Scott Coner Music

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.

Saturday, October 1, 2016

November Rain

By Scott Coner

Nashville Recording Artist, Songwriter, Performer, and Author

We are living in a moment of history that is so important! I believe that our society is at a crossroads. The lines are already drawn, and each of us is going to need to decide what side we want to stand on. For instance, do you believe that we can co-exist with Isis? Are you ready to give up your guns? How do you feel about protecting our borders or giving financial aid and voting rights to people that are not legal citizens? What about this continued process of treating veterans so terribly? Teachers unions? How about a woman being a proven liar that has actually lied under oath and still being a front-runner for the nation's highest office? The list goes on and on.

We all have the right to believe what we want to believe. We have the right to voice our opinions. We even have the right to turn our back on the American flag I guess. Yes, living in a free country allows you to be and act like an idiot. You are given a pass on whether or not you want to appreciate the American blood that has been shed on battlefields all over the world giving you the right to behave badly. To me, though, it is such a shame that those of us that have Christian views are being treated like a problem rather than an answer. The news media wants us to feel like we are foolish for not recognizing their liberal agenda as the new world order. We should close our eyes and ears and accept whatever lie they insist we believe. They want us to be sheep. I don’t think that I’m alone when I say, “I’ll pass on the stupid. But thanks anyway.”

I would never tell you what you should believe as far as politics go. For me, it is very important that everything aligns with my faith when it comes down to a voting booth. I think both parties have changed to the point that it is hard for me to recognize either one of them. The Democrats are certainly not the party of the old south that my family would have originally sided with and voted for years ago. The Republican Party has been telling us for years that they are in line with Reagan’s ways but they have been lying like dogs. Instead, they have been trying to build a bigger government and gain more and more power. Should we choose our poison and drink up? I don’t believe so. But that’s just me.

Scott Coner's hit song "Line In It"

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I predict that millions in our country are wide- awake. We are sick to death of the direction our nation is headed. We are sick to death of walking on the eggshells of political correctness. We truly want to see Isis destroyed forever, and we have no problem with calling out an extremist. We want to repair our broken health care system with something that actually works and helps our people. We want to our borders protected. We want our veterans helped and appreciated in every way possible. We want honesty back in the white house. We want the lies to stop. And we want God back in our schools, our universities, our government, and our nation.

We are going to prove this sooner than later. November is just around the corner and we the people are going to storm this land with a like -minded vote. Both parties are going to feel this. If you’re a politician and aren’t working for the betterment of America, then you will be fired. We deserve better. Our people deserve good paying jobs with nice futures ahead of them, and this certainly includes the people in the inner city. Change is long over due. Nobody signed up for what we have now, and both parties are to blame. Our country has always been great, but we are about to become much greater. But first, we need to take the trash out.

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Saturday, August 20, 2016

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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Monday, June 6, 2016

Shot Clocks and Destiny

By Scott Coner

Nashville Recording Artist, Songwriter, Performer and Author

Have you ever found yourself hoping for something so long that you don’t know how to react when the chance finally comes? Consider that particular relationship you have spent countless nights wishing and praying for. What about the time they gave you the basketball with three seconds on the shot clock and the game depended on you? I’m sure you have your own story. And if you don’t, you’d probably better get busy living because these are the moments that define you.

Years ago, twenty- two years ago to be exact, the snow was falling on a gray Saturday afternoon. My wife hadn’t consented to marry me just yet, and I had to do some pretty quick talking before my opportunity passed. You might say the three- second clock had been turned on and somebody accidentally gave me the ball. I pulled in to an empty Napa car parts store parking lot in Brown County, Indiana and poured my soul empty. I had to cover quite a bit of ground pretty fast because she would be headed back to Nashville, Tennessee the next morning. The thing was, I knew we could have a good life together, but she probably wasn’t all that convinced. And it is probably important to point out that most of the breathing male species would be willing to do about anything to have a chance at her. I remember explaining in detail every aspect of my feelings. I also remember seeing the clouds of doubt in her eyes. But, this was my chance. It was my opportunity to shoot the ball in the midst of some pretty heavy defense. Long story short, somehow, the ball went through the hoop and as I write this blog, our daughters are in the kitchen laughing with their mother as she cuts up a watermelon. Times are very good these days.

(Scott Coner and his wife Cyndi)

More recently, I have been given the chance to finally begin playing music for a career rather than just a hobby. This is the answer to all of my dreams. But, for me to actually go on the road, I need to buckle down and put a show together. You see, for so long now, I have simply been a writer. I come up with songs, and I record them. I have become entrenched in the process of constantly moving ahead as a writer, but the truth is, I don’t remember how to play the songs I wrote well because I have always been in the process of writing instead of practicing. To top that off, I need to learn quite a bit of other material to go along with my own plethora of life stories. Honestly, rather than writing this blog, I should be out in my studio working on songs, but here I sit pecking away.

I am certain your version of unforeseen opportunity is just as terrifying as mine. Sometimes I think we are all just a bunch of clueless humans wishing and praying but somehow not expecting anything to come from it. You know, if we believe in God, and we believe in His promises, why do we not expect at least some version of answered prayer? I consider myself blessed beyond belief to have what I have. I am happy and complete in every possible way. This whole music thing is too good to get my head around sometimes, but I will truly try my best. I don’t want to let this get by me; that’s for sure.

I hope all of your own wishes and prayers have come your way. If they haven’t, I hope you know that they are in the pipeline coming right at you. We are so fortunate to live here in this country. One of the truly outstanding qualities of our part of the world is that we have room for hope. We can dream. We can accomplish. And when we pray, we can expect results. Don’t ever allow yourself to lose sight of who you truly are and what you offer. Your life is important. Your thoughts are important. And your time here on this earth deserves to be well spent. Don’t ever step back and allow your dreams to diminish. The shot clock will be ticking soon, and you will find yourself holding the ball.

Lean back like Larry Bird and take that shot!

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