About Us
About Us
The world is absolutely a better place with more songs in it!
Our mission is to help songwriters who are feeling overwhelmed, afraid and intimidated by the world’s definition of a “real song” – transform into confident, accomplished songwriters who use their songwriting to change not just the world, but themselves and their lives.
Mentoring, teaching and guiding other songwriters through resources, tools and encouragement is what we’re all about.
Whether you’re just starting out or have been doing it for awhile, our goal is to provide every person who has ever wanted to write a song the opportunity to learn how to do it and use that super power for good in the world.
How Did This Whole Thing Start?
Well, I met someone who I was trying to impress. Isn’t that always the way we find out what we’re capable of doing!
While I’m kidding, sort of, the idea of writing songs wasn’t really on my radar. I was full-on, head down into learning how to write poetry. I was doing a 9-to-5 job traveling across Tennessee, Kentucky and Georgia and was thinking about getting a masters, but went to the liberal arts college to see if it was a fit. That’s where I met Arthur Smith. An exceptional poet and professor at the University of Tennessee who invited me to attend one of his graduate level poetry classes on a Wednesday night. It changed my life.
Not only was Art a great teacher and mentor, he was inspiring. He showed me how words communicate feelings and unlock the mysteries we see each day. How to dig into a thing to find the a-ha moment of self-discovery. How to not give up on bringing that moment to others who might also need it just a little bit more than you.
The Inspiration
But he wasn’t the person I was trying to impress. She came along a few years later. We met when she introduced herself and mentioned that she played guitar too. And – could play “Eruption” (whatever that was). I was a folkie. A Nanci Griffith, John Gorka, Eliza Gilkison, Bill Morrissey, Cliff Eberhardt loving folkie. Oddly, she’d never heard of any of them – ok, maybe not oddly – but I digress.
We found friends in the music community in Knoxville TN, started a duo called Amelia Earhart Returns and traveling across the south east sharing the stage with some of the world’s greatest folk musicians. But, careers were a priority, and we left Knoxville. We left a music scene filled with friends who we considered our family for a new adventure in life.
Why The Site?
That’s when Song Chops started. It was a way for me to have a community, keep sharing and stay involved with songwriting even though my job had me focused on other things.
I love mentoring and teaching. It’s part of who I am. What drives me, and brings me joy. So in a way, Song Chops is my ongoing love song with poetry and songwriting.
MY SONGS
So how does all of this tie to my songwriting style? Funny enough I love writing sad songs. Yep – I’m not the funny songwriter, or the party song person. I’m straight up: here’s a story or a thing and let me dig in enough to get the listener on the ride and *feel* something. Here are some songs as Amelia Earhart Returns and as part of my first solo record Seco Sessions.
SOME NASHVILLE DEMOS
Not only do we perform on our own project, but we also head out to Nashville every now and again. While we demo songs in various studios just to make sure we can bring you good industry information, we also do music production for Texas artist pitching and demos. You can hear a few below.
Our Publishing Principles
At SongChops.com, we believe songwriting is for everyone—whether you’re writing for healing, connection, or craft. Everything we publish is built on the following core values:
- Clarity over complexity – We break down songwriting concepts into simple, practical steps anyone can follow.
- Craft over clicks – Our content is created to help you grow as a songwriter, not chase trends or algorithms.
- Accuracy and transparency – We do the research, cite our sources, and keep information up to date.
- Respect for the journey – We honor the vulnerability and courage it takes to write and share songs, meeting you wherever you are in your process.
- Independent and unbiased – SongChops is independently run. Any recommendations are made with your growth in mind, not because we’re paid to promote them.
We’re here to support songwriters with tools, insight, and inspiration that respect the arts of songwriting and performance—building a community that feels supported and empowered to grow to the version of themselves they envision.