Jackrabbits Straight Outta Compton

 By Scott Coner

Nashville Recording Artist, Songwriter, Performer, and Author

 

     Today was different than many days in my life. I went to bed last night knowing that as soon as the sun came up my entire day could be focused on music.  I have been in need of some quiet time to be simply alone and focus on getting the songs ready for this upcoming tour. I wanted to think about each song and how it could be placed into the set. I want to be certain that the songs don’t all stay in one specific chord or theme, or “feel”. I want each song to have a purpose for being there, and I don’t want any wasted movement. I have seen my share of shows through the years where I have been bombarded with a quick look back at most of the popular songs for the artist, “But tonight we want to share a boatload of new material you have never heard before.” I don’t want to do this, even though I will be playing in areas that aren’t familiar with my music. What I will do to make sure the listener has a good time is to include songs from his or her past. I want to push those pleasure buttons with songs that excite the soul a little bit and make you smile. 

     This concept sounds pretty easy. It did to me anyway. At least until I remembered I don’t have a full band on this trip and I might need a few pole dancing jack rabbits in order to keep everyone’s attention. The whole idea was going to work until I realized that although rabbits are insanely sexy creatures, they simply don’t have the proper grip to dance and spin around a pole. I also understand that they can be very rude and demanding and your not supposed to look directly at their ears, or it is considered a threat. And things go south from there because you never feel at ease around a rabbit that would just as soon kick you in the private areas as look at you. Who wants that right? I know I don’t.

     Sorry, I got off topic for a second. Anyway, I want the songs to be thematically aligned with the lights and the video above the stage. I want the people that are kind enough to show up to know that they are about to go somewhere cool without even leaving their seat. Now understand that I am in no way trying to say that I am the golden ticket to musical nirvana. But what I am trying to say instead, is that I have spent my life loving and thinking about music. I believe I have considered nearly everything. I don’t want pre-climactic parts bringing the observer up and down all night. Instead, I want that person, every single individual, to take a trip into their own past and feel emotions that they haven’t felt for a long time. Remember that time you talked to that certain person in the hallway at high school and you couldn’t do much but stand there and look goofy? I want you to feel that again for just a minute. Do you ever think about where you were the first time you heard “The Dance”? What about some Marshal Tucker? Tim McGraw? Hey, what about this new guy they call Scott Coner? He is such a nice guy. If you don’t believe me, just ask his mom…

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Scott Coner is a country singer-songwriter who has worked in the studio with legendary artists such as Tanya Tucker, T. Graham Brown and Charlie Daniels. You can learn more about him and hear his music at his music page. 

What If It Changed You Somehow?

 By Scott Coner

Nashville Recording Artist, Songwriter, Performer, and Author

 

     Well, it has finally happened after all of this time, all of these years. I have become a cover artist. Well, sort of. When I agreed to work with the folks out of Nashville on my tour, one of the things I had to agree to do was music that wasn’t mine. I have to admit that as a songwriter, this wasn’t originally what I was looking to hear. I wanted them to tell me that people were going to be knocked out by my original sound and everything was going to be on my own terms including not having yellow M&M’s in my dressing room.

     So after months of starting and stopping the process of learning other artist’s songs, I have pretty much settled on the sets. I think it is important, to be honest, and tell you why I don’t do many cover songs. The fact is, I’m not usually very good at doing them. It isn’t personal against anyone. I have spent most of my life writing songs, and I am not very effective when you take me out of my own little box. I remember as a kid when I played in different garage bands I failed miserably at trying to sound like someone or something that I’m not. It’s not that I didn’t try. It’s just that I wasn’t one of those fortunate guys that sounded like any of the big names back then.

     I don’t know how many songs I have combed through trying to find what I wouldn’t single-handedly destroy. I have looked all over the map trying to find songs that people in the audience will recognize and hopefully relate to. In doing this, I have found a lot more than I ever bargained for. I have worked through songs that I couldn’t actually add, but I fell in love with just the same. I have also found artists that I may have only known a little bit about, and now I find myself thinking about their sound quite a bit. One of those artists is Eric Church. I truly like his writing, and I also like how he is recording his music. I have added his song, “Wrecking Ball” to my set list. I wasn’t sure if I should because it is obviously a personal song for him. But the deal breaker was my wife. She is the one that brought me a handful of his songs to check out. Her opinion matters quite a bit you understand. Another artist that I would never have dreamed of covering was Tim McGraw. I had been in Nashville recently working on music with Carol Chase and she kept on playing one of his songs when we weren’t writing. I went home and checked out one of his older songs called, “Live Like You Were Dying” and honestly, I sat at my kitchen table alone in tears as I worked on the song. Obviously, I had heard the song and liked it before. But as I looked at the lyrics and put myself in the song, I found it to be a truly beautiful piece I have made a special note to myself to try not to screw that song up. It doesn’t deserve anything but respect. 

     I remember hearing a Mike Wanchik interview years and years ago when he was talking about working on, “The Lonesome Jubilee” album that John Mellencamp released in the late eighties. During the interview, I think I remember him talking about John demanding that each player in the band learn 100 songs from the 1960’s, and I believe that he also insisted that each player becomes proficient with another instrument as to add to the recording of the upcoming “Jubilee” album. Obviously, he was on to something. I have tried to approach what I am going through the same way. I never actually asked for this, but it’s funny how you get the true privilege to experience certain things if you will just try to be open. Working on this music has opened my mind in ways I never expected. I just want people that take time out of their lives that come see me to enjoy their evening and hopefully be touched in a way that may be new to them. Like I have said, I want to build the show around the listener. I want that man or woman to come and think about their world. I want those songs to reach out and touch them the same way they have affected me. I don’t know if everyone listens to music like me, but there are a lot of songs out there that I put myself into when I listen. It isn’t unlike a short film. I may not actually find myself in the vision, but if the story and song are strong, I certainly see and feel something different. That moment changes me somehow and I never forget where I was at when it occurred. I don’t think I could ever ask for more. You know to be a part of something like that would be the best possible outcome for someone like me. I find myself looking at the names and faces of people that listen to my music on social media. Early on, I was just writing my blogs and posts, and my publicist would take it from there. My wife and daughters have brought things to my attention, and it has been a good thing for me. I think as a songwriter your one true desire isn’t really to be seen. Instead, the songwriter wants their words and music to touch someone in such a way that they become different. To me, when it comes to music that is all that there is.   

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Scott Coner is a country singer-songwriter who has worked in the studio with legendary artists such as Tanya Tucker, T. Graham Brown and Charlie Daniels. You can learn more about him and hear his music at his music page. 

 By Scott Coner

Nashville Recording Artist, Songwriter, Performer, and Author 

     In many ways, I see my opportunity to sing and play music as an opportunity to help or challenge people to live their lives in a more challenging and fulfilling way. As I have said many times, we all have something that lives inside of us that should be shared with others. I don’t think it is by accident when I am given an opportunity to meet someone that has “went deep” and became who he was supposed to be rather than who he had allowed himself to become. I took a short vacation a few weeks back and met such a man in New Buffalo, Michigan.

   

     My wife usually puts our little excursions together, and she often hides a nice little surprise in there somewhere for us. If we are in Chicago, she will have us set up in some historical hotel near the water. If we are in Florida, I may find myself swimming with dolphins. And apparently, when I find myself in New Buffalo, I will find myself on a sunset sailboat cruise. I love this about her. She always finds a way to make even sweeter memories for our family.

     It was probably around 7 p.m. when we stepped on his boat. I had never been on a sailboat before so I tried to stay out of the way. I figured he would be busy pulling ropes on pulleys and trying to work with the wind. I was wrong about that. He knew perfectly well how to adjust for the conditions and allow for an incredibly smooth and peaceful ride. We probably sailed towards the sun for an hour or so before he and I began to talk. He put on an abstract collection of all types of music that was somehow connected to water and it was a nice change not to hear “Margaritaville” over and over. His name was Steve, and he was originally from that part of the world. He looked to be in his late thirties or possibly in his early forties. He was in good shape, had a nice tan, and took very good care of his boat. He told me that he had been in sales with his families company for years, but the company got sold, and he just didn’t have any passion for things in that field at all anymore. He knew he had to make some significant changes in order to be happy, so he took a giant step in faith. He said he had always been drawn to the water, and he decided to buy a sailboat. His plan was solid, although there were a few seasonal issues that slowed his business down in the late fall. In order to stay on track, he put his boat in storage every winter and went to Florida until spring. He had found work on someone else’s boat during that time, and it provided a nice change of pace for him.

     I think what I admired most about the man was his willingness to take a chance on himself. It was just him, the water, and faith. He had taken his dream and turned it into reality. His dream is allowing other families to make memories that they will never forget. In the midst of a problem he had found a way to see through it and take a completely different direction. I believe that because he was willing to take a chance, he was given an opportunity to do something more. He accomplished something far too may of us only think about. And his ability to share his joy of the water with others is opening eyes to countless other people along the way.

     Most of you know that I am basing my upcoming tour around “building a legacy.” My goal is to allow people the chance to look inward and strive for more than just the daily grind. This man, this sailor, is the type of legacy builder I am talking about.

     Don’t you want more? Do you ever have those, “what if” moments? Do you ever think about all of the desires that are deep within you but you just don’t know how to act on them? I think in order to be happy in this world we need to be who we really are. I believe that in order to maintain a long and quality relationship that you should never stop developing and changing toward what serves you better. By constantly challenging ourselves, we also inspire our children to never give up on their own dreams. I have allowed my wife and daughters to see me get knocked flat in the music business. They have seen my struggle and I have been open about my mistakes and disappointments. I wanted them to see me this way. I have always hoped that somehow they could learn some lesson in seeing their dad refuse to give up when times were hard and hurtful. Maybe, I have allowed them to see a fool. I hope not. But if I have, there was probably still a life lesson included in there somewhere.  

     As I write this article, Steve is surely on his sailboat floating quietly across the water. He is probably looking west, watching his sails, and giving someone the time of their life. I hope that he knows he is an inspiration to many of us. He cracked the mold. He found a way to become who he truly is, and who he is truly matters. He is making a contribution and building a legacy that will be talked about for many years to come.  As we sailed back to our dock that evening, “Brandy” by the band, “Looking Glass” was on his stereo.  Perfect.

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Scott Coner is a country singer-songwriter who has worked in the studio with legendary artists such as Tanya Tucker, T. Graham Brown and Charlie Daniels. You can learn more about him and hear his music at his music page. 

Speaking In Tongues, Eating Fried Chicken, and Chasing Dreams

 By Scott Coner

Nashville Recording Artist, Songwriter, Performer, and Author 

Years ago, I did a paper while in college about glossolalia. Basically, glossolalia is the gift of speaking in tongues. I found myself in a Pentecostal church for a while, but I’m actually a Baptist. I know plenty of people that feel it is pretty important to receive this gift. I don’t speak lightly of it because I do believe in the gifts of the Spirit. I believe that God can do anything He wants so, I’m certain he can allow someone to speak in a foreign tongue or a dead language if it glorifies Him in some way.

For a while, I remember being troubled that I didn’t ever have such a gift given to me. I think a lot of people probably thought I wasn’t living clean enough to meet the standard. They might have been right. I just don’t know. But, now all these years later, I look back and see a flaw in their approach. I think maybe they were trying to put the Power of God in a box. They knew a few utterances that they seemed to provide to the church body every single Sunday during the service, but that was about it as far as I could tell. They might hop around a little with a tambourine, but I am not for sure that was the Spirit. I think most of it was overkill. But you know, it’s not for me to judge. I was just a guy trying to find his place in the world and apply a little bit of Truth along the way. I remember wishing they could try to get a handle on things before the lunch lines in town got so long. It seemed to me that just about every Sunday during final prayer so and so would want to start winding up about some sin someone’s husband was involved in and jack up my cafeteria time. 

I find my quiet time alone is usually when I can think the clearest. I can pray. I can thank God for what He has done and continues to do in my life and in the lives of those that I love. I have also found that songwriting is probably His gift to me. Songwriting has allowed me to better understand myself through the years. It has allowed me to process certain things that have happened and given me the chance to measure my own response and how I choose to live. I’m not perfect. None of us are. But I think as we get a little bit of age on us we begin to look back and see certain things may have happened for a reason. Other things happened, and we made the best of whatever it was. And sometimes life throws curve balls that make no sense at all and never will as long as we live on this earth.

I have found quiet moments with some paper and a guitar and allowed my mind to go over to that place that speaks for me. I may sit there and play some chords and all of a sudden a melody or a phrase just presents itself. I follow the rabbit as it leads me down some unknown path and sometimes it can be quite surprising. The very concept of a song may speak to me on a personal level that allows for some explanation that I can apply to my own thought process a little bit later. I feel like that is a gift from God. He works through some very limited vessels sometimes I am told.

There are those around my hometown that grumble a little bit as they eat their fried chicken in their polyester flower print dress. They talk about how I have wasted my life because every single song I sing and write isn’t always about God. They seem to like the idea that I am probably miserable, and there is no way I am happy.  Well, I would be lying if I told you that I care even a smidgen about what those people think. But let me tell you what the whole thing is about. I have written many songs about my relationship with God. I have written about my beliefs and understanding, and I am proud of those songs. But, I have been living a life while those church ladies have been talking me down while eating fried food. I have fallen in love. I have raised kids. I have made mistakes. I have accidentally hurt hearts that I care about. And I have pursued a career in music that allows me to share my songs with a lot of people at a level that has surprised me more than you could imagine. Mostly, though, I have found happiness.

You see, I think God gives us all kinds of special gifts. If we look around, it doesn’t take long to see them. I was in the back of our farm today by the creek. The sun was coming through the thick leaves of the trees. The birds were making all kinds of cool sounds, but in the midst of it all there was a dove hidden somewhere that continued to make his song speak to me. This is just one little moment when I can feel the presence of God. The warmth of the sun, the beauty of the water and the woods, and the breeze that we can’t see are all reminders of His hand.

The music that is in my life is just one component. It is important, but there are many pieces and parts that make up my life that I want and require. Your life is just like mine. We may not have the same interests or backgrounds, but we are still pretty much the same. The Gift of the Spirit is what is living and breathing in our world. Yes, I am sure if you want, you could receive the gift of “tongues”, but there is so much more. I wrote a song years ago that speaks about the presence of the wind itself. You can feel a cold wind, can’t you? But you can’t see it even though you know for sure it’s there. Music is my thing. I love to listen to it. I love to write it. And I love what it has allowed into my life. I truly hope that you have something in your life that is just yours. It can be anything. But just remember to take the time to allow whatever it is to flow through your world. Let it give you the enjoyment that you need and deserve.

Man, sometimes I read my blogs, and I think I might be Joel Olsteen without the giant smile. But I swear to you that what I’m telling you is important. Life has so much to give, and I don’t think we take the full helping sometimes. Maybe we feel a little bit guilty. Maybe we think we have as much as we can handle. Or, maybe we don’t feel like we even deserve anymore because of past mistakes. I’m here to tell you that all of those thoughts are wrong. We all have it in us to be more than we are. We all have it in us to chase our dreams and grab those suckers by the throat. You go grab a hold of what you want!

And let me say one last thing. If you are that person that had his ears perk up a little a ways back when I was talking about speaking in tongues, I’m going to tell you about a shortcut. Go outside and slam your hand in your car door. It will be like magic. You will find yourself speaking in a language nobody else can interpret, and you may actually even see God. You are welcome. 

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Scott Coner is a country singer-songwriter who has worked in the studio with legendary artists such as Tanya Tucker, T. Graham Brown and Charlie Daniels. You can learn more about him and hear his music at his music page.