From a few years back, I started this as a simple blues, maybe a bit Randy Newman inspired and handed it off to Brenda Russell to co-write with me. This is her version from a few years ago using a who's who of LA session guys.

Final Mix 10/30

THIS IS REAL LIFE

This was on an album I did with Carl Storie for Riva Records in London around 1985. This song was called PCH 101 and was my favorite for lot's of reasons. It featured Pino Pallidino, one of my favorite bass players in the world plus Del Newman did the strings using a section from the London Symphony. Meant to close the album so it's a long one!

Blinding Tears

PCH 101

This is one of the most unique songs and projects I've ever been a part of. My friend John Hartley was put in charge of a catalogue of previously unseen lyrics from the late Fanny Crosby. Fanny is the most covered writer of church music ever. Think "Blessed Assurance" and so many more classics sung in churches around the world. Along with a few other writers in Nashville I was allowed to choose a few of her lyrics to write music for. This is a Christmas on that John and I co-wrote and it appears on the CD " The Best Of Christmas In America" performed by Dave Highway and just released. This was an honor to be involved in and I wrote 3 others I hope see the light of day in the future!

FIND HIM IN A MANGER - DLMIX1

Wrote this with Billy Burnette years ago. Billy is a great guy, was in Fleetwood Mac for a bit as well as a solo career in country and has written for Ray Charles, Bonnie Raitt and Willie Nelson to name a few. Also comes from Rockabilly royalty . Can't remember who sang the demo :-(

Rhythm of Life

I was a mentor at a recent TSA Songwriting Retreat outside of Malaga, Spain a few weeks ago. We had "mentors play their hits" night on the next to the last day. It was just awesome and I went to bed thinking it was just one of the best nights ever. I woke up the next morning to the news an old friend from my band days had passed away. It shook me, we were not very close ( he was a great guy)  but these things make you think about how you talked the last time you saw them and then, asking yourself, how much time do I have left? In addition to mentoring you write a song a day with two of the writers there. I was blessed to have Angela Skinner and Steve Jones to help me put my feelings into song. I then asked my buddy Bob Britt to play and sing the song. Now Bob has been the Dixie Chicks band leader, played with Wynonna, Delbert McClinton, Dylan, jammed with Keith and Eric and was a member of Leon Russell's band. You can hear echos of Leon here. We all experience loss and being able to channel it and maybe help someone else express it is a gift we share as songwriters.

Out Of Time V3 1

Wrote this with Kye Fleming years ago aiming for Rod Stewart. I've been lucky enough to get cuts on many of my favorite artists but Rod is still on my wishlist of cuts. Gene Miller did the vocal with Bob  Britt on guitar and Johnathan Yudkin on a few instruments here.

Mark Cawley