Bill's Blog

BILL BLOG Friday, August 7, 2026   And we’ve made it to Friday morning—a hot 91-degree day in Nashville is on tap.   YESTERDAY I had a great and very fun writing appointment with Belinda Smith yesterday at my publishing company. Belinda has had a LOT of her songs recorded in the gospel world, but she can write anything. Yesterday we tackled more of a “country” idea I brought with me.   This is one of the gospel songs Belinda wrote that Jeff and Sheri Easter recorded, “ Over and Over .”   In Nashville, most songwriters have another real job that helps pay the bill, since songwriter dollars with streaming and such have shrunk the earnings for anyone trying to make a living rhyming words and making up melodies. In Belinda’s case, she spent several years working in the Social Security office before moving over to the VA to work with veterans and helping them receive benefits, disability pay, etc. That led to a discussion about our veterans, and filling...

BILL BLOG Thursday, August 6, 2026   Thursday morning, a little bleary-eyed. We’re back in the heat again today, with a high of 91 expected in Nashville.    I was up late last night, so the Blog is being posted just a little later than normal this morning.     YESTERDAY What a magical night at the Bluebird Café for the 9 pm songwriter show Wil Nance , Mo Pitney, and Brady Seals .      The place was packed, as it always is with folks from far and wide, including a nice couple who made the trip from Alberta, Canada, just to come to the Bluebird Café. And I don’t think they went home disappointed.   Wil Nance kicked us off with the great song he helped write for George Strait, “ Where Have I Been All My Life, ” and also performed his smash hit, “She’s Everything for Brad Paisley .   Curb Recording Artist Mo Pitney sang “ Fiddle Around, ” which he wrote with Wil and a couple of great new tunes. Mo is one of the...

BILL BLOG Wednesday, August 5, 2026   Over the hump we try to go. It’s Wednesday. Warm today, with a high of 89 expected in Nashville.   YESTERDAY I wrote a fun “quirky” kind of song with Tim Stafford online yesterday. Something I had started, something he liked, something he polished and made better. True co-writing right there.     Tim has been the Bluegrass Songwriter of the Year in the past, and is up for that award again this year come October. You’re in pretty good writing hands when you’re in with a Songwriter of the Year winner, as well as being Best Guitar Player in that genre. Here’s an example of Tim’s guitar skills.     Always a pleasure writing with Tim.   PHONE HELL I spent way too much of my Monday trying to figure out my phone problems, because every app I touched wouldn't open. Guess what the phone folks told me? Yep. New phone time. I went from a 13 to a 17, but not without sitting for a long time transfe...