A Great Song (and the story behind it)

I was singing this past weekend and in my set, I sang “Somewhere Over The Rainbow”, which is a spectacular song. I couldn’t help but think about the power of a GREAT song. It transcends time, as it strikes a chord deep in the soul and takes us somewhere far away for a few minutes. I am so fortunate to have sung MANY great songs over the years.

And as this journey called “Releasing a CD and working your butt off to get it out there because you love it and also giving it to God everyday because you KNOW He’s in charge anyway” continues, I am very thankful because I think I have 7 GREAT songs on Scuffed and Simple, and it was simply divine appointments that brought them my way.

I want to share the story of how one song came to me, because living in Nashville has taught me the beauty of the story behind the songs I hear, they make them so much more precious when I hear them.

“Shine” written by Scott Sean White

One of the first country demos I ever recorded was for a guy named Scott Sean White. He lives in Texas, so I just went to a recording studio and sang, and got paid, without ever meeting him. Being the NICE guy that he is (he really is just an amazing human being), he contacted me to say how much he enjoyed it. Months after that, I went to see him perform at the Bluebird Café so I could meet this great writer (by that time, I had sung on more demos for him). And a friendship was born! When he sent me the demo of “Shine“ that he had recorded, I listened while I was driving on the interstate and chills just went all over me. The song just KILLED me (and I silently hoped one day I could record it….please God). Scott says to me that it was inspired mostly from the love and support his wife has given him over the years, and that has kept him going. He has had me sing it live for him at Writer’s Nights more times than I can count, and I never get tired of singing that song. So, when I had the opportunity to record it for MY project, umm, DUH….yes!! I have been asked repeatedly if I wrote it, and I tell him “No, but my friend Scott Sean White did”, and the best compliment I get is “well, you sing it like you wrote it”.