Recording - September 2016 - 51

SEPTEMBER 2016
TAXI Road Rally 2015

Writing Hit Songs, Part 1
Michael Laskow, Moderator
Hit Songwriters: Jason Blume, Richard
Harris, Allan Rich, Ralph Murphy, and
Marlin "Hookman" Bonds
Songs from these writers have been cut by and been
on records with artists like: Britney Spears, Barbra
Streisand, Jordin Sparks, Oak Ridge Boys, Randy
Travis, Shania Twain, Whitney Houston, Rod Stewart,
Jason Derulo, Katharine McPhee, Tyler Shaw, Leila
Broussard, New Kids on the Block, Koko LaRoo, Crystal Gayle, Ronnie Milsap, Greg Holden, and many,
many more chart-topping artists. Our conservative
estimate is that their songs have been on more than
300 million records sold!

What did it feel like the first time you heard your
song on the radio? Jason, I know you won't be at a
loss for words. How did that feel? Was it in a car on
the radio?
Jason: Was it in a car? Should I tell you the
block I was driving on? It was on Ventura Boulevard, and I was crying, driving, listening to my
song on the radio for the first time. It was everything I had worked for, everything I had
dreamed of. At that point I had been doing it for
about eight years, at least. It did not wind up
being a big hit song, by the way, but it did
change my life. I will never forget that. I hope
you all get to experience it, because it's
unbelievable.
How many years before you had that cut?

Jason: About eight. But then, it was actually 11
years total before I earned a living as a staff
writer, and 16 and a half years before I earned a
good living.
How many times did you want to quit?

Jason: Never. Now this is maybe a sickness, I'm
serious-maybe this is some weird personality
quirk, but I can sit here and swear to you that I
never had one day when I did not know I would
be successful. And that was not reality-based,
believe me, but I'm glad that I didn't know. I'm
glad I didn't know that it was "impossible," like

(Left to right) Jason Blume, Michael Laskow, Richard Harris, Allan Rich, Marlin "Hookman" Bonds, and Ralph Murphy grab a quick
pose after the Writing Hit Songs panel at TAXI's Road Rally 2015. Collectively, their songs are on over 300 million records sold!

my father told me. I'm not going to say I wasn't
depressed and miserable being poor and not
getting what I wanted. Of course I was, but I
never stopped believing it was going to happen.
How about you, Richard? How long did it take, and
where were you when you heard your first song on
the radio?
Richard: Well, I had two different experiences
actually. I was in a band back in the U.K., and I
remember when we were lucky enough in the
days when an independent could actually get
your music played on the radio. We were a band
and we were unsigned, but we were touring a lot
around London and kind of making a noise-
not enough, because we never did actually get
signed. I remember finding out that we were
going to get played on this radio station in London. I was in the car with the rest of the band
and we were driving past Heathrow Airport. You
can always remember where you are with these

moments, and I heard our song and I was the
singer in the band, and it just freaked me out, to
be honest with you. I just could not believe we'd
actually made it on to the radio-it was just
such an amazing feeling. I moved here-to the
U.S., 13 years ago and most of my songs have
been cut in countries that I don't live in, so I
never really get to hear them on the radio. But I
did hear the Cole Plante song, which is actually a
dance tune, and that would have been two years
ago. So it took me a long time before I actually
heard something on the radio in the country
that I lived.
Allan, your story?
Allan: I remember where I was too. I was driving up Laurel Canyon in front of the Canyon
Country Store and I had on KIIS "Hit Bound," I
hear this song and I go, "How do I know this
Continued on page 52
51



Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Recording - September 2016

Contents
Recording - September 2016 - Intro
Recording - September 2016 - Cover1
Recording - September 2016 - Cover2
Recording - September 2016 - 1
Recording - September 2016 - 2
Recording - September 2016 - 3
Recording - September 2016 - 4
Recording - September 2016 - 5
Recording - September 2016 - Contents
Recording - September 2016 - 7
Recording - September 2016 - 8
Recording - September 2016 - 9
Recording - September 2016 - 10
Recording - September 2016 - 11
Recording - September 2016 - 12
Recording - September 2016 - 13
Recording - September 2016 - 14
Recording - September 2016 - 15
Recording - September 2016 - 16
Recording - September 2016 - 17
Recording - September 2016 - 18
Recording - September 2016 - 19
Recording - September 2016 - 20
Recording - September 2016 - 21
Recording - September 2016 - 22
Recording - September 2016 - 23
Recording - September 2016 - 24
Recording - September 2016 - 25
Recording - September 2016 - 26
Recording - September 2016 - 27
Recording - September 2016 - 28
Recording - September 2016 - 29
Recording - September 2016 - 30
Recording - September 2016 - 31
Recording - September 2016 - 32
Recording - September 2016 - 33
Recording - September 2016 - 34
Recording - September 2016 - 35
Recording - September 2016 - 36
Recording - September 2016 - 37
Recording - September 2016 - 38
Recording - September 2016 - 39
Recording - September 2016 - 40
Recording - September 2016 - 41
Recording - September 2016 - 42
Recording - September 2016 - 43
Recording - September 2016 - 44
Recording - September 2016 - 45
Recording - September 2016 - 46
Recording - September 2016 - 47
Recording - September 2016 - 48
Recording - September 2016 - 49
Recording - September 2016 - 50
Recording - September 2016 - 51
Recording - September 2016 - 52
Recording - September 2016 - 53
Recording - September 2016 - 54
Recording - September 2016 - 55
Recording - September 2016 - 56
Recording - September 2016 - 57
Recording - September 2016 - 58
Recording - September 2016 - 59
Recording - September 2016 - 60
Recording - September 2016 - 61
Recording - September 2016 - 62
Recording - September 2016 - 63
Recording - September 2016 - 64
Recording - September 2016 - 65
Recording - September 2016 - 66
Recording - September 2016 - 67
Recording - September 2016 - 68
Recording - September 2016 - 69
Recording - September 2016 - 70
Recording - September 2016 - 71
Recording - September 2016 - 72
Recording - September 2016 - Cover3
Recording - September 2016 - Cover4
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202404
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202403
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202402
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202401
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202312
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording-november-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202310
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202309
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202308
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202307
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202306
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202305
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202304
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202303
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202302
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202301
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202212
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202211
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202210
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202209
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202208
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202207
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202206
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202205
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202204
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202203
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202202
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202201
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202112
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202111
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202110
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202109
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202108
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202107
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202106
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202105
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202104
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202103
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202102
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202101
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202012
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202011
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202010
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202009
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202008
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202007
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202006
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_20205
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202004
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202003
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202002
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202001
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_201912
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_201911
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_201910
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_201909
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_201908
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_201907
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_201906
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_201905
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_201904
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_201903
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_201902
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_201901
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_201812
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_201811
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_201810
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_201809
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201808
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201807
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201806
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201805
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201804
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201803
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201802
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201801
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201712
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201711
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201710
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201709
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201708
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201707
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201706
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201705
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201704
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201703
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201702
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201701
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201612
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201611
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201610
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201609
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201608
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201607
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201606
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201605
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201604
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201603
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201602
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201601
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201512
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201511
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201510
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201509
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201508
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201507
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201506
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201505
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201504
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201503
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201502
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201501
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201412
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201411
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201410
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201409
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201408
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201407
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201406
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201405
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201404
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201403
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201402
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201401
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201312
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201311
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201310
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201309
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201308
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201307
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201306
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201305
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201304
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201303
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201302
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201301
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201212
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201211
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201210
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201209
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201208
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201207
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201206
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201205
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201204
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201203
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201202
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201201
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201112
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201111
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201110
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201109
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201108
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201107
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201106
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201105
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201104
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201103
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201102
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201101
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201012
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201011
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201010
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201009
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201008
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201007
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201006
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201005
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201004
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201003
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201002
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201001
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_200912
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_200911
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_200910
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/nxtd
https://www.nxtbookmedia.com