Are you looking to spend a week on intensive songwriting instruction by a master craftsman in one of the most beautiful mountain resorts in the world? Read on! Legendary artist and songwriter Steve Earle will be presenting a weeklong workshop called Camp Copperhead at Full Moon Resort from July 7 to 11, 2014. The resort, nestled in the Catskill mountains in Big Indian, NY, offers a serene and lovely setting for what I'm sure will be a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Take it from me, I've been to Full Moon Resort and would pretty much do anything to go back!
With decades of experience and dues-paying under his belt, Steve Earle has matured—year by year, album by album—into a singular artist and songwriter. As a teenager in the early 1970s, he learned everything he could from his mentor, legendary singer-songwriter Townes Van Zandt. In his early 20s, Earle worked as a staff writer in Nashville. He released his impressive debut Guitar Town in 1986, and has followed with many strong recordings since. Along the way, Earle’s songs have been covered by some of the greatest voices in Country, Americana, Rock, and Folk—including Johnny Cash, Emmylou Harris, Waylon Jennings, the Pretenders, and Joan Baez.
In 2000, Earle decided that it was time to share some of the wisdom he has gleaned, so he presented a songwriting course at the Old Town School of Folk Music in Chicago. He fine-tuned that material in 2012, presenting classes as part of Jorma Kaukonen’s Fur Peace Ranch workshop.
This summer (July 7 – 11, 2014), Earle will be donning his teaching cap once more to present his most refined and in-depth course yet: Camp Copperhead. This fully immersive learning experience will take place at the Full Moon Resort, about 30 miles west of Woodstock in the enchanting Catskill Forest Preserve. Earle will be the sole instructor at Camp Copperhead, with about 100 students in attendance.
This once-in-a-lifetime experience offers students uniquely intimate access to a true master craftsman. It’s open to people of all levels of skill and enthusiasm. The cost is all-inclusive—covering classes, meals, and accommodations. Find out more at http://camp-copperhead.com/
Discussing his vision for Camp Copperhead, the Grammy-nominated artist says, “It’ll be an intensive, all-day-long songwriting workshop, which I’m going to teach every minute of. I love to teach. I have fun doing it.” Each morning, Earle will present a class on a specific aspect of writing. There’ll be workshops in the afternoons—time when students can pair up to work on their assignments under Earle’s supervision. There’ll be an open-mic every night after dinner, offering students the opportunity to play the brand-new songs they’ve written.
Earle is zealous about writing and teaching, but pragmatic as well. “I can’t teach anyone to be a songwriter,” he admits. “But I can teach the things that I’ve learned—from doing it—that make you a better songwriter if you already are one. Even if you weren’t put on the planet to be a songwriter, I think you’ll appreciate and understand songwriting better through taking this course.”
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Laura B. Whitmore is a music industry marketing veteran, music journalist and editor, writing for Parade.com,Guitar World, and others. She has interviewed hundreds of musicians and hosts the She Rocks Podcast. As the founder of the Women’s International Music Network, she advocates for women in the music industry and produces the annual She Rocks Awards. She is the Senior Vice President of Marketing for Positive Grid, making the world safe for guitar exploration everywhere! A guitarist and singer/songwriter, Laura is currently co-writing an album of pop songs that empower and energize girls.
