Sing

[Merriam-Webster dictionary definition of “singer”: one who sings. Well, DUH!]

When I started this blog a few months ago, I figured I would focus my lens primarily on the art/craft of songwriting. I call myself a singer-songwriter. In this blog, I write considerably about songwriting stuff but what about the “singer” half of the equation?

I confess I never really envisioned publicizing myself as a singer. When I was a young hatchling, I dreamed of writing songs for others to sing. In my naiveté, I thought I could sit in my room, write songs, record them, and send them off to a music publisher for someone else to sing. Right?

A-hem. Wrong.

That just doesn’t happen, folks. Really didn’t happen much back then either, and of course, the whole popular-music music scene has changed drastically since my youth. Yes, of course, there are those very lucky songwriters who manage to claw their way into the “industry” and become staff writers for publishing companies (e.g., those based in Nashville). But that’s not the experience of most songwriters.

Truth is, if you want people to know your songs, you - the songwriter - have to sing them yourself (unless you have an über-talented friend who will gleefully sing them for you!). And thus, you have now become a singer-songwriter, whether you intended to be one or not!

Both aspects of this avocation are challenging for me. If you’ve been following this blog, you’ll recollect that I have confessed how daunted I am by lyric-writing. And singing? Well, that’s something else.

I practically grew up in choruses. At almost every level of my schooling, including up to and after college, I was in some sort of chorus most of the time (alto, BTW, in case you were wondering). I have sung oratorios, operas, show tunes - you name it - all in the company and camaraderie of other singers. Which is a wonderful thing! Not only can you share the love of music with 80 to 100 like-minded souls, but they also can cover your singing flubs pretty efficiently.

Pity the solo singer-songwriter. All alone. Mistakes laid bare like blisters. Ouch.

BUT, as noted above, being a singer-songwriter is the best way to get those hard-fought songs you wrote in front of people. And as a now-experienced singer-songwriter, let me give any of you newbies out there a bit of advice: be observant. Watch your audience. Listen to their reactions. Did they positively gasp when you hit that soaring note in the chorus? Did they get up to get another beer during verse two? Was there stunned silence then uproarious applause when you finished the song? Or polite golf-clapping? Read the room. You will learn a lot and become a better songwriter - and singer.

If you’re a great singer with dulcimer tones, good for you! If you’re a so-so singer, like myself, make it all about the performance and the song.

And if you think your own lackluster voice will hinder you as a songwriter, just listen a bit to recordings by the legendary Bob Dylan (Sorry, man. No disrespect intended.)