NEWS
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Jul 30, 2022
The Gift
"But He gave His greatest gift to Charlie, gotta get it on down before you go." "The Gift" (about artist Charles M. Russell) by Ian Tyson.
Do you musicians have friends who get a new guitar and want to show it to you? Do they present it in a manner which conveys the message- "Look what I'VE got (and YOU don't!!) or do you get the sense that they want you to share in their excitement and good fortune. I've got both of those kinds of friends and I can tell you which ones I prefer to hang out with.
As performing songwriters, it's important for us to consider what message we give our audience when we present them with a song. Are we saying "listen to my new song so you can appreciate how cool I am" or are we communicating that we have something we're pleased with that we want to share with them as a gift? Showing off or sharing...which one works best?