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Home , Blinders On, Jordan Pundik, Just Stop, New Found Glory, Phillip Phillips, Sara Watkins

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Return to Sender

An unexpected letter altered lex Woodard wasn’t doing so through songs had prompted him to mal jam sessions. The group included in the experience of writing a song “That was the first time I’d really Alex Woodard well. It was 2008, and after offer a unique incentive to anyone who some acclaimed talents — people like about it with someone, and I’d never had nothing to do with it,” he says. “I nearly 15 years of plying his pre-ordered his most recent CD: He frontman felt that way before,” Woodard reflects. mean, I wrote it, and I was recording craft as a performing singer- would craft and record a song for each (814ce, 614ce, 514ce, GS6, GS5), “I’d always been holding on [to the them and producing the song, but I Alex Woodard’s musical path , the modest person based on whatever they asked Sean and of process] really tightly. With Sean, we’d was completely out of the picture for record deal he’d scored him to write about. In the end he had fame, award-winning tunesmith Jack gotten to be friends, and he’s a great the first time. So I let go of the perfor- had gone sour. more than a hundred takers, and he Tempchin (“Take It Easy,” “Peaceful writer, so I thought, let’s just see what mance side. I started to sense that I when he needed it most. With “It sounds like a typical penned an individual song for every Easy Feeling,” “Slow Dancing”), vocalist happens. And with that first song, ‘For could get a much deeper connection if complaint, but request. from the pop-punk act the Sender,’ the collaborative thing I just took myself out of it. I remember the label didn’t care,” “I recorded them right here at my , and even luthier/ came not only from the writing but listening to Molly sing and thinking, why the help of some talented friends, he explains from his home in Leuca- kitchen table,” he says. “They weren’t musician and soon-to-be Taylor employ- from the , because when we should I be singing this song? By then I dia, , a coastal community in necessarily fancy, but they also weren’t ee Andy Powers. recorded it, Sean sang it. That was the realized I should just get the hell out of Anorthern San Diego County. “They were 30-second tunes; these were full-on Woodard’s new friends also got to first time that I didn’t sing something I’d the way. Fortunately, in the years lead- he learned to connect with others supposed to be distributing the CD, songs.” know and love Kona, and later offered been involved with writing.” ing up to that, I had developed some but they weren’t really.” Woodard says the requests ran their support when she passed. Months The experience proved to be a skills for producing, arranging and To make matters worse, around the the gamut, from light-hearted topics to later, Woodard was still in the midst of creative catalyst for Woodard, enabling recording. So I feel like everything kind same time, Woodard’s beloved black romantic themes to a few heartbreakers some soul-searching when, out of the him to open himself up to a slowly of prepared me for this, for taking my by letting go of himself. Labrador retriever, Kona, his constant that left him with a lump in his throat blue, Emily’s letter arrived from across unfolding collaborative journey with his hands off the wheel.” companion throughout his entire music when he read the requests. He discov- the country. Woodard didn’t know her, new group of friends. It would lead to Woodard continued to collaborate career, succumbed to bone cancer. ered that he liked the creative process, but his music had somehow found and heartfelt letters from others, which in with his songwriting friends. Emily’s By Jim Kirlin The losses thrust Woodard into which marked a departure from his connected with her. She wasn’t writing turn inspired more songs, eventually letter would inspire two more songs, a period of intense self-reckoning. He largely self-reflective songwriting focus to commission a song, but simply to culminating with an and a book, one co-written with surfing buddy Jon understood the realities of the music up to that point. thank him for the ones she had heard. For the Sender (Hay House Publish- Foreman, another written entirely by business as well as anyone, and knew “For whatever reason, writing about “I think your songs are gifts,” she ing), in which Woodard poignantly Foreman while he was out on tour and that he’d embraced a career path with other people’s stories came easier to wrote. “Pieces of yourself used to help chronicles his transformative experi- recorded when he was back in town. no guarantees of success. As a survival me,” he says. “My writing had been me- other people with their stories.” ences and the strong connections he In his book Woodard talks about mechanism early on he’d developed a centered for a long time in part because In her letter Emily explained that made with others along the way. the creative liberation he felt from writ- mindset — a protective armor of sorts — I didn’t have any mentors,” he says. her soul mate had passed away several “I would have never, ever thought I ing about others’ stories and recording that kept his music dreams insulated “I probably didn’t think anyone would years earlier and that each autumn — would be doing this,” he admits. “Writ- other people singing. from the sometimes discouraging believe in me besides myself, so I wasn’t their favorite season — she would write ing a book — that was not on my radar. “In this new anonymity I begin to blows of the business. It allowed him to very open. I wasn’t looking for co-writing him a letter to share her thoughts and It wasn’t even a dream.” feel lighter and free, like a door has sustain the belief that success would opportunities or anything collaborative. I memories, even though the letter would Both the album’s song sequence opened into a bright, airy room I’ve eventually come if he stayed positive kind of held everything tightly.” never be sent. But this year she had and subsequently written book follow never seen, one that’s been in my and focused on his craft amid the daily Woodard had moved to Leucadia decided to send it to Woodard to share the natural progression of the song- house the whole time but I always just grind and inevitable setbacks. But his with Kona a few years earlier, after being a piece of herself in gratitude for his writing process. After he and Sean walked past,” he reflects. armor now had a chink in it. If anything, based in Seattle for years, to reconnect music. recorded the song they’d written in Other random encounters led to Kona’s passing was a painful sign that with the ocean and his family up the The letter touched him deeply, response to Emily’s letter, Woodard sent more letters and, in turn, songs. Wood- his long-term dream of “making it,” coast in Long Beach, California. As he both because of its personal nature it to Emily as a thank-you for sharing her ard and Foreman spent time playing for years comfortably set in the open- rekindled his passion for surfing and and because of the realization that his letter. She replied with a beautiful note and hanging out with teens at a ended future of “someday,” might in fact made new friends in the area, he found music had moved Emily. He showed it about how moved she was by the song, homeless youth shelter in Oceanside, have an expiration date. He wondered himself welcomed into a close-knit com- to , who was also moved, inspiring Woodard to write another California that Switchfoot has helped whether he was actually gaining any munity of accomplished and and the two were inspired to write a song, “My Love Will Find You,” also support for several years. After the ground on his dreams. . He started getting invited to song together based on the letter. based on her original letter. He enlisted director, Kim, sent a thank-you note to It wasn’t for lack of effort or creativ- regular “family dinners” — potluck gath- “In sharing her letter, Emily was standout singer-songwriter Molly Jenson ity. His desire to connect with listeners erings that inevitably ended with infor- being so giving that I wanted to share and Jordan Pundik to sing it. continued next page 24 www.taylorguitars.com 25 the two for sharing their time, Woodard ful Day’: ‘What you don’t have you don’t shows with some of the musicians wrote back to inquire what led her to need it now.’ And I started looking at who participated in the making of the do the work she does, and she replied the world through that lens, like, what record. He’s done several gigs in the with a heartfelt letter describing her I have right now is what I need, and San Diego area, which made it easier own troubled youth living on the streets these big music dreams, I must not for more of his busy friends to perform as a teenage addict, and of the people need them now; I’m probably supposed with him. The most recent show incor- who helped her repair her self-image to be doing something else. porated multimedia elements, including and rebuild her spirit. It would spawn “And the ironic thing about that, video footage from his visits with Emily, three songs: a catchy, upbeat rocker which is in the book, is that once I let Kim, Alison and Katelyn, voiceover written by Foreman, “Unbroken,” and go of all those dreams, they started to recordings of the letters from the writ- two Woodard-penned tracks, “Love happen, and that’s not for some kind of ers, and live performance. Began as a Whisper,” featuring convenience. That happened “No matter what form it takes, the beautiful vocals of Molly Jenson, and like it did. Great example: Shawn Mul- start of the show will be the letters,” a lively alt-country stomper, “The Right lins was a hero of mine in the songwrit- Woodard says. “We were talking about Words,” featuring Jordan Pundik on ing world when I was cutting my teeth, doing a Thanksgiving tour with every- vocals. and I tried to get on the road with him body for a couple of weeks, but logisti- Another letter came from Haiti. for something like eight years, but it cally it’s kind of a challenge. We might After a powerful earthquake ravaged ended up [not panning out]. So I kind do just one show and record it, like a the country early in 2010, Woodard of gave up and let it go. A year later he PBS special. had been asked to contribute a song was in my living room through a “I don’t know that it fits into a kind for a benefit record. His tune, “Res- vehicle I could have never imagined — a of traditional paradigm as far as putting cue,” ended up on the Web paired fan of mine gave a CD to his tour man- an album out and touring goes, but I with some video footage of the relief greater context that illuminates the He, Sean and Molly traveled to Con- ager, and the tour manager gave it to love it,” he says. “It’s a complete depar- efforts there, and a medic for Sean inspiration for the songs, the album’s necticut to play their songs for Emily. Shawn.” ture from what I’ve been doing for the Penn’s foundation, Alison, saw it and tracks, which range from shimmering He, Jordan, Molly and Jon went to Woodard’s book and CD were last 10-15 years, and it’s so welcome. e-mailed Woodard to thank him. After balladry to uplifting rock, boast a clarity, the homeless shelter and played their scheduled for release together in The model has just shifted so much an e-mail exchange in which Woodard emotional depth and heartfelt melodic songs for Kim. He brought Nena, Sara September (the CD is included in the that there isn’t a model now, but there’s asked what the conditions were really beauty. With the added knowledge and Jack to play for Katelyn and her book). At the time of our interview in still a lot of people out there who want Phillips in concert with his GS7e like there, she forwarded him a letter of the letters and stories behind the son. And although Woodard couldn’t June, he was working out the details to go see shows and listen to music.” she had written to her parents explain- songs, each track becomes even more surprise Alison in Haiti due to the travel with Hay House for a promotional tour. ing both the overwhelming suffering powerful, revealing a deeper insight logistics, he flew there with his Big Because of the unique nature of the You can read more about Alex or season 11 How did you find your first Taylor? ings with it and it just has that perfect Has being on AI changed your and the incredible resilience of the into the perspectives of the songwriters Baby to play for her and spent time in project as a book and album, there may Woodard’s project and watch videos winner Phillip Phillips (GS7, I started out playing when I was sound. It’s just it. Right now I’m out playing style? people she had encountered. The let- as they responded to a particular - her world. be a mix of events — some speaking at www.forthesender.com and at F 816ce, GS Mini), landing in 14. I had a couple of cheap guitars, on the road playing the GS7 and an Not really. Everywhere I played when I ter inspired two more songs: “Act of tional theme. “I stayed in a tent in the living room engagements with some solo perfor- www.alexwoodard.com. the spotlight and being and as soon as I turned 17, I felt like 816ce. They have a similar sound; the was younger and played gigs, someone God,” co-written with Jack Tempchin, Reflecting on the organic, home- of this burned-out house,” he recalls. mance of the songs, and possibly some broadcast to millions of viewers whose I deserved a nicer guitar because 816ce is still full, but lighter. I actually always said, ‘You’re a really good gui- and “Broken Wide Open,” written with grown nature of the project (including “There was no water or electricity. votes controlled his fate was over- I’d played out with my sister a lot. I play that in Drop D, and when I play tarist,’ and I appreciated that. I wasn’t Tempchin and Sara Watkins, who also the recording process in his small Alison’s clinic was in pretty much the whelming exposure. The Leesburg, needed something with a better sound, smaller gigs, like for radio, I use the out there just to be a guitarist. I mean, adds a lovely, plaintive vocal. home studio), Woodard says he was worst part of Port-au-Prince, called Cité Georgia native, who had spent much and I’d seen a lot of great artists play GS7 in open [tuning]. I’m a good guitarist, and I can sing and The fourth letter came from Katelyn, happy with the way the songs held Soleil, so that’s where we spent our of his adult life pursuing a degree in Taylors, so I thought I’d try one. I went play by myself and get away with it, the widow of a police officer who had together as an album, even though the time. She took me around the slums dol Afterglow industrial systems technology and to a store in Tallahassee, Florida with On American Idol, your guitar play- but I’m not really a solo type [player]. been fatally shot in Oceanside, near creative approach varied for each song. and we went into schools there. And working in his family’s pawn business, my family and was actually looking to ing transformed popular songs. I just really appreciate it when people

Woodard’s town, a year and a half ear- “I had to adjust to each person despite the conditions, the kids were I auditioned for AI at their insistence. He get [another brand]. The [sales] guy How would you describe your play- actually listen and can tell I’m not really lier, leaving Katelyn with a young son. It according to what their process is, all dressed up in their uniforms — there never expected to land a top spot in was kind of rude to me, so we went to ing style? strumming chords, [that] I like doing turned out that Woodard had met her but I’m pretty flexible with that kind of was just this resilient spirit. I remember the finals, let alone win. But week after a little place just down the road and When I started playing guitar, my different things. prior to the shooting through a mutual thing,” he explains. “I want the best for that probably the most. I went into week his nimble fretwork and soulful I picked up the Taylor [GS7]. I just brother-in-law taught me the main friend. Katelyn had since remarried, and the song, and that means what’s best these schools and played for kids, American Idol winner take on popular songs endeared him strummed a chord and I said, ‘Oh man, chords. I wouldn’t see him too much, What can we expect from you in having heard through Sara Watkins that for the writer too.” and there were just smiles all over the to viewers, culminating with his pure, that was it.’ I played a lot of guitars that so I’d play CDs or tapes in my karaoke the near future? Woodard was writing songs based on In the book, Woodard weaves his place. When I would start playing they tears-of-joy reaction to winning after day, and I just felt it had that deep, but machine and figure out the songs the I’ve been writing quite a few songs. letters, she wrote him one of her own. own personal stories from different peri- would just stop what they were doing a record 132 million votes were cast not too deep, rich sound. I said, ‘Man, best I could. [I played] a lot of AC/DC. About 15 before the tour started [in She explained that she and her hus- ods of his life into his narrative as he and look up at you and gather around. Phillip Phillips during the final episode. I have to have this,’ so the guy made I love Angus Young — he’s one of my July], and they all have their own sound. band had discussed the possibility of relates to the stories in the letters. He It was pretty powerful. You wish there The song Phillips performed that a deal with me and put a [pickup] in favorite guitarists — and Steve Vai and I try to write something that will con- his being killed in the line of duty, and realizes that he effectively did the same was more that you could do. But some- night, “Home,” debuted on the Bill- there. It’s been my go-to guitar ever all those guys; that’s when I was big nect with people, not just sound good that he would want her to remarry and thing as he was writing the songs. times that’s all you can do, go around board Hot 100 at the number 10 since; I take it everywhere. It’s got into electric. Then I picked the acoustic for radio. I really like to tell a story or give her son a father. That conversation, “The way that I write hasn’t really and be present.” talks about his love spot, and within a week of its release, some battle wounds, but I love it. It’s back up and started listening to John have meaning for people to connect she shared with Woodard, had enabled changed much,” he elaborates. “I just As Woodard looks back on the accounted for nearly 300,000 down- got a smooth feel, and the Indian rose- Butler, , , with. My new album will be released at her to eventually move on. feel like the source changed. Instead extraordinary way the project unfolded loads, quickly surpassing previous Idol wood is my favorite kind of wood on Eric Clapton and lots of other acoustic the end of November or beginning of The letter inspired Woodard and of being somewhere deep in my gut, and the impact it had on him both records. It would go on to clear the a guitar. There’s something about the guys. Man, I just fell in love with the December. It has a jazz, rock, acoustic Sara Watkins to write the tune “From now the source was on these pages creatively and personally, he says he of acoustic guitar half-million mark, earning Phillips a gold sound I just love. acoustic. It’s a lot different than play- rhythm feel to it. the Ashes.” Woodard comments in his that people sent me. Those are the learned the value of letting go. record. And if you watched any of the ing the electric; you can have so many book that this theme flows through the same thing, really. My story is coming “Maybe your dream isn’t what U.S. broadcasts of the Summer Olym- How does that specific guitar fig- different sounds from an acoustic. You As a guitarist, what is your dream? stories told in each of the four letters — out through those letters, even if I don’t you’re supposed to be doing,” he pics, you might have heard his haunt- ure into your style of music? have to be really precise. I like that I just want to play music and make a as he puts it, “beautiful truths buried in think it is. My hopes and fears and suggests. “And maybe what you’re ing vocals supporting video vignettes Every song I’ve written has that perfect challenge. I didn’t want to be a regular living doing something I love. It’s hap- the wreckage of tragedy.” Katelyn’s let- dreams and all that stuff, it all comes supposed to be doing is something and the road ahead of U.S athletes. sound for me, especially when I record strummer. Ever since I started writing pening now, and it’s such a blessing. I ter would inspire a pair of other songs: out, even when I’m writing about other more beautiful than you could have This past summer we caught up with it — it just has that tone that I look my own songs I didn’t want to play never, ever, thought I’d be doing this. “Begun,” co-written with Jack Tempchin, things.” ever imagined. We all know stories of with Phillips during the American Idol for. I love full-body guitars. I like some regular chords. I would just mix songs It’s just really precious to me. I hope I about finishing what has been started, Woodard’s desire to share the people who go after their dream with Live! tour stop in San Diego, California, cutaways, but I love that full-bodied up, [relying on] what I’d learned over can be doing this for 20 more years, or and “Hush,” a lullaby written for Kate- songs with the letter writers led to and they get it, and then where he spoke about his connection sound. If I want to put it into Drop D the years — some different chords and the rest of my life, and that people will another decision: to pay a surprise visit the real trouble starts. So for me it was By Chalise Zolezzi tuning it really has a beautiful sound. strumming patterns — and bringing it all enjoy it. lyn’s young son and sung beautifully by Woodard with one of the friends he made during his trip to Haiti with his Taylor, his playing style, and another friend, Nena Anderson. and play the tunes for them in person, a recalibration of sorts. There’s a great the role a karaoke machine played in I play a lot in standard also, but I can together. Even without the benefit of the often with some of his friends in tow. line from Bono in the U2 song ‘Beauti- his guitar development. play in a whole bunch of different tun-