I thought it might be usefull and cathartic to look back over this past year and celebrate those things that changed my life! I will have a separate post for each “Gratitude” so bookmark this and check back often to see where I am at in being grateful! They won’t be in chronological order but as I remember them!
However, the first I am grateful for is Madalyn McHugh’s recording of a song co-written with Greg Shields and Bobby Rennert called “THIS SIDE OF LOVE”! The song was written three years ago at a Tunesmith writer’s event.
It started with my recieving the weekly RowFax listing for January 12th of artists looking for songs for their CD projects. The listing read as:
“Madalyn McHugh/Creative Soul Records/Eric Copeland/January/City: Thompsons Station, TN/Pitch Preference: MP3/Contact: xxxxx@gmail.com Description: Upbeat pop Country; a la Carrie Underwood’s “All American Girl,” or Kellie Pickler’s “Best Days of Your Life.” The song needs to have an upbeat feel, and be a belter for an alto. The artist is 18, so the song must be reflective of that age; no bar songs, offensive lyrics, or honky tonk type things. The lyrics must be positive, and can also be about God as this is a Christian artist. We have all the other songs we need, so please only send songs that fit the song description above. No ballads or P&W please. The artist will be recording at a major Nashville studio with the some of the top session players and engineers in the business, so besides standard mechanical royalties, you will have an incredible version of your song. Please send an MP3 with lyrics”
If you notice, the listing states that “We have all the other songs we need…” in other words this was to be the final selected song!!
So, based on that the only logical song from the Arnybarn Music catalog was “This Side of Love” (TSOL)!! Well, I believe I heard back from Eric at Creative Soul Records the next day or the day after that! They loved the song and were going to record it! Though a co-write, I finally was going to be part of an official “Song Cut”!! – for more detail see my previous post at dream!
Madalyn then decided later to release TSOL as her first SINGLE off her CD, Stepping Stone!
So this wonderful song with it’s hopeful message is now being heard on the radio and in her concerts! I am so grateful for Madalyn’s talent in singing the song and those around her supporting that talent which now has made TSOL a major event in this year for me. Visit her website for more examples of her CD – the whole album is wonderful!
I will always be grateful for being a part of “THIS SIDE OF LOVE”!!!
Dave
A Songwriter's Journey 