Boo Hewerdine and Darden Smith Solve Your Songwriting Problems

May 15-19, 2023
Knoydart Retreat
Knoydart, Scotland
£1850
For Info and Registration

Yes, we're at it again.
Boo Hewerdine and I join forces to try to help you figure out how to write a better song.

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This whole thing started back in 1988. That was when a big-time record man named Nigel thought it would be a good idea to throw a songwriter from Texas in a room with one from England and see what happened. That original collaboration resulted in not only the critically acclaimed album, Boo Hewerdine and Darden Smith - Evidence, but more than that, it started a collaboration and friendship of more than 30 years.

Though their solo careers have gone different directions, the one constant has remained their passion for the craft of songwriting. That and a love of really bad jokes.

At their workshops they hope to pass along some of the lessons, tricks and processes they’ve learned over their many years in the business, with the goal of helping other writers from all levels of expertise write better songs.

Topics covered include:
• Structure -- Verse / Chorus / Bridge
• Clarity in lyric
• The importance of meter and rhyme scheme
• The power of telling the truth in lyric using simple language
• Collaboration
• Writing from your life -- The importance of telling your story
•  Creating writing projects for yourself
• The habits of a successful writing life
• Recognizing and building on your strengths as a writer

Boo and Darden spend one-on-one time with each participant, helping them identify goals and create a path to success for their writing. What that is looks different for each student. To some it might be a roadmap to recording an album, or steps to doing more shows, making it a career. Others want to re-waken their creative energies, make a life more based around music. For many, it’s simply to become a better writer, to finish more songs.

At the end of the week, each participant records at least one song on-site with a professional engineer. The highlight of final evening is a listening party of songs written during the week.

Through a week of collaboration, group meals, evenings spent passing around songs, a sense of community is created. Many past participants keep working together long after the workshop has ended, writing songs and singing on each other’s projects.

Boo and Darden have both built lives based on songs. Their courses are designed to give you the tools to do the same, but not take thirty years to make it happen.

Info and Registration