March/April 2021 Lyric Contest Winner Diane Smith Talks “Angels”

Grand Junction, CO-based Diane scored 1st area for the March/April 2021 American Songwriter Lyric Contest for her song “Angels.” We stuck up with Diane to get a few information on the lyric’s idea and her musical inspirations these days.AZlyrics

What was the inspiration for “Angels”?

The backdrop feeling was disappointment about a relationship. The imagery became inspired through a film, The Diving-Bell and the Butterfly. It tells the proper tale of a fashion industry multi-millionaire who, in a automobile accident, lost all capability to move except for blinking his left eye.  A speech therapist (lovely of route) helped him discover ways to talk and he became in the end able to blink out an entire e book approximately his existence earlier than and after the twist of fate. on the drive home from the theater I thought how he turned into surrounded by means of lovely girls in past and gift existence however couldn’t truly have interaction with them—and how it turned into something like me having this notable “friend” with whom a courting might simplest go up to now.

How lengthy have you been writing lyrics? 

I wrote my first songs about twenty years in the past when i used to be getting to know to play blues harmonica, and just starting to play music with others at blues jams. 

have you written tune for this lyric? in that case, how could you describe it?

yes. It’s a simple shuffly blues development that starts offevolved on the IV, some thing like “middle of the night special.” I play it with 7th chords.

How long does it typically take you to finish a lyric or track? How approximately this one?

most songs have taken me days of labor…hashing out rhymes and thoughts, on the whole settling for less than perfect.  This song took literally fifteen minutes even as I drove domestic from the theater.  I walked into the residence and typed it out.  It got here so without difficulty I almost didn’t sense like I wrote it.  

on the grounds that 1984, the american Songwriter Lyric Contest has helped aspiring songwriters gain publicity and have fun.

Do you select co-writing or solo writing? 

I’ve never attempted co-writing, but I suppose i would experience it.  I’ve had some correct thoughts due to the fact that I wrote “Angels”, however simply can’t get started on them.  It’s like I know i've words that precise in me, and nothing else meets the usual.  A co-writer would possibly help draw out my ideas.

What keeps you encouraged as a songwriter?

I’ve been gambling with an all-ladies organization, Underwire String Band. They’re high-quality buddies who are inspiring me to up my musical recreation.  we can be doing “Angels”, and i would love to feature some extra of my very own songs to the combination.

Are there any songwriters, artists or occasions that have especially stimulated you lately?

I understand this gloomy, however I’m at the age where it’s getting greater frequent to listen of pals passing on.  i latterly found out that an antique boyfriend—hadn’t visible him in a long time—had devoted suicide. He had tried to contact me now not lengthy before his demise, but had the incorrect e-mail.  even though I probably could by no means have seen him once more, I nevertheless felt an acute pain of loss and finality.  The tune is exploring this sense of finality, and the way aging is a sequence of finalities and adaptations to loss: lost pals, abilities, probabilities….

How do you discover time to jot down amid life’s many needs?

Ha!  I just haven’t been.  You’d suppose between Covid and retirement, i might have all varieties of time.  but I generally tend to spend it practising my vocals and contraptions—now such as guitar!—trying to do justice to other songwriters’ works.  i've advised pals what i've discovered in workshops:  that they want to do some writing each day, even though it’s ten minutes.  Do I try this myself? Noooo…however now I assume the validation I sense from this contest will encourage me to begin. I actually assume that’s what makes one capable of write the first rate music whilst it comes alongside.

what is your idea of an ideal music?

The genuinely remarkable songs bend and slide on a few string for your heart. Sting’s “Fields of Gold” makes me cry every unmarried time I hear or sing it. super songs have personal imagery and memories but common heartache—or pleasure or anger. each music i like has left very clear pictures in my mind. “at the banks of the river, wherein the willows hold down…”  For me, an appropriate tune additionally lends itself to extraordinary harmonies.

who are your all-time preferred songwriters and why?

There’s so many:  Andrew Marlin of Mandolin Orange, Kasey Chambers, Rodney Crowell, Utah Phillips… My favourite writers are the ones whose songs I listen or get in my head and might’t rest till I’ve sat down and found out to sing them.  normally they have got a bit “dark turn of mind”: Gillian Welch, Leonard Cohen, Lucinda Williams.  such a lot of excellent writers.AZlyrics