Saturday's Songs for the Soul: "She Misses Him" in Memory of Tim Johnson, Hit Songwriter

Music lifting the veil between heaven and earth

Thought for the Day: When I start working on my Saturday's Songs for the Soul, I often begin by remembering a song that I have found inspirational. Often, I have heard the songs both on the radio and by the hit songwriter at a songwriting retreat either in Nashville, run by NSAI (Nashville Songwriter's Association International) or that I organized several years ago in New England & Florida. I have not been running any retreats since just before 9/11. I held a retreat in New Hampshire in August of 2000. One of the teachers was Hit Songwriter, Tim Johnson. At the time, he told the story of how he came to write the song, "She Misses Him." Today, I wanted to share this wonderful song. Sadly, I learned that Tim passed away in October of 2012 from colon cancer. Although it made it even more importance to share the song that has helped many people dealing with Alzheimer's here, it changed this post significantly. Therefore, I am sharing another video with you today of how songwriters are missing Tim and helping his wife and family.

Songs for the Soul: Leaving on a Jet Plane in Memorium to John Braheney

Thought for the Day: Today, I am consolidating my Saturday and Sunday posts. Initially I was going to have both Saturday's Songs for the Soul and a Sunday Comic Strip, but I changed my mind. Read on to see why.

On Friday, I was having a wonderful time with my brother, sister-in-law, my nephews and their wives. We attended my nephew, Matt Bogdanow's last concert with the group Plushgun in NYC before he and his wife move to Los Angeles at the end of August. (Plushgun will continue to perform, but it will be a bit trickier for them.) I had been meaning to give Matt a few contacts in LA who could help him in the music business. In the middle of a noisy club, I decided to use my trusty iPhone to find the contact information, that I had neglected to do over the last few weeks. I found my first cousin's phone number easily enough. Then, I looked up my friend, Sam Hooper, a great blues guitarist & songwriter who moved to LA from Boston several years ago.

When I googled my third contact, John Brahaney, best selling author of The Craft and Business of Songwriting, I was thrown for a loop. On the small screen of the phone, I saw the date January 19, 2013 & the words "Dear Friends, It is with great sadness that..." Shocked, I expanded the writing on the screen & saw that John had passed away a little over 6 months ago. Ironically, my nephew had met John about 10 years before, when he was still in high school. I gave Matt, who was already a budding songwriter, a private critique with John when he came to Boston to teach a workshop I had organized. 

I decided to write about John for Saturday's post but did not have sufficient time to devote to the post & am therefore writing it today. I met John at one of the first songwriting workshops I ever attended. After the workshop, I signed up for my 1st private critique. I handed him a scribbled lyric to a song & apologized because it was all I had. I did not have any of my songs on tape yet. I told him I only had a minimal melodic idea for the chorus. He said that as fine and asked me to sing the melody that I had in mind. The title was "For Crying Out Loud."  The story line was about an adult who was the victim of incest as a child, finding her voice. I remember having gone to Nashville a few weeks before this workshop. I been inspired listening to hit writers play at The Bluebird Cafe. I wanted to write more powerful songs that expressed raw emotions & this song was my attempt to do so.

John was extremely supportive of my work. He told me ways to strengthen the song & encouraged me to keep working on it. When I began organizing songwriting retreats, I invited John to 3 different retreats. Every time he came, I was amazed by his ability to teach and offer constructive criticism that could help writers lift their songs to more commercial levels. He could take apart a song without putting down a writer . Somehow he found ways to be supportive of their creativity & helped them become better writers with honest sensitive criticism. When I started to write a check for a private critique at one of the retreats I organized, John told me to put away my check book. He had spoken with the other 3 hit songwrtiters who were teaching that weekend & they were each giving me a private session!  Although he was a world renowned expert on songwriting, when he came to teach he preferred home hospitality with songwriters to fancy hotel rooms.

I also remember the first time I turned on a channel on an air plane ride and heard John interviewing a well known songwriter on the process of writing songs. Whenever, I flew after that i searched for John's informative interviews.

I would speak with John occasionally over the years & sent him friends or writers when they were moving to or visiting LA. He was always ready and willing to help. The last time I spoke to John, I was trying to organize a retreat in Mexico. The retreat would have been funded by participants taking part in medical research. John was even willing to consider taking part in the research to help keep the costs down! The craft & business of songwriting has lost a great teacher, mentor & friend. His lessons live on in the hundreds of thousands of people he touched along the way, either personally or through those he taught & the music he helped enhance. I was honored to know him personally & will miss having his supportive presence in the world. His memory is truly a blessing.

Here's a song for John by two great singer songwriters. (Mama Cass Elliot passed away 2 years after this recording & we lost John Denver in 1997, but their music continues to inspire us as well.) The words remind me of hearing John on airplane rides. He loved life & I'm sure he hated to go as well.

Saturday's Songs for the Soul: Clouds, A Young Cancer Victim's Legacy

Photo from FlickrCC.com*

Thought for the Day: On Wednesday's Words of Wisdom, psychiatrist, Elizabeth Kubler Ross's words related to her pioneering research which has helped countless people deal with death & critical illnesses. Today's Song for the Soul selection is by a young singer songwriter, Zach Sobiech, who used his musical talents to help cope with osteosarcoma. His music led to over 4 million hits on YouTube, touching all those who heard it. This week he lost a 4 year battle with cancer at just 18 years of age. His memory & mission to find a cure for childhood cancer will live on through his inspirational song, "Clouds, " which the congregation sang at his funeral. The song will help fund research to save lives of other children affected by cancer.


*Photo from FlickrCC.com

www.flickr.com/photos/57917705@N00/88699234

Saturday's Songs for the Soul: Rising Up Singing & Building Self Confidence

 

Image: 'Music makes me happy ....'

http://www.flickr.com/photos/21560098@N06/4547639583

Found on flickrcc.net

Thought for the Day: The rest of this week's blog posts have been focused on the psychology of self confidence: how it is built & how it can be reinforced. Therefore, I chose a few songs that relate to how rising up singing can build self confidence. In the 1st 2 songs, "The Greatest" & "You Can Let Go Now Daddy," the hero in the song is building self confidence.  Read on to see how the artists, Kenny Rodgers & Crystal Shawanda, also boosted their self esteem by recording these songs.  In the third song, "Here Come the Memories,"a singer songwriter, Sally Spring, epitomizes how an amazing voice & passion for music helped build self confidence.

There are many more songs that exhibit how self confidence can be nurtured. "Summertime," "High Hopes," gospel & protest songs come to mind. Do you have a favorite? I'd love to hear the confidence building songs that inspire you, so feel free to share them in the comments section & I may share them in a later post.

^{I hope you enjoy the music & come back for Sunday's Comic Strips tomorrow. Have a great weekend!  
                 Barbara}
 

 

"The Greatest"

"The Greatest" written by Don Schlitz & performed by by Kenny Rodgers, has meaning on two levels. The obvious one is the story line which shows how a child builds his self esteem.   If you have never heard it, you are in for a wonderful surprise. The less obvious back story relates to the artist, Kenny Rogers, one of Country Music's greatest artists, who was able to show the Music Industry that older artists can have hits. Many people do not know that older artists in country music are discriminated against & have difficulty getting air time. The images on the video found on You Tube are also inspiring. 

 

"You Can Let Go Now Daddy"

The second song, "You Can Let Go Now Daddy," was the first single by the Canadian country music artist Crystal Shawanda. It is a touching testimony to how a father's relationship to his daughter leads to the development of self confidence & independence. It was also a huge hit for the artist on her first album.

 

"Here Come the Memories" 

The third song is a testimony to the determination, perseverance & passion which led to Sally Spring's confidence in herself. As a young child she loved to sing & wanted to make music. She taught herself to play the guitar & became a performer despite a a physical difference. I met Sally in 2007 at the New Song Festival where we studied together. She is a wonderful talented singer songwriter from NC who is an inspiration to all, but rarely says a word about the challenges she overcame to make music. She humbly says it's just a part of who she is & she does not see it as anything out of the ordinary. Her CDs have charted #1 in Europe & #2 worldwide.