July 2015
Guild Tidings
The official publication of
The International Songwriters Guild
Volume 20, No. 7
Next Meeting Sunday July 5th 5:00pm
The International Songwriter’s Guild meets at 5 PM on the first Sunday of every
month at the Central Florida Musician’s Union building, 3020 East Robinson (at the
extreme east end of Robinson, near Orlando Executive Airport) in Orlando.
Songwriters, composers, performers, publishers, and the curious are encouraged to
join us. Non-members are invited to attend a meeting or two to get a feel for our
group and what we do. For more information, visit our website at
www.tinyurl.com/isgsongs or myspace page at https://myspace.com/21075001
The meetings will be structured as follows: 5:00 to 5:30, business and
introductions. 5:30 to 6:00, presentation by a guest speaker (when scheduled),
5:30 or 6:00 to 8:00, song critiques. Please bring a CD or I-phone or mp3 player
or perform your song live, and bring 10 or more lyric sheets. If we have at least
5 songs by members who wish to be scored, and 6 members scoring, then we will have
them entered in the Monthly competition. Everyone is encouraged to write
constructive comments on the lyric sheets.
Any Details not in this newsletter are at: www.tinyurl.com/isgsongs
Lean On Me
by Jeff Mason
I was pleased to see Bill Withers being inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Already an inductee into the Songwriter’s Hall of Fame in 2005, Withers is a worthy recipient. In his acceptance speech, he came across as a no nonsense musical survivor. Hailed by presenter Stevie Wonder as a great songwriter; Wither’s impressed me with his wit and quiet dignity.
There is a timeless quality to his best songs. Wonder performed a beautiful version of “Ain’t No Sunshine” on a harpejji tapping instrument. This is really Bill’s signature song and won the Grammy for Best R&B Song in 1972. “It has made him wealthy. More than 250 artists have recorded a cover version and it has earned royalties from television adverts all over the world. “Ain’t No Sunshine” was originally released in July 1971 as the B-side of his debut single,”Harlem.” Fortunately, radio DJs flipped the disc and the song climbed to No 3 on the US chart and spent a total of 16 weeks in the top 40.”
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/music/rockandpopfeatures/7928784/Bill-Withers-interview.html
The idea for the song came after watching a movie “Days of Wine and Roses.” You may read more about his approach to songwriting in a 2004 interview.
http://www.songfacts.com/blog/interviews/bill_withers/
Withers comes from humble beginnings. He was born in 1938 in the small coal mining town of Slab Fork, West Virginia. At the age of 18 he enlisted in the United States Navy and served for nine years. After being discharged from the navy he pursued a career in the fickle music business. He showed his pragmatic nature by retaining his job as a factory assembler even after the release of “Ain’t No Sunshine.”
His debut album “Just As I Am” included “Ain’t No Sunshine” and was produced and arranged by the legendary Booker T. Jones. It, also, featured ace session men Donald “Duck” Dunn on bass and Al Jackson,Jr. on drums. Stephen Stills played guitar on the record and Booker T. played guitar and keyboards. It doesn’t get much better.
Another jewel in his catalog is the equally timeless “Lean On Me.” It won the Grammy for Best R&B Song in 1987. It was the first single from his second album “Still Bill” in1972. It peaked at No 1 in the US Billboard Hot 100 and returned to the same position in 1987 with a cover version by Club Nouveau.
Sting best explains Wither’s songwriting gifts, “The hardest thing in songwriting is to be simple and yet profound. And Bill seemed to understand, intrinsically and instinctively, how to do that.” That sentiment is echoed by Bill, “So to me, the biggest challenge in the world is to take anything that’s complicated and make it simple so it can be understood by the masses.” That’s really the dilemma for all songwriters.” Because simple is memorable. If something is too complicated, you’re not going to walk around humming it to yourself because it’s hard to remember.” That’s good advice and should be heeded.
There are other songs to consider, “Just the Two of Us” written by Bill Withers, Ralph MacDonald and William Salter and was recorded by Bill and Grover Washington Jr in1981. It won the Grammy for Best R&B Song of 1981. A favorite of mine is the 1972 funky “Use Me” with it’s repetitive bass line and complex percussion. At the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame show, John Legend impressed on vocals with that song.
You can find many internet articles about this veteran artist, including a documentary film from 2009 “Still Bill” available at Amazon. See you next month.
Here's a song challenge called the 50/90 challenge. To write 50 songs in 90 days. Are you ready for this? It starts July 4th and goes to Oct 1st..
http://fiftyninety.fawmers.org/
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 announced here? Members in good standing
call SusieCool with your appearance schedule! 407-760-2153
We are having a Performing Songwriter's night on August 21st.
We will be featuring Jeff Evans, Melanie Fisher and mellify (Matthew and Rebecca Campbell) and we will have a
songwriter's round featuring Dell Smith, SusieCool and Asli Goncer. This will be at the Sleeping Moon Cafe from 7 to 10pm.
They have some really great food and teas and they also serve beer and wine, so bring your appetites and your listening ears!!!
Sleeping moon is at 495 N Semoran Blvd Suite 1, Winter Park, Florida. I will post a flyer on our ISG facebook page soon,
and also on the Sleeping Moon facebook page. Please bring your friends.
If this goes well and we have a good audience then they will want to have us back!!
Also for anyone interested, Central Florida Folk hosts a song circle at the sleeping moon on the last Wednesday
of each month. 7 to 10pm. All are welcome. It is acoustic. Next one is this coming Wednesday June 24th
Current members please send us your website info if you would like your site to be
listed in the ISG members page. Also if you have any songs that have placed first
in the monthly critiques, please send the mp3's to isgorlando@gmail.com if you
would like to have them featured in the ISG MySpace page.
No critique scoring for June
New members always welcome!
© 2015 ISG