I saw this question and the first thing I thought of was how songwriting has become such a small part of my life, when it remains such a passion. It made me think of one particular moment years back when I played a show as part of a showcase of Montana artists in Lewistown. I’d lived in this small town for six or seven years, and at the end of the show some people came up to me – people I’d known this whole time – and they said, “I didn’t know you wrote songs.”
I’ve been writing songs since I was in junior high, and performing original tunes since I was in high school. I released an album in 2012 and have continued to write songs. But for one reason or another I haven’t been promoting them or pushing them. I’m busy with my job, with my family, I don’t want to participate in a narcissistic society and make everything about “me.” There are all kinds of reasons, but this post isn’t about justifying the “why,” it’s more a confession that I feel like my own songwriting ability has become more of a secret skill, and I’d rather it not be. I’d rather share my self-expression more with others and not feel as timid as I do. That comes from being a reporter, being objective, writing about others. And, as editor, the job is more demanding, and has taken more of my creative energy. Perhaps that has factored into what I consider me downplaying my own interests and passions, which affected my confidence and self-worth. I’ve identified this and am turning it around.
What matters is taking stock in what you enjoy doing, and doing it because you love it – not to stroke your ego or be recognized for it. It’s also a great way to collaborate with others. For over a decade I wrote with Jim Devine, a dear friend who passed away in 2022 after a tough battle with cancer. And I continue to collaborate with others, such as my good friend Jamie Bennett in Tennessee. We started writing together during lockdown via Zoom. There have been others and there will be many more. I’ll make sure of it.
And I’ll be posting many more songs, both new and old. Here’s a favorite.
charliebigsky.com 
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