Deborah Allen Chat, from June, 2, 2009

[Penny Loewen]

Penny (Host) - First off we would like to thank you Deborah for chatting with us tonight. We know we have to let you go right before 9:00 so you can start the show at the Bluebird.

Deborah - I am so sorry it took me so long to find my way to the site tonight....
But here I am and I am happy to be here! ! !

(Host) – Well, let’s get started.

Brenda asks; I've heard so many songwriters and artists say that it was one song that finally gave them a jump start to their big career. Is that the case with you? If so, what was that song for you? And what is the story behind the writing of that song?

Deborah - The first song I ever had recorded was a song I co wrote with Don Cook called Danger Heart Break ahead ... Zella Leher ... It may not have been a hugh hit although it was a chart song ... It let me know there was potential in my songwriting.
Deborah - Don't worry bout me baby ... Was my 1st #1 song and I was trilled to have a classy artist like Janie Fricke recording one of my songs. The ball really started rolling then.
Deborah - I wrote that song with Bruce Channell and Kieran Kane.

(Host) - Ted would like to know; Deborah in your opinion what is the most important part about writing a great song, the Melody, Lyric, Production or Hook?

Deborah - The Marriage of the lyric and the music ... a great title or hook is always a great thing too! Production is great ear candy, and some producers these days need to hear that ... but really great producers can hear an arrangement when they hear a great song!...

(Host) - Any follow up questions gang?

Bobby Joe - how did you get hooked up with Tree?

Deborah - I was hanging out with Rafe VanHoy, Don Cook and Bobby Braddock, and Sonny Throckmorton. They were great teachers, and friends ... like big brothers!

(Host) - Penny asks; Deborah, I remember when you were chosen to do the duet with Jim Reeves in the late 70’s. How did you feel about getting an opportunity such as that at the beginning of your career?

Deborah - I was thrilled. I loved "Put Your Sweet Lips A Little Closer To The Phone" .. And I could not believe that I was going to be able to do a duet with the great Jim Reeves. We were actually the first to capitalize on that cutting edge technology. Now
It's done often and better.

(Host) - N.J. Stuckey wants to know; Deborah, what is your favorite song, and why?

Deborah - I don't really have a "Favorite" song. There are so many great songs. From the simple "What'll I Do" by Irving Berlin to HE Stopped Loving Her Today by Bobby Braddock and Curley Putman ... to Bridge over Trouble waters, to Most anything on gold.
Deborah - There are so many factors that go into a great song ... and some of it is magic.

(Host) James wishes to ask; if you HAD TO CHOOSE between either singing, or writing for the remainder of your life, which one would you chose to do, and why?

Deborah - Writing, because you can always think ... however in truth ... I could not imagine going a day without singing.

(Host) - Bobby Joe wants to ask you a four part question; Do you write for a publisher? Have you had any cuts recently? How would you advise a new writer or singer today regarding their approach to networking? And finally, are you single?

Bobby Joe - penny!

Penny - Hey Bobby I just copied what you sent in...

Deborah - I am M a r r i e d ... to a great guy. Used to be Mel Tillis's first road manager ... and worked with the Oakridge boys for several years ... he has worked with just about all the greats in country music.


(Host) - Then he married the greatest!


Deborah- I recorded a song with James Stroud recently called This Is The Time ... on a charity cd for EnterpriseAlabama. Don't know if it was ever released.
Deborah - I own my own publishing and have for years.. .but it is always healthy to partner with a publisher who can pitch your songs and help you pay for demos etc...
Deborah - As far as what to do, man I don't know ... just get out there and be seen and heard.... Write Write Write.

(Host) - Cheryl has a three part question; Seventeen is young age to move to Nashville in pursuit of a career. In hindsight, would you have done anything differently? And what is the best advice you have received from your mentors?
Cheryl also wants to know; From song topics to gigging or any other areas have you ever felt that being a woman put you at a disadvantage in this business?

Deborah - Like Shell Silverstein told me ... "You might write 9 good songs but that 10th song might be your Great Song!" So ... write ALOT! ! ! Then just follow your heart ... stay active being heard. The harder you work the luckier you sill seem to get..
Deborah - God helps those who help themselves. He will meet you half way. Never give up ... keep writing and believing ... and get OUT THERE! ! !
Deborah - Only when I chose to believe so. I am a "Songwriter" ... not a female songwriter! A great song is a great song. I have always tapped in to the universal spirit and let it guide me ... when that happens ... there's no one that can stop your destiny.

Penny - GREAT ANSWER!!!

(Host)- Shelia has a three part question; Deborah, How do you see the role of women over 25 years old in the future fitting in, if at all, in country music, and what is your opinion on why there are a lot more male songs and male artists on the charts?
And also from Shelia; I love your Gibson guitar with the rose on it... in your pictures on your website. .. how long have you had it, and is this what you play mostly when you are out? And LOVE your new song, BTW.

Deborah - Thanks! ! ! I love my be J 200 too! ! ! Glad you like it ! ! !It's my fave! I take it as often as possible!

(Host)- Paul Guy Bovee asks: Deborah, do you feel that in today’s market, that a video makes a song popular, or does the song do it on its own merits? And do you think a lot of today’s songs be hits without a video telling the story?

Deborah - I like to hear a song without a video ... then I relate to it in my on way ... but today’s world is very visual... and videos are a huge marketing tool. It helps the song reach a broader audience. But A Great song is a great song! Video or no Video!

Deborah - I am going to have fun at the Bluebird tonight! Jonell Mosser ... Jimmy Hall! ! ! Wow What Fun! ! !

(Host) - Hey tell Roger and Shawn that I'm going to be contacting them for a one of these chats... LIE and tell them it was painless... (grin)

(Host) - I'm sorry I had to rush the questions tonight, but we knew you did not have much time...
So when ever you have to leave to go do the show its okay. Just remember we are thankful you did this for us... And WE WANT YOU BACK when you have more time

Deborah That's ok ... I am going to learn a couple of songs on my way to the Blue Bird. I am just glad I found my way to the chat room! I was a nervous wreck thinking I was letting you down! But I made it!

Deborah My Pleasure! ! ! I would absolutely love to come back!

Deborah THANK YOU...
And maybe if I sign on my lap top, my typing will be a little better than this clunky desk top.

Cheryl - Now that you have your own page, do drop by often :-D - thank you for being here tonight!

Deborah - Thank you Cheryl. I appreciate that!

Cheryl - Thank You Cheryl Moon! ! ! !

Deborah - I am honored to be here, and I do wish we had more time to chat ... Thanks so very much for having me! If you're not doing anything ... some on down to the Bluebird tonight! ! ! !Love Ya'll! ! !

(Host) THANK YOU, DEBORAH!!

Deborah Keep writing! AndI have had a lot of fun tonight! ! ! Ya'lll are all great!

DeborahAny last question before I sign off?

(Host) - Mark asks: Deborah, if it’s not too personal of a question, I’ve always wanted to know about how much money does a number one song generate for the writer?

Cheryl - Will you post your plans... gigs on your page?

Deborah - From BMI ... Really ... these days it can be $500,000 for the writer and the same again for the publisher. That's a goal worth pursuing. Not a reason for writing ... but a great reward if all the pieces of the puzzle come together.

Deborah - I will try to co-ordinate to do that Cheryl. Thanks.

Cheryl - Thanks Deborah! well, I'm sure I speak for all when I say we wish we were there to hear you tonight... have a great time and I look forward to chatting with you again :-D

Penny - I think I need to write daily if its 500.000 wow

Deborah - That's what a top BMI exec just told me about two days ago. My checks have not reached that figure ... because my songs were mostly in lat 80s to late 90s ... but dang ... what a reward!

Deborah - Thanks Cheryl and Thank to all of you ! ! ! I guess I will sign off now! Raymond is getting the car started right now ... and we are about to head out the door!

Penny - I'll get with Deborah and figure out another time, when we will do this again

Deborah - Love and Thanks for the opportunity to be friends and to talk songs!

[Penny Loewen]

I want to thank N.J. Stuckey for saving the archive for us last night. If not for him, we would not have this archive so thanks a million N.J.

For those who were not there for the live chat. Deborah had a bit of a problem getting into the chat room, so she was about 8 minutes late, but she finally got in, and she had booked a show at the Bluebird at the exact time that our chat was to be over so we rushed through the questions rather fast and I was not taking our normal follow up questions so not to make her late for the show... I knew if we took time for any follow up questions we would not be able to get everyone's questions answered that had sent them in...

Deborah did a great job, and she has promised to come back on a night when she is not rushed. She said she had a great time doing this and wants to do it again...

So again Thank You Deborah, N.J. and all of the members who sent in VERY interesting questions for Deborah to answer...

Penny

[Nan Cassidy]

Penny,
I'm looking in to some new chat rooms we can have right here on this messageboard that will hold a lot of people and be much easier to use, i'm looking in to voice chat so they can answer live without typing like a phone conference, we can use it also for some live in the rounds.
If anyone has any suggestions please let us know.
This was great and i'm sorry I had to miss it. Thank you Penny for all the things you do here.
Take Care,
Nan

[Penny Loewen]

Originally Posted by Nan Cassidy

Penny,
I'm looking in to some new chat rooms we can have right here on this messageboard that will hold a lot of people and be much easier to use, i'm looking in to voice chat so they can answer live without typing like a phone conference, we can use it also for some live in the rounds.
If anyone has any suggestions please let us know.
This was great and i'm sorry I had to miss it. Thank you Penny for all the things you do here.
Take Care,
Nan

OH NAN that would be AWESOME... Some pros don't want to embarrass themselves because they don't type well or spell well, so they don't think they will be good at these TYPING CHATS... So if you can pull off us having it where the audience can type and the Pro-guests can TALK, WOW... AUDIO is the way to go. SongU has it set up like that. And you can even go back and listen to the chat archives, so what ever we get, we need to be sure we can archive it... We need some computer geeks to come forward who know about how to set this kind of thing up...

Penny

[Steve Soucy]

Originally Posted by Tunes

OH NAN that would be AWESOME... Some pros don't want to embarrass themselves because they don't type well or spell well, so they don't think they will be good at these TYPING CHATS... So if you can pull off us having it where the audience can type and the Pro-guests can TALK, WOW... AUDIO is the way to go. SongU has it set up like that. And you can even go back and listen to the chat archives, so what ever we get, we need to be sure we can archive it... We need some computer geeks to come forward who know about how to set this kind of thing up...

Penny

Wow that's a good read, and I can see how it could grow very quickly. Do you guys use Twitter to drum up more participants? That could help a lot if you want more people tuned in.

Penny & Nan, I'm involved with some internet marketers on weekly calls where the host talks, a moderator comes on the call steps in a reads live typed questions from an audience and the moderator can also include audience members talking with their phones. The phone calls are also free for participants because they come thru computer lines.

I can look into this stuff a little more if you like. Lemme know.

Steve

[Penny Loewen]

Originally Posted by wealthy songwriter

Wow that's a good read, and I can see how it could grow very quickly. Do you guys use Twitter to drum up more participants? That could help a lot if you want more people tuned in.

Penny & Nan, I'm involved with some internet marketers on weekly calls where the host talks, a moderator comes on the call steps in a reads live typed questions from an audience and the moderator can also include audience members talking with their phones. The phone calls are also free for participants because they come thru computer lines.

I can look into this stuff a little more if you like. Lemme know.

Steve

Well sure we want you to look into it... The more info we have the better decision that can be made about which way to go... Thanks Steve

[Gary E. Andrews]

Oops!
Sorry!