Posts under songwriting category
My Rich Man Poem

Inspired by the famous Thomas Edison quote, “opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and

December 29, 2013
My eROI Why Moment

eROI, a prominent digital marketing agency in Portland, recently asked me to contribute to their Why Moment project — a

December 13, 2013
Carolina in My Mind (Cover)

In high school, my brother-in-law gave me a copy of James Taylor’s Greatest Hits and my musical world has never

December 3, 2013
Interview: My American Heritage

I recently phoned-in a most unique interview on KSCO 1080 (San Jose) discussing with host, Ruth Copland, what it means

November 5, 2013
Guitar Center Top 3 Songwriters

With less than two weeks remaining in the Guitar Center Search for the Next Great American Songwriter with Don Was

October 24, 2013
Guitar Center's Top 4 Songwriters

There are only three weeks left in the Guitar Center Search for the Next Great American Songwriter with Don Was

October 18, 2013
Help Me Clear 10,000 Views

As The Search for the Next Great American Songwriter presses on, I’m still hanging out in fourth place but I’m

October 1, 2013
!! Help Me Win Big !!

My friends, another contest is at hand and just like The Outlaw Roadshow, with your help, I know I can

September 16, 2013
ReverbNation Charts

Because musical rankings are fickle, I wanted to document this day and time … the moment when I sat on

March 25, 2013
Discussing "This Too Shall Pass"

Standing proud as track #1 off of my new album, Some Days I’m a Lion, is “This Too Shall Pass”

November 23, 2012
Leave Oregon with Alternate Lyrics

Track number one on my 2010 EP Long Before the Wheel is a song called Leave Oregon — it was

February 28, 2012
Indie Music PDX Podcast

Yesterday, I was invited into the Indie Music PDX studio to record one of their signature podcasts with host, Jonah

February 21, 2012
Madgesdiq: World without Walls

Two years ago, just before my stint in Nashville, I was invited to collaborate with Portland-based hip hop artist, Madgesdiq.

January 25, 2012
This Too Shall Pass

In the 100+ songs that I’ve written, only a handful have been written in a single day. Yesterday was one

January 17, 2012
Video: That Moon with Lyrics

This is an original song that I wrote in 2010 but I wanted to post it today, with lyrics, because

October 16, 2011
Video: We Grow with Lyrics

Between the 17 metaphors for growth, all rhyming with oooo, and the dangerously “artsy” nature of the song, writing We

October 4, 2011
Discussing Big Hearts

In late 2006, two very gracious friends of mine surprised me with a plane ticket to Europe, providing me with

June 16, 2011
The Meaning Behind Cellophane

While perched on top of Mt Pilatus in Lucerne, Switzerland, I had the opportunity to observe some of the most

June 15, 2011
Another Better Be Us All

In 2003, my brothers and I were all independently going through our share of difficulties in this life; trying to

June 14, 2011
Another Whistle Stop

Although I first heard the phrase Whistle Stop in a poetry class in 2004, it took me two years to

June 13, 2011
The Only Paper Plane I Know

After surviving a substantial break-up with my college sweetheart in 2004, my four-walled apartment began closing in on me and

June 12, 2011
Discussing Come Around

There are many times in our lives that something leaves us before we’re ready to see it go. Leaving a

June 11, 2011
Popo Agie: A Simpler Time

There is a humble river from my childhood that runs through the middle of Lander, WY — the place of

June 10, 2011
The Process of Getting Old

On my 25th birthday, I awoke to find that I was no longer a child. The carefree days of childhood

June 9, 2011
Discussing Separate Things

When lovers quarrel, the conversation often leads to the definitive question, Should we work it out or should we part

June 8, 2011
Writing a Song on The Bus

When assigned to write a descriptive poem about a landscape in a University of Oregon poetry class, I found myself

June 7, 2011
Finally, Feeling the Sun

In the wake of my dark and dismal song from 2006, What I Feel Like As Winter Comes, it seemed

June 6, 2011
My Fingertip Confessions

During the height of my Dave Matthews fanship, I wrote a stream of consciousness song that I hoped would resemble

June 5, 2011
Why Babysitting the Cowboy?

In the Spring of 2004, I took a poetry class at the University of Oregon where we were assigned to

June 5, 2011
Carry On: Behind the Scenes

In 2004 I made a conscious decision to stop writing pop-rock monsters and to start writing simplistic folk tunes with

June 3, 2011
We Grow: A Second Grade Remix

My cousin Grant teaches 2nd grade and across the years he has creatively used my music within his classrooms to

May 24, 2011
We Grow Explained

One of my favorite songs from the Long Before the Wheel album is the last track, We Grow. It’s my

May 23, 2011
Clover Explained

Track #4 off of my Long Before the Wheel EP is a short and sweet tune called Clover. While most

March 17, 2011
New Song: That I'll Know You…

Inspiration is a funny thing — months ago, I felt inclined to write about the mystery woman of my dreams

November 30, 2010
New Song: Often & Much

I spent a couple hours in the recording studio today with Rob Stroup recording a new song called Often &

November 4, 2010
Daffodils

Track #2 off of Long Before the Wheel is a bittersweet ballad that was written for a special few —

September 28, 2010
Leave Oregon

Track #1 off of Long Before the Wheel is a simple song called Leave Oregon. It was the first song

September 27, 2010
How to Write a Song

I was asked to teach a songwriter’s workshop during a festival I recently played and although I was initially apprehensive,

August 15, 2010
New Song: My Love, My Love

Somewhere this Spring I lost most of my musical confidence and began to ask myself the question: What the hell

July 8, 2010
My First Song Ever: Her Song

Call me nostalgic but I’ve decided to post a recording of my first song EVER — written and recorded in

July 4, 2010
The Many Metaphors of Growth

I’m currently writing a song that will be the last track on my upcoming album Long Before the Wheel —

June 27, 2010
New Song on AmericanSongSpace.com

I was informed today that my 2002 song Cannonball is being featured in the New Songs section of AmericanSongSpace.com! This

June 24, 2010
New Song: Daffodils

In September of 2009, the world lost a true talent — Scotland Barr. He was a singer-songwriter and wordsmith and

May 26, 2010
Hitmakers Audition

Today marks the day that I officially made my reality TV debut. Though the whole concept of manufactured fame has

May 23, 2010
New Lyrics: Best Laid Plans

Sunday was an absolute writing tear for me — in my last post I commented that songs can take me

May 17, 2010
New Lyrics: The Ramblin Kind

I’ve always said that my songs take a while to write … longer than most. I’m a firm believer in

May 16, 2010
A Song About Floods

Nashville had enjoyed a month of 80 degree blue skies until that Thursday when I received the phone call saying

May 14, 2010
A Showcase Awaits

Friday May 7th (tomorrow) I will be playing a showcase at Nashville’s Listening Room Cafe. This should be a wonderful

May 6, 2010
Introducing Lover Things

On September 25th of 2007, I schemed the lyric, It seems the words have changed and their meanings have faded

March 2, 2010
A Song About Wyoming

I am proud to announce that I’ve written a song about Wyoming — the last good plot of land. It

February 22, 2010
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