THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, October 16, 1994 TAG: 9410130197
SECTION: CAROLINA COAST PAGE: 18 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: John Harper
LENGTH: Medium: 92 lines
I spent a week in Nashville last year. It's a great city, alive with art, commerce and music. Not just country music, but jazz, new age and alternative played by the best musicians in the world.
Many of the top studio musicians now live in Music City. Synthesizers are pushing the hired hands out of New York and Los Angeles. Musicians come to Nashville to play.
And with all the recording going on, there's a real need for quality songs. While I was in Nashville, at least five people I didn't know asked me if I had any songs. When I said no, the inquirers looked deeply disapointed.
Some acquaintances told me there were thousands of ``songwriters'' in Nashville, but only a few who wrote ``quality'' songs. What most of the fledging songwriters could use is a good coach - someone like Billy Edd Wheeler. Yeah, that's it, Billy Edd Wheeler of Swannanoa, N.C.
Swannanoa is in the western part of the state, near Asheville. Wheeler lives there with his wife, Mary, and their two children, Lucy and Travis.
But Wheeler, a successful songwriter and songwriting coach, is coming east to Nags Head Nov. 18-20 to give a weekend workshop for aspiring area artists.
Wheeler coaches songwriters in Swannanoa and travels to Nashville to sell his songs. His tune, ``Coward of the County,'' recorded by Kenny Rogers, has sold 25 million copies. Another of Wheeler's songs, ``Jackson,'' is nearing the 20 million mark in sales.
In addition to his songwriting credits, Wheeler is the author of four best-selling humor books, two volumes of poetry and two long-running outdoor dramas.
The coaching started in 1988. After the success with ``Coward'' and ``Jackson,'' Wheeler received hundreds of tapes from aspiring songwriters.
``I decided then to start a workshop for songwriters,'' Wheeler said in a recent telephone interview. ``What most songwriters need is discipline. A song needs to be ready before it's pitched to producers.''
That year, Wheeler started the Great Smokies' Song Chase, a camp for songwriters.
His expansion to the Outer Banks is the first ``Great Atlantic Songwriters Showcase.'' The event, co-sponsored by WNHW-Carolina 92, is a camp for songwriters and performers who want to improve their craft and get direct feedback from sympathetic professionals.
Wheeler's staff is Ewel Cornett, who brings more than 30 years of experience in professional theater and TV as singer, actor, producer and director; songwriter Paul Kraft; and guitar virtuoso Muriel Anderson.
Wheeler and his staff will conduct songwriter workshops and critique sessions, giving direct feedback to every registrant. He will also lecture on idea development, networking, publishing and the business side of music. Wheeler says all types of songwriters are invited.
``Music is music,'' Wheeler says. ``A good song takes a lot of work. Many songwriters have God-given ability, but they never learn the craft of songwriting.''
Wheeler learned the craft from Chet Atkins and Norman Gimbel, the Grammy-award winning writer of ``Killing Me Softly,'' ``Happy Days'' and ``I Got A Name.'' Wheeler and Atkins are collaborating on an album to be released in 1995.
What does a songwriter earn on a record that sells 25 million copies?
``It's building my new house,'' says Wheeler. The songwriter typically earns about 3 1/2 cents for each record sold.
Producer-director Cornett will conduct performing artists workshops for songwriters and others seeking to hone skills.
Anderson, from Chicago, will give seminars on the guitar as a songwriting tool. Kraft lectures on songwriting will offer a ``Songwriters Showcase,'' which is open to the public, on Nov. 19.
After all of Wheeler's success, what's his biggest thrill?
``Elvis sang one of my songs during his concert in Asheville,'' says Wheeler. ``He said, `It's written by a local boy,' and then he pulled a piece of paper out of his pocket. `His name is Billy Edd Wheeler.' ''
Wheeler later was told that was a regular Elvis joke.
What brings Wheeler to this side of Carolina?
``I've been coming here for 15 years,'' he says. ``I love to catch blues in the surf. It's such a rich area, I'd really like to write some songs about the area.''
Thanks, Billy. The line for co-writers starts behind me. ILLUSTRATION: Photo
Songwriter Billy Edd Wheeler penned ``Coward of the County,'' which
was recorded by Kenny Rogers and has sold 25 million copies.
WHERE & WHEN
What: The Great Atlantic Songwriters Showcase
When: Nov. 18-20
Where: Comfort Inn in South Nags Head
For more information: Elaine Hill, (919) 441-0470
by CNB