Rodney Crowell To Host American Songwriter‘s “Adventures In Song” Songwriting Camp

Rodney Crowell, winner of two Grammys and the author of 15 No. 1 country hits, will host a songwriting camp this summer in the idyllic setting of Carmel, California.

The camp — Rodney Crowell’s Adventures In Song — runs from July 16-20. In addition to Crowell, instructors include Joe Henry, Lisa Loeb, Allen Shamblin and Brennen Leigh. There will also be guest appearances by Bernie Taupin, long-time collaborator of Sir Elton John, and Benmont Tench, keyboardist of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers. 

Adventures In Song, which is being presented by Dreamcatcher Events and American Songwriter, is an event for players and music-lovers of all ages, levels, interests, and taste. Whether you are a master player, a beginner, or just an enthusiastic fan, the 4-day programs offer activities and workshops for you. The environment is non-competitive and is strictly about an immersive musical experience in breathtaking surroundings.

“Writing songs is very much an exercise in adventure,” Crowell says. “Metaphorically speaking, expect our songwriting camp to be equal parts zip-lining through the trees and archaeological dig. With the cast of instructors slated for this year’s camp ready, able and willing to explore craft and offer hands on encouragement, I predict “Adventures In Song” will be an unforgettable experience.”

Crowell continues, “There will be talks on the philosophy of songwriting. We’ll explore the mechanics and craft of songwriting. Over the four days, we’ll examine the power of revision. Participants will have an opportunity to see if their verses or stanzas need to be re-written. We’ll break down sections of songs. We’ll examine verse chorus verse structure as well as free-form narrative. We will deconstruct songs, find the flaws and fix them. There will be hands-on instruction. There will be morning, afternoon and evening segments, broken up into meals.

It’s a songwriting camp. Much of the focus will be geared toward the lyric. But I thought it would be a good idea to bring in some instrumentalists. Booker T. Jones of Booker T and the MGs, who is a musical icon, will perform. And Don Peake, an incomparable guitarist who played with everyone from the Everly Brothers to Marvin Gaye, will be there to offer guitar lessons.

I will interview Bernie Taupin, who has written the lyrics for most of Elton John’s hits, from the point of view as lyricist. We’ll look at how his lyrics shaped the way Elton John wrote his music. And there will be opportunities for the participants to ask questions.”

We’ll have a lot of fun outside of workshops. There will be concerts and there will be jamming. The food will be great. We’re going to eat together. We’re going to get to know each other. We’ll be right off of the beautiful Pacific Ocean. You will learn much about songwriting and it will also be a great time that you’ll never forget.”

For more information, and to purchase tickets to this one-of-a-kind experience, visit the official website.