Exploring Spirituality through Songwriting

4.9.21 Sexy Spirituality Show Notes 

“Exploring Spirituality through Songwriting” 

Recorded 2.9.21. 10:00 AM MST 

 

Exploring Spirituality through Songwriting 

Sexy Spirituality Episode #40 

  

Host: Lezli Goodwin 

Guest: Denise Rosier, Contemporary New Thought artist, and award-winning singer/songwriter 

Guest: Heather O’Day, Musical Director of Sonoran Desert Center for Spiritual Living in Amado, Arizona 

  

Small Talk 

Lezli, Heather and Denise talk birthdays! 

 

Exploring Spirituality through Songriting 

• Okay, we’ve got singer/songwriter madness going on here today 
• I wanted to have Denise and Heather on today, as they are both wonderful songwriters, performers and spiritual leaders. I came to know each through the Empower Music and Arts organization, the group that gives the Posi Awards for positive music. Https://empowerma.com 
• Denise, give us the nutshell version of how you landed in positive music: Starting out as an inspirational Christian artist, as my spirituality changed my music changed. During a performance break, someone suggested that a spiritual center community would appreciate my music. I didn’t know the songs, so I had to write to find songs that would work. 
• Heather: A director at Tuscon New Thought was looking for musicians to sit in for Sunday Celebration Services. My path was taking me there, but I didn’t have a community or a name for it. Before I knew it, there was an entire community at home, in my back yard, and led to a Music Director position. There was no hymnal! So, I was guided to some new thought musicians, and I did a retreat with Karen Drucker, who said, “This genre needs new voices. This genre needs your voice. Why not start now” 

 

• Lezli: I came to all of this exactly background. I grew up doing performing arts, and then I took a 16-year break & developed stage fright. During practitioner training, I was assigned, “Go do the scariest thing you can think of.” The scariest thing I could think of was to go back into vocal training. Dawn Kerlin made herself available to do some vocal training, which turned into song writing, which turned into recording albums. 
• The more you write, the better it gets. You have to get the muck out. 
• Tom Kimmel once gave me the homework to go home and write a hundred terrible songs! It takes the pressure off. 
• Densie: a Christian label pushed me to write, as they wanted every singer to write their own songs, and I loved it. Sometimes I have to just be with a song until a word lands, just let them move around in my mind and then BAM, there it is. 
• It’s amazing how people have such deep meaning and feelings about songs, and I remember, “I was microwaving spare ribs when I thought of that line.” The funniest things stand out. 
• Writing songs (and messages for Sunday) come from what we’re working on in our own lives. It’s true in inspirational music as much as any other kind of music. 
• Denise: I was very clear that I was going to write the songs I wanted to write and produce them the way I produce them. I didn’t care of anyone else liked them. Luckily, people did respond to them. 
• When it comes to inspirational music, I am simply just reaching out to Spirit and having a conversation with God. We’re kind of like the greeting card writers for people who maybe don’t know quite how to say what they are feeling. We create a space for people to be with God in that moment. 
• “To sing is to pray twice.”  St. Augustine (sorry for the misattribution) 
• What is the greatest lesson from being a spiritual song writing for non-writers: 
• Heather: That everything is an act of creativity, that there is only One Mind and One Heart. It’s all coming from a personal place.  
• We mentioned Daniel Nahmod http://www.danielnahmod.com/, Karen Drucker https://www.karendrucker.com/, Tom Kimmel https://tomkimmel.com/, Harold Payne https://haroldpaynemusic.com/, Lezli & Dawn  https://www.reverbnation.com/lezlidawn. 

 

…. 

Something Good 

Heather: I am the host of Wednesday Night Live, which is a New Thought music driven video podcast Facebook.com/CSLSonoranDesert. Plus, new music called “The Journey” at  www.heatheroday.com for info. 

Denise: In addition to my music, one of the things I did during COVID was work on some ministry resources. Go to deniserosier.com for info for ministers and music directors, free chords for congregational songs. I’m developing workshops for pulpit ministers and music directors to build a stronger connection for creating a bigger and more robust music ministry. And I’m starting a new album this year! 

Lezli: My something good is…I have a class coming up called Podcasting 101. Podcasting can be a fun, creative way to embrace the idea of a church without walls, connecting with people all over the world. It can seem overwhelming, but there are simple, inexpensive ways to make your podcasting dreams a reality. In just a few weeks, you could be ready to launch your first podcast and get your message to the people who really want it. Cost for this 4-week class is $89.00. Class starts Thursday, May 6 at 6:00 PM MST. To find out more, go to lezligoodwin.com/onlineclasses 

 

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