23 episodes
The Hexagon: A Podcast For Singer-Songwriters Jesse Correll
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- Music
The Hexagon Podcast is about six aspects of being a singer-songwriter. You can learn more about the podcast and host by listening Episode 0, or visiting hexagonpodcast.com.
You can learn more about Jesse at his website, jessecorrell.com.
Each episode, Jesse will meet with a fellow singer-songwriter to discuss the Six Aspects of Being a Singer-Songwriter...so we may discuss things like:
Writing
What is your process?
How do you stay organized?
Do you immediately copyright everything?
Do you co-write?
Do you write out lead sheets for your songs?
Performance
Solo shows versus band gigs
Performance tech--loop pedals, tracks, gear, etc.
How do you book your shows?
How do you find the right venues?
Have you done any regional/national tours?
Describe your most difficult show?
What is your anxiety level before a typical show?
What is your best strategy for merch after the show?
Recording
Record yourself or go to the studio?
Do you try to capture your raw sound, or perfect it with studio techniques?
Do you record a demo for every song?
What can you do for yourself...and when is it time to hire someone else for the rest?
Do you release physical recordings (i.e. CDs or vinyl) or just digital?
Business
Are you a member of a Performing Rights Organization (PRO, i.e. ASCAP, BMI, SESAC)?
Do you know who your audience is? How did you develop that awareness?
How do you know what to demand regarding pay when you play shows?
How do you keep your audience engaged?
Do you file taxes as a musician?
How do you know where to put your energy when it comes to social media?
How do you find new streams of income?
Growth
How do you stay informed about musical trends?
How do you find new gear?
Where do you find new music?
How do you learn new covers?
Are there techniques you've learned that took your playing, singing, or writing to a new level?
Life
How do you do all of the above and still have energy left over?
What kind of toll does that take on your relationships?
How do you define success?
How long have you given yourself to "make it"?
If you weren't a singer-songwriter, what else would you be pursuing?
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Mindy Smith
My guest this month is, the one-and-only, Mindy Smith. She came by recently to talk through living an artist's life as a singer-songwriter. We talk about her early days in Nashville, playing shows when sick, confidence and being open in the writing and recording process, finding compatible co-writers, and many other topics.
Mindy and her team are celebrating the 15th year anniversary of the release of her first record "One Moment More". Through Vanguard/Craft Records, they are reissuing the album on vinyl for the first time. Mindy is also selling an exclusive autographed coke-bottle-blue clear pressing of the record on her site, along with handwritten lyrics from any of her songs from the record.
Find out more about Mindy Smith:
https://mindysmithmusic.com/
https://open.spotify.com/artist/4QGC11o7gQR7MBEJ5cUMSv
https://www.facebook.com/mindysmithmusic/
https://twitter.com/mindysmithmusic
https://www.instagram.com/mindysmithmusic/
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCyYlnheT_gH-V9tlSnIClXA
Songs of Mindy's featured in this episode:
"If I Didn't Know Any Better" from Stupid Love "Tennessee" from Long Island Shores "Come To Jesus" from One Moment More "One Moment More" from One Moment More
Thank you for listening!
All incidental music by host and creator, Jesse Correll.
www.jessecorrell.com
Support The Hexagon—help me keep this thing going. There are several ways to support the show:
You can leave a review...This is very important to help spread the word: iTunes or Stitcher
You can support financially on a monthly basis (for as little as $1 a month): www.patreon.com/JesseCorrell
Or you can purchase a limited-edition Hexagon T-Shirt here. -
Jake McMullen
My guest this month is Jake McMullen. We talk about his recording and songwriting process, his focus on art above all else, and how covering a Robyn song gave him exposure. We talk about this and many more things. I hope you enjoy.
Find out more about Jake McMullen:
http://www.jakemcmullenmusic.com/
https://open.spotify.com/artist/0kBHkziT1rQpUBWW08p2dN
https://www.facebook.com/listentojakemcmullen
https://twitter.com/jake_mcmullen
http://instagram.com/jake_mcmullen
https://www.youtube.com/user/jakemcmullenmusic
Songs of Jake’s featured from his latest EP “Giving Up":
Giving Up Falling Always -- from his first EP “Always” Dancing On My Own -- Robyn cover, from “Giving Up” played mid-way through the episode Thank you for listening!
All incidental music by host and creator, Jesse Correll.
www.jessecorrell.com
Support The Hexagon—help me keep this thing going. There are several ways to support the show:
You can leave a review...This is very important to help spread the word: iTunes or Stitcher
You can support financially on a monthly basis (for as little as $1 a month): www.patreon.com/JesseCorrell
Or you can purchase a limited-edition Hexagon T-Shirt here. -
Wilson Harwood
http://www.hexagonpodcast.com/episode/20-wilson-harwood
My guest this month is Wilson Harwood, singer-songwriter/producer/videographer/banjo player--and all around nice guy. We talk about how he recorded and produced his latest record "Rooted In You" himself. He also shares about starting a new production company, the side-hustles of a musician, his practice of using a Passion Planner, and meditation. We talk about this and many more things. I hope you enjoy.
Find out more about Wilson Harwood:
http://www.wilsonharwood.com/
https://open.spotify.com/artist/2AxBJJM4IPxwGDCOzKcMbn
https://www.facebook.com/wilsonharwoodmusic/
https://twitter.com/WilsonHarwood
https://www.youtube.com/user/musiclesson100/videos
Songs of Wilson’s featured (from his new record Rooted In You):
Feelin’ What I’m Feelin'
Skinny Dipping
Rooted In You
Big Smile
Thank you for listening!
All incidental music by host and creator, Jesse Correll.
www.jessecorrell.com
Support The Hexagon—help me keep this thing going.
www.patreon.com/JesseCorrell
To keep connected to The Hexagon:
https://www.facebook.com/HexagonPodcast/
https://twitter.com/hexagonpodcast
Email questions or comments to:
jesse@hexagonpodcast.com -
Shannon LaBrie
http://www.hexagonpodcast.com/episode/19-shannon-labrie
Find out more about Shannon LaBrie:
http://www.shannonlabriemusic.com/
https://open.spotify.com/artist/2hbQ7GP1FxLy7D8lRX2Kq7
https://www.facebook.com/ShannonLaBrie/
https://twitter.com/shannonlabrie?lang=en
https://www.youtube.com/user/shannonlabrie
Songs of Shannon's Featured:
I Remember A Boy - from Just Be Honest
It’s Political - from War & Peace
Alcohol - from War & Peace
Heaven Crashed Down - from War & Peace
My guest this month is Shannon LaBrie, Americana Soul singer-songwriter. We talk about how she's had songs on hold for many major artists, and has been courted by major labels. She talks about how ultimately while in those holding patterns, she learned she had to get down and do the work for herself--choosing to be an artist over being a writer. We talk about this and many more things. I hope you enjoy.
Thank you for listening!
All incidental music by host and creator, Jesse Correll.
www.jessecorrell.com
Support The Hexagon—help me keep this thing going.
www.patreon.com/JesseCorrell
To keep connected to The Hexagon:
https://www.facebook.com/HexagonPodcast/
https://twitter.com/hexagonpodcast
Email questions or comments to:
jesse@hexagonpodcast.com -
Sarah Clanton
http://www.hexagonpodcast.com/episode/18-sarah-clanton
Find out more about Sarah Clanton:
http://sarahclanton.com/
https://www.patreon.com/SarahClanton
https://www.facebook.com/SarahClantonMusic/
https://www.instagram.com/sarahcello/
http://twitter.com/sarahcellomusic
https://www.youtube.com/user/cellotreearts
Songs of Sarah’s Featured:
Hot To Touch - from Middle Tree Studio Live EP
Sweet Carolina - from Sarah Clanton EP
Stormy Baby - from Middle Tree Studio Live EP
Tequila - from Sarah Clanton EP
How She Chose Cello in 5th Grade
How attending The Swannanoa Gathering - Contemporary Folk Week kicked off her songwriting and confidence writing songs on the cello.
https://www.swangathering.com/catalog/cf/contemporary-folk-week.html
Her journey with anxiety, how she learned to negotiate it by pushing through the nerves (repetition) and embracing her uniqueness—because “being human is weird”.
She signed a publishing deal with Writer’s Den this year.
When she first moved to Nashville, Sarah felt pretty blocked creatively. A friend of hers, who goes by Danielle Ate The Sandwich, introduced her to the idea of trying to write an album in 24 hours. She wrote 8 songs her first attempt in 2016. Just write in the moment, use the first ideas because they’re often the coolest…the time for editing comes later. She’s gotten pretty serious about co-writing since moving to Nashville, discovering that she can write 8 songs in a night.
http://danielleatethesandwich.com/
She teaches cello to people from 5 years old to 75.
She told me about her experiences with Folk Alliance International and Southeastern Regional Folk Alliance (SERFA). She mentions her work with Kari Estrin.
http://www.folk.org/
http://www.serfa.org/
She currently working on a new record—writing more than she ever has. Living in Nashville has afforded her the opportunity to play with the best players. She spoke about her work with Tom Shinness who was a mentor for her (he passed away earlier this year). His passing was a reminder to her to truly live, and make time for what you love.
She spoke a bit about her experience with Patreon. She describes the difference between a project-based site like Kickstarter, and an ongoing system for patrons to support your creative process in general. As far as exclusives—figure out what your specific audience wants most.
All incidental music by host and creator, Jesse Correll.
www.jessecorrell.com
Support The Hexagon—help me keep this thing going.
www.patreon.com/JesseCorrell
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Whit Hill
Find out more about Whit at her website: http://whithill.com
She mentions early days singing back-up with Dick Siegel. She also talks about her transition from being a dancer and choreographer (which she still does) into a singer-songwriter.
Songwriting is Whit’s favorite thing—she’d rather do that than anything else. She says its like fishing…some days you drop a line in and see if anything is biting…and if it’s not, don’t take it too seriously…just come back tomorrow. She also talks about her process of putting things aside (sometimes for months or even years) and picking it back up later, and all of the sudden the missing piece is there.
Whit talks about how Wilhagen’s was one of the ways she plugged in to the local songwriting scene early on.
https://www.facebook.com/Wilhagans-111596205547631/
Whit talks about a former dance student who came back into her life years later as a singer-songwriter, Dana Falconberry. Watch Dana’s Tiny Desk Concert on NPR here:
http://www.npr.org/event/music/201517132/dana-falconberry-tiny-desk-concert
What does it mean to be a successful singer-songwriter?
Whit talks about her history with the Kerrville Folk Festival, each May in Kerrville, TX. She won the New Folk competition in 2012. She talks about the process of submitting, playing, and now supporting new finalists.
http://www.kerrville-music.com/
She talks about her approach to coaching other songwriters. She also isolates a few key tenets for her in songwriting. We discuss how critiques are crucial in getting even simple feedback — does this make sense to the audience? Or offering a small tweak that could open a song up.
Where does Whit learn about songwriting now?
We discuss Object Writing. Whit likes to begin a cowrite session with a object writing exercise. It opens everyone up, and can spark interesting creativity.
Whit's memoir “Not About Madonna” is in part about, yes, that Madonna. We talk about her early friendship with Madonna, and her process of writing the memoir.
To learn more about Whit as a songwriting coach, you can reach out to her at whithill@gmail.com.
http://www.hexagonpodcast.com/episode/episode-17-whit-hill