Creator Profile Avatar for American Songwriter News
American Songwriter News
Creator Profile Avatar for American Songwriter News

American Songwriter News

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American Songwriter is an American bimonthly magazine covering songwriting. Established in 1984, it features interviews, songwriting tips, news, reviews and lyric contest. The magazine is based in Nashville, Tennessee.
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Getting a chance to take the stage at the Grand Ole Opry was a dream for any artist looking to leave their mark in country music. Besides being a historic venue, the spotlight landed on numerous singers who went on to shape not just country music but the entire industry. But what was meant to be a moment of celebration for Stella Lefty quickly turned into a verbal attack as some lashed out over her supposedly not earning the invite. Dampening her major milestone, Kelsea Ballerini pushed back on the narrative, supporting her fellow singer. When the Opry shared a video of Lefty backstage, the venue had no idea the backlash it would receive. The video didn’t just show the singer lounging around. Instead, she performed her hit song “Boston” with two fans from St. Jude. Together, they cruised through the lyrics while soaking in the atmosphere around them. Again, what was nothing short of a wholesome moment turned into an attack. But Ballerini wasn’t about to let the negativity win as sh

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1 hr

For Reba McEntire, she will always remember season 25 of The Voice. Having coached on numerous seasons, nothing compared to when she welcomed Asher HaVon to her team. It was that single decision that landed Reba her first win on the show. And proving her dominance, the runner-up, Josh Sanders, was also a member of her team. While HaVon expanded his career past the show, it seemed that Sanders found himself in some legal trouble when he was arrested for outstanding warrants. Although Sanders hoped to capitalize on his time on The Voice, the country singer has battled some struggles. Back in January, the singer and his wife, Kendra, decided to split. Their divorce led to a custody battle regarding their three children. Finding himself in court, the singer was booked into the Cabarrus County Jail in North Carolina. According to reports, Sanders was taken into custody for “outstanding warrants tied to traffic violations and a charge alleging he obstructed a police officer.” Adding anot

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2 hr

Switching singers is generally a tricky move for bands to make. This is especially true when the band has just established itself as a force to watch. Jefferson Airplane had been able to do just that following their debut album in 1966. But they had no choice but to make a change when an original singer decided not to continue. The replacement, Grace Slick, filled the gap with aplomb. And she also brought two songs from her former band with her to establish the Airplane on pop radio. Considering they’d develop a reputation as a band that would take on many incarnations over their long history, it made sense that Jefferson Airplane, even at the very beginning of their career, endured many lineup changes. That didn’t stop them from becoming leading lights of the San Francisco rock scene in the mid-60s. Their debut album, Jefferson Airplane Takes Off, arrived in 1966 to critical acclaim but very little notice from the pop mainstream. On that record, guitarist Marty Balin took lead voca

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When The Doors hit the music scene like a sledgehammer in the mid-60s, Jim Morrison’s charismatic presence often made the first impression. The fact that Morrison’s poetic tendencies drove much of the songwriting only enhanced his status as the frontman. For those reasons, many people likely thought that the group’s first smash hit was a Morrison creation. Instead, it was a true team effort, with Morrison only adding a little bit to the songwriting foundation constructed by one of his bandmates. The Doors created quite a sensation when they began playing clubs in Los Angeles in 1965 and ’66. Most of the songs that they played at the time derived directly from Morrison’s poetry. From there, Ray Manzarek, the band’s keyboardist, would create chords for the band to play behind Morrison. But Morrison wisely realized that it would be a difficult burden for him to be the font for all the band’s material. One fateful day in 1966, he told the other three members of the band (Manzarek, guit

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3 hr

Currently on their Power Up tour, AC/DC spent the last few years entertaining fans all over the world. Throughout their concert, the band offered fans a plethora of hit songs like “Back in Black,” “Thunderstruck,” and “Shoot to Thrill.” Having already performed in Brazil, Chile, Argentina, and Mexico, the famed rock band hoped to take the stage in Toronto for an unforgettable evening. But sadly, that concert might not happen after a major storm ripped through Rogers Stadium. For now, AC/DC is still set to take over the city in a few weeks. But according to a statement from Live Nation, the concert might not happen due to safety concerns. “As a result of yesterday’s extreme weather, Rogers Stadium sustained significant damage. As always, the safety of our employees and on-site contractors is our top priority. Fortunately, no one was injured during the extreme weather event. We are currently assessing the extent of the damage and will provide further information as it becomes available

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3 hr

In 1969, the Steve Miller Band released Brave New World. Their third studio album, the record includes “My Dark Hour”, a song written by Miller. Paul McCartney became part of the track, thanks to an argument McCartney had with The Beatles. At the time that Brave New World was released, The Beatles were coming to an end. Surprisingly, an argument between McCartney and fellow band members John Lennon, Ringo Starr, and George Harrison led to McCartney being part of “My Dark Hour”. The Steve Miller Band was at the same studio as The Beatles, who were arguing over who their financial manager was going to be. The three remaining members left the studio. “There was a big argument, and they all went, leaving me at the studio. Steve Miller happened to be around. ‘Hi, how you doing? Is the studio free?’” McCartney remembers Miller asking. “I said, ‘Well, it looks like it is now, mate.’ He said, ‘Mind if I use it?’ So I ended up drumming on a track of his that night. It was called ‘My Dark Ho

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4 hr

In 1996, George Strait released “Blue Clear Sky”. The song, written by John Jarrard, Mark D. Sanders, and Bob DiPiero, is the title track of Strait’s sixteenth studio album. A twist on “clear blue sky”, the more common phrasing, “Blue Clear Sky” says, “Here she comes a walkin’ talkin’ true love / Sayin’ I been lookin’ for you love / Surprise your new love has arrived / Out of the blue clear sky.” According to DiPiero, country music fans have a Tom Hanks movie to thank for the clever wording. “This song got written because I went to see the movie Forrest Gump,” DiPiero tells The Boot. “In the movie, Forrest talks about, ‘Life is like a box of chocolates.’ And also, he was talking about his girlfriend, Jenny, and how she would come and go out of his life. At one point, he says, ‘And out of the blue clear sky, Jenny came back.’ And I was listening, thinking, ‘Hey! It’s clear blue sky, it’s not blue clear sky!’ Just that little turn of phrase stuck in my head.” Strait loved the uptempo

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4 hr

From her humble beginnings in Nashville, Taylor Swift used her talents to become one of the biggest stars in the world. No matter if she released a new song, shared a new picture, or dropped an announcement, the singer was sure to make headlines. And with her global fanbase of Swifties behind her, the singer was nothing short of a cultural icon. But while her fame took her far beyond that little girl with a dream, she never forgot about the genre that launched her career. While thrilled over what she created, Swift recently admitted to growing a deeper love for country music. Taking part in an interview with the Grammy Museum, Swift discussed her changing career with Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason Jr. Although the singer understood the importance of growth, with age came clarity. Able to look into the past with a different lens, it seemed that Swift had a deeper appreciation for what country music taught her. “I’ve loved — and I think this can happen as you grow up — my country r

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5 hr

Tim McGraw took a tumble on stage, and one fan wants credit for catching a video of the moment. During his Cincinnati concert, the country singer slipped while standing on top of a speaker and fell to the floor. Of course, the moment went viral online, with attendee Sheena Wethington posting one clip that racked up more than 360,000 views. In a follow-up post, Wethington alleged that McGraw’s camp used her video on the singer’s own account without giving her credit for capturing it. “Tim McGraw stole my video. Well, maybe not him specifically, but someone in his team,” she claimed. “… You’ve probably seen the video of him falling. It probably was my video.” “When I posted that video, I did a clip at the beginning of him falling and used the popular sound, ‘Yep, that’s me. You’re probably wondering how I ended up in this situation,’” Wethington continued. “I then proceeded to have a video of what led up to him falling.” While many people reposted her video, Wethington said that t

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6 hr