TAXI Nashville/Country Panel June 8th, 2009

[matthoggard]

May 20, 2009, 2:06pm, cameron wrote:First of all Michael, a big THANKS for pulling this together. I'll be there, come hell or high water. I'll be serving a six month apprenticeship with Ash Street Music in Nashville starting next month. That doesn't mean I'll be living in Nashville, but I'll be spending several days a month there. This means two trips there for me in June, but who could pass this up!Claire, I'll be happy to take a CD of your songs. In case you don't know her songs Michael, shes about the best we've got. I don't mean any disrespect to anyone else, as we have lots of talent here, but Claire's songs are first rate.Michael, if I can assist Taxi in anyway during my regular trips there, please let me know.CamDoes this mean you got a staff deal MR Cam?????Thats very cool.Matt

[hummingbird]

May 20, 2009, 2:06pm, cameron wrote:First of all Michael, a big THANKS for pulling this together. I'll be there, come hell or high water. I'll be serving a six month apprenticeship with Ash Street Music in Nashville starting next month. That doesn't mean I'll be living in Nashville, but I'll be spending several days a month there. This means two trips there for me in June, but who could pass this up!Claire, I'll be happy to take a CD of your songs. In case you don't know her songs Michael, shes about the best we've got. I don't mean any disrespect to anyone else, as we have lots of talent here, but Claire's songs are first rate.Michael, if I can assist Taxi in anyway during my regular trips there, please let me know.CamCool news, Cam!

[hummingbird]

May 20, 2009, 2:39pm, jchitty wrote:Whoo Hoo, Michael! I'll be there in Nashville with bells on! I'm not trying to be humbler than thou either....if my songs aren't the caliber of Perry's or Cam's, you don't have to play 'em for folks....it's not that I'm being altruistic..., I just want TAXI to look its very best! I know I write good songs, but if they are not 'quite there' yet, no prob....I will continue to learn, and maybe you can play them next time around. More than anything, I'm just tickled that I'll get to meet with you again and meet all my fellow country songwriters! And of course, the non-country songwriters too. It sounds like you've got a list of really heavy hitters! Thanks for being so caring and good to us all, Mr. L.!I am so excited....this might be the start of a little mini-Rally in Nashville.Squiddy can come stay with me over the weekend again, and we can both just meet all y'all up there....I will probably bring my husband too if that's okay, but if there's not enough room, he'll understand, no prob at all.BTW, I owe Squiddy and others an e-mail....I will answer soon.OK, now I really want to go, if you two will be there!!

[jchitty]

May 20, 2009, 2:46pm, hummingbird wrote:May 20, 2009, 2:39pm, jchitty wrote:Whoo Hoo, Michael! I'll be there in Nashville with bells on! I'm not trying to be humbler than thou either....if my songs aren't the caliber of Perry's or Cam's, you don't have to play 'em for folks....it's not that I'm being altruistic..., I just want TAXI to look its very best! I know I write good songs, but if they are not 'quite there' yet, no prob....I will continue to learn, and maybe you can play them next time around. More than anything, I'm just tickled that I'll get to meet with you again and meet all my fellow country songwriters! And of course, the non-country songwriters too. It sounds like you've got a list of really heavy hitters! Thanks for being so caring and good to us all, Mr. L.!I am so excited....this might be the start of a little mini-Rally in Nashville.Squiddy can come stay with me over the weekend again, and we can both just meet all y'all up there....I will probably bring my husband too if that's okay, but if there's not enough room, he'll understand, no prob at all.BTW, I owe Squiddy and others an e-mail....I will answer soon.OK, now I really want to go, if you two will be there!!Well, you've gotta come then, Vikki...btw, check your PMs.

[cameron]

May 20, 2009, 2:41pm, matthoggard wrote:[quote author=cameron board=general thread=13752 post=139277 time=1242857218]Does this mean you got a staff deal MR Cam?????Thats very cool.MattNo, nothing like that. It's a joint venture of the Nashville Songwriters Co-Op and Ash Street Music. I had to audition but I'm paying a hefty fee for the privilege. But it's a great opportunity to co-write with pro songwriters and get to know people in town. Cam

[jchitty]

May 20, 2009, 12:18pm, perrysmith wrote:Michael said:"Perry, you were the flashpoint. I think you need to be there and you need to ask the same questions you did on this forum. None of this, "I'm bowing out." stuff. You don't get to come on this public forum and make your case, then bow out once you know I've got the heavy guns showing up to hear your music. I would like you to play EXACTLY the songs you referenced. No remixes, no changes. Let's keep it apples and apples. Please bring the listings they were submitted for and I'll read those to the people on the panel."There is a small problem with this: (1) the only question I asked was whether it was a good decision to try to improve before submitting to listings again since I had a rate of o% on forwards; (2) I did not reference any songs whatsoever (except to link to my site); (3) I said expressly that I agreed with the critiques; and (4) I did not make any case except that you were unfairly attempting to turn what I said into something sinister.So what do you want from me? Do you want me to go to Nashville and pretend I was a jerk and started some thread stating that I should have been forwarded, when I never said such a thing? Do you want me to pretend to have disagreed with the critiques when I expressly said I agreed with them? Do you want me to claim to have referenced songs that should have been forwarded when I made no such reference to even a single song? It sounds like you want me there so you can attempt to humiliate me in front of your fans and industry friends. And to do so, you need me to make some claims I never made and some "case" I never made. And I am supposed to drop everything and say, "Hell yeah, let's go to Nashville and be held out for all to see as a public example of songwriting suckage!"The thread disappeared or anyone could go read for themselves and see. But a lot of people read it, and they all know I never made the claims you seem to continue to think I did.Respecfully and with regret about what has transpired,Perrymy tunes are at www.perrysmith.com Perry, Perry, Perry....you know I think the world of you and your music, but Michael is bending over backwards to help the country songwriters, not humiliate us. I know it's scary to go to Nashville....personally, I'm terrified. I am a shy person and there are gonna be some really cool music biz people at this panel, and I'll admit it might be a little overwhelming for a shy person like me, but I'm going anyway. So you gotta go too, PLEASE?And you have to give Michael credit......how many people would go out of their way like this to help their customers? I wouldn't slap a good guy down.Don't make me have to call out Steve Gilbert after ya. Just kidding you really, but it would mean so much to all of us if you could come....I know it's hard to plan a trip from Cali to Nashville, but I hope you can make it.

[cameron]

Hey, just to get to meet all the country folks here on the forum is well worth it to me.Cam

[perrysmith]

Quote:I know it's scary to go to Nashville....personally, I'm terrified. I am a shy person and there are gonna be some really cool music biz people at this panel, and I'll admit it might be a little overwhelming for a shy person like me, but I'm going anyway. So you gotta go too, PLEASE?...And you have to give Michael credit......how many people would go out of their way like this to help their customers?Don't make me have to call out Steve Gilbert after ya. Well, Chits, I will say that "scared" or "shy" are a couple of things I have never been accused of I think some of the judges I have practiced in front of would attest to that. So, believe it or don't, it is not about that at all. I have played my songs face to face with significant industry players and paid for the opportunity to do so (Durango anyone?). I wished one of my songs would have been selected to be played at the Rally, which is why I submitted them. Not only do I not fear having songs played for big time players with me in the room -- I long for it!So, yes, it is great that Michael is doing this and not charging anyone for it (as far as I know). He has made this pretty personal with me, though, and made it pretty clear in his post above that he is trying to prove a point. However, it is a point with which I never disagreed, so proving it seems a bit futile to me.I am going to go. But I am under no illusions about what the point of this meeting is. And I also believe that the panelists are under no illusions about what the point of this meeting is and I think the point will be made again and again. My songs will be part of making the point. And so will yours. See you there.-Perry

[partyofone]

Michael,That sounds fantastic so count me in also! Also if I can help I would be glad to.Perry,Even if it seems a bit intimidating to go in front of some Nashville heavy-weights like that I think the insights you could glean might be powerful. Plus I heard one of your tunes I can see you're serious about this like the rest of us are.I'd say any potentially negative feedback will be a great opportunity so glad to hear you're coming!

[jchitty]

May 20, 2009, 3:10pm, cameron wrote:Hey, just to get to meet all the country folks here on the forum is well worth it to me.CamAgreed, Cam....can't wait to meet you guys!