Song Writers
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| Bill Creech (in the White Shirt) pictured here with other songwriters at the annual songwriters seminar in Branson Mo. |
| Troy Thompson (BMI) In the music on his new debut album, due out in April of 2007, you can still hear the soulful sounds from his southern Pentecostal raising, but also at times his playful charm comes through. His music is also strongly rooted in the values he learned from his father, a hard working family man. His musical style has been greatly influenced by his favorite artists, such as Elvis, George Jones, Merle Haggard, Travis Tritt and George Strait. However, he has a style his own; one that really binds people together and just makes them feel good, its music for everybody! Such as his song “Middle America” and another that he wrote himself, “Second Chances”, give people hope... He is truly one of a kind! |
| Second Chance (Troy Thompson, Randy Harrington BMI) |
Beth Hurd
Waco, Texas
These songs are full of encouragement and
Hope. Beth wrote the songs and had our
studio musicians record the soundtracks for
her to sing to. After we recorded the music
she went into WWJD Productions and
recorded the vocals. Listed are three of the
ten songs. For more information on Beth you
can visit www.wwjdproductions.com
Waco, Texas
These songs are full of encouragement and
Hope. Beth wrote the songs and had our
studio musicians record the soundtracks for
her to sing to. After we recorded the music
she went into WWJD Productions and
recorded the vocals. Listed are three of the
ten songs. For more information on Beth you
can visit www.wwjdproductions.com
| Knock O"L Satan Down |
| You Better Look Up |
William D. (Bill) Creech was born and raised in the hills of eastern Kentucky. He
went to Michigan when he turned 18 and moved back to Kentucky after retiring in
1998. He and his lovely wife, Gerrie, were married in 1970 and currently reside in
London, about 70 miles south of Lexington. He has been writing songs and very
involved in music for over 35 years. Most of those years, he was Minister of
Music, song leader, choir director at church as well as singing with various trio's
and quartets, including The Followers Quartet and The HymnMasters in
Michigan for many years. He currently has a trio called Bill Creech & Friends. A
veteran of the U.S. Army, this BMI writer writes mostly southern gospel, but has
several country, bluegrass, and wedding songs to his credit.
went to Michigan when he turned 18 and moved back to Kentucky after retiring in
1998. He and his lovely wife, Gerrie, were married in 1970 and currently reside in
London, about 70 miles south of Lexington. He has been writing songs and very
involved in music for over 35 years. Most of those years, he was Minister of
Music, song leader, choir director at church as well as singing with various trio's
and quartets, including The Followers Quartet and The HymnMasters in
Michigan for many years. He currently has a trio called Bill Creech & Friends. A
veteran of the U.S. Army, this BMI writer writes mostly southern gospel, but has
several country, bluegrass, and wedding songs to his credit.
| When Pigs Fly |
| Holler Livin" |
Unless you have entered into a publishing agreement, thereby assigning your publishing rights to someone else (i.e. a publishing company),
you own the publishing rights and the corresponding publishing income, to any song you have written or co-written. When you write a song by
yourself, you own 100% of the writer's share as well as 100% of the corresponding publisher's share of any income that song may generate. If
you have one collaborator, you each own 50% of the writer's share and 50% of the punlisher's share. Therefore, if you have written a song
and haven't published it, you are a song publisher. Maintaining your publishing rights has two big advantages: You earn double the money
and you have leverage in the event your song is recorded. Once you have a song to represent (either one of your own compositions or
another writer's song whose publishing rights have been assigned to you), it's easy to become a publisher. All you need to do is:
Choose a name for your company
Decide which Performing Rights Organization to join
"Clear" the name you've selected by checking with your PRO
Print up some letterheads on your computer
But owning the publishing rights and successfully exploiting the song are two very different things. Before you decide to become your own
publisher, you need to honestly assess whether you have the necessary time, personality and resources to properly exploit your song. If your
time is limited due to the responsibilities of working as "day job", then the work you do as your own publisher is taking valuable time away from
your songwriting. To successfully publish your own songs, on an ongoing basis, you need to:
Investigate who is looking for songs
Develop business relationships
Make tape copies
Type cover letters, J-cards and labels
Mail or deliver your packages
Follow up those pitches with phone calls
Handle administrative functions (applying for copyright registration, registering your songs with your Performing Rights Organization, keeping
track of royalties, etc.)
In addition to the time investment, publishing your own songs requires an outlay of money. Expenses incurred by song publishers include:
The purchasing of tape duplicating equipment (probably a cassette dubbing deck, a DAT machine, and a machine capable of generating CDs)
Equipment maintenance
Office supplies (mailing envelopes, mailing labels, letterheads, etc.)
Blank tape
Postage
Photocopying (lyric sheets and correspondences)
Long distance telephone charges
Demo production expenses
A computer and fax machine are also tremendously helpful, if not mandatory. While many of these expenses may be tax deductible, they still
add up to a considerable amount. Perhaps the most important factor to consider when deciding whether to represent your own songs, is your
personality type. Song publishing (like song writing), requires long-term persistence and the ability to withstand repeated disappointment and
rejection--without losing faith in your songs. Successful publishers have the ability to discern which songs are best suited for particular artists.
They also have the tenacity and the ability to forge the relationships necessary to get your songs considered by the professionals who call the
shots.
Publishers need to have excellent communication skills, both over the phone and in meetings. If you're shy or nervous about making cold calls
and "selling" yourself, then self-publishing is probably not for you. Many songwriters publish their own material as a temporary measure, while
looking for a publisher to represent their songs. During the period when I did that, I was frequently making tape copies and typing letters and
lyric sheets after midnight. I didn't have much success self-publishing, but that was due as much to the quality of the songs I was writing at that
point in my career as anything else. Songwriters who love the business side of the music business and fit all of the criteria listed above, may
enjoy great success publishing their own material. But those who are self-publishing because they can't find a legitimate publisher to
represent their material would put their time to better use by concentrating on honing their songwriting skills. Remember: 100% of nothing
equals nothing.
you own the publishing rights and the corresponding publishing income, to any song you have written or co-written. When you write a song by
yourself, you own 100% of the writer's share as well as 100% of the corresponding publisher's share of any income that song may generate. If
you have one collaborator, you each own 50% of the writer's share and 50% of the punlisher's share. Therefore, if you have written a song
and haven't published it, you are a song publisher. Maintaining your publishing rights has two big advantages: You earn double the money
and you have leverage in the event your song is recorded. Once you have a song to represent (either one of your own compositions or
another writer's song whose publishing rights have been assigned to you), it's easy to become a publisher. All you need to do is:
Choose a name for your company
Decide which Performing Rights Organization to join
"Clear" the name you've selected by checking with your PRO
Print up some letterheads on your computer
But owning the publishing rights and successfully exploiting the song are two very different things. Before you decide to become your own
publisher, you need to honestly assess whether you have the necessary time, personality and resources to properly exploit your song. If your
time is limited due to the responsibilities of working as "day job", then the work you do as your own publisher is taking valuable time away from
your songwriting. To successfully publish your own songs, on an ongoing basis, you need to:
Investigate who is looking for songs
Develop business relationships
Make tape copies
Type cover letters, J-cards and labels
Mail or deliver your packages
Follow up those pitches with phone calls
Handle administrative functions (applying for copyright registration, registering your songs with your Performing Rights Organization, keeping
track of royalties, etc.)
In addition to the time investment, publishing your own songs requires an outlay of money. Expenses incurred by song publishers include:
The purchasing of tape duplicating equipment (probably a cassette dubbing deck, a DAT machine, and a machine capable of generating CDs)
Equipment maintenance
Office supplies (mailing envelopes, mailing labels, letterheads, etc.)
Blank tape
Postage
Photocopying (lyric sheets and correspondences)
Long distance telephone charges
Demo production expenses
A computer and fax machine are also tremendously helpful, if not mandatory. While many of these expenses may be tax deductible, they still
add up to a considerable amount. Perhaps the most important factor to consider when deciding whether to represent your own songs, is your
personality type. Song publishing (like song writing), requires long-term persistence and the ability to withstand repeated disappointment and
rejection--without losing faith in your songs. Successful publishers have the ability to discern which songs are best suited for particular artists.
They also have the tenacity and the ability to forge the relationships necessary to get your songs considered by the professionals who call the
shots.
Publishers need to have excellent communication skills, both over the phone and in meetings. If you're shy or nervous about making cold calls
and "selling" yourself, then self-publishing is probably not for you. Many songwriters publish their own material as a temporary measure, while
looking for a publisher to represent their songs. During the period when I did that, I was frequently making tape copies and typing letters and
lyric sheets after midnight. I didn't have much success self-publishing, but that was due as much to the quality of the songs I was writing at that
point in my career as anything else. Songwriters who love the business side of the music business and fit all of the criteria listed above, may
enjoy great success publishing their own material. But those who are self-publishing because they can't find a legitimate publisher to
represent their material would put their time to better use by concentrating on honing their songwriting skills. Remember: 100% of nothing
equals nothing.
| Self-Publishing The following information can be found on Taxi's Website |
| Below are samples of songwriters we have had the opportunity to work with. If you would like information on these songs you may contact us sessions@therecordingstudio.org |
Randy Harrington
I am an up and coming recording artist and song writer.I
developed a love for music at a very young age. The first time I
heard Merle Haggard and George Jones I knew I was hooked.
I've always wanted to be an entertainer. Theres just
something about the roar of the crowd that drives me. Almost
like an addiction. I'm currently playing with a band that has
been playing together for years. The highway 61 band,with
there musical talent and my vocal and entertainment abilities.
We are sure to appeal to all ages. Thanks for the support from
all my family and friends.I couldn't do this without you!
I am an up and coming recording artist and song writer.I
developed a love for music at a very young age. The first time I
heard Merle Haggard and George Jones I knew I was hooked.
I've always wanted to be an entertainer. Theres just
something about the roar of the crowd that drives me. Almost
like an addiction. I'm currently playing with a band that has
been playing together for years. The highway 61 band,with
there musical talent and my vocal and entertainment abilities.
We are sure to appeal to all ages. Thanks for the support from
all my family and friends.I couldn't do this without you!
| Tell Me |
| Alone Again Tonight |
My name is Steven R. Hickel and I started writing songs a little over two
years ago. I’m married with two small children and live in Montana, where I
was born and raised. I farm and own a water well drilling company. I lived in
Los Angeles from 1989-1997 where I worked at various jobs (mostly sets and
props) in the film industry. Some of my credits include Garth Brooks’
“Thunder Rolls” video and Joe Diffie’s “If The Devil Lived In Empty Pockets”
video. I've written a little over 20 songs and have won some honors in song
writing competitions including one of my songs, “Nascar Baby”, which won 1st
place in the Paramount summer song competition.
years ago. I’m married with two small children and live in Montana, where I
was born and raised. I farm and own a water well drilling company. I lived in
Los Angeles from 1989-1997 where I worked at various jobs (mostly sets and
props) in the film industry. Some of my credits include Garth Brooks’
“Thunder Rolls” video and Joe Diffie’s “If The Devil Lived In Empty Pockets”
video. I've written a little over 20 songs and have won some honors in song
writing competitions including one of my songs, “Nascar Baby”, which won 1st
place in the Paramount summer song competition.
| Cowboy Candy |
| Superman |
| Here are two songs that we recently completed. |
| Because You Always Loved Me |
| He Took The Veil From My Eyes |
| Smiling Faces |
Biography of; Patty Sue Matta:
Born in Cass County, Missouri in l932, the 10th. Of 11children to
farming parents, John and Isabell Bridges. My sister Betty was
three years younger and also the youngest in the family. We
became the closest of friends when our Mother passed away in
1947. We were always singing and playing guitar. We competed
in city and county fairs, winning a few times and were offered a
job at a Kansas City Radio Station, singing gospel early
mornings. I turned it down to finish high school.
Graduated from Archie High School in 1950. Got married and
moved away to Los Angeles, Calif. where we had 6 children and
wound up eventually in the New Orleans, Louisiana area. Due to
things that happened to me during the years after my marriage
broke up, I wrote some 26 songs between 1988 and 2004, but
found a friend to score some of the songs, which I sang at
churches in the area. The songs were received so well, I new I
had to do something with them so they wouldn't die when I
passed away. Now I have something to leave my children and
grandchildren. God led me to the Missouri area not long after
Hurricane Katrina hit in 2005. I feel this is where I will live for
quite a while, until I can no longer be independent. I don't fear the
future because, God is always with me.
Born in Cass County, Missouri in l932, the 10th. Of 11children to
farming parents, John and Isabell Bridges. My sister Betty was
three years younger and also the youngest in the family. We
became the closest of friends when our Mother passed away in
1947. We were always singing and playing guitar. We competed
in city and county fairs, winning a few times and were offered a
job at a Kansas City Radio Station, singing gospel early
mornings. I turned it down to finish high school.
Graduated from Archie High School in 1950. Got married and
moved away to Los Angeles, Calif. where we had 6 children and
wound up eventually in the New Orleans, Louisiana area. Due to
things that happened to me during the years after my marriage
broke up, I wrote some 26 songs between 1988 and 2004, but
found a friend to score some of the songs, which I sang at
churches in the area. The songs were received so well, I new I
had to do something with them so they wouldn't die when I
passed away. Now I have something to leave my children and
grandchildren. God led me to the Missouri area not long after
Hurricane Katrina hit in 2005. I feel this is where I will live for
quite a while, until I can no longer be independent. I don't fear the
future because, God is always with me.
| Mary's Song |
TAXI’s Music Biz FAQs contain songwriting tips music-business information, and articles on Film & TV Music placement.