I’m Breaking the Speed Limit

youtube sessions

Thanks to my friend Lani Brandon for letting me use her keyboard this week.  I wrote this tune after getting a few speeding tickets…seems I can’t speed without getting caught!

Download MP3 here.  Play here: [audio:https://benwardmusic.com/wp-content/uploads/Speed-Limit.mp3|titles=Speed Limit|artists=Ben Ward]

One of those days

Wednesday was not a great day.  Nothing bad happened.  It just wasn’t good.  Have you ever had one of those days?

I stayed home from work to wait on the exterminator (another long story…) who never came.  I tried to record a new song for the YouTube Sessions on keyboard and I just couldn’t get a good take.  At about ten o’clock I decided to pack the recording stuff up (it’s New York – there no room for a dedicated studio) and try again another day.  I must’ve spent five hours or so working on that song.  Nothing to show for it.  I wanted to write a blog – no dice.  I even wanted to go for a run…didn’t happen.

It’s been a long time since I tried so many different things and nothing worked out.  But I guess it’s just one of those days.

One of those days

One of those days

One of those days

No matter how you say it (write it…whatever!) it just doesn’t give you any more satisfaction.

But just before midnight as I was packing up the gear to shove into my closet I stumbled onto something.  I put a vinyl copy of James Taylor’s Sweet Baby James on the turntable and I just enjoyed it.

Didn’t sing along.  Didn’t play along.  Just enjoyed.

So I did accomplish something after all on one of those days.  Something I could have done all day long: Listen to the sounds of some really great songs.

Love Song for Olivia (11 Years!)

youtube sessions

This past Saturday was our 11th anniversary so I did what any good songwriter does  [:) ] and wrote her a song. 

If you’re interested, the last anniversary song I wrote Olivia was “Like This” from my album State I’m In.

Let me know what you think!

Download the MP3 here.  Play here: [audio:https://benwardmusic.com/wp-content/uploads/11-Years.mp3|titles=11 Years|artists=Ben Ward]

A Little Garth…

youtube sessions

A little change of pace this week.  I’ve played you eight new original songs in-a-row so I thought it would be fun to do a cover.  This is the first Garth Brooks song I learned to play.  It’s very James Taylorish so it fit me just right.  It was written by Garth and Victoria Shaw from the album Fresh Horses.

She’s Every Woman

Download | Play:[audio:https://benwardmusic.com/wp-content/uploads/Shes-Every-Woman.mp3|titles=She’s Every Woman|artists=Ben Ward]

One Day I’ll Learn from Goodbye

youtube sessions

This week I’ve got a new song that I  wrote a couple years ago with my friend Chris Roberts.  Chris is in the band One Flew South and is an all-around great guy.  I’m actually going into withdrawl beacuse we haven’t written together in so long :).

Olivia and I love to go to estate sales, but they can be sad sometimes.  This inspired us to write about “Pictures hanging on the wall.”

Make sure to comment!

Download the MP3 here. Play here:[audio:https://benwardmusic.com/wp-content/uploads/Pictures.mp3|titles=Pictures|artists=Ben Ward]

I’m All For That

So the schedule is all messed up this week!  It makes for more fun, though…normally you get a “YouTube Sessions” on Monday, “Just My Opinion” piece on Wednesday, and a review / recommendation on Friday.  But I just finished the YT Session last night so it will be up tomorrow night.  Oh the joys of fitting it all in!

Check out this quote from a Cameron Crowe interview with Joni Mitchell from Rolling Stone in 1978:

Had Smith (Elektra/Asylum Chairman of the Board Joe Smith), in the course of running the company, ever discussed commercial direction with Mitchell?

“You don’t tell Joni Mitchell what to do,” he said.

Oh my, how have times changed.  The music business used to be filled with people who wanted to serve the ideals and even whims of artists.  Now artists grovel at the feet of anyone who will give them the time-of-day.  Don’t get me wrong, there were always businessmen who took advantage of musicians, but today, people who make deals are king.

Can’t we bring the artist back?  I don’t devalue the work and talents of dealmakers and businesspeople.  I think marketers are vital.  But it should all be in service to the music.  And where does the music come from?  The artist.  Let’s give them some room and some honor and see if we don’t get better music.

I’m all for that.  How about you?