Music is the voice of the soul. Songwriters have the gift to write songs that hold truth, touch hearts, and capture the most beautiful and priceless parts of life. I couldn’t be more honored to share such an authentic and inspiring conversation with rising country music star, Colton James.

The quote for this episode is by Bob Dylan: “You don’t write a song to sit there on a page. You write it to sing it.” Colton and I chat about the gift of music, writing and singing from the heart, how Colton’s love for fishing and music are intertwined, songwriting inspiration and keeping title ideas secret, Colton’s latest singles, “I Miss America” and “Ring on Her Finger,” and more. I’m so grateful I got the opportunity to have Colton on the show, and I hope our conversation inspires you.

Are you enjoying Write on Track? Do you have a topic suggestion for an episode? Would you like to be a guest? Email me at [email protected]. Also, I’d love to connect with you. My official website is http://demimschwartz.com, and you can find me on Twitter at http://twitter.com/demimschwartz, Instagram at http://instagram.com/demimschwartz, and Facebook at http://facebook.com/demimschwartz.

Thank you so much for listening. Until next time, stay “write on track!”

Writing from a title is a fabulous songwriting technique. Having a title in mind when beginning the songwriting process opens many doors for the song to evolve into something unique, complex, and full of meaning. I’m delighted to welcome back Write on Track superstar, Madison Young, for a fun episode all about writing from a title. Madison and I begin by sharing why we love this technique and list various places titles can be found. Then, we demonstrate this technique live. Madison reads a poem, and we toss out song title ideas that stood out to us. After deciding on one to explore further, we break down the title using the recolorization tool, storyboard the song, and more. This episode is full of tips and tricks for writing from a title and a fantastic example of how this technique is used by songwriters every day. I hope you enjoy it, and I hope it inspires you to try this technique out when you write your next song.

Are you enjoying Write on Track? Do you have a topic suggestion for an episode? Would you like to be a guest? Email me at [email protected]. Also, I’d love to connect with you. My official website is http://demimschwartz.com, and you can find me on Twitter at http://twitter.com/demimschwartz, Instagram at http://instagram.com/demimschwartz, and Facebook at http://facebook.com/demimschwartz.

Thank you so much for listening. Until next time, stay “write on track!”

Sync licensing, or synchronization, is when music is used in TV, film, and other forms of visual media. Landing a sync placement can be huge for a songwriter or artist, and there’s so much that goes into this part of the music industry. I’m honored to welcome Shantell Ogden onto the show to chat all things sync licensing. We talk about the benefits of receiving a placement, deals and terminology to know in contracts, the way an artist’s brand can be tied to the media their song is being used for, the reality of pitching songs, the types of songs that are most suitable for sync, and more. Shantell and I had such an informative conversation that gives a glimpse into the sync world, and I hope you enjoy it.

Are you enjoying Write on Track? Do you have a topic suggestion for an episode? Would you like to be a guest? Email me at [email protected]. Also, I’d love to connect with you. My official website is http://demimschwartz.com, and you can find me on Twitter at http://twitter.com/demimschwartz, Instagram at http://instagram.com/demimschwartz, and Facebook at http://facebook.com/demimschwartz.

Thank you so much for listening. Until next time, stay “write on track!”

It’s time for the final Forte Face Off of Up the Scale. The outstanding contestants are Celine Ellis, Lou Mclean, and Sarah Louise. Which of them will come out on top and move on to the semi-finals? Listen to find out!

Celine, Lou, and Sarah all have incredible episodes of Write on Track, so be sure to catch up on those.

Thank you for tuning into the Forte Face Offs. I can’t wait for the semi-finals!

Are you enjoying Write on Track? Do you have a topic suggestion for an episode? Would you like to be a guest? Email me at [email protected]. Also, I’d love to connect with you. My official website is http://demimschwartz.com, and you can find me on Twitter at http://twitter.com/demimschwartz, Instagram at http://instagram.com/demimschwartz, and Facebook at http://facebook.com/demimschwartz.

Thank you so much for listening. Until next time, stay “write on track!”

As songwriters, we have opportunities to write for our own projects and other artists’ projects as well. Writing for other artists requires a unique set of skills and qualities, and this expands a songwriter’s horizon. I’m so excited to share a fabulous conversation with Chris Andreucci about writing for other artists.

The quote for this episode is by Tracy Chapman: “Songwriting is a very mysterious process. It feels like creating something from nothing. It’s something I don’t feel like I really control.” Chris and I talk about everything a songwriter needs to keep in mind when writing for other artists. We cover the magic of collaborations, why we prefer to primarily write for other artists, the challenges that come with writing for artists, exploring various genres, meeting other songwriters and artists as often as possible, qualities of a great collaborator, putting relationships first and making personal connections, the importance of trust, and much more. I love my chat with Chris, and I hope you enjoy it.

Are you enjoying Write on Track? Do you have a topic suggestion for an episode? Would you like to be a guest? Email me at [email protected]. Also, I’d love to connect with you. My official website is http://demimschwartz.com, and you can find me on Twitter at http://twitter.com/demimschwartz, Instagram at http://instagram.com/demimschwartz, and Facebook at http://facebook.com/demimschwartz.

Thank you so much for listening. Until next time, stay “write on track!”

For many of us, music is the most beautiful and special part of life. The world wouldn’t be the same without music, and as music listeners, we have so many magical experiences. I’m delighted to welcome one of my best friends, Jess Minneci, onto the show to chat about loving music as a listener.

The quote for this episode is by Robert Fripp: “Music is the wine that fills the cup of silence.” Jess and I explore all that goes into being a music listener. We talk about why music is special, music’s power to make memories resurface, going to concerts, storytelling and authenticity in songs, music as a coping mechanism, learning things about ourselves through our music preferences, and much more. I hope you enjoy our fun chat. It was a blast having Jess on the show!

Are you enjoying Write on Track? Do you have a topic suggestion for an episode? Would you like to be a guest? Email me at [email protected]. Also, I’d love to connect with you. My official website is http://demimschwartz.com, and you can find me on Twitter at http://twitter.com/demimschwartz, Instagram at http://instagram.com/demimschwartz, and Facebook at http://facebook.com/demimschwartz.

Thank you so much for listening. Until next time, stay “write on track!”

There are many stages in a music release from when a song idea is born to release day. I’m so excited to welcome Daniel Nesci back to the show to chat about “From DAW to Dawn.” We cover the songwriting process and how this varies for writers, creating demos and going to the studio, the collaboration of music production, cover art and other graphics for the release and promotion, choosing release dates and releasing singles before a full project, ordering CDs and other merchandise, the PR side with interviews, reviews, and other coverage, the importance of doing research, release day and beyond, and much more. Daniel and I had such an informative conversation that paints a clear picture of the journey of a music release and all that’s involved. I truly hope you enjoy it.

Are you enjoying Write on Track? Do you have a topic suggestion for an episode? Would you like to be a guest? Email me at [email protected]. Also, I’d love to connect with you. My official website is http://demimschwartz.com, and you can find me on Twitter at http://twitter.com/demimschwartz, Instagram at http://instagram.com/demimschwartz, and Facebook at http://facebook.com/demimschwartz.

Thank you so much for listening. Until next time, stay “write on track!”

Inspiration is beautiful and mysterious. As songwriters, we’re always getting inspired at unexpected times while also being mindful of what inspires us. The great outdoors is a source of inspiration for many creatives, including my fabulous guest, Tom Cary. I couldn’t be more excited to share an outstanding conversation with Tom all about inspiration and the great outdoors.

The quote for this episode is by Maxime Lagacé: “By discovering nature, you discover yourself.” Tom and I have a wonderful conversation that’s full of inspiration gems, nature magic, and more. We talk about the beauty of writing on piano, feeling inspired in nature, songwriting in the great outdoors, sensory language in songs, the magic of imperfections in songwriting, writing our special songs, inspiration and sleep science, the mystery of inspiration, Tom’s single, “I Can’t Breathe,” beautiful moments in the studio, and more. I can’t express how incredible my conversation with Tom is. I truly hope you enjoy it and that it opens your heart and mind to inspiration and nature.

Are you enjoying Write on Track? Do you have a topic suggestion for an episode? Would you like to be a guest? Email me at [email protected]. Also, I’d love to connect with you. My official website is http://demimschwartz.com, and you can find me on Twitter at http://twitter.com/demimschwartz, Instagram at http://instagram.com/demimschwartz, and Facebook at http://facebook.com/demimschwartz.

Thank you so much for listening. Until next time, stay “write on track!”

I’m delighted to share a stunning conversation with Chelsea Gilliland, who is the front-woman of Nashville rock group, CHLSY. During our conversation, we talk about the story behind how the band formed, the benefits and challenges of a formal education in songwriting, classical music, and the business, lessons learned in the music industry, being inspired by others through hosting a music show, CHLSY’s upcoming album, Quantum Entanglement, and more. I truly enjoyed having Chelsea on the show for such an honest chat, so I hope you love our conversation.

Are you enjoying Write on Track? Do you have a topic suggestion for an episode? Would you like to be a guest? Email me at [email protected]. Also, I’d love to connect with you. My official website is http://demimschwartz.com, and you can find me on Twitter at http://twitter.com/demimschwartz, Instagram at http://instagram.com/demimschwartz, and Facebook at http://facebook.com/demimschwartz.

Thank you so much for listening. Until next time, stay “write on track!”

I’m beyond excited to share a fun episode with Tom Kwiat from Live and Amplified all about hosting a music show. I’ve been on Tom’s show, so I wanted to have him on mine. During the conversation, we chat about favorite things about hosting a music show, what makes a show sustainable, the reality of hosting a live show, funny stories from recording, finding a balance between research and authenticity while preparing and talking with guests, hosting a diverse and inclusive show, and more. I loved having Tom on the show, so I hope you enjoy our conversation.

Are you enjoying Write on Track? Do you have a topic suggestion for an episode? Would you like to be a guest? Email me at [email protected]. Also, I’d love to connect with you. My official website is http://demimschwartz.com, and you can find me on Twitter at http://twitter.com/demimschwartz, Instagram at http://instagram.com/demimschwartz, and Facebook at http://facebook.com/demimschwartz.

Thank you so much for listening. Until next time, stay “write on track!”