Philosophies of Songwriting

Lanny Sherwin, multi-talented Anacapa dad, visited Breakfast Club once again, this time to discuss his career as a singer/songwriter. As Lanny said, you do not need to be a rock star or even play an instrument to write songs – everyone has the necessary poetic devices. The key, suggested Lanny, is to write songs that affect people and convey emotion. Although Lanny originally sought success in Nashville as a country songwriter, he didn’t find it until he changed his definition of success and started writing songs for his son. Now, as owner and artist under Sandman Records, a label for children’s music, he has found both traditional success in awards and record sales, but also more personally fulfilling successes, such as playing in a group that performs for child cancer patients in hospitals throughout LA. To cap it all off and send us into our day on a good note, Lanny even played one his songs, “In it for the Money” as we headed off to class.