News/Thoughts

Tag Archives: Songwriting

Song Writer Story Time

Rick Stanley has had a hand in writing some memorable bluegrass songs. One that has become somewhat of a standard was written at the tender age of 15 and recorded originally by Ralph Stanley and the Clinch Mountain Boys with Keith Whitley doing the lead vocals on his song, Home In The Mountains. It has since been recorded by numerous ...

Read More »

For The Songwriter In You

Some dreams fly like a rocket! My husband, Rick Stanley and I sold our home we had for many years in Nashville proper and bought eight acres and a brick rancher in Lebanon, Tennessee a few years ago. I remember gazing out over the fields and wondering what in the world we would do with all that land. I surely ...

Read More »

Why They Write

If you can compose a written sentence in a grammatically accepted manner that conveys a coherent thought to a reader who finds that thought interesting, you are a writer—NO! To be a writer, one must modify those words with others so that the whole word grouping provokes emotional feelings in the reader’s mind. When done properly, a story emerges. Story ...

Read More »

Before The Words

Teaching songwriting these days has opened up a whole new world for my personal songwriting. A good writer friend of mine, who travels the country teaching at workshops, told me once that if I taught too much I would stop writing songs for myself, and my catalog would starve to death. I always kept this advice in the back of ...

Read More »

Songwriting At Vanderbilt

Songwriters living in or near the Nashville, TN area – you might want to consider attending this new offering from Vanderbilt University, in person. For others, this will be available on-line as well. It’s the Blair Hit Songwriter Series hosted by Deanna Walker. Join legendary songwriters, industry professionals and rising stars for 14 weeks of incredible, up-close and personal discussions ...

Read More »