Songwriters’ News January 2026

By Mike Rudquist

Please Note: Going forward, all online Zoom events will use the same Zoom link.  Here is a member-only link to our "Member Event Access" page which has the Zoom link:

https://mnsongwriters.org/activities/member-event-access/

Also Note:  All monthly MAS online meetings will be held within the same time frame of 6:30 – 8:30 p.m.  (This does not include the Minnesota Homebrew Radio Show.  See the event listing below for times.)

Monthly Mixer with Doug Millaway
Wednesday, January 7, 2025, 6:30 – 8:30 p.m.

This meeting allows for all types of topics to be explored and discussed as it relates to songwriting – the writing process, production, inspiration, the music business – all topics related to the craft, production and business of songwriting. This is a moderated open discussion, and participants are encouraged to share their personal experiences and expertise.

Minnesota Homebrew Radio Show with Carl Unbehaun
Thursdays all month – January 8, 15, 22, 29

Every Thursday evening from 6 to 7 pm, fellow MAS member and radio DJ Carl Unbehaun offers music written and/or performed by Minnesota musicians on his Minnesota Homebrew Radio Show. Radio station KSRQ in Thief River Falls (90.1 FM) streams Carl’s show via the Internet. On the FIRST Thursday of the month, Carl dedicates his entire show to music written by members of the Minnesota Association of Songwriters!

To submit your songs to Carl’s MAS-dedicated show or to have it played on any Thursday night, contact Carl at minnesotahomebrew@gmail.com.

To listen to Minnesota Homebrew on your devices, click here:  https://mnsongwriters.org/activities/radio-airplay/.

Online Round Robin Song Share with Paul Nye
Wednesday, January 14 6:30 – 8:30 pm

This is a laid-back, come as you are type get together with fellow songwriters to share your songs in a take turns fashion either performing live via zoom or with a recorded version of your songs. Just for fun and just to get together and play. Even if you want to just join in to listen, this is the place for you!

Monthly Online Song Review Session Hosted by Doug Millaway
Wednesday, January 21 – 6:30 pm – 8:30 pm

This is our general information and song review meeting. You are welcome to play an original song in any phase of its development or completion for purposes of potentially improving it based on feedback received.

Please refrain from submitting songs you do not intend to change from feedback given. You’re welcome to share those in our Round Robin Song session above.

Our review sessions are one of the best opportunities to help you learn and improve your craft. Giving feedback on other writers’ songs, and listening to others doing the same, is a great teaching tool.

You may submit your song’s audio and-or lyrics only for review up to the time of the review session. Please note, we are limited in the songs we can fit in, so you’ll want to watch for the email announcement to submit them and get it in early. Please do not submit songs prior to the announcement to avoid missing out.

We will play an MP3 of your song directly in the room. While MP3s played digitally in the room are generally easier for people to hear, they are not required for feedback. We’ll also accept lyrics only.

Find more detail, go to our Song Review Meeting page on our website: https://mnsongwriters.org/activities/meetings.

You can check out all MAS events on our website calendar

Live Event – Writing Better Lyrics/Songwriting Without Boundaries Workshop with Rachel Dunlap
Saturday, January 31  2-4 pm

Please join us on Saturday afternoon, January 31st, from 2-4pm to work on some writing exercises from the Pat Pattison books, “Writing Better Lyrics” and “Songwriting Without Boundaries.” Sharpen your lyrical skills and generate song ideas by working on sensory descriptions and literary tools like metaphor with these exercises. If you want to connect with other MAS members in person and have some writing practice, then this workshop is for you. Hosted by Rachel Dunlap.

*New location* This workshop will be held at the Roseville Library in the Board Room on the 2nd floor, NW corner. Address is 2180 Hamline Ave. N., Roseville MN  55113.  Members of another local songwriting group, M.A.C.S. (MN Association of Christian Songwriters) will also be invited. Rachel will be hosting similar workshops on the last Saturday of each month through April. Summer schedule TBA.  

Thanks!  Rachel D.

 

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President's Message

Writing with Heart—Listening with Distance
When You’re Too Close to Your Own Songs

By Paul Nye, MAS President

 One of the lessons I learned during my 20 years as a journalist was this: don’t get too close to the story. The goal was to interview someone, capture the heart of what they were saying, interpret it carefully, and then piece it together as objectively as possible. That’s hard to do—especially when the story matters to you.

Songwriting isn’t all that different.

The craft of songwriting asks us to write honestly from the heart and communicate that emotion in a way that connects with others. The problem is, we often get too attached to our own songs and stop hearing them objectively—almost as if we’ve lost the ability to listen from a third-person perspective. The result? We think we’ve written a great song, but it doesn’t quite resonate with others… well, maybe your mom or your sister—but you get the idea.

I recently watched a podcast featuring Clay Mills and Marty Dodson, co-founders of SongTown in Nashville. The episode was titled “10 Mistakes That Scream Amateur.” It was humbling—because I probably checked half the boxes.

Here’s a brief summary of their list:

1. All stats, no story. Lots of imagery, but little emotional connection. In Nashville, they call it “too much furniture.” Detail and imagery matters—but emotion matters more.
2. “My songs are better than what’s on the radio.” Summary: they’re not. Don’t assume your songs are better, just work on making them better.
3. Pronoun confusion. Example: “I love you so much, she’s a great partner.”
4. Time jumping. Covering too much ground without a clear or logical progression.
5. Being a slave to the rhyme. Forcing rhymes at the expense of meaning and story.
6. Blaming lack of access. If a song is truly great, it will move people. The issue usually isn’t about not having the right connections—it’s writing a great song.
7. Same old sayings. Songs that sound like everything else. Find your own voice; your own style.
8. Too many ideas. Write about one thing, one moment, one central emotion.
9. Lack of contrast. One-dimensional songs instead of songs with tension or a unique point of view (e.g., “Even if the whole world has forgotten, the song remembers.”). Starting with a strong title can help
10. Listing credentials. Awards, contests, photos on lyric sheets—let the song speak for itself. Publishers care about the song, not your industry awards and credentials.

I’ll post the link to the podcast below. It’s well worth watching. Disclaimer: These are the opinions of two successful professional songwriters. You may disagree. You may not care about radio play or pitching songs to major artists. You may write simply because songwriting feeds your soul—and that’s all valid.

What really stuck with me, though, was Marty’s comment about the idea of “no rules, only tools.” (Personally, I think that phrase is a cliché in itself and logically ridiculous.) Marty clarified that songwriting isn’t about rules or no rules—it’s about communication. Pure and simple.

Journalism is the process of gathering information and telling a story that resonates with people. Songwriting is remarkably similar. We start with an idea, shape it into a story, and—if we do our job well—invite others into it.

Watch the Songtown video with Marty Dodson and Clay Mills

https://youtu.be/aXAVHmBIPxs

 

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Editor’s Notes

By Mary Kealy-Falk

Happy New Year to everyone and hope you all had a great holiday season.  And either starting today or sometime this week, it will be back to the routine which will hopefully include incorporating some of your New Year’s songwriting resolutions.  But we’ve got the list of online songwriting events to help you get back into the groove including a live Saturday afternoon workshop with Rachel Dunlap titled Writing Better Lyrics/Songwriting Without Boundaries.  Be sure to check out all the details.

Kudos also to our members Steve and Kim Wolf and President Paul Nye who have news and songs to share in the “Putting it Out There” column.  And “Kudos and Congrats” to Wayne Hamilton for news on his contributions to a newly released book on songwriting by Dr. Julie Jacobs.  Vicki Morrison Gobell discusses the differences between songwriting participation and spectatorship in her thoughtful article and  President Paul Nye shares tips from Songtown pro Clay Mills and Marty Dodson about mistakes to overcome and how to write more like a pro. Included is a video from Songtown partners Clay Mills and Marty Dodson.  Enjoy! 

 

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Putting it Out There

Steve & Kim Wolff release “I Gave Peas to My Puppy” kid’s album

In honor of their two grandsons born during 2025, Steve and Kim Wolff have written 11 original kid’s songs for their new album, “I Gave Peas to My Puppy”.

The album is available on most major streaming platforms – and can be downloaded for free from the couple’s website, SteveandKimMusic.com

The album was written and recorded in the couple’s home studio in Lakeville, MN during September and October of 2025.

A sampler video can be found on YouTube: https://youtu.be/L4i5g9mJGP0?si=3Laf5Y_iHABnYWsu 

Paul Nye

Each Christmas (for about the last 10 years), I record a fingerstyle guitar instrumental seasonal hymn for my social media friends.  In the past, the videos have been solo videos, but this year I decided to bring in a couple guys that look oddly like me to play.  Not sure about that bass player.  Looks like he’s waiting for Easter …. or the Vikings to win something.  Anyway, hope you enjoy this year’s Christmas gift from me to you.

This beloved Christmas hymn traces back to the mid-1700s. The melody and original Latin text (Adeste Fideles) were written around 1744 by English Catholic hymnist John Francis Wade. The English lyrics most of us know today were translated in 1841 by Frederick Oakeley.

Unlike many Christmas carols, this hymn isn’t a story — it’s an invitation to worship, calling us to come and adore the Christ child. I wanted this instrumental version to reflect that sense of reverence and quiet joy.

Hope it brings a moment of peace to your Christmas season.

(Listen to the song via the link below)

https://youtu.be/yWiLTD9ZZ9o?si=qyoV6ut5tJzwHSa7

 

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Kudo and Congrats

By Wayne Hamilton

Early this year I was flattered to be invited by Dr. Julie Jacobs to contribute a chapter to a book she was writing titled The Songwriters Journey: A Window into the Songwriter’s Soul.

I got word from her that the paperback version is available now, as well as the eBook (Kindle). I believe there are other MAS members who have also contributed to Julie’s book.

Her request anticipated me by a few months. I had just started an autobiography but delayed my own project to meet her book’s submission deadlines. I have since returned to my project and should have info about its completion early in 2026.

 

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Articles

Spectators or Participants: Does It Matter?

By Vicki Morrison Goble

If you’re reading this, it probably doesn’t apply to you, but it’s something that’s often on my mind. We live in a culture that’s very good at selling us front-row seats and not so good at handing us instruments. Or paint brushes. Or dancing shoes. It seems like we’re constantly encouraged to watch highly skilled professionals do amazing things while we sit on a couch. Probably eating snacks. (No judgment. Snacks are important.) The message seems to be that doing those things is only for the “talented” or the “trained”. That isn’t good for our well-being physically, intellectually, socially, or emotionally.

In many cultures around the world, people sing and dance from the moment they can make noise or move their feet. No auditions. No social media comparison. No concern about being judged. Music and movement are simply part of daily life—how people celebrate, grieve, tell stories, and connect.

In our society, we tend to worry too much about how we sound, how we look, and how we will be perceived, instead of how it feels to make something. As a result, far too many people decide early on that they’re “not musical” and quietly suppress that part of themselves.

Side note: I have an issue with the use of the word “talent”. I hear it all the time. Someone hears or sees someone do something they’ve worked hard to learn to do and they’ll say, “Oh, that person is so talented!” That may be so, but what they’re reacting to is SKILL. They say, “I could never do that; I’m not talented.” And that’s one way the observers rationalize their lack of participation. Because we have no control over our level of talent. It’s something we’re born with. Skill, on the other hand, is the result of hard work. Most of us are capable of working hard.

Singer-songwriters work hard. Since joining MAS, I’ve discovered incredible singer-songwriters are everywhere, but they are often under-noticed. That is one of the reasons I started my Substack series, Songwriter Safari. Each week I spotlight a different independent songwriter, often someone few have heard of (yet), but one who should be noticed. I do this, in part, to support people who choose to participate rather than only observe.

 

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MAS Members Acknowledgements and Drawing Result Inbox

A Message to Members from Doug Millaway

At our MAS Annual Membership Board Meeting last night, there was a discussion about several people in the organization who serve without fanfare or an official title. We want to acknowledge the fine people and the service they provide for our organization.

Mike Rudquist – Mike has been managing the MAS Calendar for as long as calendars have existed. At least that's the way it seems. Thank you for your service! it seems.

Rachel Dunlap – Rachel continues to offer in-person events designed to improve the skills of our members. Since the pandemic, we have been slow to restart our in-person events, but we are committed to addressing the issue.  In the interim, a huge thank you goes out to Rachel.

Carl Unbehaun – Curator of the Minnesota Homebrew Radio Show, Carl has featured MAS artists once a month for years. If you haven't logged into the show recently, you should. His "stable" of performers has grown in the last couple of years, and besides, you might just learn something about beer. I'm raining a glass to Carl!

Richard Schletty – If we had to pay someone to do what Richard has done for MAS for years, we'd be broke. Richard is our technology guru. He, along with a few other members, will soon be looking at ways to improve the online experience of current and prospective members.  Thank you, Richard!

Mary Kealy-Falk – Mary has taken over the reins in promoting and maintaining our MAS Newsletter and website events calendar. If you haven't seriously perused our recent editions, you should.  Mary has increased the scope and quantity of content in the past years, so she deserves a huge thank you from us all.

Finally, the WINNER of the drawing for the full production of a song goes to SHERYL BOHLANDER!  I think the attendees at the meeting all agreed that she is one of the members who would take full advantage of the prize.  We ended up with 9 people at the Round Robin, but because we had 3 more show up at the Membership Annual meeting, the drawing went ahead.  Congratulations to Sheryl!!

Doug Millaway
Mill Away Publishing
Blind Owl Studio