Having been a professional in the music business for most of the last 40 years, I most enjoy helping young artists discover their voice, use their inspirations and develop their talents. I love listening to a burgeoning creative soul talk about his or her passions and then help that person articulate them, while putting a frame around their most attractive qualities.

As a recording artist in the '70s and '80s I had every opportunity to realize my dreams of pop stardom. Circumstances and my own self-destructive ego and compulsive behavior resulted in me falling just short of those goals. But, I was very fortunate to have worked in studios and writing rooms and performed on stage with some of the greatest rock and pop icons of the last four decades.

Along the way, I discovered that my greatest inspiration and fulfillment comes from writing -- songs, books, screenplays, stage plays, etc. Although I failed to achieve my own aspirations as a performer, I have been lucky enough to see some of my songs and productions reach the top of the charts in several markets and in several countries. I have been moved beyond measure to hear my compositions interpretted by some of the most distinctive voices of my lifetime.

Now, although I treasure every opportunity to continue to grow my own talents and express myself, I believe it's time for me to give something back to a business that has given me so many chances to thrive and create. That's why I wrote "Makin' Stuff Up - secrets of song-craft and survival in the music-biz." I call the book a "songwriting course wrapped in a memoir." There you'll not only find hard-won tips on song-craft, but real stories of working with such characters as Clive Davis, Brian Wilson, Sylvester Stallone, Glenn Fry, Peter Noone, Karen Carpenter and many others.  It's more than gratifying to hear from songwriters and lay-persons alike who have found value on the pages of this book.

I also now make myself available through my website as a song-craft coach. Members improve their craft by working at it, receiving constructive feedback from someone (that would be me, folks) who has been battling it out in the trenches for a very long time.

Go to http://www.makinstuffup.net for more info on "Makin Stuff Up" and the song-craft coaching I offer.

Be well and prosper...

Rand Bishop

Nashville, TN