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Songwriting Session with Toby Keith

Toby Keith

Songwriting Session is a new weekly column that goes behind-the-scenes with artists and songwriters. Each Sunday, a new songwriter will share their journey and provide lessons they’ve learned along the way. This week, country singer-songwriter Toby Keith shares what he has learned as a songwriter.

 

In July, I spent some time with Toby Keith at a tour stop in Connecticut during his Good Times & Pick Up Lines Tour for my first cover story for Nash Country Weekly. Our chat was focused on songwriting as the country singer-songwriter recently was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame, the only award Toby says he has ever wanted. During our chat, I asked him how important it was to be able to play guitar or piano in order to write songs. Surprisingly, he told me being familiar with guitar shouldn’t be my main focus. Below is an excerpt of our chat.

“You don’t have to be a great musician, but it’ll help you if you can play enough of one instrument, a guitar or piano,” Toby tells me while lounging on a leather couch at the front of his bus. “You’d have a hell of a time writing on a flute I think. As long as you can play chords and understand how music’s made you can create your own melodies then.”

He then asks me if I play guitar and I admit that I only picked it up a few months ago and have been taking lessons every week. I explain that my biggest problem is hearing the melody, so my hope is that by learning guitar it will become easier for me to hear the lyrics that I’m writing and the flow of the song.

“There are people who have written big time songs and never played anything,” he says, explaining that it’s not important that I learn how to play guitar, but instead that I should understand the structure of the music.

“In your case, I’m gonna tell you to hear a song, write one down that you like and then throw the music away and read the words and see how the poem is on paper,” he advises before he starts to recite his first No. 1 hit, “Should’ve Been a Cowboy” to me word for word so I understand what he means and notice the rhythm of the song.

“So it’d be like, ‘I betcha never heard ol Marshal Dillon say/ ‘Miss Kitty have you ever thought of runnin’ away?’ / Settlin’ down would you marry me / If I asked you twice and begged you pretty please / She’d of said yes in a New York minute / They never tied the knot his heart wasn’t in it / He just stole a kiss as he road away/ He never hung his hat up at Kitty’s place.'”

 

 

In that moment I could hardly believe my luck, getting songwriting tips from the Songwriters Hall of Fame inductee himself, Toby Keith. His advice didn’t stop there, though.

“And then you can see the structure of that particular way to write it. Just open up a bunch of lyric sheets on the Internet and read people’s songs. If you’re just going to be a lyricist I think you can write like that and then somebody can take a great idea that you had and put music to it,” he stresses. “You could do that. You’ll probably be more productive quicker that way but they go hand in hand when you’re writing songs.”

Toby Keith’s 18th studio album, 35 mph Town will be released on October 9.

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Features First Person

Toby Keith Covers Nash Country Weekly

 

Since the very first time I watched Almost Famous, I’ve dreamed about traveling with bands, stepping inside a tour bus and writing a cover story. I can now officially announce that my first cover story is coming out this Friday!

I recently caught up with Toby Keith on tour for Nash Country Weekly to discuss his recent induction into the Songwriters Hall of Fame. During our chat, the singer opened up about his 20+ years as a professional songwriter, explained why the Songwriters Hall of Fame is the only award he has ever wanted and even shared some tips on writing songs.

Sitting inside his bus with him was longtime collaborator, songwriter Bobby Pinson, who has written many of Keith’s famous hits with him including “She Never Cried in Front of Me,” “Made in America,” “I Like Girls That Drink Beer,” “Shut Up and Hold On” as well as Keith’s current single “35 MPH Town.” Earlier that day, the two had been writing together and Keith said it’s writing every day that has allowed him to release an album every year. For my complete interview, be sure to pick up a copy of Nash Country Weekly on stands this Friday.

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Features First Person Q&A

You Sing I Write’s Top 13 Interviews of 2013

kenny rogers

It’s hard to believe 2013 is coming to a close. I’ve been so lucky to interview some incredible artists this year, some that I never would have dreamed of getting the chance and others I’ve been dreaming up meeting since the seventh grade. Here’s my Top 13 interviews of 2013.

1. Nick Carter of the Backstreet Boys

Do I need to say more? He filled me in on how difficult life as a boy band can be when your fiance is receiving death threats on a daily basis. That made me throw away my lifelong dream of marrying fellow bandmate Brian Littrell. Yes, I truly grew up in 2013.

2. Willie Nelson

I interviewed Willie on his tour bus and yes, it did smell like pot. I’m not quite sure if I got a contact high, just because I was so high on life after interviewing him. And that’s the truth. A true legend, he opened up about why he can’t live without songwriting and how the first time he heard his voice played back to him he hated it.

3. Kenny Rogers

The Gambler. He had the absolute best stories and a true passion and gratefulness for his long career.

 

 

4. Robin Thicke

I interviewed him the week “Blurred Lines” went to No. 1. Also, this was the first time I ever interviewed an artist who kept his sunglasses on throughout the entire interview which was a little awkward at first. And he gave me some great relationship advice.

 

 

5. Gavin DeGraw

The first concert I ever covered back in college, this interview was a long time coming. And I finally learned the story behind his hit “I Don’t Want To Be.”

 

 

6. Jack Johnson

My roommates throughout college had his music on repeat. I’m  happy to say he’s exactly the man you think he is as perceived in his music.

 

 

7. Plain White T’s

The first song I ever learned on guitar was “Hey There Delilah” and Tim and Tom made me blush while I recounted the story of my friend teaching me. In all fairness, they did have some pretty interesting views on relationships.

8. Brett Eldredge

I must confess after interviewing him three times this year, I may have developed a slight crush on this country singer. His album Bring You Back is by far my most listened to release from this year.

 

 

9. Deana Carter

After seeing Deana Carter perform at the CMA Songwriters Series, I was excited to talk with her on the phone and learn about her latest album. The conversation geared it’s way into talking about how much we both love the TV show Nashville where she filled me in that she in fact auditioned for the star role.

10. Toby Keith

I came to learn the full story behind the song we all love to hate “Red Solo Cup” and he gave me some exclusives to his album which came out this fall.

11. Jason Derulo

The most thoughtful interview, I was at first startled at how he would stop and really think about answering my every question. After a while, I just let the dead air stay until he told me what he wanted to say and truthfully, I think that’s the best way to conduct an interview. Leave space to let the artist really open up and tell you something they may not have otherwise if you just jump to ask them the next question.

 

 

12. Will Hoge

I sat on his tour bus before a performance at The Bell House in Brooklyn as he told me the story behind my favorite country song, “Even If It Breaks Your Heart” and opened up about country music.

13. A Great Big World

I was so excited to see this band succeed this year as I’d been catching them perform over the years throughout New York. There’s something so refreshing about a band you saw perform at a tiny club in New York to sharing a stage with Christina Aguilera.

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Features News

You Sing I Write June Recap

Hanson

As I sat in my childhood bedroom this weekend, I was reminded of how far I’ve come. Home in Jersey for the Fourth of July, my room is full of hints at my future career as a journalist, but never in my wildest dreams would I have thought all this would have come to fruition. My walls are surrounded by posters, photos with bands and quotes from my favorite musicians. One that I live by is from Switchfoot’s Jon Foreman: “Be honest, and never let anyone else define success for you — money ain’t it.”

On the wall behind my bed is a framed copy of my very first front page article from the Rutgers school paper from October 2003. Nearly 10 years later I have two more articles to frame — my first concert review on Luke Bryan and band review on Mike Mangione & the Union for Billboard magazine. It took 10 years, but I finally feel like I’m exactly where I belong. I love that I can write about bands I believe in for a reputable publication like Billboard. That’s why I first began my blog: to write about artists I believe in and bring their music to those who might not stumble upon it themselves. Nearly six years later, not much has changed.

This past month I’ve interviewed some of the artists I grew up listening to. Chatting with Jack Johnson was a dream come true as much of my college years were spent listening to his music. Earlier last month, I sat down with Robin Thicke and he gave me a ton of relationship advice. A week later his single “Blurred Lines” went to No. 1.

It’s no secret that country music has become a passion of mine so when I had the opportunity to talk with Toby Keith on the phone I was floored. (He rarely does interviews). I learned the story behind his monster hit “Red Solo Cup” and he told me how his benefit concert for tornado victims in Oklahoma came together. Later in the month, I witnessed Hunter Hayes live for the first time. Verdict: go see him! (His album is my most listened to so far of 2013).

hunter hayes

That same week, I sat VIP while watching Hanson perform for their 21st anniversary. Yes, they played “MMMBop.” And of course I sang along word for word.

I’m a strong advocate of the saying, “Find a job you love and you’ll never have to work a day in your life.” While getting to this place was by no means easy, there is nothing else I’d rather do. There have been many times this past month that I said to myself, “Remember this moment forever.” I still feel like a kid when I get to a show only to realize my seats are better than I thought. Granted, I’m covering these shows, but the excitement never wears off. The moment it does I’ll have a major problem. But, I don’t think that will happen anytime soon.