Mastering the Art and Craft of Songwriting with Lowell Alexander

"This whole thing is not about instant gratification. You have to work and learn your craft." This week on The Song Revolution Podcast, John Chisum spent time with Lowell Alexander. While you may not recognize the name, you would definitely recognize his work. Lowell has had over 600 songs published, and has worked with some of the best. His songs have been recorded by some of the top artists in the industry, including Point of Grace, Selah, Amy Grant, Art Garfunkle, Sandy Patti, Bill Gaither, Natalie Grant, Ellie Holcomb, and the list goes on!   "Read, read, read! If you're going to write beautiful words, you have to be filled with beautiful words!" Unlike most individuals in the music industry, the career actually found him. Lowell began as a teacher at a private Christian school, and was discovered by Rich Mullins at the age of 22. You'll want to listen to this episode to hear more about how Lowell went from school teacher to staff writer, stepped away from music for a season, and then jumped back in. He has achieved great success in his craft, and has some incredible insight and wisdom to share with listeners. "There's a difference between surface lyrics and simple lyrics. There's a lot of surface stuff that goes on out there, something that is simple and profound, that sums up the gospel, is so powerful " Some topics we talk about in this episode: Introduction // Lowell Alexander - 0:39 Lowell's Start as a Songwriter - 4:11 Highlights of Lowell's Songwriting Career - 16:43 Taking a Break from the Business - 27:43 Returning to Music - 34:15 The Importance of Reading as a Songwriter - 38:32 Lowell's Current Work: The Miracle in Bedford Falls - 51:11 Two Songs Lowell Can't Sing - 57:11 Advice to the Aspiring Songwriter - 1:00:30 Wrap Up - 1:12:08   How to get involved Join the Successful Christian Songwriters Group on Facebook and continue the discussion! https://www.facebook.com/groups/SuccessfulChristianSongwriters/ Check out all of the resources for you to become the songwriter you were meant to be at www.nashvillechristiansongwriters.com   If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we'd love for you to help us spread the word!