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An Apostolic Songwriter In Nashville
The Twila McBride Interview
November 13, 2000
Twila McBride is an up-and-coming songwriter in the
Nashville Christian music scene where she writes for Spring Hill Music Group.
While she has been writing songs since she was a young girl, she moved to
Nashville just five years ago to pursue her lifelong dream of writing as a
profession. Twila was raised in an Apostolic home in West Virginia, and
currently attends First UPC in Nashville where she is an integral part of the
church’s music ministry.
ninetyandnine.com’s
Phillip Hampton recently interviewed Twila to elicit her views on the craft of
songwriting, the Christian music industry, music ministry in Apostolic churches,
and related topics. Her first
monthly music column will begin next week.
90&9:
How long have you been in
Nashville?
TM: Five years.
90&9:
Is there an advantage to being in
Nashville?
TM: Very much so. If you're out of sight, you're out of mind.
If you're not here, then it's a lot more complicated.
90&9:
What was your impression of the
gospel music industry before moving to Nashville? What is your impression now,
after five years?
TM: I was very naive. I just thought that when you signed with a publisher that you
were set pretty much, that they would pitch your songs and all you would have to
do is sit back and write and be creative and they would do all the work.
And that's totally not true.
90&9:
So, are you involved in pitching
your own songs to artists?
TM: I have been lately.
I've discovered in the last year-and-a-half-to-two years that to get
songs recorded in this town you have to be willing to work your songs and not
totally depend on your publisher.
90&9: Do
you call yourself a songwriter, composer, or both?
TM: I'm going to have to say I'm probably more of a songwriter.
I do compose music, but I tend to lean more toward lyrics.
A lot of times I write music as well, but [lyrics] are really my stronger
suit.
90&9:
When did you write your first
song?
TM: When I was twelve years
old. I still remember it.
The title was "Precious Jesus."
90&9:
When did you know that you had a special talent for songwriting?
TM: Probably about ten years
ago. I wouldn't say I had a special
talent for songwriting. It was my
dream to be a songwriter. That's
what I really wanted to pursue.
90&9:
How many songs have you written?
TM: I lost count several years
ago. It's probably in the
thousands.
90&9:
How would you describe the style
of music that you write?
TM: Lyrically, I write
inspirationally, some CCM [Christian Contemporary Music].
Most of my music is very inspirational.
Musically, it's inspirational and church gospel.
I like to write all styles, but [inspirational] is really my heart and
what I love to write.
90&9:
Do you prefer writing alone or
collaborating with other people?
TM: I collaborate on almost all
my songs.
90&9:
Name some of your songs that have
been recorded by other artists.
TM: I had a song called
"Believe" that was recorded by Charles Billingsley.
"Faith for This Moment" was recorded by Alicia Williamson.
I just had a cut that's coming out at the end of this month [October] by
Vestal Goodman and Michael W. Smith singing a duet.
It's called "Everybody Needs Jesus."
90&9:
How does one train to write songs?
Are there any particular classes, college or otherwise, that help develop
this kind of talent?
TM: Some colleges offer
songwriting courses. I actually
took a course in commercial songwriting, and it was very helpful. It helps you understand the form of a song and how to develop
an idea. There are a lot of books
on songwriting, [such as] The Craft of
Lyric Writing. There are books
that help you put ideas together in song form.
90&9:
How do you measure your progress
as a songwriter? How do you know
you are getting better at the craft?
TM: Well, for me, I just pull
out my older songs and compare them. I
can see that I've grown as a writer. I
still have a lot to learn, but I try to surround myself with people who are
further down the road than I am and have had a lot of songs recorded, people
that I consider great writers.
90&9:
Who are the best songwriters in
the business today?
TM: Nicole Nordeman is one of
the most brilliant writers I've ever seen.
90&9:
Who are some of the songwriters
that you most admire?
TM: In secular music, I look up
to Dianne Warren. She is a
tremendous songwriter.
90&9:
What are some songs that she's
written?
TM: She's written the Trisha
Yearwood and LeeAnn Rimes song, "How Can I Live".
She's written many songs for Celine Dion.
90&9:
What is it you like about her
songwriting?
TM: She is very prolific and
she writes all styles of music. She
owns her own publishing company, and she doesn't really do a lot of co-writing.
She does a lot of writing by herself¾music
and lyrics. She is a force to be
reckoned with in the songwriting world.
90&9:
What about in the Christian arena?
TM: In the Christian arena, I
would say that Geoff Thurmon is one of my favorite writers.
90&9:
What are some songs he's written?
TM: He wrote "Dying to
Reach You" [recorded] by Point of
Grace. I think he wrote one of
the songs that's on the Basics of Life
album by 4Him, [called]
“Freedom." He wrote
"Jehovah" [recorded] by Amy Grant.
90&9:
Today there seems to be a greater
emphasis on worship music, or "vertical praise" music.
What do you think accounts for the popularity of this music genre today?
TM: I think there's probably a
hunger for people who are starting to realize that there's something missing,
and they are wanting to connect with their God in some way.
I just think that for so long in Christian music, a lot of lyrics were
such that people couldn't tell¾are
they singing to their boyfriend or girlfriend or are they singing to God?
While there are still songs like that out there
(I'm not saying there's anything right or wrong with that), I think that
people just want people who are writing or singing songs to be real.
There's so much power in worship music.
People are hungry for that.
90&9:
Do you find that it helps, hurts,
or has no effect, being an Apostolic in the Christian music industry?
TM: I hate to say it, but in my
personal experience, it may be a little bit of a negative. A lot of people have stereotypes of Pentecostal people.
Someone told me the other day that he couldn't believe that I write the
way I write being that I'm Pentecostal.
90&9:
Why do you think that is?
TM: I think they stereotype
Pentecostal music. They think that
all we love is the hand-clapping, screaming, shouting kind of music. If I write something that's, you know, totally different from
that, maybe very CCM, or pop, or country, they are very surprised that it would
come from a Pentecostal.
90&9:
Why do you think that so many
Apostolic songwriters and artists have left the Apostolic organizations that
nurtured them and their talents?
TM: I think when you are
surrounded by very powerful people, people who can help you climb the ladder,
you can be very easily influenced. I
have had opportunities since I've been here for five years, to do that. I can see where it would be tempting if you want to climb the
ladder when things are hammered into your head, like, "You can't get a
record deal looking the way you look."
If that's what someone's desire is, they desire that more.
Personally, I think it's not meant to be for a human being
to have that much glory and fame. I
just think it is so unhealthy. I
think that when people get to that point where they are receiving so much glory,
maybe they are a great songwriter, but God is the one who gives all gifts and
all talents and we should give it back to Him.
90&9:
Looking at it from the other side,
do you think that Apostolic churches have misunderstood and perhaps misused
those who possess exceptional musical talent?
Can the Church do better ministering to and incorporating these people
into our churches?
TM: I think so, speaking from
personal experience. I was always
taught in the church I was raised in, that music should only be used in a
worship setting. If you were
listening to music for any other reason, or to any other kind of music, then it
was pretty much a sin. And we did
not believe in professional musicians or professional singers. That was totally wrong.
So, they really did not help in any way anyone who wanted to pursue a
career in Christian music.
90&9:
What advice would you give to an
aspiring songwriter or artist who would like to have a career in the Christian
music industry?
TM: You have to have a very
thick skin. Don't wear your heart
on your sleeve. And, most of all,
don't give up. If that's what you
really want to do, if that's what you feel that God has called you to do, then
don't let anyone's opinion keep you from doing that.
I've been turned down many times and had people slash my songs to pieces,
but I knew in my heart that's what I wanted to do and I just thought,
"That's their opinion." The
next person would like my songs.
90&9:
Finally, in your mind, what makes
a great song?
TM: If it touches you; if it
moves you. If I'm moved by the
emotion and by the lyric¾it
all just kind of comes together. Sometimes¾I
don't like to use the word "magical,” but I don't know how to explain it¾it's
just when it all comes together and just fits like a puzzle.
It relays a message and moves you. It
can make you laugh or cry.
ninetyandnine.com
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2000, ninetyandnine.com
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