Hi Jim

      As a featured contributor to No Depression, I’m particularly keen on getting your feedback for the following – Please forgive the intrusion if you don’t have the time or inclination to reply.

      I’ve posted the following to the No Depression discussion board – you can either respond there or alternatively drop me a line at shatchsurvey1@yahoo.co.uk

Thanks very much for your time

Kind regards,

Steve

My name is Steve Hatch and I’m currently conducting research for my Master’s in Songwriting at Bath Spa University in Bath, England (though I happen to be an ex-pat Georgia boy).  I would be extremely grateful if you could find the time to listen to the track (link below) and answer the 2 accompanying questions.  The more detail, the better of course (more to say in my final analysis) – but all feedback will be useful and very much appreciated.

Sadly, as this is an academic pursuit, there is a deadline.  Please reply by May 20^th if at all possible so that I can have time to chew over your response and include it in my final write-up.

            The track: http://soundcloud.com/stevehatch

1)     Which artist/band(s) would you say the track is most similar to and why?

2)     Which genre(s) would you say the track belongs to and why?

I don't always agree with you regarding what makes a songwriter exemplary, but your own writing is superb. The Lori McKenna review could be used as an example of concise, clear reporting in masters writing courses. You handled the Warner transition with insight and diplomacy. Your descriptions of her life and her writing are poetically brief.

Just saying.