The singer-songwriter “side job”

Ashley Monroe went to Nashville to sing songs that she loved, and she thought that meant being an artist. The students in the Entertainment in LA class met with Ashley while she was in town to co-write with Michelle Branch and Tyler Hilton.

Monroe used songwriting to cope with the loss of her father when she was a teenager, and after a year of knocking on doors in Nashville she landed a publishing deal. A record deal with Colombia Records soon followed, but Ashley parted ways with the label before a record was released after the challenges of working singles at country radio and being turned into a glossy dolled-up brand. She went back to her “side job” of writing songs, not sure where it would take her.

Monroe has since had cuts by Norah Jones and Carrie Underwood, and as she met with the class, her co-write with Brett James, “The Truth,” is the Billboard number 1 single for Jason Aldean. Recently she collaborated with The Raconteurs’ Brendan Benson and Ricky Skaggs on the single “Old Enough.”

Ashley reminded the students that songwriting is like any project work requiring patience and persistence – you have to plant a lot of seeds before you can see any fruit from your labor. “Everyday I write and everyday I probably write a crappy song,” admitted Monroe, “but I don’t do it to be famous, I do it to sing songs I love.”

She hinted that she is close to a deal with an LA label that will let her “do her own thing” allowing her to experiment across genres.

Belmont West students with singer-songwriter Ashley Monroe (back, center) and Entertainment in LA instructor Chad Greer.

Being The Diversifying, Collaborating, Lucky, Networking, Creative Genius

“The harder I work, the luckier I get,” exclaimed actor and host Tava Smiley. Tava was joined by musician Kay Hanley in the Entertainment in LA class, offering advice on how to “fail upwards” in LA.

Smiley, known for her work in General Hospital, Good Luck Chuck and numerous hosting gigs at Extra, TLC and HGTV, shared her experiences working on student films to get any experience when she first came to LA. After all, “work creates opportunities, not the other way around.”

Hanley, a singer and musician has a diverse career in both music and film. Citing collaboration as key, she encouraged the students to take on projects anywhere they can, even if that means sharing the credit on something they are creating. “Half of 100% is better than 100% of nothing,” said Hanley, vocalist of the band Letters to Cleo, appeared the in film 10 Things I Hate About You and was the vocalist for Rachael Leigh Cook’s character in the movie Josie and the Pussycats.

Tava Smiley, Entertainment in LA instructor Chad Greer and Kay Hanley

This was the first class meeting following GRAMMY week, where the students volunteered at multiple events, culminating with escorting talent down the red carpet for the 52^nd Annual GRAMMY Awards. Many of the students had collected business cards and contact info of people they worked with during the week. How should the students turn one casual contact into a valuable connection? Both Tava and Kay agreed to send a short email with your contact information, but not to ask too much of your contact before you have developed some rapport.

Tava, now primarily hosting, and Kay, now developing children’s TV programming, are doing work that was never part of their original goals when they were new to LA. “Start diversifying your creativity,” and make it known that you are willing to go after any work. Eventually, you will get your lucky break, but you have to be willing to “ride the horse in the direction it’s going.”