Words for a New Song
The Songwriters of Highlands Appalachia is led by Mary Munsey, a local musician and teacher that recently retired from Virginia Highlands Community College.
We have folks that play instruments and some that don’t. We have folks that are curious about songwriting and some that like to watch the process. Some of our lyrics only people pare up with others that play guitar or piano and put music with the words. We have a few writers that don’t sing but will allow someone else to perform their songs. We have had a capella performances, and we don’t specify what type of genre writers use. Some songs are instrumental, folk, country, bluegrass, Americana, Blues, Humorous, Jazz, R&B, electronic and Pop so far.
Some of our folks drive from Princeton WV, Coeburn, Pound and Blacksburg VA and some drive up from Kingsport and Churchill TN. We meet once a month and listen to each other’s songs, brainstorm ideas, discuss chord progressions and encourage each other to keep writing. At the end of each session, we pick three prompts to spur us on with ideas for the next month. The prompts can be objects, phrases, feelings, colors, senses or any other topics members think of. Our writers can use the topics to help them write a song or two before the next session.
Some of us write one to three songs between sessions and some write more. Sometimes as busy as life gets, writers don’t write new material between meetings. We don’t pressure anyone to write, and we don’t criticize anyone. We treat each other with respect. We don’t discuss politics, use profanity or write antagonistic lyrics.
Our goals are to encourage songwriting, introduce songwriting shows to audiences in our area and to enlighten the public about the craft of songwriting and its value just as art shows present physical representations of creativity and art.
