Songwriting retreats are life changing for songwriters. They are incredible for improving the craft of songwriting, networking, collaborating, opening doors, and so much more. I’m beyond excited to welcome Allen Jones and Shanik Hughes onto the show to chat all about songwriting retreats.

The quote for this episode is by Andrea Stolpe: “This is where you can begin to create your tribe, your support system, and a community that will help you find the confidence to move towards your musical goals. There is a potential in every writer.” Allen, Shanik, and I met at Andrea’s Nashville songwriting retreat in November of 2021. The retreat was magical, and the three of us share everything a songwriter should know about attending a retreat. We discuss what songwriters should consider before going to a retreat, why retreats are important for improving the craft of songwriting, co-writing, the benefits of song critiques, the community aspect of retreats, and so much more. I loved sitting down with Allen and Shanik to talk all about songwriting retreats. There is so much valuable information and advice shared during our conversation, and I hope it inspires other songwriters to explore attending a retreat.

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!”

Songwriting is such a magical and intricate art that gives songwriters an infinite amount of opportunities to grow. When it comes to songwriting, there’s always something more to learn, and songwriting education comes in a variety of forms. I’m delighted to welcome Celine Ellis onto the show to chat all about the ways we can continue to educate ourselves about the craft of songwriting.

The quote for this episode is by Anthony J. D’Angelo: “Develop a passion for learning. If you do, you will never cease to grow.” Both Celine and I have a passion for learning, and we share many different ways songwriters can learn and grow. We talk about formal music education, songwriting courses, retreats, podcasts, songwriting challenges, books, and more. I absolutely loved chatting with Celine about songwriting education. Our conversation is both informative and lighthearted. We hope it inspires other songwriters to get out there and learn everything they can about the craft.

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 songwriters, our craft is a way for us to find beauty in the darkness. Writing songs allows us to process our emotions and what’s going on in our lives. Being able to turn our experiences into songs to share with the world is such a gift. I’m beyond excited to welcome Teri Bracken from Bronté Fall onto the show for such an honest conversation.

The quote for this episode is by Maya Angelou: “We delight in the beauty of the butterfly, but rarely admit the changes it has gone through to achieve that beauty.” Teri and I had so much fun chatting, and I’m so glad you get to hear our amazing conversation. We talk about how special songwriting is to us, especially when it comes to processing things we’re going through. The butterfly metaphor is so fitting because it represents who we are as songwriters and the changes we go through when we turn a dark and painful experience into a beautiful song. Teri takes me through her new EP, Winter, and her honesty is so inspiring. Hearing the stories behind the songs and the overall message of the project really opened my heart and mind, and I hope it does the same for you. This conversation is exactly what Write on Track is meant to be. It’s both fun and genuine, and I’m so honored I got to chat with Teri 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!”

One of the biggest challenges we face as songwriters is knowing when our songs are finished. There are different stages of the writing and recording processes that our songs move through. It’s important for us to remember that the goal is never perfection. Rather, we shoot for completion. Nothing is perfect, and especially because of how creative and subjective music is, we have to keep in mind that our songs won’t reach a level of perfection. As we grow as songwriters, we find ways to determine what our best songs are and know when they’re at a place where we can consider them to be finished. I’m beyond delighted to welcome Daniel Nesci onto the show to dive deep into perfection vs completion in songwriting.

The quote for this episode is by Edith Schaeffer: “People throw away what they could have by insisting on perfection, which they cannot have, and looking for it where they will never find it.” Daniel and I have such a phenomenal conversation. We talk about letting go of expectations, the importance of not comparing ourselves to other songwriters, setting songs aside for a while instead of completely throwing them away, why we are working on more than one song at a time, getting feedback on our songs, and so much more. We share fantastic insights and advice for knowing when songs are finished and ready to be taken to the next step. I loved chatting with Daniel. This conversation is fun, honest, and full of sparkling gems about songwriting.

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!”

Releasing a debut album is a surreal experience for every artist. It’s quite the journey, and so much goes into a debut album, from writing the songs to recording them and much more. I’m so excited to welcome Yana onto the show to chat all about making a debut album.

The quote for this episode is by Hector Bellerin: “It is just the start of your professional career and you have to handle it properly and realize that it is not always like that. There will be ups and downs. It is important that you keep humble, keep working hard, and see it as the first step on a long journey.” So much goes into creating a debut album, and Yana and I chat about it all. We talk about taking the first step to record an album, selecting the songs for the project, recording during a pandemic, the magical feeling when we hear our songs come to life in the studio and so much more.

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!”

Building a loyal audience is a rocky road that every artist has to walk. I couldn’t be more excited to welcome Creed Fisher onto the show for such an honest conversation. Creed has been on his journey for a while now, and he shares so much genuine truth and wisdom about what it takes to be an artist and build an audience.

The quote for this episode is by Bruce Springsteen: “Getting an audience is hard. Sustaining an audience is hard. It demands a consistency of thought, of purpose, and of action over a long period of time.” I’m so honored I got to chat with Creed. He really opens up in this conversation and paints a very real picture of how to build an audience. There have been struggles and golden moments, and all of the ups and downs got Creed to where he is now. I truly hope you enjoy hearing his story.

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!”

Podcasting has become extremely popular, especially over the past few years, and it’s definitely found a place in the music industry. Podcasts have opened the door to music and artist discovery, networking opportunities, new and creative ways for those in the industry to share their stories, and much more. I couldn’t be more delighted to welcome Sydney and Alex from the Little Known Tracks Podcast onto the show to chat all things podcasting in the music industry.

The quote for this episode is by Larry Roberts: “The Most surprising and rewarding thing about podcasting is the opportunity to work with so many tremendous individuals that I never would have met without a show.” Sydney, Alex, and I have a fabulous conversation about podcasting in the music industry. We talk about why we love hosting our shows, the role podcasts play in the music industry, all that is involved to host a podcast, things guests should know before being on a show, and so much more. This conversation is extremely informative, inspiring, and funny. Get ready to have your eyes opened to the podcasting world with lots of laughs along the way.

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 bring you a fun and inspiring conversation with the superstars of the outstanding outlaw country band, Nashvillains. I had the absolute honor of chatting with Brett Boyett, Troy Johnson, and Scott Lindsey all about their songwriting success with commercial country music and their transition into writing music for their band ahead of the release of their incredible album, Tumbling Down.

The quote for this episode is by Dustin Lynch: “I draw inspiration from anything and everybody and that’s what country music is to me… real life stories and real life emotions.” My conversation with Brett, Troy, and Scott is truly fantastic. They share so much songwriting wisdom, success stories from writing for country music stars, the difference between writing for other artists and writing for their band, the concept of Tumbling Down, lessons they’ve learned as songwriters in the music industry, and so much more. I had a blast talking to them, and this conversation is full of sparkling songwriting gems, amazing stories, and lots of laughs.

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 to put on your boots and grab your cowboy hat! I’m beyond excited to bring you a very special conversation all about country music with my good friend, Cody Murphy from Weekdays with Murph. The country music community is a beautiful family. The songwriters and artists always write and sing about the truth and continue to prove that storytelling is at the heart of the genre. Both Cody and I have a passion for country music, and it was so special getting to chat with him on the show.

The quote for this episode is by Faith Hill: “Country music is the people’s music. It just speaks about real life and about truth and it tells things how they really are.” Cody and I cover so much during our conversation. We talk about why we love country music so much, the artists that inspired us to listen to the genre, Nashville memories, blurring genre lines, equal play and representation in the country music industry, and more. This conversation is such an incredible one, and Cody and I hope you enjoy listening as much as we loved chatting.

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!”

Being honest is at the heart of songwriting. When we write and release music that is true and meaningful to us, that shines through and leads to an authentic connection with our listeners. It’s not always easy to be honest. In fact, it can be quite scary at times, but our songs sparkle when we’re honest. I couldn’t be more excited to bring you a fantastic conversation with Sarah Louise about songwriting and honesty.

The quote for this episode is by Calum Scott: “I had to be honest in my songwriting for it to be where it is, and it’s always scary wondering if anyone will connect with that.” The conversation Sarah and I had is the true definition of honesty. I loved getting the chance to talk to her about being honest in our own music and the true connection truthful music creates for both songwriters and listeners. As country songwriters, we truly believe in being authentic and writing music that is meaningful to us. This conversation has a little bit of everything. There are laughs and funny stories, and there are also moments that are much deeper and more vulnerable. Sarah and I hope the honesty we share is inspiring.

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!”