The Plight to Write

C.S. Lewis, what a guy... what a life. I was reading about him today just for poops and giggles found out he belonged to a literary club "The Inklings"- members included Tolkien, Hugo Dyson, Charles Williams, Dr. Robert Havard, Owen Barfield, and Nevill Coghill, among others. Ummm... cool. Just cool. I got to thinking though, Nashville is kind of the same... So many great writers in this town get together, they have a community.  


In a town where there are so many songwriters, it's fun to get to write with other people. However, as neat as it is when great minds join forces and create timeless songs- it's just as important to write by oneself. That said, I've been writing alone lately and it's just not going as planned. My fear is not of a blank page, because as a writer (I wrote for the paper in college- news, opinion, life & arts, interviewed Barbara Bush) I could write 10 pages of nothing and not think twice about it. My fear is 2 verses and a chorus, saying something in a poignant way and saying it like no one has said it before and making it sound all pretty and stuff. It's hard... 


C.S. Lewis is a genius of a man and has brought me inspiration at different points in my life- I've read The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe more times than I would like to admit. His book The Screwtape Letters rocked my world, and Mere Christianity is also mind blowing. But one quote of his I came across hit me today- "If you simply try to tell the truth (without caring twopence how often it has been told before) you will, nine times out of ten, become original without even trying to."


Just what I needed to hear... As I prepare and write for the EP I am going to record at the end of this summer, I will have songs that I write with other people but also something I've written on my own. Whether it's been said before... we all feel the same at some point in our lives, humanity is our core and thats what brings us together, that's how we relate. So off I go... another day and another attempt, maybe I'll have a video blog next time so you guys can hear what I'm working on. Until then.... 


All the love, 


C

Bonnaroo: What I found when I was lost

I have spent the last 4 days amidst a hot mess, literally, also known as Bonnaroo. Though it was the longest 4 days of my life, (the portapotties alone were an issue not to mention the general heat index) it was like a resurrection for me. For 4 days, I battled the fiery sun and dehydration and returned alive and inspired. 


Before my trip to Manchester, TN... I have to admit, I felt a little lost- which is ironic considering I spent majority of my time wandering a field with landmarks such as "This Tent" "That Tent" and "The Other Tent". I watched the sea of people, inhaled copious amounts of petuli, body odor, and somehow found myself back to where I started dreaming exactly 1 year ago. Music and performances by Stevie Wonder, Kings of Leon, Jay Z, Mumford & Sons, The National, Phoenix, Norah Jones, and many many others inspired me with their passion, creativity and originality. The key to a good song or good performance is not only talent, but honesty. The root of all creation is truth and realization followed by love. I've always known the root of good music, but after being in Nashville for a just a year, my vision was muddled by external worries that a business perspective can create. 


On June 8th, I had a conversation with someone in the music business that I admire- Tom Douglas, a very successful and talented songwriter. I went into the "meeting" with an elevated heart rate, shortness of breath, aka mild anxiety knowing I had no answers, no confidence in myself as a writer. As we got to talking- I realized, the nature of being creative and the nature of being a writer is scary. It's a vulnerable place to be and I'm not the only one that feels that way. I may have left that conversation with more questions, but I gained a small hint of the voice I've been searching myself for. 

All this to say, I'm still searching. I'm still a little bit lost. But it's like wandering the grounds at Bonnaroo, whether I'm at "This" "That" or "The Other", the heat, the smell, the music, the heat... did I mention the heat?... it was all in search of a voice. Some voices were better than others, but in the end, everyone was out there because they love music. So that's why I'm out here in Nashville, I love music. 

More to come soon... All the love :) 

C