2012 Songwriters Weekend Recap

Last month, my husband David and I were lucky enough to attend the Switchback Songwriters Weekend.  Not only did we get the benefit of being part of such a rewarding weekend, but we got to spend it at the Four Mounds Inn in a secluded area off in its own little world near the Mississippi River.  Switchback fans, if you have not been there, I would strongly suggest you attend next year! It gets your juices going, and for those people that think they cannot write a song, you will find that you can do it! I have firsthand experience with that. I actually participated this year and came away with my own song called Butterflies and Flowers. 

The assignment was to 1) pick a movie you have seen quite recently that just stuck with you for some reason or another.  Well, I happen to love the movie My Cousin Vinnie.  2) Pick something that represents you. I picked butterflies and flowers:  butterflies because I like everything, and flowers because gardening is something I love to do! J  The ironic part of this whole story that no one from the weekend knows is that one other idea I had written down is the leather jacket that has just been calling my name at Starved Rock. I feel it represented me and would have fit into my song, but I ended up not including it.  I guess if I wanted to, I could try to rewrite it somehow.

Day 1

Being first time travelers to Dubuque, Iowa, David and I decided to take the scenic route to Apple River Canyon, and it was so beautiful! We may go camping there sometime in the fall. On Highway 20 to Galena we found a neat little restaurant in the business district called Dirty Gurt’s. I would give it four stars.  We would definitely go back there again.

Once we arrived in Dubuque, David and I decided to go off on our own and seek out the best dinner spot in the area. It was the Dubuque Star Brewery right on the Mississippi River.  Again, another great place to tell our friends about!  After dinner, we arrived at Four Mounds Inn where we enjoyed a wine and cheese reception with a “passing of the guitar” with the other guests.  This was intended as a way to get to know one another.  Each person played some type of song or was asked to sing whatever they wanted. 

Day 2

David woke up before I did and had already written three songs. I decided to go for a walk before breakfast, and it was so beautiful that morning. What a gorgeous sunrise it was! It is so beautiful around the Mississippi River this time of year. I ran into Kay Shelton, another musician attending the seminar.  We were talking about bird watching, and that got me thinking about writing another song and how to go about it. I have the idea but for now it is just a work in progress.  After breakfast, we all sat around the breakfast tables as we were given our assignments.  Then we were able to go off until noon and if we needed any help, we could ask any of the four songwriters who would be available for consultation.  I took full advantage of that once I wrote my first draft.  I showed Marty and he told me to talk to Scott who gave me a different perspective on how to write a song.  You have to end it somewhere and then write at least three pages of ideas because those are your foundation even if you do not use them.  You then have them for a song composition later. They will always be your ideas!  I felt as if everyone had a different idea for my song as I was going through this process.  I wanted my song to be about a gangster who had a soft side and asked for forgiveness because she liked butterflies and flowers, and in the end her friends had to make amends. 

Later that day we scheduled consultations with the songwriters. My time was with Marty and he had me take all my papers and put them in my room, and then he asked me what I wanted my song to be about in my own words. He asked me if I had written the top part of the song which would become my refrain about butterflies and flowers. Then the first verse had to be about me, the gangster in Riverside.  Then the second verse had to be about my peeps (refrain), and the third and final verse had to be about going to St. Mary’s to ask for forgiveness.  I even asked James for help and he put some words in there that really did not reflect my concept. I asked Brian if he would play it with me, and he said this did not sound right and not to come back to him until it was more my song. I had to work on that until it made sense in my own words so that I could sing it and feel comfortable. That is what writing a song is about. One thing I have learned is never to work with someone that is too close to you because that person may have a different way of thinking. This is not a bad thing -- it just sometimes does not work if you do not have the same thought process.

Day 3

I showed Marty my song and I told him I know that is not how to write a song. Marty asked how do you think you write a song?  I responded it is by writing with spaces in between as my husband does.  He said that everyone is different and that sometimes you have to take a step back from your partner, meaning David, because no one writes a song the same way as anyone else.  Then we were able to perfect our songs if we were not already done and we each performed in front of the group at 9 am. It was a round robin concert with no set order so everyone just volunteered to go and it was nice that way. It is really a rewarding and relaxing weekend as a whole, and I am glad I attended as a participant because it was a completely new experience for me. Thanks to everyone that made this weekend happen, especially Jan Hoag, our Booking Agent, who was on site to help with anything that came up. 

Being first timers in Dubuque, my husband David and I decided to go sightseeing at the Museum and Aquarium of Dubuque. We went into an actual steamboat that is a historical landmark. There is so much fascinating history in this area that we both decided we would have much more to see when we go back.

Well, it just makes me look forward to more traveling to Iowa, which brings me to my next subject, The Mayfly Dance “Dance” on June 22, 2012.  We want to fill the dance floor at TJ Hunters in Lansing, Iowa so let’s get those dancing shoes on and I hope to see you out there!  Then the day after the dance is the Mayfly Dance Cruise on the evening of June 23.  If you are interested, go to www.waygoodmusic.com for all the details. What a great way to travel down the river, listening to Switchback while looking at the beauty of nature!

You will also want to mark your calendar for September 8-9, 2012 when Switchback will debut the orchestral arrangement of “Falling Water River” at The Grand Opera House of Dubuque. Arranged and directed by Paul Hemmer, the music will be performed by the 30-piece Grand Pops Orchestra!

Best Regards,

Fan Club President of Switchback

Melissa A. Kotrba

Just Like Me

One of our favorite parts of The WayGood World is being invited to play Outreach Programs for students.  From the University of Texas in Tyler, where we played for 400 students, to a small linoleum-lined cafeteria workshop with 20 grade-schoolers in East Chain, Minnesota, we are always faced with a fresh challenge and quite often astonished to hear the best quips.

Our Outreach Program in Dubuque, Iowa has taken on marathon proportions at times.  One year we played for 9000 students in just 10 days.  The most recent jaunt to Dubuque was for two middle schools where we presented an after-school workshop on songwriting that we call "Why Did We Write That?".

We were working on a song as we drove the three hours to the school.  Usually Marty drives while Brian plays the mandolin and holds a pad of paper at the same time.  When we get a good start, Brian turns his cell phone's recorder on and we can lay down a rough idea.    This rough idea was what we shared with the students at Madison School.  We pulled out our instruments and played it for the students to see what they thought.  They liked the song. We had thus established our credentials as "cool" songwriters.

Brian asked why these ten kids chose this particular after-school activity.  One young girl with red hair said that she wanted to write a song for her dad as a birthday gift.  Another girl, who sported an Abercrombie shirt, would write songs but had a hard time remembering what she had written.  And a shy girl,  who never stopped doodling on her song pad, quietly told us she would randomly open a dictionary to find an interesting word and then begin writing a song.  Finally, the only boy, who was pretty reticent being in a room full of girls, revealed he was a multi-instrumentalist who loved writing melodies but just couldn't write lyrics.  We had our team.

So we voted on what type of song to write.  The girl's birthday gift was chosen as the best project. In five minutes we had important facts about dad listed on the chalkboard.  He was a first child of four and this daughter was also the first of four.  He was the only boy in the family and his daughter had one brother as well.  They shared the same date but different months, both being born in the fall.   When they would have a daddy-daughter outing, they loved bowling, sledding, and going to movies together.   Marty would write these ideas on the board with a marker.  Later he found out he used a non-erasable marker and we had to spend 10 minutes cleaning the board.

The red-haired girl wanted the song to resemble a slow version of "Happy Birthday," so the young multi-instrumentalist was called on to strum a melodic variation on the guitar.   It came out like a cross between "Frere Jacques" and Mendelssohn's "Wedding March." The students all got excited as the song started taking shape.  We all approved the melody and began to assemble the information on the board to develop the lyrics.  A working title was chosen: Just Like Me.

Abercrombie shirt enthusiastically waved her hand.  "How about we have her ask her dad for new clothes?"

"But it's his birthday," said the shy girl, glancing up from her doodling.

"I DO ask Dad for new clothes on his birthday," said the red-haired girl matter of factly.

"OK, OK," said Brian, "reality is good.  Let's run with that as part of the song."

At the end of the hour we completed "Just Like Me" with two verses, a chorus and even a bridge!  With our multi-instrumentalist on guitar, Brian on mandolin, and Marty on bass, we had a full band.  The entire group loudly joined in the singing, each kid feeling the pride of ownership that comes from crafting a work of art.

We recorded the song on the cell phones and the students took the lyrics home to share with their families.

Right before we were to leave, Abercrombie enthusiastically waved her hand.

"Can we sing 'Just Like Me' in a British or Australian accent?" she asked.

This April, we will have our second Annual Switchback Songwriter's weekend at Four Mounds Conference Center in Dubuque.  We are bringing in a guest songwriter, Kevin Gordon, to share his experiences with songwriting.  We also will have our resident songwriter, Scott Momenthy, on hand to help coach individuals.  More information is on our website.

Last year, we had writers and guests (yes, you can be a spectator) come from as far as western Kansas to participate in this weekend of relaxation and creativity.  There were beginners and seasoned performers mixing in the endeavor.

Like that red-haired girl from Madison School, who gave her dad a wonderful birthday gift, everyone has a chance to leave this weekend with a personal treasure of original music. We hope all of them will be as proud of them as the kids who wrote "Just Like Me."  And maybe they'll sing it in an Australian accent.

~ Brian and Marty

WayGoodMusic.com

And We Headed Off to Conjure and Write

The very first Switchback Songwriters Weekend was held at Four Mounds Inn near Dubuque on April 8 - 10. It was a great success and Marty and I found the weekend to be an invigorating and renewing experience. One of my oldest and dearest friends, Scott Momenthy, joined us. Scott and I have been friends since fifth grade. When we were in high school, he was way ahead in the songwriting game by producing his own LP. He was my inspiration. Since that time, Scott has continued to write and perform original songs and has become one of Marty's and my favorite songwriters with songs such as "Glorious Love." We were thrilled when, at the last minute, Scott was able to attend the Songwriters Weekend. When I asked him if he would be willing to share his weekend experience for this month's newsletter, he was happy to oblige.....

My name is Scott Momenthy. I have just returned from Switchback's first Songwriters Weekend. Now back in Chicago's bustling 'burbs, I reflect on a time spent among new friends atop high wooded bluffs of Dubuque, Iowa, overlooking the mighty Mississippi River.

It was tight quarters riding up in the Switchback van packed with musical gear. I wondered how Switchback could travel for years, packed like gumballs in the bottom of a kid's full pockets. Part of the secret quickly became clear as my driver Marty McCormack set me at ease with his easy laugh and homespun tales. Soon ordinary apprehensions faded as we passed by the historic river towns of Galena and Dubuque and through the stone gates of Four Mounds Inn. Cresting a hill, the enchanting mansion emerged from the winding wooded road, back-dropped by a soft uncertain sky which over the course of the weekend would shift blue and clear and at night fill periodically with magnificent stars.

One by one, our weekend companions arrived, found their rooms, and settled in for an evening snack and gentle mix-up. Slowly instruments were taken out, and we circled around the living room's fireplace. As the night settled outside, the room began to glow with songs from within. I have played in many circumstances, and yet I launched into my first song with nerves ajangling and fingers suddenly stupid. I wondered, as I set my guitar down shakily in conclusion, if anyone noticed that I had only an introductory verse. Round we went, each finding a voice. On one familiar tune, a chorus emerged with assistance, which is unique in my experience. An instrumentalist played and was joined vocally by two among us who quickly located the lyrics using our phones. Later in my cozy sleeping quarters, it occurred to me that compassion, courage, and good humor were the primary qualities which would define the nature and make possible the success of this first creative gathering.

From fields, cabins, and beds we gathered in the main dining hall for a wonderful breakfast of chilled fruit, fresh warm breads, and bacon and eggs. Full and at ease, we began our creative pursuit in earnest. Round the table one by one we offered response to a clever interview forwarded by our leader John D. Lamb, who has been conducting songwriting weekends for 16 years in Northern Michigan. Upon receiving our customized song assignments, we headed off to conjure and write. I began my note taking from a chair on a platform wedged into the bluff overlooking the river highway where I watched an entire train from engine to caboose stretching across the base of the bluff on the far bank. I followed the whistle until it faded into the sound of a moth flapping by my ear. A great circling eagle grew from a small spot in the sky, and I experienced a sense of space and perspective not possible back home. With such a fresh and dreamlike vista, imaginings quickly began to loosen and play in my mind. By lunch I was glad again for human voices.

In the afternoon, workshops were presented by Brian, Marty, and John. Brian introduced guitar techniques; Marty shared intimate tales of life on the road. John presented demonstrations of song form. I learned to view the neck of my guitar from a new perspective and play harmonics in familiar chord shapes. At one powerful moment in Brian's guitar presentation, he paused, eyes flashing electric blue, one hand suspended above his guitar, the other hand dangling from his raised arm, and index finger loosely raised as though to point toward something beyond the room walls. Leveling that distant gaze on his close listeners, he began to speak, almost somberly, of commitment. He confessed that, though knowledge and skill are cumulative, every performance remains a challenge. He spoke of incessant preparation to focus, express, and convey the inspiration and musicality of his songs. Unlike paintings and other art objects, songs are not stable. No matter how wonderful in conception, a song must be reformed and born again in the imaginations of each new listener.

I spent the rest of the afternoon sunbathing on the lawn, walking in the woods, and conversing with some of my more disciplined companions who had finished early. The staff was available for consultations. I was hung up on a precious line and melody which were going nowhere. By counseling with Marty, I was able to let it go and pull together my song shards. Later that evening after a wonderful family style supper, torches were lit to form a backyard stage. Sitting low and deep in wood-slatted, flat-armed chairs, with a gentle breeze bending the flames and lifting Marty's long locks, we were treated to an intimate musical performance by our hosts, amplified only by the beauty of Four Mounds Inn.

I won't soon forget our final morning together. We gathered in our many colors, not unlike the multitude of birds which found refuge in the Four Mounds feeders, each with an individual pace, color and call. In turn, we took a place at the head of the cleared breakfast table, bravely presenting our songs. Though performance abilities were fresh, the thoughtfulness of our creations was clear. As I listened to the songs of my friends, it occurred to me wonderfully that songwriting is akin to pioneering, and there is a direction on my compass which points inward where compassion, courage, and good humor are the primary qualities of a successful journey. These I discovered in abundance among new friends at Switchback's first Songwriters Weekend. My heartfelt thanks to the staff at Four Mounds Inn; Jan, our unshakable Switchback volunteer; John D. Lamb for his wisdom, skill, and good nature; and Switchback for an intimate welcome into their rare and valuable musical lives.

~ Scott Momenthy

A note from Brian and Marty: The Switchback Songwriters Weekend will be held again next April. Watch our website and newsletter for details! A big thank you to Scott for writing about this year's weekend.

http://www.waygoodmusic.com/

All About the Song

Brian and I just came back from a road trip that took us to the Hey Hey Club in Columbus. Our Ohio fans are just fantastic! They brought out a lot of new folks to catch our show and really showered us with support and enthusiasm. We also had fans there who had traveled from Virginia, Wisconsin, and New York, which is always an honor. Soupbone came up from Cincinnati along with his wife Monica. Both Soup and Monica are blind, and they always manage to make the trek with no problem while the rest of us are counting on our GPS systems. Their arrival is a sign that the show is going to be a wild one. Soupbone once again brought the house down by playing brushes on an old whiskey barrel right at the foot of the stage. We stuck a microphone into the side of the barrel, and it was amazing to hear a full trap sound coming from a barrel under Soup's skillful hands.

One fan saw our flier for the Songwriters Weekend that is taking place next month. "But I don't write songs," she said. "I shouldn't go." "I bet you do," I replied, "but you just aren't aware of the songs you've written. You definitely should come to the weekend."

It would be wonderful if everyone could make it to the Songwriters Weekend. Why? My belief is that we all write songs. Each of us has some sort of soundtrack running through our minds, a personal radio station that plays some familiar songs, but surprisingly a lot of original material too. Being a songwriter is just taking those songs to the next level and perhaps preparing them to be shared with the world. It is a special opportunity to be able to spend time with fellow songwriters, even those who don't realize that's what they already are.

Why is it so important? Songs, more than poetry, books, movies or stories, are all about our daily, personal lives. They resonate with what we are doing, how we are feeling, and how we relate to each other. Sure, you can get 50 people in a room to read together from a book, or perhaps recite a poem. But 50 people sharing a song, singing a song, is a true connection, something that we don't have with Facebook or Twitter.

Songs can be funny to help lighten a situation. Songs can inspire people to great achievements. They can also correct injustices. In ancient Ireland, the bard who was slighted by a chieftain would sit outside the keep and compose a scathing song about the slight he endured. So powerful were the words that the people could lose trust in the chieftain. Such a humiliation was so feared that any chief would treat a traveling musician with great respect. The songs of the civil rights movement are a great example of the power of music to change the world.

When I was about five years old, I wrote my first song, Tallcorn Moose. I had been to Wyoming and had seen a moose and immediately fell in love with the animal. I created a story about a moose that was "faster than a motorcycle, plane, train, car, bus, or rocket." I would go around my house singing this for my family. Perhaps this is why my brothers staked me out in the backyard spread-eagled with croquet wickets. Thank God my songwriting has improved a bit.

I also wrote songs to show how I was feeling. When we moved to Woodstock and I hit my awkward teens, I would make up horrible love songs and sing them underneath an oak tree for a herd of cows that bordered our farm. They weren't that impressed. Thank God my audience has changed, too.

Songs can help heal. When Brian and I travel to Alzheimer units and play our songs for the residents, even the person hardest to reach smiles and breaks into song, especially when we play an old number that might jog a childhood memory. For a moment, sunshine comes through the clouds and that lost person is found.

Songs can connect generations and preserve history. It is amazing how Irish ballads written centuries ago are still played with as much passion as when they were first introduced. One of the most exciting parts of playing Celtic music is being connected to an ancient lineage where people wrote songs to express themselves. The songwriter is long gone, but the song remains and still resonates. That is powerful magic.

But the most important part of songs is the transcendent ability they have to unite on a level that is beyond our daily lives. It is a shared sense of being in the moment with each other, a truly spiritual quality. After 9/11 when the House of Representatives gathered out on the stairs of the Capitol, they sang "God Bless America," a simple song that truly touched the range of emotions that were experienced that day. Perhaps we need them to sing every day?

Getting in touch with your songwriter can be a deeply satisfying experience. You are exploring the essence of who you are and how you see the world. Hearing it in song, even if sung to yourself, is satisfying to the soul. The reward is that much sweeter when it is acknowledged by others. As I said to the audience at the Hey Hey, "Without you here, this show would have been---boring."

So yes, I am encouraging you all to come join us for the Songwriter's Weekend. I also am extremely humbled when people can relate to my songs. Even Tallcorn Moose.

~Marty

Songwriters Weekend April 8-10, 2011

http://www.waygoodmusic.com/

Write on about songwriting!

Switchback is offering its first songwriters weekend to take place April 8-10 at Four Mounds Inn, Dubuque, Iowa. The spring seminar will feature noted songwriter and leader of Lamb's Retreat Songwriting Weekends, John Lamb.

"So far the biggest question we have received is whether one has to be a songwriter to attend," says Marty. "Not at all! The main reason for the weekend is to offer a place where people can learn about songwriting and hone their songwriting skills. So we are hoping to get all ages and all skills from novice to professional."

Brian and Marty are very excited about John Lamb as their first guest songwriter. Lamb has been a professional musician for over 25 years. His retreats have brought in some of the most talented songwriters on the music scene today and allowed them to work one on one with people. At the same time, these professionals are also given the challenge to write a song over the weekend. Everyone collaborates and the result is a great time with an emphasis on enjoyment.

"John has made his weekends fun," says Brian. "He assigns each person a topic that he creates for the weekend. From there, the songwriter has to work in groups, with one of the songwriters and of course on their own to create their work. If they like, then it is played for everyone toward the end of the weekend. It's a no pressure, laid back situation which has everyone learning something about songwriting. We brought him to our weekend to make sure that we have the same sort of good time."

The Four Mounds Inn as a setting will certainly help with any necessary inspiration. Situated on a bluff overlooking the Mississippi River, it is a Dubuque Landmark Site, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is a Silos and Smokestacks National Heritage Area affiliate site. The estate consists of nearly 60 acres of bluffs and boasts cultured grounds, historic gardens, woodlands, prairie and rare oak savanna. The site is focused around the historic Grey House, a 1908 Arts & Crafts styled mansion designed by the Chicago architect Lawrence Buck. The cultured grounds were planned out by Chicago landscape architect A. Phelps Wyman.

The staff will offer fantastic prepared meals and accommodations are available at the historic Inn grounds for those outside of the Dubuque area.

"We hope to get about 20 people to sign up as well as some sponsors so that we can make this an annual event," says Marty. "There isn't a songwriting opportunity such as this in central Midwest. We would love to draw people to write at a wonderful place during a wonderful time of the year."

Information and reservations at http://www.waygoodmusic.com/