LATEST...

Swansea Writing Schools Workshops 2006 /07

ORGANISED BY THE DYLAN THOMAS PRIZE - THE WORLD’S BIGGEST LITERARY PRIZE

'From Hank to Hendrix. The Secrets of Songwriting -Terry Clarke'

From the lyrical and literate charms of Strayhorn, Mercer and the Gershwins
to the rock and roll revolution given nuclear force by Lieber and Stoller,
Lennon and McCartney, Burt Bacharach, Felice and Boudleuax Bryant and Buddy Holly, to blues that sprung from the depths of the Delta, ageless country rock and roll from Hank Williams, Cash and Willie and the wave of
confessional and narrative songwriting from Joni Mitchell, Ian Tyson, Warren Zevon and Neil Young, the world has surrendered heart and soul to the unique power of the popular song.

'From Hank to Hendrix' will guide you through the techniques of the craft of
songwriting that Terry Clarke he has used throughout his forty year recording and performing career. This two day course will include one-to-one tuition and group workshops to help you find material and inspiration, to summon up an authentic storytelling voice, to be original, and to avoid common pitfalls of songwriting.

"Terry Clarke is a writer, singer, guitar player with ten albums to his name and a new one out next month on Terrapin Records/Proper Distribution.

Throughout his 40 year career he has become one of Austin Texas' favourite sons working regularly with Butch Hancock and Jimmie Dale Gilmore as well as with Lubbock whirlwind Joe Ely, Rick Danko (The Band), Guy Clark, Tom Russell and musical legends like Henry McCullough, Flaco Jiminez and Jesse 'guitar' Taylor.

The writer was delighted to have his hero Johnny Cash write the sleeve notes for his album Rhythm Oil in 1993 in which he quotes from Clarke's lyrics. While in Austin in 2001 he was invited to open the show, alongside Jesse Taylor, at Gruene Hall for another of his musical touch-stones, Merle Haggard.

As a writer and a performer who was weaned on the three-minute magic-making of Elvis, Cochran, Burnette and Dion and who came of age to the songs of Jimmy Webb, Cash, Ian Tyson, Warren Zevon, Bowie and Laura Nyro, Clarke is at home with pop, rock and roll, country blues, blues, folk and rock and his work often draws upon the history, the people and the stories of his location - whether it is in South Wales, where he now lives, Scotland, Texas or the Thames Valley.

Acclaimed blues performer Michael Messer has been recording Clarke's songs for the past15 years and Ron Kavanagh, Rosie Flores and Ronny Elliott have cut Terry's compositions.

While rock and roll is king for Clarke he is known for his literate, poetic style and those skills have come to the fore both in recordings and in his regular collaboration with the Dalriada Fencibles for the Burns and 'a That fringe festival, writing songs based upon the life and the words of Robert Burns. More recently he and poet/actor Peter Read have collaborated to produce Dylan Thomas and Friends, a music/poetry/narrative project commissioned by the Dylan Thomas Centre, Swansea, that debuted at The Boathouse in Laugharne in July"

For booking informatiom please see www.thedylanthomasprize.com