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So Herb Hartley came to me with a song title and a verse and asked if I could come up with a chorus. smile

When we finished the song I asked if I could bring in a friend named Jeff Newton to sing vocals and Jeff kindly agreed—so I created a Soundcloud channel for him. After hearing what Jeff did with this, we have decided to write more songs Jeff can sing.

smile

Tracks at the bottom

MY HOME TOWN

Performed by Jeff Newton

https://soundcloud.com/jeffnewton/my-home-town

V1

Nothing ever seems to change
every day is just the same
they roll the sidewalks up, when the sun goes down
Barber shop and a liquor store
my best friend lives right next door
Ain't nothing but a one lane crossroads town

Pre CH

It's my home town....and I plan to stay around

CH

We got girls with smiles that will break your heart
Secret kisses after dark
People who spent their lives on solid ground
We've got steeples that reach towards the sky
Hearts that never learned to lie
Friends that will never ever leave your side
And it's only two miles wide
But it's my home town

V2

It's where I'm from, where I was raised
those red dirt roads through the summer haze
We have fields of green and clear blue skies
whippoorwill as the sun goes down
friends and family gather round
yeah grab the guitar
and lay it down

Pre-CH

It's my home town
and I plan to stay around

CH

We got girls with smiles that will break your heart
Secret kisses after dark
People who spent their lives on solid ground
We've got steeples that reach towards the sky
Hearts that never learned to lie
Friends that will never ever leave your side
And it's only two miles wide yeah it's my home town

Tag:

Friends that will never ever leave your side
And it's only two miles wide yeah
it's my home town
It's my home town

Music and Lyrics Copyright 2022
Herb Hartley and David Snyder

All rights reserved

Jeff Newton: Vocals

Herb Hartley and David Snyder, Arrangement and Production


Bass 3501
Real Drums rock thrash halftime even 16
Guitars 2643 & 2644 distorted rhythm
Guitar 2911 picked chords
Steel 2540
Piano 891 (low in the background)
B3 689

Vocal tracks (3) Jeff Newton Lead and 2 doubles down low.

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Wow. What a super song. Great arrangement and production. Jeff is spot on with the vocals. Good job all around.

Charlie


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David,
I liked the ringing guitars, the vocal and especially the write- sounds like a Tom Petty inspired classic.
Very well done.

Robert

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Hey thanks Charlie! We had another good time down at Kill Branch and we missed ya man!!

smile

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D&H&J,

A good song. Especially like the chorus.

Really like your drum track choice.

Might just be my speakers...but the vocals are a bit loud and too-up-front for the overall band style.
And they sound like they are in a "different space" compared to the tracks.
The overall mix has a pretty high "EQ signature".

Glad y'all are having fun. Keep 'em coming.

fj

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Outstanding in so many ways, guys. Herb, great idea bringing in David, and David, great idea bringing in Jeff. Love the very pleasant story you tell; it reminds me of my childhood, although we had dirt roads and no sidewalks. What a great coolab --yeah, that was a typo, but it fits so well.


Enjoy whatever happens!
marty

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I sent a partial verse and chorus to Dave asking if he could do anything with it....and to consider the lines as fillers or not until we could come up with something better. After a few back and forth with the ideas and lines and musical versions.... and then trimming it down in length.... So imagine my surprise when I sent him a new lyric for a part and Dave says... Man that's a hit! Anyway... we stumbled through the process and finally ......

This is what we ended up with. And then Jeff was brought in to sing it....and we were changing things in that recording session....

It was a fun and interesting project as the different parts and aspects came together. It's always fascinating to me to watch it happen in real time.

A pleasure to be a part of this from the writing, to the recording, and mixing, and calling it done after Dave's final touch at his studio. A nice group of stand-up guys to work with.

It's nice to see so many folks are enjoying this song as well.... Thank you all for listening.

Last edited by Guitarhacker; 06/15/22 04:10 AM.

You can find my music at:
www.herbhartley.com
Add nothing that adds nothing to the music.
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The magic you are looking for is in the work you are avoiding.
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David, Herb and Jeff

"After hearing what Jeff did with this, we have decided to write more songs Jeff can sing." Uh....YES definitely!!

What a great job you all did here! Jeff sounds a lot like Herb to me. His vocals are certainly a great fit for this song! And speaking of the song, it's a very good one! The chorus stays with the listener for a while!

Thanks, Torrey

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David,

Great song and a great singer! Well done all!

Bob

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Very cool collaboration David, Herb and Jeff. Cool Americana song. Super vocal. Loved the jangly guitars. Well done


Scott Collingwood
https://soundcloud.com/scottt709
https://soundcloud.com/spiritlevel-ca
https://www.youtube.com/@SpiritLevel-ge3hm/
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Wonderful collab.
Tastes like more.
Great music and vocals.

Rob and Anne-Marie


We are Rob Meulman and Anne-Marie Bovenkamp from The Netherlands.

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC1gsdNLE7_Gy8qavoOplQow/videos
http://rnam.net/


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Fantastic song guys! Great writing with a feel good sound all the way through. I'm jealous!

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Thanks Robert! I sure did enjoy your last as one, you can tell!

Yeah, I have been having fun working with Herb and Jeff.

Herb has a real ear for modern country, I think, and has an excellent feel for the brand new real tracks that capture that sound and vibe. His instinct can be uncanny at times, and he is proving to be a real master of reason and rhyme and music, as well, in addition to be being able to play the guitar like a freak. (I mean that in a good way. He can tear it up.)

I am fully convinced that BIAB has about all you need for a solid Nashville demo in the hands of someone like Herb, if you have someone who can sing like Jeff.

smile

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in the 1st verse particularly the vocal is LOUD & there's either proximity effect or reverb build up in the low end.
It's less pronounced in the chorus but still keeps that "other room" thing.
Generally the top end is a bit crisp.
REALLY cool song, the voice is a great fit and well done chaps.


Cheers
rayc
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Very nice collaboration, gents. Well written, good band sound and excellent vocal.
Regards,
Leon

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Thanks Floyd. We will keep working on it.

smile

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Man, Jeff can sing and David and Herb write fantastic songs.

A super collaboration

Fantastic job on everything

Loved it


I think my wife has started to show the first signs of dementia.
She said she can't remember what she ever saw in me!

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David & crew.
A well written tune. Neat musical bed. Jeff's vocals are excellent, but I believe they need to be mixed in a bit deeper as they feel a bit separated from the rest. I think FJ is correct. In any case, A+ collaboration!
Thank you for sharing.

Misha.

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Hi David, Herb and Jeff
Great cooperation
Sounds really great
Jeff sings the song excellent
Really fun to listen to
Thanks to all involved
Many greetings
Andi ;-)

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Thanks Mario!

We intend to revisit this about 12 times if necessary. Our Nashville Songwriter group has been giving some feedback and we already seen space for melodic improvements in the chorus.

So, we plan to keep working on it, because we see potential in working with Jeff and doing multiple versions of songs we are working on together.

I guess the main point is we are WORKING and we see some potential ahead and like what we can hear in our heads.

Now he have to be able to print that.

smile

But we will....we will.

smile

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