Ray,

I have hope. Brett Beavers played me a song for an artist he's producing the other day. He said, "Listen to this. This song floated to the top over thousands of other songs that were sent to me over the last year and a half...and it's still floating. I simply can't not like this song." Then he played it for me. It was without a doubt one of the coolest, most amazing songs I've ever heard in my life. It dawned on me in that moment that getting a cut is a lot less complicated than I'd like to think it is sometimes. If I write a great enough song...not good enough, but a GREAT enough song...a song who's greatness simply can't be denied, I'll get it cut if I can manage to stay out of the way. All the talk of who ya know...yeah, sure, you have to have someone who will listen, but that's the easy part compared to writing a truly great song. Anyone can get a sit down with a top producer if they really set their mind to it. Maybe not a second sit down, but I digress....

Brett didn't know who wrote that song when he heard it the first time....and if he had, it wouldn't have made a damn bit of difference. The song is great. If you'd written it, he'd have cut it.

It will be my belief until the end of time that we as writers spend far too much time trying to find some way, some trick, some contact person, or hone in on some magical piece of advice that will be the answer for us in getting our 'good' songs cut. Why? Because we hear bad, fair, good, and really good on the radio all the time and we figure we can do all of that and better. But that's where all the politics comes in that MAB refers to...companies dictating that their artists will be 'writing' with so and so, etc. He's dead right. Happens all the time. 90% are inside jobs. Those artists that have proven themselves have that luxury. Brad Paisley can put out anything he wants now but that wasn't always the case.

We don't have that luxury. We have to write GREAT songs. (here's where the masses will chime in with, "But Bill, how do you define great?", thus shooting me down like I'm some kind of dreamer.

Well, maybe I am a dreamer. But I heard great when I heard that song the other day...truly great. It's like porn...you can't define it, but you sure as hell know it when you see it.

See, it really isn't all that complicated after all now is it?! ;>)

Billrocker
www.writethismusic.com

Read my articles in American Songwriter Magazine:

http://www.americansongwriter.com/?s=renfrew

http://www.nashvillemusicpros.com/profile/BillRenfrew

My CD: http://www.CDbaby.com/billrenfrew.