Aloha and Mahalo-Songwriting in Hawaii with Kenny Loggins!
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Aloha and Mahalo-Songwriting in Hawaii with Kenny Loggins!

Kenny remarked, “ya know...luck smells a lot like sweat.” Even if he managed to be in the right place at the right time over and over I think we can agree that he backed it up with the right stuff. No one should ever feel guilty if they get lucky. Maybe luck is something the Universe rewards us with when we’ve done the hard work and believe in ourselves. 

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The Johnny Mercer Songwriters Project
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The Johnny Mercer Songwriters Project

I’ve heard it said, “those who can, dothose who can'tteach.” I reject that notion. I’m enjoying “doing” (writing songs) more than ever. I may not be making as much money as I did when physical albums were flying off the shelves but is that how we measure success?

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Up Close & Personal
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Up Close & Personal

No matter how gloriously any recording artist delivers a song, there’s simply nothing like hearing the songwriter who wrote it sing it. Perhaps it's not as glamorous or controlled but there is a primal element in the the voice of the writer from whom the song emerged and that's something that nobody else can own. 

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Join The Noise
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Join The Noise

If the business model of 20 years ago was as it is today, that favorite song of yours...the one you sang to your baby at bedtime ("Surfer Girl" for me), or danced to at your wedding, might never have been written because the writer who wrote it might not have been able to sustain themselves long enough to stay in the game. Well, things are about to change. Hopefully!

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Say Yes
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Say Yes

"Yes" opens doors. Not necessarily the ones you are knocking on. Sometimes the goal in mind totally falls through but some other magical thing happens instead. By accident? Random luck? I think not. I KNOW you know what I mean. 

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Teachable Songwriting
Uncategorized Shelly Peiken Uncategorized Shelly Peiken

Teachable Songwriting

For a successful destiny, one has to have the fire in their belly—which is usually recognized at a young age—and the desire to communicate within a 3.5 minute boundary. If these parameters are already in place then maybe one can learn to get better. 

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Living Room Live
Uncategorized Shelly Peiken Uncategorized Shelly Peiken

Living Room Live

I’ve narrowed a 7 hour audio book down to an hour’s worth of the best bits. I put a mic and an amp in the corner of my office and every night I've been firing up the purple lights and running through the script. I'm enjoying myself immensely. So are my cats. I'm not sure how to proceed next, but I'll figure it out. One foot in front of the other. Like everything. If you build it they will come. 

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What's Next
Uncategorized Shelly Peiken Uncategorized Shelly Peiken

What's Next

Indeed, life, career, love have their ups and downs. Perhaps the lulls are necessary, albeit not as thrilling, as the excitement. I’ve always enjoyed unscheduled time to collect my endless thoughts. Examining is where we get material. We need to take time to replenish. 

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10,000 Hours
Uncategorized Shelly Peiken Uncategorized Shelly Peiken

10,000 Hours

Sometimes I feel invisible. I am a singer/songwriter who has yet to write a hit. I go to a party and when you ask what I do I tell you: I wake up every day and write songs. It’s like breathing. 

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#Us Too
Uncategorized Shelly Peiken Uncategorized Shelly Peiken

#Us Too

When it comes to the MeToo movement, Songwriters are not immune. As sole proprietors and small business owners, we are currently unable to unionize. We have no HR departments, no sexual harassment protocols, no real recourse. We only have each other. So where does a female songwriter (or artist or composer or producer) go when a line has been crossed? SONA is stepping up.

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Confessions.