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Guild Tidings
The official publication of
The International Songwriters Guild
Volume 30, No. 01
January 2025
Live meetings are Cancelled due to CoronaVirus.
However, we will be having on-line Zoom meetings.
The next zoom feedback session will be
Sunday January 5th at 5pm.
We will also send details closer to the date, under a
separate e-mail, and an announcement on the Facebook group page.
please e-mail us at isgorlando@gmail.com if you have any questions
Hopefully we will soon be meeting in person again.
Please stay tuned for more info.
We are asking members to renew their dues for 2025. It costs only $5 per year,
and it helps us to defray costs for the zoom meetings.
We have 2 methods of payment.
Either paypal to our treasurer Asli Goncer's paypal account.
The paypal access is at aslivision@gmail.com
or you can mail a $5 check to: Asli Goncer
2849 Babylon Court
Oviedo, FL 32765
Either way, we appreciate your continued support.
Any Details not in this newsletter are at:
If you wish to join our Facebook group, please check us out at:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/831814850193553/
Swamp Fox
By Jackie Mason
Swamp Fox was a nickname given to singer/songwriter Tony Joe White. He was given this nickname because of his
Louisiana roots and the genre of his music which became known as Swamp Rock. Tony Joe passed away in 2018. I think
he had a good life. He left behind a fantastic catalog of songs. He was a great songwriter. It’s always a good thing to find
an artist with a fifty year track record. There are so many musical nuggets to be found. If you really delve deeper into the
artist you can figure out some of his process. I’ve been playing around with his first big song “Polk Salad Annie.” It’s a hot
bluesy mixture of hard rocking guitar and humorous story telling. “Chomp chomp!” Elvis Presley did a famous version of it.
Tony Joe has said the inspiration for the song came from Bobbie Gentry’s “Ode To Billy Joe.” He could relate to her story.” I
am Billy Joe, man, and I know that life.”
There’s another song I like and it’s called “Rainy Night In Georgia.” It became a big hit in 1970 for Brook Benton.
The writer of the following article calls it a “timeless classic.” I agree.
“Tony Joe White The Swamp Fox” by Michael Buffalo Smith. http://swampland.com/articles/view/title:tony_joe_white
I’ve started playing this song. It’s a tasty chord progression with a hint of jazz. I like Brook’s version but I also like Tony Joe’s version
At the height of his fame he had a revelation. He realized that he’d not been writing songs. He backed out of the business and
took some time to focus on his song writing.This was an important crossroad moment in his career. Tony’s process was to sit
by a campfire with an acoustic guitar and wait for a line to come and then another line. It’s a “laid back” approach to writing.
This term “laid back” comes up a lot when describing his style. His vocals are mixed lower than his guitar volume. It seems to
work. I think it forces the listener to focus on what’s being said. He’s good at creating a mood. It’s a swampy, seductive mood.
His approach to music is spiritual.
He wrote hits for Tina Turner. “Steamy Windows” is another kind of story. There’s a fine interview on YouTube where he describes
meeting Tina. It’s a funny story. “It started with a demo I had done in my studio here and a song that my wife and I had written called
“Undercover Agent For The Blues.” It has me and my guitar, bass, and drums. I may have put a tiny bit of organ on the back. It was
very simplistic. At that time Roger Davis was managing Tina and they were in LA. I heard that Mark Knopfler played it for her because
him and I had been friends for a long time so I had sent him a copy of it. Then Roger called me and said that Tina wanted to record
that song and that she wanted me to play guitar on it and wanted it to sound just like the old demo. Which was an old analog 16-track
with hissing and everything. (Laughs) But it sounded cool. So I flew out there and met Roger and we went over and saw Tina and she
was doing a commercial at Chevrolet, some car dealership thing, and we walked into her dressing room and she was getting her
make-up on. Roger and I were standing there and she looked at me and started rolling and laughing. She was just dying laughing
and couldn’t get her breath. I was standing there looking at the floor and just thought maybe my pants were unzipped or something,
you know? It was weird. She just couldn’t quit. Finally she walked over to give me a big hug and said that she was sorry for laughing but
that she thought ever since “Poke Salad Annie” that I was a black man. (Laughs). We hit it off from that minute like brothers and sisters”
Tony proves himself to be a skillful raconteur during this interview. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RxlpcjVlhts
I said at the beginning I think he had a good life. His songwriting had become the family business in which each member played a part.
He was a lucky man. Do yourself a favor and check him out.
So long from the swampy Song Motel.
WebChatter
by CyberToad
If you wish to copyright your songs through the
Library of Congress, here is what I have found recently.
Copyright Office Fees
– Fees in effect as of March 20, 2020
– For Licensing Division fees, request Circular 76
– All forms available at www.copyright.gov
Basic Registrations
Each registration must include properly completed
application form, nonrefundable filing fee, and
nonreturnable deposit.
It is recommended that you file online rather than paper.
Registrations online
$45 Single Application (single author, same claimant, one work, not for hire)
$65 Standard Application (all other filings)
$85 Group of unpublished works (online application only, up to 10 allowed)
Here is a link for details:
https://www.copyright.gov/about/fees.html
ISG Bulletin Board
Meeting space graciously provided by Central Florida Musicians Association,
Local 389. You are invited to join the largest union in the world, representing the
interests of the professional musician. Visit their website at afm389.org for more
information. You may reach them by phone at: 407-894-8666.
Why isn't your gig or live stream announced here?
Members in good standing call SusieCool with your appearance schedule!
407-760-2153 or e-mail her the details at isgorlando@gmail.com
If you are interested in open mics in the Central Florida area, SusieCool has compiled a list. Steve Hodak
hosts several newly listed open mics on the Florida East coast. Please call ahead before making any long trips.
https://sites.google.com/site/susiecoolsongs/Home/open-mic-directory-central-florida
SusieCool is the admin for a Facebook group called "Orlando Creative Music Network"
where we give out info on songwriter meetings, playing circles, open mics, workshops and concerts.
We have a Facebook page for this group if you want to join.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/274152179716552/
No Critique scores for December, since no live meeting.
New members and guests are always welcome!
© 2025 ISG