2021

On Oct 22 2013 we wrote Flicker in a studio in Nashville. Here’s the story:

I had been dying to write with Canadian superstar and hit songwriter Patricia Conroy
for some time. With some prodding on my part and a keen attention to schedules, I was able to book a writing date with her! Next I booked a WestJet flight to Nashville. It was my second time down, and I was by no means a veteran Nashvegas traveler. My friend Beth Anderson was thankfully going to be there for a writing trip at the same time, and offered to set me up with a few other writing sessions and show me her favourite spots. Gold!!

Just a few days before the session with Patricia, she asked if Danick Dupelle of Emerson Drive
could join- OMG OF COURSE HE CAN!! (I’m a huge fan). I asked Patricia if Beth could join us as well and we laughed that we hadn’t been in a 4 person writing session before – felt a bit like a big Motown writing room.

On the morning of the writing session I had butterflies like crazy. I never get nervous for writing sessions but we only had one chance to get it right! I had my notebook of song ideas ready, and forced myself to eat a meal to settle the tummy. We met at Danick’s beautiful Nashville recording studio.

After some introductions and catching up, we dove in. Patricia asked what we were after- what kind of song is this going to be? I knew I wanted a deep country crooner – Chris Young/Josh Turner style – something sexy with a bit of swing in the hips . I also had an old idea in my notes about a “Flicker turning to a flame”.

Danick came up with a PERFECT guitar lick right off the hop and it set the tone.

This crew of pro songwriters make it look so easy. Patricia came up with the opening scene – “baby take my hand, lay a blanket down by the ocean, we’ll build a little fire in the sand” every line we came up with fit seamlessly together and the imagery was exactly what I was looking for!