Nashville comes to Fairfax County
Fairfax Public Access TV to air singer/songwriting workshops

By Frank Mustac
5 July 2001

THE NASHVILLE CONNECTION: Local singers and songwriters, from left, David Vaughn, Maureen Flanningan and Heidi Burger, in an interactive audience of singing coach Dave Brooks and songwriter Jason Blume from Nashville during the taping of "The Nashville Co

The show's producers, including FPA executive director Joan Betros, designed the interactive workshops for songwriters and singers of all skill levels.

Some of the six to eight pilot programs, which run about 28 minutes each, were recorded at the station's studios in Merrifield on June 22 and June 23. The shows feature Nashville session recording artist Dave Brooks and Nashville songwriter Jason Blume.

Brooks, who is a demo singer for country music star Clint Black and has sung nationally broadcast commercial jingles, said, "I love country music and I sing country music, but I sing more contemporary country."

"I knew I had a voice. I wanted people to hear it."

Blume has written and co-written Grammy Award-nominated songs for the Backstreet Boys and Britney Spears, as well as for country music performers Collin Raye, John Berry and the Oakridge Boys.

"What they all want is the magic answer [to the question] 'How do I become a star?'" Blume said about the students who attend to his songwriting workshops and seminars that are based on his book "6 Steps to Songwriting Success."

Directing the series is Great Falls resident McKay Daines--a screenplay writer, director and producer.

Daines is currently co-producer of the upcoming film "Joan of Arc," which will be completed in France sometime in 2003. The film stars Mira Sorvino.

In a press conference on June 22 promoting the series, Brooks and Blume said that breaking into the music business is difficult. They also said that determined aspiring artists can adopt certain techniques and attitudes that can help make things easier.

"This industry is just a crazy, wacky industry," Brooks said. "It is a day-by-day process in this business."

For singers, Brooks advises making the singing of a song very personal, and for singers to gravitate to who they genuinely are.

"The little things mean absolutely the most," Brooks said.

Blume added to and reinforced some of Brooks' comments.

"I think that this crazy business is about so much that's out of our control," Blume said.

"I went through a lot of years being miserable. The truth is that it's part of the journey."

Blume said that he thinks there is still plenty of room in the world for uplifting songs.

Along with being proud of the hit song he co-wrote for Britney Spears, titled "Dear Diary," Blume said he is equally proud of a song he wrote about a woman suffering from Alzheimer's disease called "She's Gonna Fly."

Blume then recited the lyrics to the chorus: "She's gonna fly; When her time here is through; First she'll have to let go; Of some things she can't use; 'Cause people and places; Memories and faces; Are just way too heavy it seems; To carry on angel's wings."

On a television set ringed on three sides with a large black curtain acting as a backdrop, with a large red sparkling sign hanging from the center portion of the curtain that read "NASHVILLE CONNECTION", 15 area singers and songwriters filled the two audience sections on either side of a raised center platform during taping of two of the workshops Saturday evening, June 23.

First Blume starred alone for the first taping that day.

Seated at the center platform, he talked about the songwriting process.

Blume told his audience that the job of a songwriter is to say things in new fresh ways, and to tell stories. The songwriter, Blume said, should use imagery, action and color.

Blume explained that song lyrics should paint a scene as if the words unfold a video that a listener can literally see.

"It's not easy for me. It's not easy for anyone. But that's our job," Blume said. "Success only comes before work in the dictionary."

For the second taping, Brooks, who said he sometimes records 15 to 20 different songs per week, co-starred with Blume in a program about techniques for session singers.

"I'm literally learning the songs as I'm driving to the session," Brooks said.

Blume said that finding a demo singer for one of his songs is "like casting a role for a movie."

"What I'm looking for is not who's a good singer, but who's the right singer," Jason Blume said.

For information about "The Nashville Connection," contact FPA Executive Director Joan Betros at 703-573-1090.

This article ©Arcom Publishing Inc. - Fairfax/Fairfax Station/Burke/Springfield/Annandale Times 2001

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