The Chicken and the Ant

  By Scott Coner

                                                                            Nashville Recording Artist, Songwriter, Performer, and Author  

     Life lessons have a way of staying with us. Sometimes we forget about them, and they lay in wait until they need to be applied. Some of my own lessons come to mind. How about the time I asked a lady when “she was due” when she wasn’t due at all? Or what about the time I played on the men’s baseball team at church when I had never played a game in my life. The truth was, I didn’t know where to throw the ball, where to stand, or what to say to cover my embarrassment. Lesson learned I guess, but it would have been good to know that quite a few people show up to watch the game.

     When I was a little kid, my mom used to dress me in these weird outfits she called, “sun suits.” Best that I can remember, they weren’t anything more than shorts with a built in suspender type deal. The reason I say this, is to describe the time I was at the corner of my grandparent's yard in Florida playing with my match-box cars. Things seemed pretty innocent with no problems on the horizon. Just a kid in his sun-suit imagining he was driving a miniature Mustang. I noticed a small ant climbing along my thigh before the gates of hell opened up. I smacked at the ant, and that must have been a distress signal for all of the ants in Florida to bite my little boy parts in unison. There were several life lessons to be learned that day. First of all, those strange little sun suits are very hard to get off your body when your strapped in like a paratrooper. Secondly, when your parts are on fire, you need to have command of the English language so you can instruct your mom of the issue. And I would imagine another important lesson is to not find out you have turrets syndrome in front of your mom and both of her parents. They probably forget how cute you are. Yeah, that day was chalked full of little lessons.

     There was another time right around the same season of my life when I was savagely attacked by a rooster. My grandma had warned me not to be throwing rocks at the chickens, but I have never been a great listener. So, while the grown-ups are all inside having coffee, I found myself all alone throwing rocks at chickens because that’s the kind of kid I was. I was a terrible human being. Anyway, as I’m standing in the barn lot throwing rocks at the poultry, I look to my left as a very angry rooster is viscously flapping up my fat little leg. I was terrified. I tried to run, but the rooster was faster. I fell several times as I cried and screamed for my terrible young life. Was there a lesson learned? Not really a “life lesson,” but I wouldn’t throw rocks at chickens unless you’re wearing a full set of Car-Harts and running shoes. This might apply to glass houses too, if you happen to live in an aquarium.

     As we get older, I think it’s a natural thing to laugh at our little mistakes. We have hopefully evolved to some degree, but there is always room for improvement. I have learned not to play with ant- hills. I don’t throw myself into baseball games like I’m the great Bambino. And I avoid all eye contact with full-size ladies for fear of blurting out something insanely stupid. The thing is, I am still prone to doing and saying things I regret. If I have learned anything, I would truly hope I am finally smart enough not to say something that would hurt someone’s feelings. After all, it’s absolutely fine for me to share my own mistakes and make fun of myself. On the other hand, it’s never ok for me to hurt someone else’s feelings either by accident or on purpose. As I’ve gotten older, I have realized just how important every single person is in my world. Everyone I know truly has a reason for being there. It’s almost like every person is a puzzle piece. Many people have taught me some pretty applicable lessons in spite of myself. The most important one? I’m not sure, but maybe we shouldn’t take things so seriously.  

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.         

Faded Jeans and Flannel Shirts and Pretty Brown Eyes

      By Scott Coner

Nashville Recording Artist, Songwriter, Performer, and Author

 

     Fall is coming! I can tell because red, yellow, and brown M&M’s are showing up at our house. Fall placemats, a cinnamon broom on the wall in the garage, and pretty fall colored lights are on the fireplace mantel.  My wife, Cynthia, makes our home incredibly comfortable year round, but I guess I enjoy fall the most because the season promises cooler temperatures, family gatherings, and of course Christmas is right around the corner.

  

     I love to go down to the creek at the back our farm and watch the leaves fall on the water. I like to watch the changes across the fields where I live. And most of all, I love to spend time with our little family. My wife, my daughters, and our dogs make for some pretty special times that I hope I will remember even when I get to heaven.  My wife keeps all kinds of cool things to decorate our house with and every day for the coming weeks the house changes just a little bit more every day. It goes from summery bunnies sitting around to scarecrows and pumpkins. She keeps fresh apple cider in the refrigerator for us, and an occasional spiced doughnut may even appear every now and then, but not for long.

     Campfires are always nice, but I think they are best in the fall. The night skies are clear, and the air is crisp. Where we live, it is always quiet, and I can think clearly as I stare into the flames. That is until I look across the glow of the fire and see how pretty my wife Cynthia looks in her faded jeans and flannel shirt. Then, I usually forget all about whatever I was contemplating. It doesn’t matter, though. I have all I have ever wanted these days. My family is happy and healthy. My mom and dad are healthy and doing well. And I feel pretty good too, knowing that all is good with those that matter most to me. I remember not having the same feelings about fall. I saw it as the season that brought an end to things. As far as I was concerned, it represented nothing more than a killing frost and the beginning of bitter cold. Our opinions change as we grow in age and wisdom, though, and that’s probably a good thing in my case. These days I see fall representing a chance to slow down a bit and reflect on things. There just isn’t any good reason to dread the changing seasons any more than there is reason to ever give up hope. To me, reminding myself what a lucky man I am is easy. I walk through our home and see the pictures of my beautiful daughters and wife, my parents, grandparents, and even our dogs. I know that I am blessed with far more than I deserve and believe me, I don’t take it for granted.

     I won’t waste my time being cynical about things I can’t change. I refuse to be a part of that thought process. As far as I’m concerned, the world is still a pretty great place. I see all the crazies burning down their towns across the country on the evening news and wonder what in the world they are thinking. I hope I never become so bitter as to have that much hate in my heart. I want to enjoy every moment that I’m given. I want to hold my wife’s hand and speak without speaking. I want to know that my daughters know in their hearts how much I love them. I want to play music and write songs. I want to drink hot cider beside the campfire at night. I want to live my life with the volume turned all the way up and never stop looking into the future or missing the minute that I’m in. And when winter gives us her coldest wind and darkest clouds, I want to know that spring is right around the corner. Go ahead and let the leaves begin to fall.  

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. 

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.   

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. 

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. 

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.