Becoming a Song

By Scott Coner

Country Singer-Songwriter

            There have been moments here lately that I find myself in the beginning stages of a meltdown. I see the videos, the songs, the photos, the interviews, and everything else that goes with this business, and I begin to panic. I feel humiliated and embarrassed as I realize what I have allowed myself to give to this music. It isn’t a natural act for me to be so outward with my feelings. Yet, as I look at my own private diary set to music, I see that it is far passed too late to pull back now. It might be comparable to the “sexting” that we hear about on the news. Take a picture of your private parts in high definition and share it with the world, and you can’t retrieve it no matter what. 

            The issue with me is this: I started writing at such a young age, I didn’t take time or have the capacity to process the act of writing itself. When you’re a kid, you take everything literally. So when I began writing, I wrote about what was going on in my own life. Even though in truth there wasn’t much going on in my simple little life, it was big and important to me. I remember the fall of my sophomore year. The sky was a perfect shade of blue, and I was wearing a jean jacket. I remember a girl that I thought a lot of telling me she didn’t feel the same way. I was beyond crushed. But I wrote a song about how it felt, and it was then and there that I realized that life’s little punishments had a silver lining. 

Scott Coner (photo provided by Cynnamae Media Productions)

            Dan Fogelberg wrote a song called “Same old Lang Syne”. One of the verses of the song says, “Just for a moment I was back in school... I felt that old familiar pain... The snow was falling on my way back home... Then the snow turned into rain….”  

For me, that pretty much sums everything up. As a man, I have thought a lot about that perfect line or verse. Capturing childhood feelings or feelings in general is hard to do sometimes. I think we lose touch with those emotions after we enter adulthood, pretty much the same way we forget how to imagine a bicycle is a motorcycle or a box is a spaceship. But you can find a song if you allow yourself to open up and forget about the protective walls we all have a tendency to build. At least, that’s how it is with me... just a man sitting alone in his Avengers pajamas writing about life. How’s that for being too transparent?

            What allows me to find balance these days are the thoughtful and kind people who reach out to me. They tell me how they feel about certain songs. They let me know that it matters to them. I know it sounds strange, but knowing that something I have been a part of actually matters to someone else is extremely important to me. Those people may be the reason I wrote the song in the first place.

            The natural beauty of the craft of songwriting is simple. For me, it is a story that begins with a melody or a few chords. It is a connection that is made when I least expect it. It is one of those special moments that God allows me to have. Even though I will probably always have episodes of doubt, I am truly happy that I have been given the opportunity to write and share my songs. And if you are one of those kind souls out there who have supported me along the way, I just want to say, “Thank you.” It is because of you that I don’t grow a long beard, use Kleenex boxes for house shoes, and take myself off of the grid.  

            Scott Coner is a country/American/Southern rock artist who has recorded songs with legendary artists such as Charlie Daniels, Tanya Tucker and T. Graham Brown. Listen to his music and/or watch is his videos at http://www.YouTube.com/user/ScottConer, http://www.Facebook.com/ScottConerMusic, or http://www.ScottConer.com. Follow him at http://www.Twitter.com/ScottConerMusic.

The Long and Winding Music Row

By Scott Coner

Country Artist

            I’m in a West End Boulevard hotel in Nashville tonight. I’ve been here countless times, and if I need to be in the city somewhere or over on Music Row, I usually stay on this end of town. I read somewhere that Waylon, Willie and Kris lived right down the road near the Centennial Park that I jog in. I like to think about what those days must have been like with the writing of some of the planet's finest songs, the laughter, the dreams. That must have really been something. But, I can only imagine.

            But here I am tonight. Set up for more meetings, listening to more plans for my music, then finally, laying all of my songs, my book, and my stats out on a large table for everyone to view. “Just turn your head to the right and cough for me Scott. This won’t be too uncomfortable.” I walk into many of the same buildings that artists much greater than me have walked into. We have walked the same streets. We probably came here with something close to the same dream. It’s a painful process to go through as a writer and a singer. It’s painful because we don’t really talk about my songs as much as I want. They want to know where I have been doing shows. I can feel them sizing me up. I can sense them wishing I was better looking. Maybe a little bit younger. “I probably should have worn some cool clothes and maybe a cowboy hat,” I tell myself. But, the last time I tried to wear something like that, I felt like I would hit every wall in every hallway, and I don’t even own a cowboy hat. I can feel myself starting to heat up a little bit with embarrassment as I hear myself stutter and search for meaningful answers to the man’s questions. 

Scott Coner performs (Photo provided by Cynnamae Productions)

            He asks me what my strongest song is. I answer back, “Well, they are all my favorites. It would be like asking me to pick the cutest puppy out of a litter.” Oh God, did I just say that? Am I mental? Am I trying to screw this meeting up? He laughs politely, but I am certain we have both identified me as an idiot. But the meeting takes a different turn. He actually likes my music! He goes on to tell me that he believes he can do something with my music, my “brand” as they call it down here. I’m not certain what else he said from then on because I’m a little bit freaked out. I walk out of the meeting with Chuck, my publicist, my wife, and my dad. I brought my dad because he’s far more intelligent than me. I brought my wife because she is pretty and makes me look not so hayseed, and I brought Chuck to discuss my social media. I only came to discuss puppies apparently, but I was willing to discuss music if we got around to it.

            I’m finally in the safety of my pickup. I roll down the streets of Music Row with a little bit of wind in my sails for the first time in quite a while. I am so thankful to this gentleman that mere words can’t cover it. He was so impressive yet humble at the same time. I’m apprehensive, but I have a feeling that finally things might go my way for once. I have wanted to give up so many times. I don’t play poker, but I have felt like a gambler saying, “deal me in,” one too many times. Maybe some version of my dreams may be coming true. I just keep driving and try not to think about it. The sky is an uncanny blue for this time of year, but there’s a storm off to the west. I can hear Waylon singing in my mind, “I don’t think Hank done it this way.”

            Life sure has a lot of sharp edges in it, but I can tell you that I wouldn’t change mine even if I could. I’m not at all sure what the future holds, and that is just fine. I’m certain I will have many more opportunities to go to meetings and say something stupid. I’m just glad I tricked 'em into letting me get this far.

            I've recorded a song and music video about my Music Row experiences called "Nashville Song". Check it out at https://youtu.be/X1CIy5T7Trc.

            Scott Coner is a country/Americana/Southern rock singer-songwriter who has worked in the studio with legendary artists such as Tanya Tucker, T. Graham Brown and Charlie Daniels. Learn more about and and/or listen to his music at http://www.YouTube.com/user/ScottConer, http://www.Facebook.com/ScottConerMusic, or http://www.ScottConer.com. Follow him at http://www.Twitter.com/ScottConerMusic.

I Was Born in a Small Town

By Scott Coner

Country Artist

            I was raised in a small Indiana town. I still have a home just outside that same town, and I must ask myself, “Why?” two or three times a day. My mom and dad and other family members live here, but like me, they stay pretty busy. Any other roots in this area for me are long gone. But, there was a time, a moment really, that happened right here that would set my path for the rest of my life. And, even though I don’t actually go into the town around here often, when I do, I usually hear the ghosts from my past. I hear the music, the laughter, I see the young faces, the cars, and sometimes, I even smell the smoke.

            That special, directive moment I spoke of earlier took place when I was around 15 years old. It was the fall of my freshman year that I heard a different type of music that I had never heard. It was called Southern Rock. By the time it touched my soul, it had pretty much already come and gone. But there were still remnants of the movement such as Blackfoot and Charlie Daniels and of course, HankJr. As you already know, if you know anything about me, I truly loved this genre of music. But, there was another small band of players that I loved just as much. I still hear their music as well in my heart and memory to this day. If it hadn’t been for them, I wouldn’t be speaking to you today. I wouldn’t be singing and writing songs. I’d probably be selling shoes or selling shaved ice at the mall.

            Their names were Jeff Lewis, Frank Russell, Marty Eldridge, and Johnny Burbrink. Each of those guys were my friends. We played music together, hung out in the park downtown together, and had a pretty good time simply loving music together. Jeff and Frank were a year older. My God, those two guys were talented. They both played guitar and sang. Frank wrote songs that I still remember to this very day. He inspired me to write. Jeff could play like the wind. He introduced me to so much music, and he and I would take long country cruises listening for hours to the likes of Molly Hatchet and Skynyrd in his Pinto wagon set up with Jensen speakers. Life was good. Marty, Johnny and me were a little younger, but we played in our first band together and were pretty good for our ages I think. Although, looking back, we probably should have taken our schoolwork a little more seriously.

Scott Coner (Photo by Cyndi Coner)

            The years kept forging ahead though, and responsibility pulled us in different directions. The time for being kids without a care finally came to an end. But the time spent around these guys, my friends, was invaluable. I haven’t been around anyone since that inspired me the way each of those guys did. These young men all had different, yet important attributes that affected me. Frank wrote on and played all kinds of instruments, and his rhythm style was simple and pure. Jeff could sing very well, but his true strength was the guitar. I would sit in a chair, mesmerized as he would play Steve Gaines' licks flawlessly. Marty had a lot in common with Jeff. He was an outstanding guitarist and even as a kid was playing Gary Richrath just like the record. Johnny, my closest buddy, played well and was an exceptional fit for my music. He and I spent many hours together playing guitar. He excelled as a player as I took a different path and focused more on writing.

            The troubling part for me is they aren’t by my side now. I never wanted to be here alone. But, people change as they grow up. I like to think I did. But, my dream was to be part of a band, a gang really. Those guys gave me strength when I needed it. I either worked on my craft, or I got left behind. In the end, I suppose, I found myself alone anyway. But, it’s not like we parted company on bad terms. It was just life. For whatever reason, I have always been driven in whatever area I find myself in. If it’s time to clean out the barn, I am exhausted by day’s end. And the music is no different. I work hard at writing, networking and planning. I’m just not very good at giving up, and it’s kind of worked well for me.

            I just wish things could have worked out different for us. There are times when I wanted to call them up and give them an update, but it feels odd now. It shouldn’t have been me here at this moment. All of those guys were more talented than me. Everything I do today in the music business is from quiet, private practice. But, they were the ones that proved to me that this could be done. They were the ones that I wanted to be like.

            Today, I write and play music with some of the best players on the planet. I am very happy with the artistic freedom I have. I am happy. But, if there is one thing I could change, it would be to have each of those guys playing music with me here today. I truly miss the laughter and songs from that moment in my life. In closing, I simply wanted to thank Frank, Jeff, Marty and Johnny. You guys were the best friends somebody like me could have ever had. Each of you was a true inspiration, and I will always be grateful.

            Scott Coner is a country, Americana and Southern Rock artist who has worked with legendary artists such as Tanya Tucker, T. Graham Brown and Charlie Daniels. You can hear his music and learn more about him at www.ScottConer.com, www.Facebook.com/ScottConerMusic, or www.YouTube.com/user/ScottConer.

Elvis is Dead, and I Think I May Have a Sore Throat

By Scott Coner

Country Artist

            The summer was hot in 1977. My dad's boyhood friend, James Loveless, came up from Kentucky and stayed with us for several weeks, and he and I did several odd jobs together. He was tough as nails but always really nice to me. He and I dug out and framed sidewalks around the front and back of our house. It was August, the state fair was going on up in the city, and Elvis died. That's what I remember most. Elvis died. I also remember my mom making us a lot of Country Time lemonade.

            As we set the string tight from end to end across the grass, I learned how to dig along the line and set rebar for the frame. We had a small radio near our work area, and all that played that week was Elvis. I had never been exposed to such love for an artist. It seemed like the whole world stopped and wept for the king. I remember my dad came home from work one afternoon and told us about a winter he spent in New York and had actually seen Elvis in the early part of his career, gold coat and all. I was pretty impressed.

            I remember not saying anything about it, but being more than a little bothered about Elvis controlling the airwaves entirely though. Oddly, there was a song that was out on the radio I was crazy about. It was called "Telephone Line", and it was by a band called Electric Light Orchestra. I loved the compression on Jeff Lynne's voice on the recording. I'm not at all sure about this, but I have always figured that the song fell quickly out of the charts simply because Elvis Presley died. 

Scott Coner (Photo by Cyndi Coner)

            I have already told you about my exposure to early rock and roll via a monster stack of 45's. I had listened to a recording that had "Don't be Cruel" on one side and "Hound Dog" on the other. That was powerful. I had listened to "Jailhouse Rock", and it took me to another planet. Everything that guy did until he joined the service seemed slick and perfect. His voice seemed like an instrument itself, and the guitar and bass seemed to jump off the vinyl.

            Our television, the one with five channels, showed Elvis movies back-to-back every weekend. It was during "Viva Las Vegas" that I saw Ann-Margret for the first time, and once again, I was pretty impressed. That woman was freaking beautiful. Sorry, I got off track for a second. What I didn't understand (remember I was a kid) was why the movies didn't have deep pockets of quality songs. But Elvis was alive and healthy on our television at least, and we watched and wondered what could have happened if he could have lived a full life.

            It didn't take long for the countless new compilations of Elvis singing country, Elvis with pictures on the record itself, and Elvis like you had never heard before. Nothing but cheap and sad attempts to make money, but I expect a lot of records were sold. All kinds of books came out from people that had known him in some way. I admit I bought into some of the books, some of the made-for-TV specials, and everything else. But I noticed even as a kid that his music was tarnished by such a circus. He didn't deserve how he was treated. He was the king.

            Before I go, I wanted to tell you first, that his pre-army music was and still is some of the best music ever recorded. But he had many special moments in his career. One of my favorite songs he did later in the '60s was called "If I Can Dream".  I hope he knew that the whole world loved him, and I hate it that he had to leave at such an early age. Anyway, school started not long after his passing, and I got chicken pox. It's a pretty cool little sickness, and if you ever get the chance to catch it, I say go for it. Because of my pox, I got to stay home and truly study the music he left us with. Up until that moment in time, I knew about the talent, understood the charisma, and a collection of B movies had been viewed. But, sitting there alone in my room with corn starch all over my body, I began to better understand that he was not just a great voice. He had truly harnessed rock and brought it to all of us without any pre-existing road map. Now, that is impressive.

            Scott Coner is a country/Americana/Southern rock artist whose latest music video has been downloaded more than 150,000 times on Facebook. Learn more about Scott at http://www.Facebook.com/ScottConerMusic, http://www.ScottConer.com, or http://www.YouTube.com/user/ScottConer. Download his latest single, "Sweet Mary", at https://geo.itunes.apple.com/us/album/sweet-mary-single/id1052955133?app=itunes .

'I'll Have The Vanilla, Please'

By Scott Coner

Country Artist

         Yesterday (35 years ago), music had depth. It always seemed, to me at least, to be taking us somewhere different. Today, I find myself less taken back with most of it. The other day I heard Adele's new release, "Hello", and it touched a deeper chord. Last summer, Eric Church caught my attention with "Wrecking Ball", and a year ago, Alt-J blew me away with "Left Hand Free". The trouble is, I have listened to an awful lot of music in between. A while back, I talked about really liking the newest double album by Warren Haynes, but you probably won't hear his material on the radio, and the radio is what I'm really talking about. If you get off the beaten path, you can still find some things of value.

         I find myself wondering why radio has settled for such normalcy. I read quite a lot about the business, its artists, and music history, and it always hasn't been this way. Even though I was just a small child in the '60s, I still remember music from that moment. I just wasn't old enough to attempt to grasp what was actually happening in that moment. The '60s obviously got off to an amazing start with The Beatles, and I wonder what it must have felt like to have heard their sound for the first time. There were so many artists just blowing the doors open I couldn't begin to list. Glen Campbell was one of those people, one of those sounds that I have grown up with that always seems classy and fresh. Herb Alpert is another. Consider George Jones or even Willie Nelson. "The Red Headed Stranger" was truly a gift if you ask me. 

Country artist Scott Coner works on his Indiana farm (Photo by Cyndi Coner)

         Maybe, today's radio releases only mirror society's drab, unexciting culture. The investors in radio, the people that purchase ad time, are looking for sheep, not out-of-the-box thinkers. They want their radio ads to target car buyers with bad credit. Ad purchasers want to promote their products to a "C" curve of our society instead of a smaller listening crowd that enjoy Lucinda Williams or Chris Knight. As with everything, our culture is driven by the dollar bill. Radio is a perfect example.

         I suppose what I am hoping you will do is to look around a little bit. I don't know how or where you should look, but you found me didn't you? By the way, I wonder how you found me?  I challenge you to take control of the music you listen to and step away from the vanilla flavor of our current world. The low-information crowd must be willing to eat whatever they are given and like it, but that doesn't mean we have to. If we dig deep, we can find music that we can identify with. It just shouldn't require so much energy to find music with power and depth. And if you find something that really shakes your world, let me know because I'm bored to death.

         Scott Coner is a country artist who has recorded with legendary country artists such as Tanya Tucker, T. Graham Brown and Charlie Daniels. You can learn more about him and hear his music at www.ScottConer.com, www.Facebook.com/ScottConerMusic, or www.YouTube.com/user/ScottConer.