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Rand and Marc,

This is excellent information and observation. It applies to much more than songwriting.

For a musician, Nashville is one of the logical moves. Once someone does whatever they can in their hometown, either growth stops or they look to find places where they can be challenged. The scene for the musician here is very similar to the songwriting scene. Instead of cowriting, we play together in bands. In a band, you depend on each other, you all succeed or fail together, so soon it becomes obvious that there are team players, hotshots who care more about themselves than the band, and dead weight. A good example of being a team player is found in rhythm...the "groove."

The drummer is the groove boss. Some great drummers speed up or slow down a little in certain phrases. The other players can either go with them or try to stay "on the beat." The ones who stay "on the beat," even if they are metronomically perfect, are wrong. They kill the groove. Only team players make the groove into something magic.

Hotshots, on the other hand, think it is all about them. They often do not listen to the band, but expect the band to listen to them. A true virtuoso is a team player. Watching Yo Yo Ma with the Nashville Symphony, it was obvious that he blended in and followed Maestro Giancarlo Guerrero's conducting expertly.

Then there's the dead weight. They are along for the ride, there for the paycheck. Often they do not respect the music. Some players will come here, wanting to get a lot of work, but they really don't like Country music. They'd rather be playing Jazz or Metal or whatever. You can hear it in their playing.

It's a lot like songwriting.

So thanks, fellows. Your points are a source of enlightenment. You are providing an important educational experience, not only to the songwriters, but to anyone interested in the business of music.