A Bluebird Setlist
Our singer-songwriters last night were.
* Jeff Cohen
* Jamie Floyd
* Brian White
* Victoria Banks
(Jeff) Intro
Jeff got into it before we started to take notes, so I can’t recall what he started with.
(Jamie) Mississippi Flood
This song was featured on the TV show Nashville. Here’s Hayden Panettiere singing it. In the show’s world this song charted at #1 so Jamie was pretty happy with her “fake news” #1 hit. Jamie has a bluesy intensity that I prefer to the show’s pop-country version.
(Brian) Drop
Rolling, rollicky, sexy wordplay.
https://brianwhitesongwriter.com/track/658056/drop
(Victoria) The Wheel
One of Ginnie’s favorites. A meditation on motherhood.
(Jamie) Stuck
Jamie had been progressively pulled in to a not yet released movie project staring Burt Reynolds and Chevy Chase. She wound up writing 18 songs and basically creating the entire movie soundtrack.
(Brian) Beach song
This was a fun audience participation song. Brian channels more than a bit of Jimmy Buffet and starts started by asking the audience “Do you ever wish your life was like a Corona commercial?” Well, yeah!! was the response. I can’t find this one but it was a fun, friendly time.
(Victoria) Saints and angels
One of many songs this night that was overtly religious.
(Jeff) Take me away, take me now
One of Jeff’s many songs that’s popular in the UK.
(Jamie) People you know became people you knew
A real soul-crusher by Jamie. She told a story of co-writing (with Loreena Mckennitt?) and unveiling this song to some wet cheeks.
(Brian) Watching You
This was a hit that got a lot of plays. Rodney Atkins recorded it and just try to get over the fact that he looks like Ernest Goes to Camp. We preferred Brian’s fun version.
(Victoria) Drinking too much, not praying enough
This one hasn’t been picked up and that had all the songwriters puzzled as to why. It’s about the age-old intersection between Jack Daniels and Jesus. I can’t find it so will stub in this one.
This caught my eye.
Songwriters aren’t often contacted at all by the artists who record their songs, let alone included in the process, but Stephanie very kindly invited both Rachel and me to be in the music video. Unfortunately I was out on tour at the time, but click to watch it below and you’ll see some great footage of Rachel and her daughter Olivia right at the beginning!
(Jeff) In her eyes
This one was popularized by Josh Groban. I prefer Jeff’s soulful treatment much, much, much more than this glitterbomb.
(Jamie) Trouble
Lost the thread on this one, my only notes are “get new off your mind” which surely can’t be right.
(Brian) Magic in the air
A beach-y love song from Brian about a love that just misses.
(Victoria) Being a woman ain’t for the faint of heart
This was a co-writing project with Sister C. Victoria shared how it’s hard as a female songwriter when the vast majority of the current country music sound is male voices.
(Jeff) Hallelujah
Another song that’s seen popularity in the UK
(Jamie) The Blade
A lyrically strong song that’s seen some popularity. Here’s
(Brian) Throwing up a Hail Mary
A song Brian wrote for a young cancer patient. This song reflects Brian’s Christian faith, right at that intersection of football and faith in this case.
(Victoria) Ordinary angels
A perfect close by Victoria given Alive Hospice’s mission. This video flips the script.
This is what it’s like to be a songwriter hearing your song performed for the first time. Phil Barton and Victoria Banks watch Tate Stevens sing “Ordinary Angels” at the Key West Songwriters Festival.
