EXERPT

FROM A LETTER BY STEVE SCHALCHLIN

X-Sender: steve53@pop.loop.com Mime-Version: 1.0 Date: Mon, 17 Jun 1996 05:57:20 -0700 To: ark9000@primenet.com (Halc) From: steve53@loop.com (Steve M. Schalchlin) Subject: Re: Hal Cohen: Visitor 5790

Dear -- ahem -- Li'l Hank-

I remember writing this Hank guy and telling him that he had one of the most useful and cool pages ever. And when I began my long road back from the edge of the Forever, after I had written "Connected," I found your site and just sat and read the info looking for places to play my songs....

... I knew I had some singularly interesting material. It was like all those years of watching everyone else do their music thing, all those workshops, master classes, Underground shows, and one on one counseling all coalesced in my head as I began writing about my own experience.

I could feel myself avoiding all the stuff I normally hate in bad songwriting. But it was also an instinct not to bore. As soon as any song got too "pat," I'd try to toss in something that would not let the audience stray.
And also, I had very strong intentions and a will to express feelings I had never had before, and feelings which I had never heard anyone ELSE express before. I was blessed with the one thing that really sets writers apart: a strong personal point of view. My own way of seeing things.

And I constantly surprised myself when my mind would suddenly bring me these wonderful "wrap-up" lines which took the songs off into new territory. I can't begin to explain to you the emotional impact these songs have on audiences. Our show gets standing ovations and leaves not a dry eye in the house. And the first time I played "Connected" at one of Harriet's soirees, the response was explosive.

On a personal note, it is so wonderful that after I spent so many years as a "suit" helping others and watching from the wings, I have come back to music with such an "accomplished" piece of work. NAS actually gave me a Gold Membership calling the songs from this show "A significant artistic achievement." When Brett delivered this news, I sat here and wept. My beloved songwriters were now honoring me!

Steve Schalchlin Living in the Bonus Round http://www.geocities.com/Broadway/1173 http://members.tripod.com/~steve53.

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