Action!

So, I’m sitting here waiting to soundcheck at The Vinyl for tonight’s show with Moxie Davis Worship.  Our buddy Chrystina Lloree Fincher is also playing; she rocks.

 

The pic to the left is from a video shoot today for theAMP and ONE Atlanta Music.  The video segments are basically songwriting tutorials and Q&As that we’re teaming up with theAMP guys on.

 

We got some cool interviews with producer Dan Hannon, Casey Darnell (pictured with me; I’m on the right), and Michael Johnston.  Not sure when they’ll be edited and posted, but please stay tuned; I think there’s some cool stuff there for aspiring songwriters.

The Write Stuff. (updated)

With Third Day being on the cover of the latest Billboard, it got me thinking about a song I wrote with Mac Powell of 3D and with Michael Johnston of Smalltown Poets.  Yes, I’m namedropping.  Seriously, though, I loved the song idea.  We were writing it for a particular compilation about the 23rd Psalm, as I recall.  But it got beat out by a DC Talk song.  An mp3 sample is below.  Hope you like it.  If not, act like you do, to make me feel good.

 

You’ll hear Michael on the verse, Mac on the chorus, and me on piano.

 

Songwriting Demo Clip

 

(Weeks after the original post, I stumbled upon a version of this song that was recorded by Moxie Davis and Smalltown Poets for an album released by the See You at the Pole organization.  There was limited distribution for that record, but I’m glad to have remembered that the song was indeed used for something.)

I keep meeting great musicians

By Michael Johnston

I’ve lived in Atlanta for something like 19 years and that includes neighborhoods inside and outside 285 and circles of friends that keep expanding and linking back to each other in uncanny ways. What’s remarkable is that since our metro area is so large and spread out with everyone claiming Atlanta from Conyers to Douglasville, Canton to McDonough, and points beyond and in between, there really is community among musicians. The sense of community is growing in light of so many questions around what it means to make a living doing music and who can be trusted to help show the way. Older and more seasoned music types are reaching out to younger up and coming types as the music business landscape shifts, giving a unique opportunity to players, producers, writers and

music industry support people to lean on each other and do good business and good work - making life-giving art. Creativity among musicians calling Atlanta home is booming. I keep meeting new people with above average talent who are contributing inspired playing and fresh songwriting to Atlanta’s culture and beyond. Danny should appreciate what I’m about to say…this reminds me of a time when Atlanta began to be home to a sports dynasty in the form of a baseball team where executives, players and fans began to come together to build something that was, at the same time, uniquely Atlanta’s and everyone else’s, too. Every baseball fan out there had to marvel at what the Atlanta Braves accomplished - the greatest pitching rotation ever assembled, with hitting and fielding to match. No, I don’t see an Atlanta “Super Group” band on the horizon. What I see is a music community developing as it has never existed before in Atlanta. I see a movement that can uniquely belong to Atlanta and everyone else who is moved by the kind of inspired creativity that is gathered here. Whether it’s through a long time good friend like producer Todd Olsen, a newer friend like session guitarist and songwriter Brad Long or a new acquaintance like singer/songwriter Evan McHugh (I’ve recently become a fan), I keep hearing about and meeting one great musician after another. Who do you know? Who have you heard about? What’s buzzing on your side of Atlanta’s music community?

 

 

Viva Nashvegas: Highlights

Technically, it’s my birthday right now.  Happy Birthday, self!  Hope you enjoy your bronchitis.  I feel terrible, but am still having a great time in Music City USA.  On Sunday, Michael Johnston, Dan, and I played at Cumberland Church and had a blast with service programming director Billy McCarthy and campus director Eddie Johnson.

 

Since then, we’ve been going to concerts, renewing acquaintances, making new friends, having meetings, and such.  Some high points…

 

Kristy Starling, whose record Dan recently produced, is here with us, and we’ve had meetings about the best option for getting her record out there.  Amazing voice.

 

It’s pretty cool that Michael W. Smith did Kristian Stanfill’s and Alex Nifong’s (Atlanta guys) version of Jesus Paid It All last night at the Ryman.  

 

We’re staying at the home of music photographer Allen Clark, one of my favorite people in the world.  

 

Saw new OMG Records artist Chasen from Greenville SC tonight at The Rutledge.  They were good.  The lead singer sounds like Paul Carrack from Squeeze (remember them?).

 

Hung out with too many friends to name, from Nashville and Atlanta, like performance coach Tom Jackson and former Atlantan singer/songwriter Kevin Lawson, who lives here now.  Hanging with more friends tomorrow, including Dave Barnes‘ manager Chris DeTray.

 

But for now, to paraphrase Tommy Boy, Danny need sleepy.  Happy Birthday to me.

 

 

 

Music City Bound

My Poets buddy Michael Johnston and I have been videochatting about our upcoming trip to the GMA Convention in Nashville in a few days (that’s me in the Braves cap).  Dan Hannon is going with us.  The three of us are playing at Cumberland Church Sunday where the service will open with us doing Loverboy’s “Working for the Weekend.”  For real.  Should be fun to connect with friends from all over.  I’ll blog from there some.