13:31:52-05:00Ben and Jerry's ice cream flavorsBen and Jerry's ice cream has some crazy names. Let me list a few of them. Boom boom chocolatta, Taste the Lin-sanity, a whirl of difference, Chocolate therapy, Blondie ambition, My, my apple pie, empower mint and Dublin mudslide. Hazed and confused, bonnaroo buzz, Fossil fuel, Jamaican me crazy. Hazed and confused, Cherry Garcia, chubby hubby, and chunky monkey. They all sound good to me. Maybe not Fossil fuel. It might taste like oil.Jim McCartertag:jimmccarter.com,2005:Post/44918952016-12-01T11:26:36-06:002022-04-06T13:32:00-05:00Do OverI am reading a book called Do Over. It is a career book. I have been at my job for 29 years. I am not planning on doing over my career. Coasting out my career, yes. Doing it over. No. I have been working in the grocery business for over forty years and am getting close to the end of this phase of my life. My next phase, (God willing and the creek don't rise) is to have a career in music. I always want to clarify that my plans can be adjusted by God. He knows the future and he knows me and I sure don't know what is going to happen. So he is the authority in my life. Not that I always know or do what he wants me to do. There is a saying that I like. God looks at our plans and laughs. It is like when our children tell us they are going to play in the NBA and they are 5 foot tall and can't dribble a basketball. I am sure I make God laugh a lot.<br><br>What does a career in music look like to me? I want to be a singer songwriter. That is a step above songwriter. I love to play guitar. I am not a very good singer. I send my demos to get them evaluated and they would rather evaluate my singing than my songs. Hopefully it is because they can find more things wrong with my singing than my songs. Even though I want to be a singer songwriter, I believe that my songs sound so much better when a true singer sings them. So I want other people to sing and record them but I got to go where people will here them to want to do this. I don't have that part figured out.<br><br>My Do Over is going to be about how I transition from a full time grocery store worker to a retired grocery store worker who is a full time musician. Hopefully I can even make a few dollars from music to buy guitar strings.<br><br>Maybe you are contemplating doing some things over in your life. Or maybe just refining your current job or a part of your life. . Today is the day to start. Tomorrow we can buy new guitar strings.Jim McCartertag:jimmccarter.com,2005:Post/44866722016-11-28T09:24:02-06:002022-04-06T13:32:12-05:00Carl Perkins CadillacI'm typing on my laptop as my granddaughter is eating pancakes. Her plate is empty and her fingers are sticky. Her hair is sticking out permanently. How come kids love to run their syrupy hands through their hair. I guess it is good practice, someday she will be using hairspray to get the same effect. I have Spotify playing on my phone. It is playing a song called, Carl Perkins Cadillac. Ella's plastic plate took a fall from the table. It is time to clean her up and wrap up this blog. As my days goes by I will sing to myself, Carl Perkins Cadillac. It is going to be a Cadillac day. Hope you have a Cadillac of a day too.Jim McCartertag:jimmccarter.com,2005:Post/44740482016-11-18T16:40:00-06:002022-04-06T13:32:21-05:00UnbrokenI read lots of books. It helps to absorb as much information as you can. You never know where inspiration for a song might come from. Unbroken is a great book. it is about Louis Zamperini. His plane crashed in the water in WWII. He was stranded at sea and became a POW in Japan. After the war ended he tells how he attended a Billy Graham crusade and became a christian. The story is about how Louis was able to forgive the guards who tortured him in the camps. A great book to read. The book is better than the movie. Check it out.Jim McCartertag:jimmccarter.com,2005:Post/44675032016-11-15T07:31:42-06:002022-04-06T13:32:28-05:00If at first you don't succedWe all know the saying, If at first you don't succeed, try, try again. For some people the second part is quit. Sometimes we all feel like quitting. Sometimes we will even tell ourselves a lie. Example- I didn't want to do that anyway. I tried again to sign up to audition at the Bluebird Café in Nashville. I had a place in line but I was toward the back of the line and did not get accepted. I am content with not getting and audition, but I am not good with not trying. If you are trying to do something, learn to play an instrument, go out for the basketball team, become a cheerleader, get accepted to college, get a degree, etc. Keep trying. Don't give up.Jim McCartertag:jimmccarter.com,2005:Post/43505962016-08-31T10:46:40-05:002022-04-06T13:32:35-05:00Who is your best friend?<br>This is a song I wrote called Best Friend. Everybody has a best friend. This is a song about my Mom's best friend. He might be your Mom's, or Dad's or even your best friend too.3:11Jim McCartertag:jimmccarter.com,2005:Post/43505922016-08-31T10:32:07-05:002022-04-06T13:36:13-05:00More no's than yes's What is one word that babies learn first? I think it is the word, "No." Every time the baby reaches for something that is hot that could burn them, "No." Don't play with that electrical socket. No. Get away from those stairs. No. Don't throw your food off your tray. No. Does all this sound familiar? I know it does if you have kids or grandkids. I wonder how many times I have been told no in my life. I have had years of practice at hearing the word no.<br> How many times are we told yes? Yes, you can have a day off. Yes, you can go to the mall. Yes, are the lottery winner. Yes, we will give you a job. Yes, I will marry you. Yes, I love you. Yes, you can have a raise. I love to hear yes's.<br> Okay here is the secret to no's and yes's. Number one- We will all hear more no's than yes's. Number two- Hearing no won't kill you. Number three- Every no gets you closer to a yes. This is encouraging for all of us who have heard our share of No's. I want to tell you to have a great day. Yes.<br><br> Jim McCartertag:jimmccarter.com,2005:Post/42896992016-07-21T20:54:41-05:002022-04-06T13:36:17-05:00I can write a song I remember trying to write a song back in high school. I knew a little about music theory from taking piano lessons for five or six years. I understood different keys and what notes went with what keys. An example would be if I was playing in the key of C. The key of C is the easiest key to play on the piano. ( In my opinion.) The key of C is all white keys and no black keys. I had the desire but had not listened to or learned to play enough music for it to sink in. I can be a slow learner.<br> The first song I remember writing was a song called Feels so Right. If you noticed this is the same title as a song by the country band Alabama. Alabama had a lot of hits like Mountain music, Feels so right, Lady down on love, Forty hour week, etc. I cheated on my song. I kept the same melody and changed the words. My song told about a rough time in my life. Even though I was going through a rough time I was depending on God. My circumstances were very far from perfect but It feels so right.<br> I believe the hardest things we ever do in life is our first time. The first time that I rode a bike. The first time that I kissed a girl. The first time that I made it to the third level on Donkey Kong. Yes the list of first time adventures goes on and on. Go out and write that first song or run your first five K. You can do it. It gets easier after the first time. I learned that I can write a song and much more. You can do it too, just remember the first time is the hardest. There are lots of things I have never attempted or tried but yes, I can write a song.Jim McCartertag:jimmccarter.com,2005:Post/42552382016-06-29T09:41:56-05:002022-04-06T13:36:20-05:00Bluebird audition results<em>I auditioned for the Bluebird Café on May 1,2016. I was one of about seventy-five people that competed. I played a song called, Paid. It is a song about today's music and how hard it is for artist's to get paid. It is a funny song. It might not have been the right song to play for my audition because I wasn't chosen. After not getting selected you ask yourself, "Should I have played a different song?" or "What if I played a different song and it wasn't chosen, would I wish I had played my song , "Paid."? Rather than second guessing I will keep on trying. Maybe next time. </em>Jim McCartertag:jimmccarter.com,2005:Post/42552072016-06-29T09:28:11-05:002022-04-06T13:36:23-05:00Find out who won the Country Stampede songwriting contestCongratulations to my friend Ken Matthiason on his winning song in the Country Stampede songwriting contest. His song is called "The circus came to town." Ken was one of the co-writers in a group of friends that he writes with from Nashville, Tennessee. The group of friends are called the Shoeless Joes. You can check out Kens music at kenmattthiesen.com.Jim McCartertag:jimmccarter.com,2005:Post/42172292016-06-07T08:51:32-05:002022-04-06T13:36:53-05:00NSAI meeting in Manhattan Tuesday, June 14th is the next Nashville Songwriting meeting for the Manhattan chapter. The meeting will be at Blue Stem Bistro in Aggieville. The meeting will start at 7 pm. It will last until 9 or 9:30 pm. The meetings start off with introductions and updates on songwriting. Examples- what songs we have been working on, any success stories, or what we have been doing. Next we do a pro lesson about songwriting. Sometimes we will do songwriting exercises. The remaining part of the meeting is song evaluations. Songwriters bring about eight copies of their song and play their song. The group evaluates the songs and offers feedback on what would make the song better. This is my favorite part of the meeting. It is a lot of fun getting to share the latest song that you have written. We all want feedback. We would love to have you come to a meeting. If you are interested or have questions, you can give me a call. 785-304-4444 or email me at <a href="mailto:jlmccarte@yahoo.com">jlmccarte@yahoo.com</a>. Looking forward to seeing you there.Jim McCartertag:jimmccarter.com,2005:Post/41636802016-05-03T10:02:38-05:002022-04-06T13:37:02-05:00Bluebird audition updateOn Sunday I had my audition at the Bluebird Café in Nashville. I had to be in line by 10:30 am and the auditions started at 11am. The order that you play is based on where you are standing in line. I got to the Bluebird at 9:30 and I was between 10 and 15 from the start. The Bluebird has judges in the back of the room grading your performance. You get up and tell your name, where your are from, and the name of your song. Their were fifty performers and it was divided into two groups of twenty-five. Every performer got to play one song, with one verse and one chorus. (about a minute) Lots of very talented musicians, singers, and songwriters. The judges will decide the winners and contact the winners in a month. The winners will then schedule a time to perform on a Sunday night writers round at the Bluebird in about four months. Thanks to everyone for the good luck wishes and prayers. I had a great time. JimJim McCartertag:jimmccarter.com,2005:Post/41605212016-04-30T07:37:48-05:002022-04-06T13:37:11-05:00Bluebird audition tomorrow Flying out to Nashville at 8:15 this morning. I am going to my audition at the Bluebird Cafe tomorrow. One song. One minute . One verse and one chorus. Looking forward to getting to perform.Jim McCartertag:jimmccarter.com,2005:Post/40742792016-03-05T09:31:05-06:002022-04-06T13:37:18-05:00NSAI meeting- Manhattan Tuesday, March 8th at 7 pm is the next NSAI (Nashville Songwriters Association International) . It will be at the Bluestem Bistro at 1219 Moro street in Manhattan, KS 66502. It will last from 7-9pm. I will teach an NSAI pro lesson. This will be followed by listening to songs performed by attendees. Please bring 5-7 copies of your lyrics. The group will provide feedback on your songs. I am looking forward to seeing you there.Jim McCartertag:jimmccarter.com,2005:Post/40742782016-03-05T09:20:41-06:002022-04-06T13:37:28-05:00Country Stampede Song Contest The Country Stampede song contest starts on Sunday, March 6th, You can listen to my song Lucky One. It is one of five songs that are competing in this round. This first round will last two weeks. Two winners from this round will go on to the next round. You can vote for one song once a day. I hope you like my song the best. I would appreciate your help. Here is the link <a href="http://countrystampede.com/lineup/songwriters-contest.php">http://countrystampede.com/lineup/songwriters-contest.php</a>Jim McCartertag:jimmccarter.com,2005:Post/40492482016-02-18T20:24:52-06:002022-04-06T13:37:36-05:00NSAI Spring Training. I am going to Nashville Songwriting Association International (NSAI) Spring Training event on the first week of April. I am looking forward to going getting a chance to learn more about songwriting and the business of songwriting. It should be a good time to make new friends. It will be lots of fun.Jim McCartertag:jimmccarter.com,2005:Post/40331342016-02-09T16:15:12-06:002022-04-06T13:42:11-05:00Manhattan, KS NSAI meeting tonightI am at The Bistro in Manhattan, KS. Tonight is the monthly NSAI meeting. It is held the second Tuesday of every month. Come out if you are available. Jim McCartertag:jimmccarter.com,2005:Post/39853392016-01-12T08:45:01-06:002022-04-06T13:42:18-05:00Grandpa's basketball advice- Keep shooting till you score.Alyssa is my short, blonde headed, cowboy boot wearing, light blue eyed, affectionate, eight year old grand daughter. I met her and my daughter, Heather at Glory Days Pizza for lunch on Sunday after church. After lunch we were all going to go to Alyssa's basketball game. This would be the first game that I was going to be able to attend this year. Allyssa sat beside me and said," I almost scored last week. I shot the ball but it did not go in" I listened and said, Keep shooting till you make it". The little girl who had never scored a basket, scored a basket. To be more accurate she scored 5 baskets and scored 10 points of her teams 14 points. She had the best game of her life and it was great to there and see it. I was watching a real life Disney movie at Rossville High School.Jim McCarter