Thanks to GSC reporter, Dan Reifsnyder
Dan Reifsnyder: How did you get into songwriting?
David Borys: Well, I started in a band in Canada, a band called The Steel Toe Boots, and we had some moderate success as an independent act, yet I noticed that as the band grew in reputation and I started to develop a strong network of other musicians, songwriters and music professionals, songwriting became more and more of a required activity. Eventually I found that songwriting gave me far more artistic satisfaction then performing, so much so that I was enjoying writing for other artists, watching them perform those songs, more than I was enjoying performing my own songs. Thus through the band and my early years in the country industry I really became interested in songwriting.
DR: Who are some of your musical influences?
DB: There are many. Certainly in musically everything I do is on a Bruce Springsteen barometer, meaning, would Bruce approve of this. Most of the time he might not, but nonetheless to me Bruce is the greatest. I love the classics CCR, The Band, Neil Young, Joni Mitchell, etc, they all inform me musically one way or another. In terms of current songwriters, I love the work that Hillary Lindsey, Chris Stapleton, and Shane McAnally, (just to name a few) are creating.
DR: How did you hear about GSC?
DB: Through Canadian representative Doug Folkins. One of many good pieces of advice he’s given me on my journey.
DR: What made you want to join?
DB: Doug mentioned that Sheree and the GSC provide a real forum of support, networking, connecting. It’s not just about taking your money and then letting you go on your merry way, it’s about giving you the tools and the knowledge to succeed.
DR: What do you feel is different about GSC?
DB: Simply that Sheree is so hands on with people. That if you want to be a part of the GSC community and grow as a songwriter/artist Sheree, and in turn GSC, is genuinely excited and motivated to help you succeed. so many other organizations will pay lip service to wanting to facilitate this type of growth but never really act on it.
DR: What are some songs you wish you’d written?
DB: Cop Car” written by Zach Crowell, Sam Hunt, and Matt Jenkins, ・ Smoke” by A Thousand Horses, “A Case of You” by Joni Mitchell, “Thunder Road” by Bruce Springsteen, “What Are you Listening to” by Chris Stapleton.
DR: Not living in Nashville – much less the US – must present some interesting obstacles career wise. How do you work that out?
DB: It痴 not easy, especially with the dollar so low in Canada. I focus mostly on creating a strong writing group in Canada, there are some amazingly talented writers in Canada, many in Vancouver where I live, and I am trying to create a stable of writers that I feel I can create songs that are equal to those coming out of Nashville. While doing that I continue to build my relationships with writers in the US, yearly trips to Nashville, Skype writes and continued networking are all extremely important when you are not at the centre of an industry.
DR: What do you feel is the biggest difference between the Canadian music scene and Nashville?
DB: The Canadian music scene is so spread out, there is no one centre of creative output. Thus I write constantly with writers across the country via skype. But the Canadian music industry is strong, and because it is so much smaller than the US, one can network fairly effectively if at the write events. In general Skype has been an extremely useful tool in connecting me with so many other writers and industry professionals, as far south as Texas, and as far east as Nova Scotia.
DR: Thanks for your time today, David!
DB: You’re welcome!
