Do you have a song idea in your head, but it hasn’t gotten much farther than that?
Or jotted down some words for a song, but that’s about it?
The two-day workshop, "Songwriting for Non-Songwriters" may be for you.
It will be held on Saturday, April 26, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sunday, April 27, from 1 to 5 p.m. The venue is the Dauphin Island Heritage & Arts Council on Dauphin Island.
Fairhope songwriter Mike Turner, who has successfully published and recorded his own songs, will teach the class.
Reservations are $60 per person, which covers both days of the classes.
The workshop will cover music genres, lyrics, rhymes, song structure, melody, "where the music comes from" and the "business" of songwriting — a toolkit for going forward and exploring the world of songwriting.
No musical experience is required.
Turner was named 'Male Gospel Entertainer of the Year' by the Alabama Music Association in 2016 and 2017 'Entertainer of the Year' in New Gospel Music by the North American Country Music Associations International.
Mike’s original gospel tune, “He Died for Me,” was awarded second place in the 2017 Worship Songwriting Contest. His recording of the classic gospel tune “Wayfaring Stranger” is featured in the upcoming documentary film, “Path of the Past.”
Turner’s country/folk song, “Love One Another,” performed by Alycia Catizone, was the debut release by label, Music for World Peace Records.
Mike’s original songs and recordings have received broadcast and Internet streaming radio play in the United States, United Kingdom, Ireland, Europe, New Zealand and on the Armed Forces Radio Network.
Turner directed and was a featured performer in the official Alabama Bicentennial program, “200 Years of Alabama Music,” in 2019. He was showcased on the “15 Minutes of Fame Stage” at the 2020 Monroeville, Alabama Literary Festival.
The official description of Mike Turner’s music is:
“Take one part blues, one part folk, one part country. Add a dash of classic Appalachian mountain music and traditional gospel. Simmer; season with experience and humor. You’ll wind up with a sampling of Mike Turner’s eclectic songwriting - songs infused with emotion, keen observation, world-weary experience and wry humor.”
Might the next successful songwriter from Alabama come out of the session? The state of Alabama has been blessed with an abundance of noted songwriters:
Jimmy Buffett
Lionel Ritchie
Hank Williams, Sr.
Hank Williams, Jr.
Randy Owens
Clarence Carter
Wilson Pickett
Nat ‘King’ Cole
Percy Sledge
Mac McAnnally
Will Kimbrough
Charity Bowden
Bobby Goldsboro
Sonny James
Bobby Denton
Gregory Brown
Cabot Barden
Travis Wammack
Sonny Grier
Jessie Lynn
Spooner Oldham
Emmylou Harris
Eddie Floyd
Eddie Kendricks
Tammy Wynette
Jason Isbell
Tommy Shaw
Shelby Lynne
Eddie Hiniton
Vern Gosden
Chuck Leavell
W. C. Handy
Arthur Alexander
Lewis “Fess” Simpkins
Julia Tutwiler
Who have I left out?
At one point, each of these Alabama successes had their first idea for a song. They each had to learn how to move it from an idea to a published song.
The juices never stop flowing. I still write songs. — Randy Owen
Jim' Zig' Zeigler writes about Alabama's people, places, events, groups and prominent deaths. He is a former Alabama Public Service Commissioner and State Auditor. You can reach him for comments at [email protected].
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