Terry I had no idea you were a song writer, singer, and guitarist. What a great surprise. Enjoyed my Sunday morning listening to you (and your brother's) songs. I have always considered you such a talented guy, now even more so. AND I'm sure, the only person to pay tribute to a ball hockey team with notes and lyrics!
Wow, Terry—that was fascinating. And the first songs you and your brother recorded are amazing! And the lyrics still prescient today. It is unfathomable to me how you are able to come up with the chord progressions and melody and bridge. Amazing. A song is so powerful—it can pack into a few minutes the exact emotional rush one feels at the end of hundreds of words of a novel sometimes. Wonderful that you can do both.
Ahhh thanks, Mel. It’s true what you say about songs. Songwriting has been a welcome creative constant in my life for a very long time, nearly 30 years longer than I’ve been writing novels.
Terry , you continue to amaze and impress me with your multiple talents. I am very envious since I lack any musical or literary talents. I very much have enjoyed reading all of your postings and novels to date. Keep them coming. Really looking forward to reading your 10th novel. Your are my most read author and I am proud to tell people I know you.
Have a wonderful 2025. All the best to you and your family.
Thx for sharing. I'm always interested in creative processes. My husband is a painter and it's always surprising to me how closely our creative process aligns. There's so much structure and discipline to a finished piece - be it a painting, a short story or (now I know) a song! xo Lucy
I think that people can only do so many things well because, as you know, to truly master something, time, practice, study and dedication are involved. (He's on instagram if you're interested in abstraction - michaeljbblack.com)
I started playing guitar late in life (69 when I retired) and dream of the day when the red recording light doesn't turn my fingers into arthritic stumps and my brain into a stranger from those fingers. Be that as it may, I enjoy playing and do it almost every day. I have also written A song. A sentimental tune about our late, great dog Badger. The best part of learning guitar has always been playing and learning with others, something that occurs very infrequently as we live in a very small and somewhat isolated community near North Bay.
I thoroughly enjoy your weekly missives (and your novels). Btw if you are ever in the NB area doing a book tour, bring your 6 string.
Oh and please forgive any and all grammatical errors!
I really enjoyed your songs Terry and I continue to be amazed at how you and Tim collaborated musically way back in high school and continued over the ensuing decades - must be a twins thing.. you are so fortunate.
Terry, Happy New Year. I enjoy 99.99% of your writings. I am surprised that you, as such an accomplished writer, used the term, '' not to mention", when writing about your singing. It is a redundant term and makes as much sense as 'It goes without saying' and 'Needless to say'. Well then don't say it. The other comment I have is the term ''lucked out''. Most of us use the term 'lucked in.' You want the luck to 'come in' not go 'out. Keep up your great works. Alice S
Thanks, Alice. I agree that some of those expressions are troublesome, but they are so much a part of the language now and do impart a certain nuance. But I pledge to be more careful!
Hi Terry. Happy New Year! Your articles are always interesting and entertaining, but mostly for me, informative as I reflect on where I am at in my creative and writing journeys. Alas, while I can sing, I have no musical writing capabilities or talents that require understanding notes and musical composition, and am thus dependent on and celebrate those with such talent. Perhaps at some point we could share some of my poetic talents with your musical talents. Take care.
Terry, this post really hits the spot for me. I grew up one of thirteen children in a very musical family where our mother was a fabulous singer. She had us singing as we did our chores and led the way in enjoying music. I now realize how lucky we all were to have music in our lives. I, too, have written a lot of songs and even recorded a few. This past summer I put a few family examples up on my YouTube channel. I even sang a duet there with my mother that we had saved after her death. What memories. https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLaExn7hl_9SAGGrtySDCH0Db2RdsKgHXi
Thanks for reminding me of the absolute necessity for most of us to have music in our lives. Happy New Year!
Wow - amazing songs! You can definitely hear your influences. You were born 15 years too late -- you might have been playing at Woodstock!
You mentioned something that struck a chord with me (pun intended, but ill-placed...):
"I carry the story around in my brainpan for months on end, letting it steep and ferment, and generally emerge and/or evolve. At some point, it feels as if my characters and story have somehow matured, ripened..."
Things steep and ferment in my brain too, but I've just realized that they never ripen there. I *need* to write them down in order for them to fully mature. Maybe that's why I'm a panster, not a plotter? At least in part. I have to play around with the story and the words and the characters before they solidify into final form.
One last observation: I was shocked -- SHOCKED! -- when you wrote that you pretty much know where the song is going before you write it... lol Perhaps you were always destined to be a planner? Hey, why not -- it's served you *very* well!
Terry I had no idea you were a song writer, singer, and guitarist. What a great surprise. Enjoyed my Sunday morning listening to you (and your brother's) songs. I have always considered you such a talented guy, now even more so. AND I'm sure, the only person to pay tribute to a ball hockey team with notes and lyrics!
All the best for 2025.
Many thanks, Clayton.
This was such a great substack. You mentioned performing ‘Leaving on a Jet Plane’. Here is my pandemic version: https://youtu.be/e-vZfXUPYAM?si=bTk_PlPZG1Gv0KIU
Ha! I remember when you released that song. So good!
Great substack. But I'm left wondering...did the song 'Until the New Year' convince her you were the one????
I doubt it was a deciding factor! But we're still happily together all these years later.
Wow, Terry—that was fascinating. And the first songs you and your brother recorded are amazing! And the lyrics still prescient today. It is unfathomable to me how you are able to come up with the chord progressions and melody and bridge. Amazing. A song is so powerful—it can pack into a few minutes the exact emotional rush one feels at the end of hundreds of words of a novel sometimes. Wonderful that you can do both.
Ahhh thanks, Mel. It’s true what you say about songs. Songwriting has been a welcome creative constant in my life for a very long time, nearly 30 years longer than I’ve been writing novels.
Terry , you continue to amaze and impress me with your multiple talents. I am very envious since I lack any musical or literary talents. I very much have enjoyed reading all of your postings and novels to date. Keep them coming. Really looking forward to reading your 10th novel. Your are my most read author and I am proud to tell people I know you.
Have a wonderful 2025. All the best to you and your family.
Keep well my friend
Thanks for the kind words, John. All the best in 2025, your first full year of retirement!
Thx for sharing. I'm always interested in creative processes. My husband is a painter and it's always surprising to me how closely our creative process aligns. There's so much structure and discipline to a finished piece - be it a painting, a short story or (now I know) a song! xo Lucy
Thanks Lucy. Cool that your husband is a painter. I wish I could paint.
I think that people can only do so many things well because, as you know, to truly master something, time, practice, study and dedication are involved. (He's on instagram if you're interested in abstraction - michaeljbblack.com)
I started playing guitar late in life (69 when I retired) and dream of the day when the red recording light doesn't turn my fingers into arthritic stumps and my brain into a stranger from those fingers. Be that as it may, I enjoy playing and do it almost every day. I have also written A song. A sentimental tune about our late, great dog Badger. The best part of learning guitar has always been playing and learning with others, something that occurs very infrequently as we live in a very small and somewhat isolated community near North Bay.
I thoroughly enjoy your weekly missives (and your novels). Btw if you are ever in the NB area doing a book tour, bring your 6 string.
Oh and please forgive any and all grammatical errors!
Good for you! Never too late to learn a new art. Keep writing those songs!
I really enjoyed your songs Terry and I continue to be amazed at how you and Tim collaborated musically way back in high school and continued over the ensuing decades - must be a twins thing.. you are so fortunate.
Keep up the great posts !!!
Rob
Thanks, Rob. Great to reconnect at the Hall of Fame event.
I promise to attend the next time you receive the Stephen Leacock award .. 😊
Terry, Happy New Year. I enjoy 99.99% of your writings. I am surprised that you, as such an accomplished writer, used the term, '' not to mention", when writing about your singing. It is a redundant term and makes as much sense as 'It goes without saying' and 'Needless to say'. Well then don't say it. The other comment I have is the term ''lucked out''. Most of us use the term 'lucked in.' You want the luck to 'come in' not go 'out. Keep up your great works. Alice S
Thanks, Alice. I agree that some of those expressions are troublesome, but they are so much a part of the language now and do impart a certain nuance. But I pledge to be more careful!
Impressive singing and playing, Terry. Those songs should have got airplay back then. Thanks for sharing.
Hi Terry. Happy New Year! Your articles are always interesting and entertaining, but mostly for me, informative as I reflect on where I am at in my creative and writing journeys. Alas, while I can sing, I have no musical writing capabilities or talents that require understanding notes and musical composition, and am thus dependent on and celebrate those with such talent. Perhaps at some point we could share some of my poetic talents with your musical talents. Take care.
Thanks, George.
Terry, this post really hits the spot for me. I grew up one of thirteen children in a very musical family where our mother was a fabulous singer. She had us singing as we did our chores and led the way in enjoying music. I now realize how lucky we all were to have music in our lives. I, too, have written a lot of songs and even recorded a few. This past summer I put a few family examples up on my YouTube channel. I even sang a duet there with my mother that we had saved after her death. What memories. https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLaExn7hl_9SAGGrtySDCH0Db2RdsKgHXi
Thanks for reminding me of the absolute necessity for most of us to have music in our lives. Happy New Year!
Thanks, Elaine. Loved listening to your family songs!
This is such a fun read!! But honestly, the best part was listening to your songs. Thanks for including those recordings.
Very kind, Jean.
Terry - wonderful. Love the comparison & the songs!!
Thanks, Gabe.
Very kind of you, Lorna. Thanks so much.
Wow - amazing songs! You can definitely hear your influences. You were born 15 years too late -- you might have been playing at Woodstock!
You mentioned something that struck a chord with me (pun intended, but ill-placed...):
"I carry the story around in my brainpan for months on end, letting it steep and ferment, and generally emerge and/or evolve. At some point, it feels as if my characters and story have somehow matured, ripened..."
Things steep and ferment in my brain too, but I've just realized that they never ripen there. I *need* to write them down in order for them to fully mature. Maybe that's why I'm a panster, not a plotter? At least in part. I have to play around with the story and the words and the characters before they solidify into final form.
One last observation: I was shocked -- SHOCKED! -- when you wrote that you pretty much know where the song is going before you write it... lol Perhaps you were always destined to be a planner? Hey, why not -- it's served you *very* well!