This class will focus on approaches to writing songs — both lyrics and music — in the classic country style. There is no one right way to write a song, so I’ll share with you my general approach and see if it is something you can use. I’m sure I can learn something from you, too! While we’ll spend lots of time working on songs, we will also spend time critiquing a number of songs and break them down into components–lyrics, structure, and melody–to gain a better understanding of what it is about certain songs that keeps us singing them over and over again. One fun goal is to create our own class song, but I’d like for each participant to come away from the class with something of their own, whether that be starting a new song, completing a song that’s been hanging out in your head for awhile, or seeing if there are some ways to tweak a song you’ve completed. If you are primarily a lyricist, and not a player, that is ok! If you are more of a melody person, we can use you, too! We’ll check our egos at the door while we have fun in a friendly, nurturing, and creative environment.
Instructor Bio
Chris Haddox began writing songs and playing guitar at age six. His writing is in the oldtime, folk, and country veins, with lyrics covering any topic that happens to pop into his mind, whether silly, funny, serious, sad, or somewhere in-between. He is primarily an acoustic guitar player, but occasionally grabs the fiddle, banjo, or mandolin for a jam or square dance. He credits his uncle Jim’s vocal and picking styles as major influences. Chris has taught backup guitar, beginning, and intermediate oldtime fiddle at Augusta over the years. He has a new album of original songs coming out on Mountain Soul Records on March 25, 2022. You can learn more about his music at chrishaddoxmusic.com.