Our Live Guitar Lessons continue to grow and we are able to attract more and more notable names as guests each month to dispense their guitar knowledge to us and you. If you joined us on October 11, you were able to see and chat with me and Bryan White as we discussed songwriting and guitar (watch the recording). Bryan brought quite the resume, which includes a Grammy, 2 Gold albums, 2 Platinum albums, 6 number 1 hits, and a little ditty he did with Shania Twain "From This Moment On", with him to the humble set of Live Lessons. He downloaded a wealth of songwriting information for guitarists and I've distilled the hour-plus lesson down to Bryan White's Top 20 Songwiting Tips:

1.  Songwriting takes different approaches: an idea, a title, a portion of a chorus is the catalyst for the song, other times it may be a musical idea triggered by an open tuning or new chords.

2.  Stay disciplined: A song may start with a flash of inspiration but discipline is what gets the song written.

3. Point back to the main idea: The individual phrases of the song need to point back to the main idea of the song – every part of the song needs to point back to the main idea.
4. Keep people wanting more: don’t give away too much before the first chorus.
5. It helps to work with others. People you feel comfortable with where no one is worried about what the other person thinks.
6. Dare to suck: my personal favorite!
7. Force yourself to write: It is good to occasionally force yourself to write and be creative even when you don’t feel inspired. Putting yourself under some constraints helps you to be disciplined about your writing and the process of writing.
8. There needs to be a cadence to the rhyme scheme of the choruses or other parts of the song.
9. Start by writing out your thoughts: At the beginning stages of the song sometimes it helps to just write out a “stream of consciousness” of random, unedited, free-flowing thoughts about what is on your heart, or whatever is bothering you about the world, or perhaps a relationship – writing exactly what you are thinking. Then take those pages filled with thoughts and put them away for a couple of days and then come back to them.
10. Answer these questions when writing a song: What are you trying to say? Who are you trying to say it to? Why would anybody want to hear what you’re saying?
11. Co-writiers can be a big help: When you get stuck creatively, a co-writer can help give you a different perspective or give you the key to unlock the stuck part of the song to get you moving again.
12. Hum or sing while writing: Singing melodies or “dum-dum” lines before the lyrics are done can help solidify the melody.
13. Know your creative times: we all have certain times of the day or week when we’re most creative. Know these times well and use them.
14. Be goofy: When writing have fun, be free, do something goofy to keep creative and loose.
15. Know what inspires you: Like #13, surround yourself with the things that make you creatively come alive.
16. NSAI: Nashville Songwriters Association International is a great place to submit your material.
17. Songwriting is tough work: keep at it. Like learning guitar, it takes hard, consistent work to produce great songs.
18. Think of a song as a short story: often we think in stories and it can help to write the same way.
19. Don’t try to impress others: songwriting is about your individuality more than anything else.
20. Find out what the best style is for you: listen to the songs and writers that inspire you & learn from them.

Courtesy of Gibson's Learn & Master Guitar Blog with Steve Krenz

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Music Industry News Network

October 20th, 2011

PLA Media, one of Music Row’s longest standing publicity and marketing firms, is delighted to be working with platinum-selling country music singer/songwriter Bryan White for the second year on his annual Christmas tour. This tour will promote his third holiday album, which will be available soon. “Last year was Bryan’s first Christmas tour and it was so successful,we decided to make it an annual event,” says manager Sharon Eaves. “We appreciate PLA Media being back on our team to promote this tour.”

Bryan White is heading home for the holidays and will be kicking off his 2nd annual Christmas tour Friday, December 2nd in Lawton, Oklahoma and will make stops in Stillwater, Durant, Oklahoma City, and more. This show is sure to spice up the season with a special blend of yuletide favorites—plus, a sprinkling of his greatest hits including Rebecca Lynn, So Much For Pretending, Someone Else’s Star, Sittin’ On Go, among others and songs from his current album, Dustbowl Dreams.

This Oklahoma native began playing drums when he was 5 and after high school, he packed up his guitar, drum sticks, angst, dreams, five hundred dollars and headed to Nashville to pursue a career in country music. The move proved to be beneficial when he was signed to Asylum Records when he was only 20 years old. Since then, he charted six number one singles, eight Top 40 singles, two platinum records, one gold record, joined forces with Shania Twain and together they took From This Moment On all the way up to #4 on Billboard's Hot 100 Chart. He has also garnered several awards, including a Grammy, a CMA Horizon Award, and an ACM New Male Vocalist award.

Tickets for “A Bryan White Christmas” are available at: www.ticketstorm.com. There will also be a non-perishable food drive taking place at each stop along his tour to help those in need thisholiday season.

Ticket prices are $15 in advance (general admission)
and $20 at the door. Children 6-12 years are $5 and kids under 5 are
free. For more information, please visit: www.bryanwhite.com.

 

2011 “A Bryan White Christmas”
(Dates, markets and venues are subject to change without notice)

Friday, Dec. 2nd (LAWTON, OK)
Cameron University Theatre @7pm

Saturday, Dec. 3rd (OKLAHOMA CITY, OK)
ACM & UCO Performance Lab @7pm

Sunday, Dec. 4th (DURANT, OK)
Durant Middle School Auditorium @3pm matinee

Friday, Dec. 9th (STILLWATER, OK)
City of Stillwater Community Center - Winfrey Houston Theater
@7:30pm

Thursday, Dec. 15th (ENID, OK)
Gaslight Theatre @7pm

Friday, Dec. 16th (WOODWARD, OK)
Woodward Arts Theatre @7pm

Opening for Bryan is Inspirational Country Music Award-Winner Steve
Richard (www.steverichardmusic.com)

As an award-winning, full service/boutique marketing and public
relations agency in Nashville, Tennessee, PLA Media was founded in
1985 by business-marketing guru Pam Lewis. With 20 years plus of
PR/Marketing experience, Pam has an extensive background in
corporate and entertainment marketing, publicity, management and
consulting. Visit www.plamedia.com for more information.

Centre Stage Events Management in New Zealand are proud to announce the inclusion of US Grammy Winner and star, Bryan White, on their inaugural music shows in New Zealand next month.

The All Star Show will appear in Napier and Gisborne in New Zealand on 30/31 October and 1 November. “The cast of some of New Zealand’s best-loved and award-winning performers will ensure a professional and fun-filled show, and the inclusion of Bryan in the line-up is exciting for everyone involved here. We are very much looking forward to introducing him to more New Zealand audiences” said Rodger McCutcheon.

White was in New Zealand briefly in August to present an award at the Kiwi Pro-Am Awards in Country music, and performed a short show while in the country. He then went on to appear at the Gympie Festival in Australia, where his CD “Dustbowl Dreams” was launched.

“We expect to get a lot of interest in Bryan’s performances in New Zealand, and hope to help him launch that CD here also” said McCutcheon. “Of the many CD’s I have listened to this year, “Dustbowl Dreams” in my opinion, is one which should be in everyone’s collection.”

New Zealand performers on the show are Eddie Low, Gray Bartlett, Brendan Dugan, Lynne Toner and David Shanhun, all award winning performers in their own right, with both Bartlett and Low being recipients of Queen’s honours for services to music.  Click here to view Bryan's dates in New Zealand. 

 

A review of Bryan White's latest album 'Dustbowl Dreams,' featuring 'Erika's Song,' 'When You Come Around' and a 'Hands of Time' duet with Steve Wariner. Country singer Bryan White’s latest studio album Dustbowl Dreams was released on September 28, 2009. He co-wrote eight of the album’s ten tracks.

Read more at Suite101: Bryan White Album Review: 'Dustbowl Dreams' | Suite101.com http://markospapadatos.suite101.com/bryan-white-album-review-dustbowl-dreams-a388733#ixzz1XxePpc2z

Bryan helped George Jones celebrate his 80th Birthday in Nashville this past Tuesday night!

On September 9, 2011, Suite101 interview with country singer Bryan White about his career in country music and latest record Dustbowl Dreams. In addition to his many hits on country radio, White is known for From This Moment On, a popular duet with country-pop mega-star Shania Twain.