by [Music]
[Music]
[Music] it was February the 1st of 2016 and I
it was February the 1st of 2016 and I
it was February the 1st of 2016 and I was working on my resume I had been a
was working on my resume I had been a
was working on my resume I had been a full-time self-employed
full-time self-employed
full-time self-employed singer/songwriter for all of one year
singer/songwriter for all of one year
singer/songwriter for all of one year for the eight years before that the
for the eight years before that the
for the eight years before that the entirety of my adult life I’d always had
entirety of my adult life I’d always had
entirety of my adult life I’d always had a day job and just played music on the
a day job and just played music on the
a day job and just played music on the side but after one year striking it out
side but after one year striking it out
side but after one year striking it out on my own I was already looking at the
on my own I was already looking at the
on my own I was already looking at the bottom of my bank account and I had to
bottom of my bank account and I had to
bottom of my bank account and I had to do something
do something
do something to make some money but I couldn’t bring
to make some money but I couldn’t bring
to make some money but I couldn’t bring myself to send out my resume so I opened
myself to send out my resume so I opened
myself to send out my resume so I opened an email from my mom and my mom was
an email from my mom and my mom was
an email from my mom and my mom was saying this musician we know is offering
saying this musician we know is offering
saying this musician we know is offering to record covers of love songs for
to record covers of love songs for
to record covers of love songs for people to give to their sweethearts on
people to give to their sweethearts on
people to give to their sweethearts on Valentine’s Day maybe you could try
Valentine’s Day maybe you could try
Valentine’s Day maybe you could try something like that and I thought well
something like that and I thought well
something like that and I thought well that’s a great idea but what if I took
that’s a great idea but what if I took
that’s a great idea but what if I took it one step further and I offered to
it one step further and I offered to
it one step further and I offered to write and record original love songs
write and record original love songs
write and record original love songs that way maybe I could charge a little
that way maybe I could charge a little
that way maybe I could charge a little more and I’d have a better chance of
more and I’d have a better chance of
more and I’d have a better chance of making my rent for the next month never
making my rent for the next month never
making my rent for the next month never mind the fact that I’d only written two
mind the fact that I’d only written two
mind the fact that I’d only written two songs the year before I quickly dove in
songs the year before I quickly dove in
songs the year before I quickly dove in and I spent my night making a
and I spent my night making a
and I spent my night making a questionnaire people would fill out to
questionnaire people would fill out to
questionnaire people would fill out to tell me about their sweethearts and
tell me about their sweethearts and
tell me about their sweethearts and setting up a part of my website where
setting up a part of my website where
setting up a part of my website where people would place their orders and on
people would place their orders and on
people would place their orders and on February the second with two weeks until
February the second with two weeks until
February the second with two weeks until Valentine’s Day I launched song for your
Valentine’s Day I launched song for your
Valentine’s Day I launched song for your sweetheart offering to write and record
sweetheart offering to write and record
sweetheart offering to write and record ten original love songs for Valentine’s
ten original love songs for Valentine’s
ten original love songs for Valentine’s Day so I wasn’t sure if anyone would
Day so I wasn’t sure if anyone would
Day so I wasn’t sure if anyone would take me up on this and I didn’t sell any
take me up on this and I didn’t sell any
take me up on this and I didn’t sell any songs my first day but on the second day
songs my first day but on the second day
songs my first day but on the second day word got around and the orders started
word got around and the orders started
word got around and the orders started to come in and by the 10th of February I
to come in and by the 10th of February I
to come in and by the 10th of February I had sold all 10 songs and I was being
had sold all 10 songs and I was being
had sold all 10 songs and I was being invited to speak on local radio stations
invited to speak on local radio stations
invited to speak on local radio stations about my idea so I added another two
about my idea so I added another two
about my idea so I added another two songs to promote on the air and I sold
songs to promote on the air and I sold
songs to promote on the air and I sold those right away and somehow as if by a
those right away and somehow as if by a
those right away and somehow as if by a miracle on Valentine’s Day I had
miracle on Valentine’s Day I had
miracle on Valentine’s Day I had succeeded in writing and recording
succeeded in writing and recording
succeeded in writing and recording twelve original love songs in eleven
twelve original love songs in eleven
twelve original love songs in eleven days making it the most productive week
days making it the most productive week
days making it the most productive week and a half of my entire life as a
and a half of my entire life as a
and a half of my entire life as a musician so how did I do it well at the
musician so how did I do it well at the
musician so how did I do it well at the time I was reading the book lean in by
time I was reading the book lean in by
time I was reading the book lean in by Sheryl Sandberg and in it she mentions
Sheryl Sandberg and in it she mentions
Sheryl Sandberg and in it she mentions this mantra done is better than perfect
this mantra done is better than perfect
this mantra done is better than perfect and that became my motto in writing
and that became my motto in writing
and that became my motto in writing these songs I didn’t have the time to
these songs I didn’t have the time to
these songs I didn’t have the time to second-guess myself and people had paid
second-guess myself and people had paid
second-guess myself and people had paid upfront so if I didn’t deliver I wasn’t
upfront so if I didn’t deliver I wasn’t
upfront so if I didn’t deliver I wasn’t to make my rent the next month so I had
to make my rent the next month so I had
to make my rent the next month so I had to make it work and the more I did the
to make it work and the more I did the
to make it work and the more I did the easier it got it was really just one at
easier it got it was really just one at
easier it got it was really just one at a time so lucky enough the first one I
a time so lucky enough the first one I
a time so lucky enough the first one I was writing was for a friend of mine so
was writing was for a friend of mine so
was writing was for a friend of mine so that took some of the pressure off and
that took some of the pressure off and
that took some of the pressure off and I’m gonna play it for you but first I
I’m gonna play it for you but first I
I’m gonna play it for you but first I want to tell you a bit of what I learned
want to tell you a bit of what I learned
want to tell you a bit of what I learned in the questionnaire so my friend met
in the questionnaire so my friend met
in the questionnaire so my friend met her husband when she was a student and
her husband when she was a student and
her husband when she was a student and he was her teacher and it was love at
he was her teacher and it was love at
he was her teacher and it was love at first sight they declared their love for
first sight they declared their love for
first sight they declared their love for each other on the waterfront and
each other on the waterfront and
each other on the waterfront and Kamloops BC so I looked up the picture
Kamloops BC so I looked up the picture
Kamloops BC so I looked up the picture of what that looks like because I’ve
of what that looks like because I’ve
of what that looks like because I’ve never been there
never been there
never been there and she told me he has these ocean blue
and she told me he has these ocean blue
and she told me he has these ocean blue eyes and his favorite piece of clothing
eyes and his favorite piece of clothing
eyes and his favorite piece of clothing is his Levi’s jeans and he makes her
is his Levi’s jeans and he makes her
is his Levi’s jeans and he makes her laugh so hard it feels like her heart’s
laugh so hard it feels like her heart’s
laugh so hard it feels like her heart’s always bursting they have this
always bursting they have this
always bursting they have this light-hearted head-over-heels kind of
light-hearted head-over-heels kind of
light-hearted head-over-heels kind of love and she’s a bit of a sassy lady so
love and she’s a bit of a sassy lady so
love and she’s a bit of a sassy lady so I knew I wanted to write something fun
I knew I wanted to write something fun
I knew I wanted to write something fun upbeat and a little bit risque so every
upbeat and a little bit risque so every
upbeat and a little bit risque so every what a song called teach me again
[Music]
[Music] we prefer live down by the water with
we prefer live down by the water with
we prefer live down by the water with the mountains looking on even when
the mountains looking on even when
the mountains looking on even when you’re gone because you’re always on
you’re gone because you’re always on
you’re gone because you’re always on [Music]
[Music]
[Music] to those ocean baby won’t you teach me
to those ocean baby won’t you teach me
to those ocean baby won’t you teach me again you know how to make me laugh so
again you know how to make me laugh so
again you know how to make me laugh so is always bursty these years together
is always bursty these years together
is always bursty these years together [Music]
[Music]
[Music] let’s do first to those oceans we had a
let’s do first to those oceans we had a
let’s do first to those oceans we had a lesson it was all about devotion baby
lesson it was all about devotion baby
lesson it was all about devotion baby won’t you teach me again
baby won’t you teach me again baby won’t
baby won’t you teach me again baby won’t you teach
baby won’t you teach me
baby won’t you teach me [Music]
[Music]
[Music] [Applause]
thank you so my friend was kind enough
thank you so my friend was kind enough to agree to appear in a cbc video
to agree to appear in a cbc video
to agree to appear in a cbc video interview talking about what it was like
interview talking about what it was like
interview talking about what it was like sharing that song with her husband for
sharing that song with her husband for
sharing that song with her husband for the first time and how they laughed and
the first time and how they laughed and
the first time and how they laughed and cried and danced around their kitchen
cried and danced around their kitchen
cried and danced around their kitchen and the video actually ended up being
and the video actually ended up being
and the video actually ended up being broadcast on CBC television across the
broadcast on CBC television across the
broadcast on CBC television across the country so in the week of Valentine’s
country so in the week of Valentine’s
country so in the week of Valentine’s Day my inbox was flooded with requests
Day my inbox was flooded with requests
Day my inbox was flooded with requests from people who wanted a song for their
from people who wanted a song for their
from people who wanted a song for their sweetheart and it was then that I was
sweetheart and it was then that I was
sweetheart and it was then that I was finally able to put away my resumes and
finally able to put away my resumes and
finally able to put away my resumes and instead start a ledger to keep track of
instead start a ledger to keep track of
instead start a ledger to keep track of all these requests so in this day and
all these requests so in this day and
all these requests so in this day and age is no surprise that it’s difficult
age is no surprise that it’s difficult
age is no surprise that it’s difficult to be an independent musician with the
to be an independent musician with the
to be an independent musician with the advent of the internet and home
advent of the internet and home
advent of the internet and home recording it’s never been easier to get
recording it’s never been easier to get
recording it’s never been easier to get your music out there but it’s never been
your music out there but it’s never been
your music out there but it’s never been harder to cut through and stand out add
harder to cut through and stand out add
harder to cut through and stand out add on top of that the fact that we’re
on top of that the fact that we’re
on top of that the fact that we’re mostly consuming music via downloading
mostly consuming music via downloading
mostly consuming music via downloading and streaming so for your recorded music
and streaming so for your recorded music
and streaming so for your recorded music that costs you thousands or tens of
that costs you thousands or tens of
that costs you thousands or tens of thousands of dollars to make you’re now
thousands of dollars to make you’re now
thousands of dollars to make you’re now earning only pennies or fractions of a
earning only pennies or fractions of a
earning only pennies or fractions of a cent on each transaction so in order to
cent on each transaction so in order to
cent on each transaction so in order to stay afloat financially you need
stay afloat financially you need
stay afloat financially you need different sources of income
different sources of income
different sources of income aside from downloading and streaming
aside from downloading and streaming
aside from downloading and streaming you’re gonna have CDs and merchandise
you’re gonna have CDs and merchandise
you’re gonna have CDs and merchandise you’ll have live performance fees
you’ll have live performance fees
you’ll have live performance fees royalties for radio airplay and if
royalties for radio airplay and if
royalties for radio airplay and if you’re lucky maybe I’ll get grants or
you’re lucky maybe I’ll get grants or
you’re lucky maybe I’ll get grants or the occasional paycheck for a song being
the occasional paycheck for a song being
the occasional paycheck for a song being used in a TV show or a movie but the
used in a TV show or a movie but the
used in a TV show or a movie but the trouble with most of these things is
trouble with most of these things is
trouble with most of these things is you’re very often waiting for someone to
you’re very often waiting for someone to
you’re very often waiting for someone to offer you work whereas with this idea I
offer you work whereas with this idea I
offer you work whereas with this idea I was able to create work for myself
was able to create work for myself
was able to create work for myself in my own field that was really
in my own field that was really
in my own field that was really meaningful that I could feel good about
meaningful that I could feel good about
meaningful that I could feel good about doing I mean when you think of the
doing I mean when you think of the
doing I mean when you think of the things we give to our loved ones for
things we give to our loved ones for
things we give to our loved ones for Valentine’s Day especially you think of
Valentine’s Day especially you think of
Valentine’s Day especially you think of things like wine and flowers and
things like wine and flowers and
things like wine and flowers and chocolate maybe dinner or an appliance
chocolate maybe dinner or an appliance
chocolate maybe dinner or an appliance of some kind but these things are all
of some kind but these things are all
of some kind but these things are all very temporary they break they wilt they
very temporary they break they wilt they
very temporary they break they wilt they fade they have calories but a song is
fade they have calories but a song is
fade they have calories but a song is very different it’s something that can
very different it’s something that can
very different it’s something that can last forever they might try
last forever they might try
last forever they might try for the rest of their lives even their
for the rest of their lives even their
for the rest of their lives even their children or grandchildren could learn
children or grandchildren could learn
children or grandchildren could learn how to play it it reminds me of
how to play it it reminds me of
how to play it it reminds me of something the philosopher jean-paul
something the philosopher jean-paul
something the philosopher jean-paul Sartre said he said you can break the
Sartre said he said you can break the
Sartre said he said you can break the record
record
record you can tear up the score but the song
you can tear up the score but the song
you can tear up the score but the song would still exist it lives in the realm
would still exist it lives in the realm
would still exist it lives in the realm of ideas and nothing that happens in
of ideas and nothing that happens in
of ideas and nothing that happens in this physical world of objects can
this physical world of objects can
this physical world of objects can possibly touch it so when I first
possibly touch it so when I first
possibly touch it so when I first started getting pressed for this idea I
started getting pressed for this idea I
started getting pressed for this idea I thought oh no people are gonna steal my
thought oh no people are gonna steal my
thought oh no people are gonna steal my idea now but then I thought actually
idea now but then I thought actually
idea now but then I thought actually that would be kind of nice because no
that would be kind of nice because no
that would be kind of nice because no matter what no two songwriters are gonna
matter what no two songwriters are gonna
matter what no two songwriters are gonna write the same song about a story and
write the same song about a story and
write the same song about a story and given how transformative and beneficial
given how transformative and beneficial
given how transformative and beneficial this has been I really do want that
this has been I really do want that
this has been I really do want that experience for other musicians aside
experience for other musicians aside
experience for other musicians aside from it being really meaningful work
from it being really meaningful work
from it being really meaningful work that keeps the roof over my head
that keeps the roof over my head
that keeps the roof over my head it’s had a lot of other great benefits I
it’s had a lot of other great benefits I
it’s had a lot of other great benefits I was recording all of these songs myself
was recording all of these songs myself
was recording all of these songs myself and that’s something I hadn’t done in
and that’s something I hadn’t done in
and that’s something I hadn’t done in about 10 years
about 10 years
about 10 years so my skills and my equipment and my
so my skills and my equipment and my
so my skills and my equipment and my programs were all really out of date but
programs were all really out of date but
programs were all really out of date but with the time that I had not working a
with the time that I had not working a
with the time that I had not working a day job and with some of the money I was
day job and with some of the money I was
day job and with some of the money I was able to earn I could invest in taking
able to earn I could invest in taking
able to earn I could invest in taking some courses and upgrading my gear so
some courses and upgrading my gear so
some courses and upgrading my gear so now I’m a lot more self-sufficient and I
now I’m a lot more self-sufficient and I
now I’m a lot more self-sufficient and I don’t need to hire an engineer every
don’t need to hire an engineer every
don’t need to hire an engineer every time I want to demo something so that
time I want to demo something so that
time I want to demo something so that has made me a lot more productive and
has made me a lot more productive and
has made me a lot more productive and it’s made me a lot of new fans too nine
it’s made me a lot of new fans too nine
it’s made me a lot of new fans too nine times out of ten when someone’s
times out of ten when someone’s
times out of ten when someone’s requesting a song it’s someone I’ve
requesting a song it’s someone I’ve
requesting a song it’s someone I’ve never heard from before and being a
never heard from before and being a
never heard from before and being a small independent artist I kind of know
small independent artist I kind of know
small independent artist I kind of know the names of all of my superfans so it
the names of all of my superfans so it
the names of all of my superfans so it was really surprising to me to see that
was really surprising to me to see that
was really surprising to me to see that people are just interested in a song for
people are just interested in a song for
people are just interested in a song for their sweetheart and it’s something that
their sweetheart and it’s something that
their sweetheart and it’s something that they’re willing to take a chance on a
they’re willing to take a chance on a
they’re willing to take a chance on a new artist for but the best aspect has
new artist for but the best aspect has
new artist for but the best aspect has been how it’s helped my songwriting as I
been how it’s helped my songwriting as I
been how it’s helped my songwriting as I mentioned I only wrote two songs the
mentioned I only wrote two songs the
mentioned I only wrote two songs the year before and it had become a part of
year before and it had become a part of
year before and it had become a part of my work that I really dreaded doing it
my work that I really dreaded doing it
my work that I really dreaded doing it would take weeks or months to finish a
would take weeks or months to finish a
would take weeks or months to finish a song I never knew what I wanted to say
song I never knew what I wanted to say
song I never knew what I wanted to say and after sitting down with my guitar
and after sitting down with my guitar
and after sitting down with my guitar for a couple of hours and coming up with
for a couple of hours and coming up with
for a couple of hours and coming up with maybe one or two lines of music I would
maybe one or two lines of music I would
maybe one or two lines of music I would get discouraged and walk away but in
get discouraged and walk away but in
get discouraged and walk away but in working with these questionnaires I had
working with these questionnaires I had
working with these questionnaires I had a limited set of information to work
a limited set of information to work
a limited set of information to work with and within those boundaries I could
with and within those boundaries I could
with and within those boundaries I could be as creative as I desired and I
be as creative as I desired and I
be as creative as I desired and I believed that there was a song in there
believed that there was a song in there
believed that there was a song in there somewhere so a pattern began to emerge
somewhere so a pattern began to emerge
somewhere so a pattern began to emerge where the most poetic line that jumped
where the most poetic line that jumped
where the most poetic line that jumped out at me would become my chorus and the
out at me would become my chorus and the
out at me would become my chorus and the story of how you met your
story of how you met your
story of how you met your and where you are now and where you’re
and where you are now and where you’re
and where you are now and where you’re going would become the logical
going would become the logical
going would become the logical chronology of the vs. and basically what
chronology of the vs. and basically what
chronology of the vs. and basically what I was doing is creating a worksheet
I was doing is creating a worksheet
I was doing is creating a worksheet which is something the song writing
which is something the song writing
which is something the song writing teacher Pat Patterson at Berklee College
teacher Pat Patterson at Berklee College
teacher Pat Patterson at Berklee College teaches his students to do and in
teaches his students to do and in
teaches his students to do and in adopting this technique before I had
adopting this technique before I had
adopting this technique before I had even heard of it just doing the practice
even heard of it just doing the practice
even heard of it just doing the practice and finding what worked best for me I
and finding what worked best for me I
and finding what worked best for me I was able to transform something that I
was able to transform something that I
was able to transform something that I had no confidence in that took a long
had no confidence in that took a long
had no confidence in that took a long time to complete into something that was
time to complete into something that was
time to complete into something that was a joy to do and that I could feel
a joy to do and that I could feel
a joy to do and that I could feel confident that I could sit and write a
confident that I could sit and write a
confident that I could sit and write a song in an hour or two so now I have
song in an hour or two so now I have
song in an hour or two so now I have thirty two of these love songs that have
thirty two of these love songs that have
thirty two of these love songs that have written by request
written by request
written by request that’s enough material for three albums
that’s enough material for three albums
that’s enough material for three albums and their songs I love and I play them
and their songs I love and I play them
and their songs I love and I play them live all the time and it’s opened up
live all the time and it’s opened up
live all the time and it’s opened up another source of income for me in that
another source of income for me in that
another source of income for me in that I can actually play wedding gigs now I
I can actually play wedding gigs now I
I can actually play wedding gigs now I used to struggle to play weddings
used to struggle to play weddings
used to struggle to play weddings because so much of my repertoire was
because so much of my repertoire was
because so much of my repertoire was about unrequited love or it was maybe
about unrequited love or it was maybe
about unrequited love or it was maybe too political or not family-friendly
too political or not family-friendly
too political or not family-friendly enough for a wedding and now I don’t
enough for a wedding and now I don’t
enough for a wedding and now I don’t have to second-guess myself I have a
have to second-guess myself I have a
have to second-guess myself I have a book of songs that I can play so I can’t
book of songs that I can play so I can’t
book of songs that I can play so I can’t really think of a better way for me to
really think of a better way for me to
really think of a better way for me to have improved my songwriting and
have improved my songwriting and
have improved my songwriting and improved my livelihood and it’s for that
improved my livelihood and it’s for that
improved my livelihood and it’s for that reason that I think it’d be wonderful to
reason that I think it’d be wonderful to
reason that I think it’d be wonderful to see other songwriters considering
see other songwriters considering
see other songwriters considering adopting this as part of what they do to
adopting this as part of what they do to
adopting this as part of what they do to keep the roof over their heads I’m gonna
keep the roof over their heads I’m gonna
keep the roof over their heads I’m gonna play one more song for you and this one
play one more song for you and this one
play one more song for you and this one is written for a couple who does a lot
is written for a couple who does a lot
is written for a couple who does a lot of traveling in particular it’s a song
of traveling in particular it’s a song
of traveling in particular it’s a song for the wife and she’s very quiet and
for the wife and she’s very quiet and
for the wife and she’s very quiet and shy her husband is more outspoken so she
shy her husband is more outspoken so she
shy her husband is more outspoken so she keeps him grounded he told me of all the
keeps him grounded he told me of all the
keeps him grounded he told me of all the exotic places they’ve been in all the
exotic places they’ve been in all the
exotic places they’ve been in all the places they still want to go and he told
places they still want to go and he told
places they still want to go and he told me he’d be lost without her and I
me he’d be lost without her and I
me he’d be lost without her and I thought it was most poetic when he said
thought it was most poetic when he said
thought it was most poetic when he said I feel so lucky to have someone who
I feel so lucky to have someone who
I feel so lucky to have someone who loves me so unconditionally so I worked
loves me so unconditionally so I worked
loves me so unconditionally so I worked backwards from that to write a song
backwards from that to write a song
backwards from that to write a song called your unconditional love
[Music]
[Music] it was started one very cold night I
it was started one very cold night I
it was started one very cold night I wrapped my arms around you tight while
wrapped my arms around you tight while
wrapped my arms around you tight while we waited for the girl to take you home
we waited for the girl to take you home
we waited for the girl to take you home all those years ago
all those years ago
all those years ago [Music]
[Music]
[Music] my life
my life
my life [Music]
[Music]
[Music] I see the world with you
I see the world with you
I see the world with you there’s so much left to do so many
there’s so much left to do so many
there’s so much left to do so many places we’ve been I wanna go to misty
places we’ve been I wanna go to misty
places we’ve been I wanna go to misty woods and snowy
woods and snowy
woods and snowy [Music]
[Music]
[Music] they don’t give in
your condition always
your condition always [Music]
thank you so in closing I just want to
thank you so in closing I just want to encourage all makers of art and all
encourage all makers of art and all
encourage all makers of art and all creators out there to occasionally bite
creators out there to occasionally bite
creators out there to occasionally bite off just a little bit more than you
off just a little bit more than you
off just a little bit more than you think you can chew there are so many
think you can chew there are so many
think you can chew there are so many good ideas out there and great stories
good ideas out there and great stories
good ideas out there and great stories waiting to be told and you’d be
waiting to be told and you’d be
waiting to be told and you’d be surprised what you’re capable of
surprised what you’re capable of
surprised what you’re capable of thank you
”
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