Author

About the Author
DEAN OLSON is a songwriter host and producer of the weekly radio show "StrongWriter On the Radio." The popular long form music interview program is now a weekly podcast with new episodes being added each week. Dean is based out of Orange County, California.

Songs Contain Spirit

I once read a book called “Anatomy of the Spirit” by Caroline Myss, and I’ve carried this idea from it ever since… There was an Athabascan woman who described being a blanket maker or a songwriter in her culture a position of great honor. She went on to explain,” You have to have permission from…

Read More

Shantell Ogden’s Jazz Dot

Me at Berklee Yes, I might be a songwriter focused on writing commercial music, but I did dabble in Jazz during my time at Berklee College of Music. Okay, it was less of a dabble and more of a dot–but nonetheless, I did write one Jazz tune that I consider decent. Just for kicks, have…

Read More

HANG ON LESTER CHAMBERS…HELP IS ON THE WAY!

By Artie Wayne Lester Chambers, lead singer on, “THE TIME HAS COME TODAY” by the Chambers Brothers says, “If you feel moved by this outrage please share this with the world! Its TIME to tell the truth!!! HELP Me make this VIRAL so everyone pays attention to the Artist who bring joy to life… I’m…

Read More

Look Out Nashville! Here Comes Jan Buckingham

Jan and I backstage at the Grand Ole Opry Nashville didn’t see Jan Buckingham coming… Born and raised in St. Louis, Missouri, Jan discovered her knack for writing when she wrote her first song, titled “Oh Sad Little Blue Bird” when she was eight years old. Her next songs came in her early twenties shortly…

Read More

Singer-Songwriter Amy Grant at Vets

By Dan Fowler Amy Grant called from her home in Nashville to talk about her upcoming concert at Vets this Sunday night, November 4, at 7:30 p.m. Her husband, Vince Gill, was in their nearby studio working on an upcoming album with peddle steel guitarist Paul Frank, the dog was barking and she was getting…

Read More

Happy Halloween, Everybody!

░▓░░░▓░░░▓░░░▓▓▓▓░░▓▓▓▓░░▓░░░░▓░░ ░▓░░░▓░░▓░▓░░▓░░░▓░▓░░░▓░░▓░░▓░░░ ░▓▓▓▓▓░▓░░░▓░▓▓▓▓░░▓▓▓▓░░░░▓▓░░░░ ░▓░░░▓░▓▓▓▓▓░▓░░░░░▓░░░░░░░▓░░░░░ ░▓░░░▓░▓░░░▓░▓░░░░░▓░░░░░░▓░░░░░░ ░▓░░░▓░░░▓░░░▓░░░░▓░░░░░▓▓▓░░▓░░░░░▓░▓▓▓▓▓░▓▓▓▓▓░▓░░░▓ ░▓░░░▓░░▓░▓░░▓░░░░▓░░░░▓░░░▓░▓░░▓░░▓░▓░░░░░▓░░░░░▓▓░░▓ ░▓▓▓▓▓░▓░░░▓░▓░░░░▓░░░░▓░░░▓░▓░▓░▓░▓░▓▓▓▓▓░▓▓▓▓▓░▓░▓░▓ ░▓░░░▓░▓▓▓▓▓░▓░░░░▓░░░░▓░░░▓░▓▓░░░▓▓░▓░░░░░▓░░░░░▓░░▓▓ ░▓░░░▓░▓░░░▓░▓▓▓▓░▓▓▓▓░░▓▓▓░░▓░░░░░▓░▓▓▓▓▓░▓▓▓▓▓░▓░░░▓ ░▓▓▓▓▓░▓▓▓▓░░░▓▓▓░░▓░░░░░▓ ░▓░░░░░▓░░░▓░▓░░░▓░▓▓░░░▓▓ ░▓▓▓▓▓░▓▓▓▓░░▓░░░▓░▓░▓░▓░▓ ░▓░░░░░▓░░▓░░▓░░░▓░▓░░▓░░▓ ░▓░░░░░▓░░░▓░░▓▓▓░░▓░░░░░▓ ░░▓▓▓░░▓▓▓▓▓░▓▓▓▓░░░▓▓▓░░▓░░░▓░░▓▓▓░░▓░░░░░▓░▓▓▓▓░░▓▓▓▓▓░▓▓▓▓▓░▓▓▓▓▓░▓▓▓▓░ ░▓░░░░░░░▓░░░▓░░░▓░▓░░░▓░▓▓░░▓░▓░░░░░▓░░▓░░▓░▓░░░▓░░░▓░░░░░▓░░░▓░░░░░▓░░░▓ ░░▓▓▓░░░░▓░░░▓▓▓▓░░▓░░░▓░▓░▓░▓░▓░░▓▓░▓░▓░▓░▓░▓▓▓▓░░░░▓░░░░░▓░░░▓▓▓▓▓░▓▓▓▓░ ░░░░░▓░░░▓░░░▓░░▓░░▓░░░▓░▓░░▓▓░▓░░░▓░▓▓░░░▓▓░▓░░▓░░░░▓░░░░░▓░░░▓░░░░░▓░░▓░ ░░▓▓▓░░░░▓░░░▓░░░▓░░▓▓▓░░▓░░░▓░▓▓▓▓░░▓░░░░░▓░▓░░░▓░▓▓▓▓▓░░░▓░░░▓▓▓▓▓░▓░░░▓

Read More

Bob Dorough: Jazz Multiplier

By Jim Beal Jr. It’s not easy to find a photograph or a video clip in which Bob Dorough is not smiling. Singer, songwriter, pianist, arranger, etc. Dorough, 89, has reason to smile. During a career that started in Texas, at Plainview High School, Dorough has played piano behind Sugar Ray Robinson when Robinson was…

Read More

Singer/Songwriter Fights Breast Cancer with Music

By Janice Belitsky With the release of her new single, ‘til the Cure is Won, singer/songwriter Janice Alemian Belitsky makes it possible to fight breast cancer with a few clicks of your iPod. Belitsky is donating all proceeds from sales of the inspirational song to Susan G. Komen for the Cure. “For several years, I’ve…

Read More

Music Streaming: What Do Songwriters Really Get From YouTube or Pandora?

By Helienne Lindvall There’s been much speculation as to the enormous amount of money Psy must have raked in from the hundreds of millions of hits his Gangnam Style video has had on YouTube. There’s no way of knowing for sure, as all Google/YouTube deals are covered by non-disclosure agreements – and do not allow independent…

Read More