by Jim Grubbs | Dec 4, 2023 | Our Process
How does a songwriter get a song discovered?
Have you heard the story of how the song “Old Man In the Shanty” made its way into the hands of Lonesome River Band and became their first hit? It’s an interesting study in support of today’s blog!
During the late 1970s, a young Tim Austin was running the merch table for the Bluegrass Cardinals when he overheard songwriter Buck Green pitch “Old Man In the Shanty” to Cardinals founder David Parmley. David requested a copy of the song from Buck, but somehow Buck forgot to send it and a few years passed without anyone cutting the song.
When Tim Austin founded Lonesome River Band in 1982, he contacted Buck Green and requested “Old Man In the Shanty,” which made it onto one of the early LRB albums. It was also later covered by The Chapmans. It’s a great song that almost wasn’t recorded simply because the songwriter forgot to “close the deal” after a successful pitch. Had Tim Austin been busy selling merch and missed overhearing the pitch, who knows if the song would’ve ever been cut?
Have you ever thought about how statistically unlikely it is for ANY song to get into the right hands at the right time? Bluegrass artists are more accessible than most, yet this accessibility also significantly divides their attention. If a songwriter is fortunate to get their undivided attention for a song pitch, the artist may not be currently looking for material – or that particular song may not be what they’re seeking for their current project.
Here are some songwriting tips
All these factors – timing, style, accessibility, quality of the pitch – must work together perfectly to result in a songwriter’s song being accepted by an artist – and this is AFTER the writer and artist personally connect; additional obstacles arise for new songwriters contacting an artist via email or social media without an established relationship to support the contact.
Sometimes, it feels a little “miraculous” when a writer actually gets a cut!
And what about up-and-coming artists?
Until they have established some hitmaking potential and gotten significant airplay, writers may not even know to pitch to them. Both parties are operating in the dark and missing genuine opportunities.
It’s time to make this process more transparent and equitable by bringing artists to the songwriters instead of vice-versa. Established songwriters experience life this way; it’s time for talented but as-yet-unknown writers to enjoy this advantage, too.
BuyDemoTracks brings songwriters and artists together
By utilizing the services of BuyDemoTracks.com, writers can make their demos available to artists with whom they have yet to establish a personal connection. Artists seeking new songs can conduct searches with particular parameters to find those meeting their immediate needs.
Much of the “random good fortune” is removed from the process. It’s a win-win!
If this process results in a newly established personal connection between a writer and an artist, all the better, it is a mechanism to enable those connections rather than a replacement for them.
Writers should find BuyDemoTracks.com creates opportunities that wouldn’t otherwise exist – WITHOUT depending on a future artist working the merch table and overhearing your pitch to another artist.
Keep writing!
Jim Grubbs
by Jim Grubbs | Oct 12, 2023 | Getting Paid
I not-so-recently experienced the thrill of having a song “put on hold” by an artist. I had labored hard over the lyrics and melody to tell a special and meaningful story. I created a “scratch” recording of the song and a chart to communicate the chord progression.
Putting Demo Songs on Hold
I sent these items to BDT, where an incredible demo was created (Hey, I could play that demo on the radio! It was that good). I paid a few hundred dollars for the demo, organized the lyrics and chart, and pitched the song to two dozen suitable artists with whom I had previously established working relationships.
One of those artists (let’s call him Bob) asked for the right to record my song on a solo project; Bob had already released other singles from this project. I was elated to have my song “put on hold”!
It has now been 18 months since Bob reserved my song.
Due to changes in his career, Bob has yet to make further progress on his solo project. I don’t know if Bob will ever get back to his project; when he last answered my call, he said he still wants to record my original song but can’t tell me when.
What Happens When Demo Songs are Put on Hold
I am confident Bob acted in good faith. Yet, my investment in time and dollars in creating and recording the demo song remains unrecovered – and neither Bob nor his label has invested anything so far. Zero dollars.
During these same 18 months, I’ve written quite a few marketable original songs and purchased excellent demos for them, drawing from my own financial reserves to fund them. I don’t know how many will yield cuts (I’m proud to say a few more demo songs were recently placed “on hold”), but I do know that I’ll soon have to stop spending on demos if I don’t start to recover my investments!
Or, I could take an additional job to increase my income, leaving me much less time for songwriting. So, I am several thousand dollars behind my investments over all the original songs I’ve been pitching.
Why Songwriters Should Be Paid When Demo Songs are Reserved
It’s time to let you in on a little secret: everything I’ve just told you is a fable I’ve created to make my point. Bob doesn’t actually exist, but he very well could!
If your experience sounds a lot like the fictional one above, you’re not alone; this is a pretty accurate description of how most songwriters live. On a cash flow basis, it would be hard to justify this business without that “one big hit” whose licensing and royalties balance the checkbook every few years. To thrive, it takes several of these producing royalties simultaneously.
The simple solution is for the songwriter to receive payment when their song is reserved.
The “right” to protect the original song (i.e., to hold it for the first release) has value to an artist. That value should command a price in the marketplace that enables the songwriter to cover most, if not all, related expenses incurred at that point in the song’s life cycle.
In return for first-cut rights, the artist becomes linked to the song in a more tangible way than had it been a cover. Think of the song, and the original artist is remembered immediately. In a very real sense, the song becomes “his/hers” in the consumer’s mind regardless of the actual owner of the original song (the songwriter).
Buydemotracks.com has developed a process whereby artists pay a reasonable fee to the songwriter at the time they reserve a song.
This serves two primary purposes:
- The songwriter receives sustaining income promptly, thus enabling them to devote more time to their craft
- The artist now has “skin in the game,” motivating them to cut the original song, get the song released, and begin recovering their investment
The Buydemotracks.com process allows songwriters to get paid and continue creating songs that artists and their audiences can listen to and enjoy.
Keep writing!
by Jim Grubbs | Aug 10, 2023 | Songwriting
Greetings, songwriters!
Let’s talk about iconic song lyrics for a moment – and I mean those lyrics that people sing back to you when you mention the title of a song.
The Power of Song Lyrics
Try it now with these hits: take note of the first words that pop into your head for each song. Ready? Go!
“More Than a Feeling”
“Friends in Low Places”
“Down the Road”
Even though all of these hits have multiple verses and each is easily 3:15 long, chances are pretty good that every one of you recalled the same song lyrics for each song! It’s almost certain those words were from the chorus. That’s just a testimony to the power of writing a strong chorus.
Writing a Strong Chorus
Keeping this experiment in mind when approaching a chorus can help you write more songs that people will sing back to you every time – which is a great feeling as a songwriter and artist.
Here are a few tips for ensuring your choruses pass the test of time:
- Keep the chorus simple. Listeners and performers tend to dislike tripping over complex speech patterns, words with more than 2-3 syllables, or rhymes that require unnatural pronunciations to make them work. In general, anything that doesn’t sound like most people talk won’t be memorable!
- The chorus is an emotional reminder. It’s usually best for the chorus to stick to the main theme of the song rather than have it present another frame of the storyboard. In other words, the song lyrics of the chorus should focus on the emotion or theme that ties the song together from start to finish. A listener can plug into that emotion by only learning the chorus and revisiting it 2-3 times during one hearing. That’s reinforcement – and listeners memorize the chorus without even realizing they did it! Details of the story don’t need to be included in the chorus – you’ll have plenty of verses for that.
- Less is more. Repeat one line or song lyric – or even one word! But repeat SOMETHING that grabs the listener’s attention. What word or phrase independently carries the emotional connection you’re attempting to make? Listen to Dan Tyminski sing “Wheels” (written by Craig Market & Daren Shumaker) and you’ll quickly appreciate the power of a chorus consisting of a single word. Reaching back a bit, the Flatt & Scruggs song “Down the Road” demonstrates the repeated use of a single phrase or song lyric for a timeless and unforgettable chorus.
- Include the title in the chorus. Tom T. Hall’s “Pretty Green Hills” (all 5:03 of it) has but a two-line chorus consisting mainly of repeating the song title three times. We already explored “Wheels” and “Down the Road”, but they also effectively demonstrate this tool of including the song title in the chorus.
- Include the “hook” in the chorus. This is so important that many writers who think of a hook write the chorus first. The emotional content is almost complete at that point; verses elaborate and provide character development, but the summary should be relatively obvious from the chorus, and the bait is set out to capture listeners who identify with the hook.
- Sometimes (very rarely), the chorus can move the story along. Try to avoid this unless you’re writing an epic tale that runs too long otherwise. You’ll have to resign yourself to the fact that only the heartiest of fans of the song will commit the whole thing to memory. It’s debatable to even identify a portion of such a song as a chorus, though some accept the definition as a result of a repeating but unique chord progression accompanying certain lines.
I hope you’ll find these general song lyrics and chorus “rules” effective in creating unforgettable choruses for your new writing projects.
Keep writing!
Jim Grubbs
by Jim Grubbs | Jun 19, 2023 | Our Process
Some songwriters seem to have all the tools needed to perform their own creations at a very high level: instrumental prowess, vocal chops, and industry connections. I’m happy for them – but I realize I will probably never be one of those blessed in ALL the ways!
I’m content, but to quote my good friend Greg Blake (one of those wonderfully blessed songwriters/artists), “There are roles that EVERYONE can fill in this industry, much like the ‘body’ analogy in Paul’s writings in Corinthians. It would behoove ALL of us to recognize and respect those roles and do our best to diligently report for duty!” So how do I get my meaningful songs out there for others to enjoy when it seems the only part I can do well enough is WRITE them?
Songwriter Singles
One new avenue I’ve begun to explore is the creation of “Songwriter Singles”. I was first made aware of this option when preparing for my weekly radio program “The Woodshed” (on www.TheBluegrassJamboree.com).
I noticed an album called “Gonna Sing, Gonna Shout,” credited to Rick Lang, but every song featured other artists singing and a stellar band performance. Rick has since become my close friend and frequent collaborator, and I’ve had the opportunity to examine this approach more closely. What I found is a fantastic opportunity for songwriters that I had never recognized before – but now I can’t wait to begin!
Self-producing and Releasing Your Songs
Did you realize you can easily produce and self-release a song utilizing 100% “hired guns” to perform without surrendering any of your ownership rights? What’s more, a pool of successful artists is already ready to step in and record your project so you can quickly release it to radio and streaming. Who knew?
And we aren’t talking about unknown artists, either; the stable of successful professionals who’ve already committed to this approach through BDT is quite impressive and still growing. These artists would make it a hit if they requested a license to cut your song for themselves. Why not have them make it YOUR hit?
This approach is unique to BDT, and it’s brilliant. Through negotiated agreements with the artists in the stable, songwriters can pay a small fee to buy the remainder of the rights to the released work and claim it as their project, collecting full songwriter royalties (and the publishing share if you’re self-published).
BDT distributes this fee among the performing artists following their specific agreements. From a radio perspective, the song becomes “Joe Songwriter, featuring Sally Artist, performing ‘Songname’” when introduced or displayed during playback. Pretty cool! The recording quality is on par with every song we play on the radio (well, better than some). If you select meaningful songs to release through this process, they will get airplay on the radio.
When you browse the stable of artists at www.buydemotracks.com, you’ll quickly realize the power of having BDT connect your song with them on your behalf. Additionally, if you have a song that sounds perfect for a specific artist who is not currently in the stable, you can request them, and BDT will make every effort to convince them to record your track with that artist. Realistically, not every household name will agree, but some might! Our stable of artists is growing daily as new agreements are reached.
Think of all the possibilities!
Use Songwriter Singles
For example, I am a songwriter who isn’t blessed with a marketable singing voice; regardless, some of my better works are written for a female lead vocalist. In the past, those songs would go unheard until I could score a cut from an artist. Using Songwriter Singles, I can get those songs professionally recorded by my selected female artist from the stable (while selecting notable musicians to play on the track as well), then release it to radio – all at a very reasonable investment.
Not only does this get the song heard, but it also builds my portfolio as a songwriter; getting my best songs heard on the radio gets my future pitches considered more seriously by touring artists. Success breeds success.
A Songwriter Single is just one more tool for breaking through the barriers – but it’s only available to subscribers at www.buydemotracks.com.
Keep writing!
Jim Grubbs
by Jim Grubbs | Apr 26, 2023 | Songwriting
They told me to go down 16th Avenue
That I might have a chance to make my dreams come true
But I’ve looked everywhere, and I don’t know where they are
The one that can make me a country music star.
‘Get in line, buddy
Get in line, buddy’
That’s all I heard him say;
‘Get in line, buddy; you just got here yesterday.’
– Bill Yates, “Get In Line, Buddy”
Songwriter Tips – Networking and Outreach
As songwriters, we rely heavily on networking to get our songs in front of artists for consideration. Networking and “friend of a friend” contacts are great – and sometimes effective – but there are limitations.
As Bill Yates penned in his song “Get In Line, Buddy”, so many of us songwriters are out there trying to get our fantastic songs discovered, that our chances of breaking through on a hit by an ‘A-list’ artist are very slim indeed. It often seems like we “just got here yesterday.”
Household names in the songwriting business have already overcome what many industries call the “barrier to entry”. While they still actively pitch, these songwriters are often approached by artists looking for new, uncut songs for upcoming projects.
Some level of knowledge and respect has developed whereby artists know the writer will only send them works connected to their style – songs worthy of consideration – so they don’t invest in arranging too many songs that get culled from the project.
Artists welcome songs from these established songwriters. This enviable relationship only occurs after a writer demonstrates significant commercial success, so the rest of us are constantly looking for ways over (or around) that barrier.
Networking is alive and well and still “works” (somewhat) for songwriters, but I’m betting the number of A-list artists you and I can claim as friends is pretty small. Furthermore, it seems that many of the top-tier artists have little say in the selection of songs they release!
The labels are making more of those decisions, and executives at the labels often have their go-to writers already selected – or employed on staff – thus shifting the barrier to entry for undiscovered writers. And because these decisions are rarely theirs, many A-list artists are completely unresponsive to “cold call” pitches from unknown songwriters.
More Songwriting Tips
So, given that “cold calls” rarely work and networking seems to merely put us “in line”, are there more effective pitching methods for songwriters? Here are a few points to consider:
1. Look for artists closer to your level of the music industry.
Many artists are looking for their first big commercial hit – just like you as a songwriter – and need your songs!
I don’t mean to imply that songs recorded at this level don’t get a lot of airplay, either; more on that in a moment. These artists are still making it on their own, so they have total creative freedom at this point.
Just look for talented folks who can do justice to your songs. Wouldn’t I prefer to have Rhonda Vincent make an iconic first release of my song? Absolutely! But if I’m getting no response from her, it’s better to have my song released by an up-and-comer than to have it go unheard.
And let’s face it – even Rhonda records covers!
Just because the first release isn’t by an A-list artist doesn’t mean it will never get cut by an A-list singer. Develop relationships with artists at that next tier; they’ll be more likely to have the freedom and the hunger for your new material, and you can even write specifically for their “sweet spot” – or even co-write with them through BDT+, which almost certainly guarantees a cut.
Grow your credibility by making artists at this level successful; you’ll move up with them as their songwriters.
2. See who’s hot online.
With rising artists and influencers expected to deliver fresh new content frequently, this is a whole new world of opportunity for songwriters today.
We’re talking about accessible, talented artists with 50-600k+ followers but no record label, putting out a new live video weekly (some daily) with “test drives” of songs – followed by studio recordings and music videos of the most popular ones.
How would you like for your song to be heard by 600k engaged fans who spread the word? Yeah, me too! This is an almost unlimited opportunity for your music.
The library at BDT+ is instrumental in matching songwriters with online artists by providing an efficient search tool for the new material they need at a far greater frequency than more traditional recording project cycles.
Best of all, BDT+ provides a means for you (the songwriter) to get paid earlier for works used in online content. Everybody wins!
3. Partner with co-writers who have already cleared the barrier to entry.
Not only will your works have an advocate in the inner circle of the industry, but your songs will also improve in quality. I explored the benefits of co-writing in the January blog; go check it out!
For this article, just let me say that you are NOT “using” your songwriting partner when you bring your best to the table; you and your partner(s) are equally invested in the songs that result, and you’ll each pitch to your respective contacts.
It just may happen that your songwriting partner’s contacts are “higher on the food chain” because of the credibility your partner has earned with prior works. It may also be true that your efforts get more cuts from the next tier of online influencers. Nurture these co-writing relationships just as you would those you create with artists.
Just keep on writing songs!
While there is no sure-fire formula for getting your songs cut, no matter how much you network and cold call, I hope these tips help make your efforts more efficient – leaving you more time to create the next big hit.
Keep writing!
Jim Grubbs
