Hit Songwriter Forest Glen Whitehead Shares What Every Songwriter Needs to Know About Production

Hit songwriter Forest Glen Whitehead (“Peter Pan,” “Yeah Boy”) has teamed up with American Songwriter to create new and informative songwriting workshops.

On February 24, 2021, Grammy nominated producer/songwriter and No. 1 songwriter Whitehead will host the live workshop, “Music City Playbook,” an online platform educating the next generation of songwriters and producers through music production and songwriting advice/tutorials and courses from current professionals in the Nashville music industry.

To be a part of the Music City Playbook workshop, purchase tickets here.

In his own words, Whitehead shares what every songwriter needs to know about production.

What are your desert island must haves to get you through quarantine?? Maybe a guitar? A tuner?  Maybe a couple extra sets of strings? Would you choose a laptop to produce your demos?

If you are a songwriter in 2021 that has made it through quarantine and haven’t been able to collaborate as much as in the past, in light of the pandemic, how are you getting your songs out to the world?

If you answered, I DO produce my own demos—Awesome. Are they on Spotify? If not, why not? If you are someone who is a songwriter and is yet to discover the freedom of producing your own songs I want to tell you a career changing story. 

On October 21, 2009, a travel trailer filled with hopes and dreams was parked at the KOA on Music Valley Drive in Nashville, Tennessee. My dad asked me, ‘Are you sure?’ about ten times before he left me in the middle of the biggest city I’d ever been to. I didn’t know a soul or how I would get started making a living with music, but I knew if there was a way, I would find it.  

Fast forward to me writing this article in February 2021— I’m a grammy nominated producer this year with 5 No. 1 songs or reminders to hang on the wall and remind me of the amazing things that can happen when you follow your dream.

However, as you may expect, things are never as they seem. I never would’ve imagined I would end up where I am, remembering how I started out here 10 years ago. I barely knew how to record a guitar/vocal demo, but I immediately saw the advantage it had to sonically brand my songwriting.

And thats exactly what I’m encouraging you to do. Make a point to brand your songwriting. Learn the basics of production so you can create your edge as a songwriter and deliver a demo that is unique and true to your brand.  Even if it’s not a fully produced demo, if you can drag and drop a loop, record a simple guitar, and properly mix a vocal, you are stacking so much value into anyone’s experience who decides to write with you.

Knowing how to produce a vocal and the ability to produce simple demos creates more opportunities for yourself and your cowriters. Build a reputation on being a servant of the idea and being quickly inspiring under pressure during the cowriting process and good things will manifest in your career quickly. 

This means being prepared with tracks for each session for fire starters!

Level up your songs and demos with a live, interactive songwriter production class (Music City Playbook) with Whitehead—February 24 from 6:00 pm – 9pm CST. Purchase tickets here.