THIS PAGE WAS LAST UPDATED
ON 1/31/98
The Green Pages
February was obviously a short month, but it is amazing how incredibly productive it was. I think the main reason was that I read a very motivational book called "Creative Visualization". This book is a blueprint for turning dreams into reality. I am not implying that I have achieved all that I will ever want, but I feel like I'm on the right track and that I have only "good" to gain from trying.
I have rejoined the Nashville Songwriters Association International and went to pitch a song to MCA Publishing. They passed on my song (as well as nearly everyone else's), but it sure was great to be back in the eye of the songwriter's storm.
In other personal news, I have booked my own show this month at the Music City Cafe on March 12th. The night has been christened "Mark Green and Friends" and scheduled to appear are Dawna Bradford (with most of the band), Amy Hailstone, Chris St.Croix, John Griffin, and Garth Brooks. At least one of those mentioned has not officially confirmed the date.
I hope to perform some of my new songs as well as some of the old "classics".
I have written four songs in February, but I doubt that any of these will
be polished enough to play that soon.
Last month I mentioned that the Dawna Bradford band was recording "Time For Me" in the guitarist's home studio. Well, I got to here the final mix of the song and the producer in me went wild. I knew I could make it better if we redid a few things, unfortunately to do any of them, we had to redo the whole song. It took some backtracking, but I am very pleased with the new version that is now complete. Dawna has included it on a demo cassette that she has been giving away.
The band has also started to lay down tracks for two more songs. Dawna wrote one called "Oh, You Do", a truly country-to-the-core song. The other one is called "Radio". Dawna co-wrote this one with Bryan Keith Burns and it's more of a rockin' country tune. Both songs are about 50% complete.
Dawna also included me in a very special recording session that she
had booked on Music Row in Nashville. We went in to record a song
that she had written called "The Letter" in the famous RCA's Studio B.
This is where Elvis Presley recorded a slew of hits as well as many other
artist of that era. The song came out wonderful. It was limited
to being a "guitar/vocal" recording, but it stands on its own without any
further production. Dawna is a very talented singer, but I don't
think she realizes that she is also an exceptional songwriter.
Last year a friend of mine named Chris St.Croix co-wrote a song with me called "Say What's On Your Mind". We recorded a rough demo of it just for ourselves to enjoy mostly. Chris felt the song was a little to "rock" for Nashville and several family members and friends criticized some of the lyrics to be "not-country". I accepted these opinions and moved on.
Several months later, I was playing guitar for Amy Hailstone who was interested in singing some of my songs and I gave her a tape of "Say What's On Your Mind". Long story, short: she loved it. She started playing it at her shows. I turned Dawna on to the song and long story, short: she loved it. She started playing it at her shows and co-writer Chris heard it with a new ear. He finally saw that this song of ours just might work as a country song.
Well, as fate would have it, Chris has a friend at Life Music publishing that was looking for songs to pitch to an "up-and-coming" female artist. Chris asked me to get Dawna to sing on an updated studio recording of the song and I proceeded to set the wheels in motion. I went into the studio and recorded all of the tracks and called Dawna to sing and to my horror, she told me she was sick. I had met another singer named Kristy Deck through a friend of mine (John Griffin) and I called her to see how soon she might be able to lay some vocal tracks. Luckily she was able to come over right away and laid down an excellent rendition of the song.
I played the new recording for Chris: he loved it. Chris played it for the publisher: she loved it. The publisher played it for the new artist at Arista Records: - - -
No reply yet, but my fingers are crossed. The song has also made
it to John Griffin's new publishing company, J.D. Harris Publishing.
No word yet here either.
Well as if I hadn't tooted my horn enough already, I remind everyone that I will soon be debuting at the Sunday Night Writer's Night on May 17th. It's still a long way off, but the new news is that I have been asked to appear before then as a guitarist for Amy Hailstone. In fact we will be performing this month (March 22) and doing three of Amy's songs. She has also asked Barb Christy to do back-up vocals with her. This should be a great time.
For those of you who are unfamiliar with the Bluebird, suffice it to say that it is not easy to get a gig there. They hold auditions only four times a year and few are selected. Once you pass the audition, you have the opportunity to keep coming to play writers nights, but they tell me that it is about nine months in between shows. This is not Amy's first time.
See you there!!!
company.wav (2.52MB, A 60sec. sample)
Company Time (Mark Greenawalt) Copyright 1997
He called to say he's sorry, he's headed for St. Paul
Lonely Hearts Incorporated won't give us any time at all
He said it wouldn't be to long till he could leave this job behind
But now's the time I need him most and he can't find the time
This should be my time to hold him
I shouldn't be in second place
This should be my time to touch him
But I'm loosing in the race
Work just says they need him and he turns on a dime
And I'm left crying all alone on company time
I'm left crying all alone on company time
Well ever since the big promotion, you know the money's been real good
But it can't buy the happiness I know his open arms would
Now I've been understanding, but soon it's got to end
Let them find another woman with a husband to lend
This should be my time to hold him
I shouldn't be in second place
This should be my time to touch him
But I'm loosing in the race
Work just says they need him and he turns on a dime
And I'm left crying all alone on company time
Yeah, I'm still crying all alone on company time
copyright 1997, Mark Greenawalt
THIS PAGE WAS LAST UPDATED
ON 1/31/98