More estrogen....

                                                              ANOTHER GREAT MISTAKE

My next Monday was another one of those "collisions" that I didn't see coming. My tour was with Shelly Duboise" another Canadian, from Edmonton. She is a wonderfully funny housewife and mother, who has wanted to come to Nashville for many years. She is a local artist who plays shows, up there and wants to expand her knowledge of songwriting. So she met Doak Turner in Montana at a songwriter's conference, and in turn, found me.

Our first part of the day, as usual listened to her songs, which kind of sounded like you might think. A little devoid of details and more emotional output. So I had to find ways to put her emotions into real details.

In the middle of our morning session, a knowck on the door came. It was Dianne Kelly, a newer Nashville writer/artist I have known in town for the past two or three years. I have really watched her develop and she is doing great. She has one song, in particular, that tells the story of a break up letter. The song describes what else that could have been, a set of rafters for a house, a great bed, several wonderful, useful products, but has ended up only as a "Waste of a Good Old Tree." Great title and great song.
I actually already had booked a writer's session with Dianne and forgot about this tour date. But as many things I do, it all works out. To have Shelly write with a current artist, with a record and publishing deal, was about as cool as it can come. Why I call it a tour. Never know what is going to happen.

The conversation went for a while as they both talked about their experiences. They actually are remarkably similar. From small farm towns, both very much same experiences growing up. Was interesting listening to them. A theme they both had was "working in a man's world." Shelly in Canada, which can be a very testostorone filled place, and Dianne, performing and being in Nashville, which sometimes is known as a "Good old boy's club", can be very daunting. There are some great female writer artists, but always outnumbered by men. That brought up a phrase we hear a lot. THE GLASS CIELING. Dianne mentioned it first and everyone seemed to hook into it. I got them to talk about that and list some things that related to it. I, of course, was taking notes the whole time.
In the middle of this, Tina, my self motivated girlfriend came in with Brenda, who owns the company doing renovations on our house. Brenda runs this company better than any man and is pretty funny about it. She said "Sfcrew the glass ceiling, I OWN the company!" That pretty much sealed it for me.

WOMAN EMPOWERMENT SONG!!!!
I went into my "zone" and they continued to talk. I wrote it all down. One thing that Dianne mentioned was that when growing up, she rode around in an old pick up truck with her father. She noted a rusted out hole in the floor that she always looked at and saw the road pass underneath. The funny thing about that is that an uncle of mine had pretty much the exact same truck and I used to do the same thing. REALITY.

WATCH THE GLASS CEILING SHATTER
MAB/Dianne Kelly/Shelly Dubois

He had a 65 Ford with a hole in the floor, we used to ride around on weekends
Those Daddy Daughter dries were my favorite times, evry' memories worth keeping
I was a metal mouth teenage tomboy, wanting to play the big boy games
Helped me deal with my frustrations, when I'd hear my Dad explain.

CHORUS
CAN'T WORRY ABOUT WHAT OTHER GUYS DO
ONLY ONE YOU CAN DEPEND ON'S YOU
IT'S A MAN'S WORLD NOW, BUT THAT'LL CHANGE
IT'S WHO YOU ARE INSIDE THAT MATTERS
ONE DAY YOU'LL SEE THAT GLASS CEILING SHATTER


This was really cool I felt and both of them hooked into it IMMEDIATELY. As a matter of fact, Dianne started singing it really quickly and her voice fit PERFECTLY. Being in Nashville, she is a little faster at catching on, but pretty soon we had Shelly and her singing it, and Shelly adding harmony. It was really taking off. Time for the second verse.:

Today my life's a nine to five, on my feet in this local factory
Some of these guys might get paid twice what I do but that won't break me
Cause I got a part time, on the side, I do three nights a week
My Daddy's words stay in my ear, who knows where this ladder leads


Chorus.
This is VERY representative of women these days. We all seem to have several jobs, raising families, regular job then something on the side that we love or hope one day will pay off. (songwriting anyone?) Shelly had the same thing. So it was a no brainer. And now they were both really singing this great. Wonderful. It was WAY too high for me and to keep me from blowing out my voice, they took over. Also they really put the bridge together:

Bridge
Ain't no rush making my way up, Oh I plan to enjoy the ride
Someday soon, we're gonna all break through, see ourselves on the other side

That did it. Great job from the girls. They don't have to depend on ANY men, myself included, to kick some major songwriting butt! Was very proud of this one. Love the message and when you have not just one but TWO  artists singing it, you multiply your chances to get it heard.

Love this town!
MAB

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