BMI mourns the loss of singer/songwriter Keith Gattis, who passed away on April 23 at age 52. The Texas native was a renowned songwriter and guitarist whose melancholy voice, prolific guitar skills and poignant lyrics have left an indelible mark on Music City. Gattis began his career in Nashville in… Read more...
Story songs are essentially short stories set to music. Like short stories, effective story songs are tasked with conveying a great deal of information with a relatively small number of words. While many songs include elements of a story, the following components are almost always included in strong story songs:… Read more...
It would be hard to look at a list of current hit songs without noticing a trend: the growing use of featured artists. A featured artist is one who makes a guest appearance on another artist’s recording to create a collaboration. What’s the difference between a duet and a song… Read more...
I was recently asked how the tools and techniques I teach today differ from those I have taught in the past. Have I noticed any recent changes in successful songs and in the processes of writing them? I looked back over the thirty years that I have been teaching songwriting,… Read more...
BMI is saddened by the news that singer-songwriter Jamie O’Hara passed away yesterday. Highly decorated for the GRAMMY-winning megahit “Grandpa (Tell Me ‘Bout the Good Old Days),” which was recorded by The Judds in 1986, O’Hara was also the scribe behind Ronnie McDowell’s smashes “Wandering Eyes” and “Older Women.” Early… Read more...
BMI is proud to announce that our legendary songwriters, Hank Williams Jr., Marty Stuart and Dean Dillon, make up this year’s class of inductees into the Country Music Hall of Fame, bringing the total number of honorees to 142. Dean Dillon, who was named a BMI Icon in 2013, earns… Read more...
An avid roots musician, Logan Ledger was already immersed in music from other eras when he first picked up a guitar at age 12. Though a child of the 90’s in San Francisco, Ledger’s grandmother introduced him to the sounds of Elvis Presley, Roy Orbison and the timeless doo-wop records… Read more...
What do the songs in the list below have in common? “The Twelve Days of Christmas” (traditional) “Achy Breaky Heart” (recorded by Billy Ray Cyrus, written by Don Von Tress) Sting’s “If I Ever Lose My Faith” (written by Sting) Carrie Underwood’s “ Read more...
BMI partnered with the Michigan Restaurant Association (07/30) to provide the musical entertainment at their annual summer board retreat held at the Inn at Bay Harbor in Bay Harbor, MI. Hit BMI songwriter Kent Blazy performed for the group of Michigan hotel, bar and restaurant owners, playing songs he has… Read more...
BMI partnered with the outgoing Board Chair of the Ohio Restaurant Association to create a special day for his colleagues at White Castle during their annual company meeting held recently (6/21/18) in Nashville. Lending their expertise were award-winning BMI songwriters Greg Bates and George Ducas, who enthusiastically led a songwriting… Read more...
