Page 26 - WAMmay

HOW I GOT TO THE TABLE

TO SIGN THE DEAL

Written by Daryn Wright

My next big obstacle was writing music. I had a lot of bad
habits to overcome since I was mostly a poet. I began
taking a lot of classes and courses on lyric writing, and
how things effect the subconscious mind through music.

I struggled in my writing at first, but my skills were
improving. One day it clicked, and I was starting to write
songs with higher quality. I will continue to learn until
my last day.

One day I wrote an entire lyric in my head, and I knew it
needed to be recorded. I found a producer to get me to
the next step. Though he was a good producer, I needed
someone who would be a better match for me.

After two CDs, I found my path to free of this dream. Its
like a haunting encounter you never get out of until you
make it happen.

I must have heard ten thousand NO’s, and a hundred I was sitting at home, recovering from shoulder surgery
YES’s along the way. and getting quite bored of my situation. In my boredom I
decided it was time to record some of my music.
There were a lot of reasons to get NO’s, and for each one, I
found a way to turn that no into either a YES or a NO for I was encouraged to seek out Curt Ryle of Big Matador
another reason. I wanted to know why I got a NO. Recordings for my next project. After some research and
Without knowing, I was not able to go onto the next step long consideration, I gathered up some of my songs and
in my journey. A NO was a great thing to hear, not an headed to Nashville to record them.
insult, or a put down, or even a deterrent. I seen it as a
guidance back to the path it will take to reach my goals. While in the studio recording session, Curt Ryle asked me
if I would be interested in recording a song someone else
I was determined to get to the next NO, so eventually I wrote, and have it released in the European markets. I
could get to the YES I was looking for. did not know who wrote the song, but I did recognize the
quality of the lyrics, and indeed I was more than happy to
Every NO sent me back to the drawing board to learn give it a try. “I’ve Got Nowhere To Go But Crazy”, written
new things, and find a way to progress. It was not always by Jerry Collins. It did not dawn on me who Jerry Collins
easy to listen to critiques, but I knew its value. was at first, but I would soon find out.

Along the way I have had a lot of YES’s. Sometimes it I agreed to a publishing deal with Big Matador, and from
was from a company or person who claimed they could hence forward I could release all of my future music
help me get to where I needed to be, but failed to come through this publishing company. This was a huge YES,
through with those promises and claims. and one YES I was looking for.

I confronted my fear of singing in front of an audience As soon as I back home in Texas, I got a call from Jerry
by finding the slowest country song I could think of, and Collins, asking me to return to Nashville to sing the newly
singing it in a bar that hated slow music. I was offered released song he wrote on international TV at an awards
money to stop singing. I was doing a near perfect show. I heard about all the good news with the radio
version of the song. It was that moment when I stations beginning to play that song on live and internet
confronted those who offered me money to quit, and the radio stations all over Europe. I agreed to the show.
results were immediate loss of fear. My demon of being
afraid was defeated.

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