Our Finest Moments

                                                                          By Scott Coner

                                          Nashville Recording Artist, Songwriter, Performer, and Author

     The moments that come unannounced are usually the ones that we remember for the rest of our lives. We all remember where we are on 9/11. We remember the day we met that special someone. We may remember hearing grandma downstairs moving around in the kitchen as she made breakfast. You remember your first kiss. These special memories are what make life pretty special. I would hate to think that I could ever fall so low as to question my own existence. All of our lives matter. All of our memories are locked away for a reason.

      Too may of the friends I have had all of my life seem to have fallen into the trap of “existing” rather than “living”. I don’t know what causes this bitterness. But my theory is they have become hardened because life has dealt a few pretty hard blows. I know life can be tough. Believe me, I have had plenty of dark days in the full sun myself. But, it doesn’t make sense to re-live the bad any more than it does to live in your best day from twenty years back. The past is the past. I relish the good memories but I don’t dwell on my mistakes. 

     I sat with my daughter the other day as we watched an old Charles Shultz cartoon about Easter. I enjoy the purity of those times. As I sat there feeling ten years old I wondered if any of my friends ever take time to watch Snoopy. Make no mistake. I am a man, a husband and a father. I’m not trying to be a kid. But I do like sharing parts of my childhood with my kids. I still like some of the old television shows, the music, even the clothes from my old world. I still like flying kites but don’t tell anybody.

     Age is just a number. We put too much emphasis on time and mirrors I think. We shouldn’t get caught up in the age thing. Instead, we need to lose ourselves in doing what we enjoy. We need to be around the ones we love. There are so many things I do today that I have done most of my life. I take walks down along the same creek I have been around my whole life. I notice tree’s that have always been around. I walk nearly every night with my dogs in the middle of nowhere.  I still listen to music about as loud as it will go. I’m probably half deaf, but I have no plans of changing anything at all. I am older now, but I am still young on the inside. I am hopefully wiser now, but I like to act foolishly whenever possible.

     I don’t think a lot about getting older. I try to take care of myself. I work out a lot. I eat good food and get lots of rest. But, when I run into old friends I sometimes feel awkward. Not because I’m not glad to see them. I just don’t always know where I stand with people I suppose. I feel great. I enjoy almost everything. But, I don’t like being around negative people. I think being negative is nothing more than a mind set. We don’t have to be down in the dumps. God gave us life. It is up to us to live it to it’s fullest. If something or someone doesn’t align with my world then I try to avoid whatever it is. These minutes that you and I have been given are ours to live as we see fit. We don’t have to be bummed out all of the time. We can make a better choice. We can improve ourselves, and our situation. But it all comes down to us.

     Our finest moments are the ones we pursue.  If we allow ourselves to fall into the day like a young colt, then we will have a pretty good day. Like I said, I am bit older now. But I believe I feel good because I have forgiven those that have wronged me. I have tried to be the best version of myself. I love the ones in my small circle about as much as they could ever be loved. I make it my job to laugh and joke as much as possible. I am nobody special. I haven’t accomplished all that much as far as the world is concerned. But I live well. I grab every minute of every day by the throat. Not because I wish to defeat it. But, because I want to hold it close as possible and never let go. When my spirit leaves this world, I hope people will notice and care that I am gone. I hope they can know for sure that I went to heaven. And, that while I was alive I truly did my best to seize every minute and every occasion.     

                            

Keep in touch!

Visit my website

Check out my Facebook

Subscribe to my YouTube

Follow me on Twitter!

Booking Inquiries

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. 

Sound Possibilities

                                                                                By Scott Coner

                                             Nashville Recording Artist, Songwriter, Performer, and Author  

     I met Kenny about six months ago. Steve Dean, Carol Chase and I had just finished co-writing a song together, and we felt good enough about the piece to get it recorded. I had been working around Nashville in three different studios, but I had been looking for a place that put more emphasis on vocals. The next thing I knew I found myself in Kenny Royster’s studio and I immediately realized that this guy had a special talent that I needed to add to my music.

     Kenny is originally from Portland, Oregon. He also attended college in Oregon as well but soon afterward moved out to L.A. While he was out there, he began playing lead guitar and singing lead vocals in a pretty solid rock band that worked steady six days a week in California, Nevada, Idaho, and Oregon. It was during this season that he began to record his band with whatever equipment he could get his hands on. He eventually built a home studio and continually upgraded his gear as time and money allowed. He had a natural talent that allowed him to work with an established producer that had worked in the band, “Sugar Loaf” (Green Eyed Lady) earlier in the 70’s rock world. Kenny told me that he used himself as a guinea pig as he developed his approach to recording. It was also during this time that he won a songwriting contest in Sacramento and more people began to hear about him. His small home studio was flourishing, but the idea of moving to Nashville had started to make sense.

Kenny Royster

     Upon arriving in Nashville, Kenny met a drummer that was already hooked up with several capable studio players around town. Kenny set his studio up in a modest area and started working primarily in doing sessions for song demos. (A song demo is usually provided by the songwriter for an artist or a publisher to consider) Kenny told me that he began setting the studio up in blocks of time. He and his players would cut demos all day long and then he would begin doing a follow up on the vocals and the mixes that evening. They stayed busy because they were doing excellent work at very affordable prices.     

     Rene’ Grant Williams, the well -known vocal coach, began bringing her students to Kenny’s studio. This gave her students a great experience, and it gave Kenny a personal insight on better understanding the dynamics of helping singers working in the studio. The band “Lonestar” and Trace Adkins were just a few of the artists’ that showed up with Mrs. Williams. Upper tier songwriters began bringing their material to Kenny as well. Songwriters like, Buddy Jewell, Paul Overstreet, Dickey Lee, Craig Campbell, and Don Goodman started showing up with potential hit songs. The accumulative hours have flown by. I believe it is safe to say that Kenny Royster is a journeyman in his field of business. He has done great work for many artists including myself. I have seen first hand what he can accomplish, and it’s pretty fascinating to watch. Because of his attention to details, I have actually gone into his studio and re-recorded two of my songs. He understands the dynamics that I am pursuing. He listens to what I have to say and then he offers outstanding advice.

     At the time of this blog, Kenny is working away in his studio. He also currently has a number one song he co-wrote and recorded for a band called, “The Long and Short of It” in Australia. Three months prior he also had the #4 song in Australia with the same duo. He has been working in early development with an upcoming Sony artist named, Luke Combs. It is safe to say that Kenny will be around Nashville for a long time to come. I have worked with several different producers as well as engineers all around Nashville, and I can confidently say Kenny is light years ahead of them. Because he is a singer himself, he understands vocals and how to best record them. He has played guitar in a band. He has felt that special “live” sound we all chase while working in a studio. He has taken the art of recording music to a much higher level, and I am truly honored to call him a friend. He’s one those people behind the scenes that have developed music into something that takes your breath away. That is very cool.  

Keep in touch!

Visit my website

Check out my Facebook

Subscribe to my YouTube

Follow me on Twitter!

Booking Inquiries

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.         

The Time of Our Lives

 By Scott Coner

                                                                            Nashville Recording Artist, Songwriter, Performer, and Author  

     It’s a funny thing how we change as we get older. We begin to understand that life is shorter than we originally thought. When we are young, we wish we could be older. When I was little, I wanted to be old enough to play with the older kids. When I was ten, I wanted to be sixteen so I could drive. I remember sitting in school praying for the afternoon to pass so I could have my freedom back. These days, I wish the days could just be longer. I want more time with my wife, my daughters, and our home. The older I get, the faster time seems to go.

     When we first found out that Cyndi was pregnant, we could hardly wait for baby Emily Sae to be born. When our second little girl, Taylor was born, I remember being so excited for her to say her first words I could hardly wait. These days I’d give anything just to have both of those little girls in my arms again. Time isn’t just fleeting. In a way it’s kind of heartbreaking as well. The thing is, I had great times back then, but I didn’t have the capacity to truly appreciate what I had until some of the moments were long over. The problem with time is it moves along even when you aren’t ready to move along with it.

     When we are young, we don’t understand that our grandparents are just around for a while. We think we will have the same dog and cat forever. And our best friend will always be our closest pal. What we don’t know is that we will find ourselves visiting those very moments for the rest of our lives because those moments are all we have. I have a few of my grandpa’s flannel shirts and an old hat. I have three of the glasses I drank out of when I was a kid at my Grandma’s house. And every now and then, I wear “Old Spice” cologne just like my grandpa did. I know it’s a little strange, but these are the things that allow me to re-connect for just a minute. That’s the thing about age. You find yourself walking around with a mind full of memories and the need to let those closest to you how much you love them.

      I have given my whole heart to my family. They are simply everything to me. I have sat around watching our kids grow up with a guitar in my hands. Foolishly, I have always wanted to be out on the road playing my music. And because of my persistence, I guess this is about to become a realty soon. I never dreamed the heaviness the idea of leaving would actually bring to my heart. I have always worked very hard at whatever I have wanted. That’s one of the culprits that stole time from my family. I push and push until I get what I want. Now with the reality in front of me, I recently realized that this is going to be much, much harder than I thought. My world is right beside my wife, my home, my powerful memories that I constantly visit. I know now that the warmth and beauty of my wife, the laughter of my kids, and unconditional love of our animals is far more than I ever deserved. I only want to be with them. The rest of what the world offers is certainly appreciated. But, we are going to need to find a way to work it all out somehow.

     Believe me when I say that I am fully aware that my children are all but grown. It won’t be too much longer until they won’t need me as much. One is a junior in college and one is a junior in high school. I guess I just don’t want to miss anything as it comes anymore. I think the greatest lesson I have ever learned is the one that time taught me. That measure of heartbeats that we call a clock has shown me what if feels like to truly appreciate every single minute. For that, I am thankful because I know there are people all over the world that only have regret for the life they didn’t choose to live. For what it’s worth, I will live the years that I have left on this earth doing my best to be a better husband, a better dad, a better son, and a better friend to the few that I actually have. In the mean time, I guess time will just have to continue marching on. There’s not a thing in the world I can do to slow it down.

Keep in touch!

Visit my website

Check out my Facebook

Subscribe to my YouTube

Follow me on Twitter!

Booking Inquiries

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.         

Shades of Blue and Gray

 By Scott Coner

                                                                            Nashville Recording Artist, Songwriter, Performer, and Author  

     To me, the beauty of art is what it represents. I don’t know very much about painting, or photos, or anything like that. I know what I like when I see it. I know I have never wished I had some paintings of soup cans on my wall. To be honest, I probably like the photos of my family on the walls around my house than anything else. Like they say, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. If you like something, isn’t that what matters most?

     I don’t paint pictures. I do take photos with my phone sometimes, but for my own enjoyment. I write songs. I hear melodies. I hear phrases. I search my little piece of the planet for songs. I consider myself a serious songwriter because I truly do apply myself to the craft. I don’t align myself with too many of the publishers that look around for yet another song that “feels” and “sounds” like the last song they had on the radio. I just trudge along doing what I do. No matter what anybody says, I will not chase a train that has already passed me. I think if you consider yourself any type of artist at all, then you have to be yourself. For instance, just because Van Gogh used blues and grays doesn’t mean another guy with a brush can bring out the same beauty using the same colors. And just because some other song talks about how “country” it is to drink whiskey and listen to a train, doesn’t mean I am drawn to that theme.

     I had a conversation recently with a man from Nashville that is involved in my music to some extent. He truly believes that in order to be viable in today’s market that you need to listen to and study the other writers of current radio releases. I think there is some merit to that approach. I do believe if you copy other music, you might actually achieve something. If you listen to twenty minutes of today’s country music, you might walk away believing this approach is pretty popular. But, that’s not how I want to work.

     I instead believe that any genre of music needs to come from somewhere close to the heart. I think it needs to feel good when you play it all alone with just an acoustic guitar or piano. I think it should take you somewhere in your mind. I like the “no-rules” approach to writing. I don’t have a pre-conceived idea of where I want to go with a song. I follow it. It doesn’t follow me. The music getting radio play is something I don’t spend a lot of time following either. I compare trying to figure it all out to understanding the highs and lows in the Wall Street market. I think if you stay true to your own sound, you might make some headway, but I’m not certain of this. When it’s all said and done, it only makes sense to do things your own way.

     I approach music the same way I try to approach life. I don’t compare myself to others. I am comfortable with who I am. I write from my point of view. I live by my rules, not someone else’s. And I strongly believe this is the direction I must take in order to be whole. Have you ever made the mistake of looking at someone else’s set-up and wished it could be yours? I have, but thankfully I came to my senses pretty quickly. I have had some success with my music, but not enough to fulfill me. I have had visions of where I want to go, and I will follow those visions all the way to the end. Like they say, the destination isn’t the fun part. It’s the journey. I have weak moments. I have times when I wish I hadn’t picked up that first guitar. But, I am what I am. We are who we are.

Keep in touch!

Visit my website

Check out my Facebook

Subscribe to my YouTube

Follow me on Twitter!

Booking Inquiries

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.