Electric Bluegrass

From the show at 3rd & Lindsley last night:

Work For the Job You Want

Though talent can get you through the door of the music business, hard work is what keeps you in the door. Once you have the chance to meet with a publisher, be intentional about how you continue to pursue that relationship. More important than how often you meet is how hard you work in between meetings. Having a song or two that shows tangible growth is key in impressing a publisher. In the same way that you "dress for the job you want," work for the job you want and prove that you deserve a spot on their roster.

Keep writing,

Ben

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Would you or someone you know like to go on a songwriting retreat with industry professionals? Visit SongbirdCamp.com for more details!

The Brian Mason Show

It sounds like Ricky is going to join me and Gordon on the Brian Mason show tomorrow morning (listen online here) from 7-9 central time.

Bluebird Cafe

Here's a picture from last night's Bluebird Cafe performance:

(From left to right, Ricky Skaggs, Gordon Kennedy, Ben Cooper, Jess Cates)

And the Grammy Goes To...

Below is an article that I wrote a couple days ago for one of my hometown newspapers in Fort Wayne, Indiana. 

See it on The News-Sentinel's website here.

Tonight, at the 53rd Grammy Awards, I heard the phrase “and the Grammy goes to” 108 times. The day’s events began with the pre-telecast ceremony, where 98 of the awards were given (the televised portion only includes the final 10 most popular awards). We anxiously awaited the categories in which Ricky Skaggs’ album, Mosaic (the album on which I had written eight songs), had been nominated. We were left sitting in our seats when his name wasn’t announced.

It was fascinating to realize that for every one person giving a speech, thanking everyone who has helped along the way, four more people pocket their lists of thank- yous in hopes of another chance, another year. For every five people nominated in a category, thousands more worked day in and day out with hopes of garnering a nod from the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences.

One of my favorite moments of the day was during the pre-telecast ceremony. Gospel legend Mavis Staples, who was sitting only a few seats away from us, won a Grammy for the first time in her career. While the moderators had repeatedly encouraged recipients to pare down their words for time’s sake, I (along with every other person in the room) would have gladly given Staples all the time in the world for her tears of joy and words of genuine thankfulness.

I was also thoroughly entertained by the televised portion, specifically Mumford & Sons’ driving live performance, Miranda Lambert’s “The House That Built Me” (written by Allen Shamblin and Tom Douglas) and the fact that it was Esperanza Spalding, not Justin Bieber, who walked on stage to accept the award for “Best New Artist.”

Overall, my wife and I drove away feeling two things: inspiration and pride. Inspiration because we saw true art performed and celebrated tonight, and pride because so much of that art has its roots in Nashville. I’m looking forward to getting on a plane tomorrow morning, albeit at 7:00 a.m., and getting back to the job I love: writing music. If all goes well, it won’t be too long before I hear my name complete the golden phrase, “and the Grammy goes to.”

53rd Grammy Awards!

This weekend my wife and I have the opportunity to attend the 53rd Grammy Awards in Los Angeles. It's going to be a great time to network and celebrate the creative efforts of 2010.

Specifically (aside from Skaggs' Mosaic), I'm rooting for "The House That Built Me" (written by Tom Douglas and Allen Shamblin) and Ray LaMontagne & The Pariah Dogs' album, God Willin' & the Creek Don't Rise.

Below are a couple articles from this past week about the process of Mosaic coming together (click the pictures to read articles). Thanks to both Fort Wayne newspapers!

Keep writing,

Ben

Gordon Kennedy: American Songwriter's Writer of the Week

My friend and mentor Gordon Kennedy has been featured as American Songwriter's Writer of the Week. In it he talks about growing up in a musical home and why it's sometimes OK to put "shock absorbers" in a lyric.

This is a picture of Gordon, Ricky Skaggs and myself in Ricky's studio during the recording of Mosaic:

Origin of Expressions - "Apple of One's Eye"

My wife got me a game for Christmas called The Origin of Expressions. Working with words every day, I find it very intriguing. Especially when a card was drawn that carried a phrase that Gordon Kennedy and I used in a song a couple years ago. Here's what we wrote (from "Mosaic" [Cooper/Kennedy, ©2008] on Ricky Skaggs' album with the same title):

Photo by Abhijit Thembekar. Used with permission.

CARVED MY NAME UPON A TREE
A KNIFE INTO THE BARK
TRYING TO MAKE A MARK
SO THEY REMEMBER ME

WANTING TO MATTER TO SOMEONE
MAYBE BE A REASON WHY
BE THE APPLE OF AN EYE
BEFORE MY LIFE IS DONE

Here's how origin of the phrase "apple of one's eye" came to be (as quoted from the game card):

"In old English, the pupil was called an apple because it was thought to be round and solid like the fruit. As an important part of the eye, it was seen as precious."

Keep writing,

Ben

Congrats to Ricky!

Ricky's recent album Mosaic has been nominated for two Grammy awards - Best Pop/Contemporary Gospel Album of the Year, along with it's song "Return to Sender" (written by Gordon Kennedy) for Best Pop/Contemporary Gospel Song of the Year. We'll find out if it wins February 13th!

Ricky Skaggs Discusses Grammy-Nominated "Mosaic"