Songwriters’ Friend

Although in his March 18 review (“Wondrous Wynonna”) Robert Hilburn states that Wynonna’s main challenge as a performer is that she doesn’t write her own material, I disagree. For those of us songwriters who don’t sing, the non-writer status of such a major music talent is cause for celebration.

Over the past two decades, all songwriters who don’t sing have felt increasingly disenfranchised as the music business has sunk into a monopoly for singer-songwriters, leaving us non-singing songcrafters wondering where our successful careers went. Of the five songs receiving Grammy nominations for best rock song, all five were written or co-written by the singer. Thankfully, in the category of best country song, three were written by someone other than the artist.

Like several other smart, country stars, Wynonna is open to singing other people’s songs, not insisting, as so many of her colleagues do, on only doing their own material, whether or not it’s the best. As a songwriter, each time I hear a great song, I feel proud by association. But when I hear a great song sung by someone who didn’t write it, as is the case with Wynonna, I send myself roses.

Thank you, Wynonna. Thanks for the 10 slots on every album that give us non-singing writers something to shoot for. Thanks for coming back, giving us new dreams to dream and new rainbows to chase.

MOLLY-ANN LEIKIN

Santa Monica