Songwriter Soup

Latest Episodes:

Ashley Gorley: In A League Of His Own Mar 11, 2024

Show notes

Ashley Gorley has a literal bajillion hits. He’s also got a thriving publishing company in Tape Room Music. With so much success it’s easy to overlook the fact that it took Ashley eleven years to score his first hit. But thanks to his deep connection to the community and the key investment from mentors, Ashley was prepared to ride it out. It also helped that his early measures of success consisted of little more than writing “songwriter” on his tax forms and having working air conditioning.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

STEALING! How To Fix A Small Problem Before It Becomes A Big Ass Problem Mar 04, 2024

Show notes

What is stealing anyway? In the songwriting world, there are a million ways it can happen. Sometimes (but rarely) it’s quite blatant, and sometimes it’s as innocent as forgetting you wrote the same concept in a different room two years ago. The fact is, it happens. There can be big consequences that can tank your reputation and your finances, but all of it is pretty much avoidable if handled right. This week, Laura lays down a few simple rules to keep you out of proverbial songwriter jail and maybe prevent or soften the blow of a costly lawsuit.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Emily Weisband: Breaking Up With Your Soul Sucking Artist Dream Feb 26, 2024

Show notes

Emily Weisband (“Thy Will” Hillary Scott, “Boy With Luv” BTS, “Can’t Break Up Now” Old Dominion & Megan Moroney) is one of those people who just billows talent. Even though she moved to Nashville to become a songwriter, it didn’t take any time at all before people started trying to convince her that she should do “the artist thing.” This episode covers a topic that plagues so many of us and Emily articulates beautifully how tricky it is to navigate. If you’re a songwriter out there wondering if being an artist is for you, take a listen.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The Money Episode: To Spend Or Not To Spend (More Specifically, How Not To Spend) Feb 19, 2024

Show notes

So, you just scored your first hit song! Time to buy a boat, a big house and that Rolex you’ve been eyeing, right? Not so fast. You can still have fun, but it might be a minute before the next big one comes around so let’s breathe and do some future planning. This week the gang breaks down what a “hit” actually means, how much it might be worth and how to manage the money it makes you properly.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Joe Ragosta: You Know, Elvis Didn’t Write That Feb 12, 2024

Show notes

Joe Ragosta scored his first big hit (“Need A Favor” Jellyroll) just a few weeks before this episode was recorded. Joe brings big energy to the writing room and any other room he walks into. It’s that energy that has propelled Joe through years of slogging it out on the road with bands, commuting to Nashville from Long Island, and securing writes with one of the best bluffs we’ve ever heard. Strap in y'all, this is a fun one.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Habits Scale Up! The Basics of Managing Money As A Small Business Owner Feb 05, 2024

Show notes

Laura, Tracy and Kevin expand on the idea that even if you have a publishing deal, you're still very much the sole proprietor of your own business. Tracy gives a tutorial on how to divide up your income so that when tax day comes, you have all your bases covered. He also lays out some best practices for avoiding debt, systematic saving and maintaining a realistic viewpoint of your financial progress. Laura gives a play by play on how all this money stuff feels in real time from songwriter’s perspective, and how these financial choices can affect your creativity in the short and long run.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Kelly Archer: Canadian Nice With An Excellent Bluff Jan 29, 2024

Show notes

Kelly Archer (“Sleep Without You” Brett Young, “Wild As Her” Corey Kent, “Somebody Else Will” Justin Moore) explains what it’s like to write songs in Nashville before and after becoming a U.S. Citizen. Tricky! Kelly's story is a wild one with high stakes and time limits, making her one of Nashville’s most steadfast and determined songwriters. This episode covers writing songs on work visas and how that intertwines with being signed to publishing deals. Kelly sets a shining example for songwriters to know their own worth, negotiate accordingly, while riding the ups and downs of this fickle career path.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Award Show Ashmord Shmow… Let's Talk About Expectations! Jan 22, 2024

Show notes

This episode highlights one of the easiest ways to ruin what could otherwise be a really fun and fulfilling career choice: expectations. The trio talk awards and the impact they can have on your career, finances and mental health.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Jordan Schmidt: From Salad Boy to Nashville Heavy Hitter Jan 15, 2024

Show notes

Jordan Schmidt ("wait in the truck" HARDY & Lainey Wilson, "God's Country" Blake Shelton, "What Ifs” Kane Brown) talks to Laura and Tracy about his journey from producing rock bands in Minnesota, to getting in on the ground floor of Florida Georgia Line’s publishing company, Tree Vibez Music, all the way to writing smashes for Jason Aldean, Blake Shelton and Kane Brown. This candid conversation covers a few particular challenges that a lot of professional songwriters deal with; i.e. being bad with money, struggling to break into the scene, and the pressure to repeat success once you find it.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

We're Back! Let's Get Into Publishing Deals Jan 08, 2024

Show notes

Laura, Tracy and Kevin kick off Season 2 by diving head first where we left off in season one: publishing deals. Specifically, the gang gets into what a publishing deal actually is and the relationship between publisher and songwriter. They break down why a draw feels like a salary (but isn't!), the subtle art of calendar management, and how money flows once a song gets out there in the world.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.