Songwriter’s Night

Last night I I listened to the Songwriter’s Night.

I loved every minute of it. Every. Minute.

Yes, I love music. More than that I love “songs.” Songs are almost like people. They are individuals. They have personality. They say something. They have a message.

Songwriters are the ones who birth these beauties. They labor until that thing “comes out.” They are not usually the ones who make it famous. But, they are the ones who conceive it: they are the mothers and fathers of that “baby” that just might bring meaning to our lives somehow, one day, for some reason, in some circumstance.

Most people know that the music business is a competitive, cutthroat atmosphere. But no one was thinking of this last night. Last night was about songs. And songs, like babies, can have a mysterious power to bring people together. Each time one of the writers sang one of their originals the appreciation in the line up was noticeable. A few songs that have not yet been cut, heard first by those there last night, were really good. And not only was I moved emotionally by the songs, but I was moved by seeing the other writers moved by the songs. There was more than one occasion when I could see one songwriter’s eyes gleam with the recognition that what they just heard from their fellow artist was profound; I could see their eyes acknowledge a deep understanding of what must have went into writing that song. Maybe I noticed it because I have spent my whole life involved with artists, or maybe it was just because I was sitting in the front row. But, it was my favorite part of the night. These songwriters honored each other, and genuinely so.

Sure, professional singers can make the songwriter’s song famous and we can listen to it and buy it and make it #1. And that’s all good and songwriters hope for those things. But, really – songwriters are the one’s who can best say to each other…

“Your baby’s beautiful.”

No matter your line of work, whatever your passion is: keep in mind, today, that you have insight and understanding that you share with others inside your craft. What you have to say to your “fellow ___________” matters….a lot. Because they know you know…stuff that no one else knows about what you both do. There is something in that that matters. You are critical to each other’s success, to each other’s sustenance. Stick together. And when you know they have done something really good, created something significant – don’t let the moment slip by. Look them in the eye so they can see the gleam in yours.