Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Scotty Combs. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Alright, Scotty thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Learning the craft is often a unique journey from every creative – we’d love to hear about your journey and if knowing what you know now, you would have done anything differently to speed up the learning process.
How did you learn to do what you do?
Sometimes you just have to start and that’s what I did. I wanted to play guitar and write songs. I pulled out an old guitar from the closet (that had been in there for years) and started learning chords. I would go to song-writer rounds, here in Nashville, and listen to others play. I was there to learn, how they crafted a song and the chord progressions they used. Later, Jan Buckingham (hit songwriter) took me under her wing and showed me the ins and outs, do’s and don’ts of songwriting. I then started playing and booking my own rounds and just dove in head first into the songwriting world.
Knowing what you know now, what could you have done to speed up your learning process?
I believe everyone learns at their own pace and in their own way but if I had to pick one thing, I would have taken guitar lessons sooner. For me, the music is the key, if you are limited on your instrument then you are limited on the end result of how you present the song. Basically, I had to start over and re-learn the guitar. I developed many bad habits trying to learn on my own. Know Your Instrument, Take Lessons!!!! If the music is there the words will come.
What skills do you think were most essential?
I believe “People Skills” are the most essential. You have to get out in the community and meet people. Introduce yourself, smile, shake hands, make small talk. You never know who you’re going to meet in Nashville. Every person you meet is a potential open door to new opportunities.
What obstacles stood in the way of learning more?
At the beginning, it was fear. Fear of getting on stage. Fear of playing a wrong note. Fear of forgetting my words. Fear of not being good enough. I learned quickly, the more I put myself out there the less scary it was. Also, the songwriter community is wonderful. There was always encouragement, a pat on the back, looking forward to hearing you play again. New things are always going to be scary but knowing you have a musical community cheering you on makes it a lot more fun than scary.
Scotty , love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?
I’m originally from Alabama. I moved to Nashville over twenty years ago. Music City is where I call home. I own a painting business and working towards doing music full-time. Whether it be solo or co-writing, songwriting is what I love to do. My main genre is country, although, I have a variety of writing styles. Southern rock, classic country, blues, Christmas.
I wouldn’t be doing any of this if it wasn’t for Jan Buckingham (hit songwriter) who saw something in me that I did not. I guess you could say she was my mentor. She taught me how to craft a song and all the do’s and don’ts in the songwriting world. I went to see Jan play one night and to my surprise she invited me on stage to sing a song I had written. From that point on I was hooked.
Many times during the writing process you can get stuck, that’s where co-writes come in. It’s essential to connect with others and build a great writing community. I’ve been given songs by co-writers with partly finished songs and just didn’t know where to go next and I have also been in the same situation. A fresh set of eyes and new ideas can make a half-finished song into something great.
Yes, fear is a thing, Fear of failing, fear of not being good enough, fear of being too old to start something new. If you want to write, then write, If you want to be in the spotlight, then get on stage. If you want to cheer from the sidelines, then scream as loud as you can. Whatever it is, just do it!! Fear is a fading thing that eventually turns into fun. So get out there and have some fun!!
For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?
I believe everyone needs some type of creative outlet. Mine just happens to be writing/singing.
The most rewarding part of writing for me is when you finish a song and you know there’s something special about this one. Of course, they’re all special but there’s always that “One” you feel has that extra spark. Then the real test comes, play the song out live. The audience will always let you know if what you have is good, great, or that special spark.
What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?
Know your instrument!! Guitar, piano, ukulele whatever instrument you play, take lessons early on. Bad habits are easy to create and hard to break. I learned this the hard way. By the time I started taking guitar lessons, I had many bad habits. It was a struggle, to say the least. It was like starting over, learning a new way of playing and thinking about the guitar. So again, take the lessons and know your instrument.
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