Custom Songwriting

I have a lifelong passion for songwriting, and have spent my life listening to the best songwriters I can find and writing the best songs I can write. I've always loved recording and performing my material, and recently I have found a new way to share and connect with fans.

After being asked to write a few custom songs for friends' weddings, I decided to offer the service to my email list to see if anyone else would be interested. The response has been overwhelming! For two years, I have been writing steadily for a variety of people and occasions. I absolutely LOVE the process of interviewing clients, hearing about their loved ones and lives and challenges, and turning them into songs. It is an honor and a privilege. These are not generic, fill-in-the blank type songs. Each one is written just for you, your special someone, or special occasion! I strive to capture the essence of your emotion in both the lyrics and the music of the song.

The Process
First, I send a list of questions to get you thinking about your topic. Then, we'll have a chat on the phone so that I can gather further information and get a feel for your personality and desires, style preferences, and your overall "story". Lastly, I fire up the tea kettle or the coffee pot and work away on your song. Generally, I write and record myself on guitar, piano, and banjo. Turnaround time is generally around 2 months from our initial phone call, depending on how many songs are in the queue before yours.

What You Get
You will receive a professionally recorded CD with a lyric sheet. I am primarily a folk musician, so the final product will be a nice, clean, warm-sounding acoustic recording. I don't add lots of layers and slick production, so think Joni Mitchell or Emmylou Harris rather than Celine Dion or Shania Twain. That being said, I do play in a variety of styles, and I have a crowd of talented musicians standing by if I need to rock or jazz it up a bit, add drums, or even use a male lead vocal or duet. Just let me know what you're thinking in our initial consultation!

Song Ideas
Custom songs are great for weddings, first dances, anniversaries, birthdays, births, parents, grandparents, and to commemorate special places and people in your life.

Samples of Custom Songs

1: Never Lost	play pause mute unmute max volume Update Required To play the media you will need to either update your browser to a recent version or update your Flash plugin.
2: Gypsy Ways	play pause mute unmute max volume Update Required To play the media you will need to either update your browser to a recent version or update your Flash plugin.
3: You Came True	play pause mute unmute max volume Update Required To play the media you will need to either update your browser to a recent version or update your Flash plugin.

Testimonials

"I wanted to thank you so much for this incredible song you wrote and composed for me! I'm still completely overwhelmed by it, especially how personal the lyrics were! They really so perfectly express what this past year has been to us, and what our love means. I didn't make it through the first verse before the tears came. I love that you accept commission requests and that it's so clear that you put your all into each and every one. This means the world to me!" -Alex

"About two years ago you wrote a song for me to give to a girl I had been chasing. So as not to scare her you helped me get across in the song just how much I adore her without ever using the L word. She LOVED it.....To this day she references the song when we talk about us. Long story short, due in part to your efforts, she accepted my proposal of marriage yesterday!!!!!! THANK YOU FOR HELPING ME CATCH MY DREAM GIRL!!!!"

"Well, my husband was absolutely speechless and I was amazed. The song was like you have known us for a long time! I could not have imagined such an amazing, beautiful love song in my wildest dreams for J. You are astounding."

"THANK YOU doesn't even begin to express my gratitude for helping me give my husband the Christmas gift of a lifetime."

"Carla, I just listened to the song!!! Wonderful!!!!!! You worked "magic"!!!!!! Thank you so much for helping to make this Christmas one of the best!!!!!"

"We got the package yesterday afternoon. We have played the CD several times and neither one of us has been able to listen without crying. Everything about it is perfect.This will be a cherished memory for us for a long time. Just precious."

"I just got the song yesterday. I was on the way to a meeting and must have listened to it about five times in a row. Somehow you managed to help me create a message of love to a very deserving father and husband. You have a very special quality of genius."

"To be honest, the first time I heard the song, I cried. I just could not believe that you were able to capture our story in such a simple, yet elegant manner. Thank you for all that you are and for putting your heart and soul into this project. I hope that you continue to touch the lives of those around you with your music."

"I want to say a huge THANK YOU for the wonderful, wonderful song that my wife presented to me as a gift this Christmas. The song was a real reflection on our love and all the reasons why she means so much to me.

I must have played the song fifty times the first day....I simply loved it. As you know, you have a true gift -- thank you for blessing me this Christmas."

"My girlfriend was overwhelmed to say the least! She played it over and over, all the while crying and saying that she couldn't believe that I went to so much trouble for her."

Pricing
For this kind of service, you can spend anywhere from $200 to upwards of $2500. I price my songs very affordability at $300 per song, which includes the consultation, the songwriting, and the basic recording. If you are interested in a fuller-sounding recording with my whole band or multiple tracks, there will be additional charges, approached on a case-by-case basis.