Page 37 - wammarch

Vicki Morrison Goble

A lthough I was interested in music though I was interested in music So far, I had given no thought to doing any o far, I had given no thought to doing any
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writing. In my mind you had to have some riting. In my mind you had to have some
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for my entire life (according to my or my entire life (according to my
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Amother, I “lit up like a lightbulb” mother, I “lit up like a lightbulb”
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when an opera played on the radio. I was hen an opera played on the radio. I was kind of magical ability to write songs, so I ind of magical ability to write songs, so I
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didn’t try. But a man named Robin Williams ’t try. But a man named Robin Williams
a few months old at the time), I didn’t do ew months old at the time), I didn’t do put the thought in my mind (no, not that ut the thought in my mind (no, not that
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a Robin Williams). He was a college coffee obin Williams). He was a college coffee
any songwriting until I was in college in the ny songwriting until I was in college in the
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1960s/1970s. At the time I was embarrassed t the time I was embarrassed
1960s/1970s. A house circuit singer and we got together for ouse circuit singer and we got together for
to have anyone hear what I wrote and I didn’t o have anyone hear what I wrote and I didn’t co
coffee and some jamming before one of his ffee and some jamming before one of his
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write much.rite much. performances. He told me I should write. I erformances. He told me I should write. I
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didn’t really take him seriously, but the idea ’t really take him seriously, but the idea
I wa stayed in my head. I was still in college a tayed in my head. I was still in college a
I was always a musician, though. I challenged s always a musician, though. I challenged
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an older boy to a singing contest when I was n older boy to a singing contest when I was
couple years later when I wrote my first song.uple years later when I wrote my first song.
about ten. He said okay, so I started singing. bout ten. He said okay, so I started singing.
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After only a few words, he cut off saying, fter only a few words, he cut off saying, [SIDE NOTE: John Denver was a college IDE NOTE: John Denver was a college
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“Never mind. You win.”Never mind. You win.”
“ coffee house circuit singer too, and he also ffee house circuit singer too, and he also
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visited my college while I was a student there. isited my college while I was a student there.
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My roommate and I met him on the city bus y roommate and I met him on the city bus
Most of the time I was private about my ost of the time I was private about my M
music. I longed to sing well and publicly, but usic. I longed to sing well and publicly, but and talked to him. He wasn’t famous yet then, nd talked to him. He wasn’t famous yet then,
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I suffered from extreme stage fright. I was uffered from extreme stage fright. I was
I s so we didn’t think much of it until a year or so o we didn’t think much of it until a year or so
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t terrified any time I got up in front of people. errified any time I got up in front of people. later.]ater.]
I It didn’t help that I wasn’t accepted by most of t didn’t help that I wasn’t accepted by most of
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my peers in school. By the time I reached high Fast forward to the more recent past. In late y peers in school. By the time I reached high Fast forward to the more recent past. In late
2014 I took an online songwriting course ook an online songwriting course
s school I totally knew I was worthless and no chool I totally knew I was worthless and no 2014 I t
one would ever actually like me.ne would ever actually like me. from Berklee taught by Pat Pattison. I learned, rom Berklee taught by Pat Pattison. I learned,
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to my surprise, songwriting is a skill that can o my surprise, songwriting is a skill that can
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When I was 16, I was accepted into a new hen I was 16, I was accepted into a new be learned. It isn’t an innate ability. There are e learned. It isn’t an innate ability. There are
program designed to target high school rogram designed to target high school eff
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effective tools to help with the craft. It was ective tools to help with the craft. It was
students who were good college material but tudents who were good college material but quite an eye opener and my songwriting took uite an eye opener and my songwriting took
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were unlikely to attend because of their life ere unlikely to attend because of their life
w a leap. Then I joined an online songwriters’ ap. Then I joined an online songwriters’
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situations (such as having no money, coming tuations (such as having no money, coming forum. The members are very friendly and orum. The members are very friendly and
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from broken families). This entailed traveling rom broken families). This entailed traveling s supportive there and some of them even reach upportive there and some of them even reach
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t to a college campus for seven weeks of the o a college campus for seven weeks of the out to help with instrumentation and produc-ut to help with instrumentation and produc-
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s summer. I was away from home for an ummer. I was away from home for an tion from time to time.ion from time to time.
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extended period of time for the first time ever. ended period of time for the first time ever.
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No one knew me. No one knew I was o one knew me. No one knew I was The idea for “Everybody Wants You, Baby” e idea for “Everybody Wants You, Baby”
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came from a theme challenge in the forum. ame from a theme challenge in the forum.
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For February 2016, anyone who wanted to or February 2016, anyone who wanted to
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By this time, I had a guitar, so I took it with y this time, I had a guitar, so I took it with
B enter the challenge had to write “a happy ter the challenge had to write “a happy
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me. One of the other students asked me to e. One of the other students asked me to
m love song with a twist”. It didn’t take a lot of ve song with a twist”. It didn’t take a lot of
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sing something. He suggested “Summertime”. g something. He suggested “Summertime”. t thought to come up with my idea for a twist. hought to come up with my idea for a twist.
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I didn’t know how to play it but I knew the ’t know how to play it but I knew the
I didn It took quite a bit more effort to pull together t took quite a bit more effort to pull together
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words. He knew how to play it, so he played ords. He knew how to play it, so he played a melody. Once I got started, the lyric came elody. Once I got started, the lyric came
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f for me. As I sang, he started saying, “Wow! or me. As I sang, he started saying, “Wow! pretty easily. I went through several melody retty easily. I went through several melody
ideas before I settled on one. I knew I as before I settled on one. I knew I
Listen to that!” from time to time. What a isten to that!” from time to time. What a ide
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rush!ush! wanted something bluesy, but it was difficult nted something bluesy, but it was difficult
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to make it sound unique. In fact, I’m not sure o make it sound unique. In fact, I’m not sure
From then on, I played my guitar and sang rom then on, I played my guitar and sang
F I ever quite managed it, but I do like the way it ver quite managed it, but I do like the way it
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informally whenever I could. In college I ormally whenever I could. In college I
inf t turned out.urned out.
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teamed up with other guitar players and we eamed up with other guitar players and we
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would sit in the dorm lounge after supper and ould sit in the dorm lounge after supper and My website link.....y website link.....
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acco Soundcloud link...oundcloud link...
accompany ourselves while we sang and mpany ourselves while we sang and
Bandcamp link...andcamp link...
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harmonized. The lounge would gradually armonized. The lounge would gradually B
facebook page...book page...
fill
fill up. up. face
www.writeawaymagazine.co.uk 37