The magic of songwriting a mystery to all

Over the years I’ve had the opportunity to interview a lot of musicians, including songwriters. Lately, however, it seems like we’ve had more than the usual number of really good ones come to town, so the interviews have focused on the writing craft.

It’s fascinating to hear guys like Todd Snider, Randall Bramblett, John Berry, David Barbe and David Rawlings discuss their craft. All are considered top- notch songwriters, so you’d think they’d have the secret recipe. They don’t, they told me.

Rawlings said writing songs with partner Gillian Welch was like working a crossword puzzle where neither person knows how many pieces the puzzle actually has and the pieces are invisible to the other person.

For Bramblett, songwriting has gotten slower for him. It takes longer, he said, for many reasons, including the fact that he’s written so many, and because he’s particular about what he writes.

Snider said much t he same, adding that he sometimes wonders how many songs he’s supposed to have been given by the songwriting gods.

Watching a Paul McCartney interview the other day, he told the gathered college students that he doesn’t know how to write songs. Meaning, the guy who has written scads of No. 1 hits doesn’t have a magic formula that he can pass on to other would- be writers.

All of them said that some songs come in whole bits right out of the sky as if by magic and some come one word or line at a time over weeks, months or years. I don’t Barry Courter know what any of this means, but it’s interesting and I’m glad these guys are able to do what they do, however they do it.

› This is a pretty momentus week for Destiny Sanchez. Not only is she celebrating the one-year anniversary of her marriage to fellow local musician Derrtie Sanchez, her new album, “Spiritual Journey,” is now available on most online sites, including https://destinysurreal.band- camp.com/releases.

The couple was with us for a Music Wednesdays Facebook Live episode last month and you can check that out here https://youtu. be/8EH3fZ__E-c.

We continue to be impressed by the number of great musicians that call this area home and we love showing them off in The Studio at the Chattanooga Public Library. As an added bonus, we will be giving away concert tickets on occasion on the show.

Next week, for example, we will be giving away a pair of Steep Canyon Rangers tickets for their show Feb. 9 at the Walker Theatre. So, check it out to hear the music, but also to win some tickets.