Local Jacksonville Recording Artists, Anyone?

I've been working with a friend from Wisconsin who wants to record songs. I write lyrics, and I think I'm pretty good at it. He's a perfectionist who is busier than he thought he'd be. The result has been one song in almost a year, and he wants to rework that.

It's possible he's read a bunch of the lyrics and thinks they're crap. Or maybe he just can't get a tune in his head the way I did when I was writing them. The point is that there are about 20 completely written song lyrics waiting for music. That doesn't even include my musical play, but that's a slightly different article.

If you are a local band or solo musician who is more into playing and composing music than songwriting, I'm offering to meet with you and see if we can work together. I'm going to give a sample here of my lyrics. This is the ONE song that's already been recorded, so it's not available to you, but you get an idea of the skills I do (or don't) have when it comes to what you might be looking for.

Out the door, and I’m sometimes unsure which way to turn

But I must decide

I try more, to take the winding path that just might burn

Got no reason to hide

So I can cast my shadow by my side

My best laid plans are pulling me ahead

Judged by what is done, not what is said

My best laid plans are showing me the way

Judged by where I go, not where I stay

As I tread,  I make the journey mine by counting clouds

I see how far I’ve come

Feet are dead, but dreams ensure I keep them on the ground

Remember where I’m from

So I can cast my shadow on the sun

My best laid plans are pulling me ahead

Judged by what is done, not what is said

My best laid plans are showing me the way

Judged by where I go, not where I stay

Wind is swift, as I turn to feel it on my back

The push can help me fly

I can’t drift, so I use a steady hand to stay on  track

Get my guidance from the sky

So I can cast my shadow way up high

My best laid plans are pulling me ahead

Judged by what is done, not what is said

My best laid plans are showing me the way

Judged by where I go, not where I stay

And even if I never rule the world or wear a worthless crown

I’ll stay on my path to keep from falling, keep from falling down

My best laid plans are pulling me ahead

Judged by what is done, not what is said

My best laid plans are showing me the way

Judged by where I go, not where I stay

And I’ll cast my shadow up upon the sun

When I’m done; when I’m done

I'm not stabbing anyone in the back here. If I work with someone locally, I'll just pull that song from the current song list I've compiled. I also have about five new songs I'm working on currently not shared with the friend in WI. Most are kind of folksy or rock in my head, but they can be pulled off as country, too. I also have three or four Christian songs so far, as well as two Christmas songs. One graduation song, too. I have tried to finish one song about every two weeks since I began, and the inspiration of working with someone locally might increase that productivity.

Use the contact form  if you want to meet and see if we're compatible. I realize every teenager in a garage believes he can weave the rhymes that will make stadium-sized crowds go nuts, but I don't think that's true. I have a lot of experience writing poetry, and I bring some skills to songwriting that most don't even consider.