Here are my 2008 answers for WAJ. Only 4 more days. Can’t wait!
WAJ QUESTIONNAIRE… 2008
1. Briefly tell the story of how you got your foot in the door in the music business.
I was attending Belmont University and ask to play for CCM artist Farrell & Farrell by another student who was leading their band. I guess it came down to who you know.
2. How many years have you come to Write About Jesus? What is your favorite part of the weekend? If this is your first year, what are you most looking forward to?
This is my third year. My favorite part is probably one on one’s. Even though it’s only 15 minutes it’s great to get to know people on an individual bases. I also love to hear John speak to us in the mornings.
3. How often do you write? How many songs do you write in a year? Of those, how many get cut on average?
Not often enough. Since my main profession is production I’m usually only writing at the beginning of a project then it’s on to producing the CD. I can write anywhere from 10 to 20 songs a year. Usually most the songs I write with my artist get cut on their next CD. When I can, I try to write with a few other writers just to write.
4. Who are the writers you admire most and why?
This is a hard one. Diane Warren is an amazing writer. Her work ethic is unbelievable.
5. How many projects to you produce in an average year? How much variety is there is the type of projects and the artists whose cd’s your produce?
This year I will have produced 6 full CD’s. These are all over the place stylistically. Pop, Country, Children’s, Worship & singer songwriter.
6. What are some things we do to help people who are unused to the recording process?
Just walking them through the whole process and making recording the vocals as comfortable and relaxed as possible.
7. Tell the story of an especially rewarding project that you have produced.
Well, this year I finished helping Kevin “Benton” Stokes finish his first solo project. It was two years in the making. He is such a talented artist and an amazing writer.
I also just finished two projects for Chris Filer who I met here at WAJ two years ago. A country CD and a worship CD. His country CD is probable the best sounding CD I’ve ever produced. Plus we became such great friends through the process. That is always a great perk of what I do.
8. If you can, tell the story of an especially frustrating project that you have produced.
Well I haven’t had many of these but usually this happens when an artist hires me and them spends the whole project second guessing everything we do. You have to have trust in your producer.
9. How often do you set goals for yourself? How successful are you at meeting them?
To some extent it’s every day. I’m a big list maker. I do usually put more on my list than I can ever do. Big picture stuff I look at a couple of times a year.
10. When you sense your pool of ideas running dry, what do you do?
I get many of my idea’s from movies and also sermons. I also love Oswald Chambers “My Utmost for His Highest” I could write a song from almost every day of that devotional.
11. What is your favorite song you’ve written in the past year? (or two… or three)
Well I’d probably have to say it’s a song I wrote with Steve Marshall about how I met my wife. We made it a funny country song called “She was checking me in and I was checking her out”
12. What is the most frustrating part of the production process? What is the most satisfying part?
Most frustrating is probably the fact that I might go a month or more and not be able to write because of where we are at in the project. The same goes with playing guitar. I have gone a couple of weeks before without even being able to pick it up because I have a mouse in my hand that whole time. It’s just the way it goes when you are producing a project. Everything is in phases.
13. Which genre do you feel most comfortable in? Which are you most drawn to? Which genre have you not had cuts in that you would like to have success in in the future?
I really have loved producing worship projects so I guess I’m also drawn to them. I have also loved producing a few country things in the past few years. It would be great to have a major country cut I guess.
14. What do you believe are your strengths as a producer?
Ultimately it’s just that relationship building with the artist to capture what their heart really is for a project and making that a reality. There are some creative producers who don’t have very good people skills and in the end I think everyone ends up frustrated with the process.
15. What three things would you advise aspiring writers to definitely do? What three things would you advise them to definitely NOT do?
1. Never stop believing in yourself but remain humble.
2. Never stop learning and thinking you know it all.
3. Never burn bridges.
1. Don’t be afraid to ask.
2. Don’t think you can’t make a song better.
3. Don’t say “God gave me this song”
16. Look on your “Top 25 Most Played” list in your i-Tunes. What are the top 5 songs on your list?
I really use i-Tunes just to organize but not to listen very often but here is what I’ve bought recently.
1. Maroon 5
2. Brandon Heath
3. Keith Urban
4. Carrie Underwood
5. Rascal Flatts
17. Regular or diet? Seinfeld or The Office? New York or LA? Fiction or non-fiction? Starbucks or home-brewed? Morning person or night owl? Sweet or salty? Debit card or cash? The Beatles or Springsteen? Merry-go-round or ferris wheel? Dogs or cats? Mac or PC?
Water or coffee most of the time. I’ve never seen The Office. I’ll take “NashVegas”. Non-fiction. Starbucks. Night owl. Combo (think chocolate covered pretzels) Debit card. That’s like asking talent or non-talent. Has to be The Beatles. Ferris Wheel. Dogs. PC
18. Do you have a current favorite author whose work inspires you?
Oswald Chambers.
19. How much time do you spend online each day?
I plead the 5th.
20. At what moments have you most clearly seen God’s hand in your career as a songwriter.
Almost anytime someone I respect asks to write with me. I try to never take it for granted.
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