164. Follow the Song You Hear in Your Head—a Songwriter Advises
Stephen Parker
Stephen Parker is a poet, singer/songwriter/guitarist/producer and performer since 1976, who has written over 200 songs. A graduate in English Literature, he coaches men’s and women’s tennis at Cabrini College in Radnor, Pennsylvania. Married for 28 years, he has a 24-year-old son living in California, studying to be an anthropologist.
How Did You Start Using Your Talents?
After wandering in the Rockies after college, Steve settled in Asheville, North Carolina. “I played guitar eight hours a day, taking whatever odd jobs I could find, to commit to the music I heard in my head. I’ve always known I could do this, but the actual commitment was the toughest part.”
The Most Impactful Turning Point?
“The biggest was when I came out of college in 1974. I packed up my golden retriever and guitar, and moved to Boulder, CO, to start a band. I didn’t follow a straight line. I knew I could write, but I had to decide to apply myself to become a creative artist.”
The Most Powerful Lessons Learned?
“As a creative artist, you have to keep on moving forward, though you’re not always sure that’s what’s happening. You follow the next gig, your next goal. There will be bumps in the road. It’s a journey. If you’re following your muse, you’re committed to following it where it’s going to take you.”
On His Bookshelf
As a student of literature, Stephen loves many American classics, such as Leaves of Grass, by Walt Whitman, and You Can’t Go Home Again, by Thomas Wolfe, “who wrote and lived in the Asheville area, long before I even knew what Asheville was. Writers—artists, really—like F. Scott Fitzgerald, Ernest Hemingway and William Faulkner are, to me, the golden age of writing. What they did was look at all things on all sides, but maintained a level of sensitivity and sensuality about being alive.”
Top Tools on His Browser
cdbaby.com – largest independent music store in the world
