Transcript of EpisodeSue Ennis is an internationally-recognized songwriter. Best known for co-writing more than 70 songs with Ann and Nancy Wilson of the platinum-selling rock band Heart, Sue has more than 35 million records sold, including 10 gold, 4 platinum, 1 triple platinum and 1 quintuple platinum album. Sue recently co-wrote and performed on Nancy Wilson’s first solo album, You and Me, which was released last Friday. She also teaches songwriting workshops and her “Craft of Songwriting” class sells out every quarter at Shoreline Community college.
What you will learn:
- How she met Ann and Nancy Wilson as a teen, and how that friendship blossomed into a decades-long songwriting collaboration.
- What it was like writing songs in the early days with Ann and Nancy, and how they have been able to maintain that same rapport and collaborative spirit for so long.
- How Sue collaborated with Nancy Wilson on Nancy’s first solo album, You and Me, which was written and recorded during the pandemic, and released in May of 2021.
- How Sue and Nancy collaborated to write and record the title track, You and Me, for Nancy’s first solo album.
- Why Sue chose not to pursue a career as a live performer.
- What she learned early in her career about copyright and publishing in the music industry.
- The origin story of the Lovemongers, a band Sue formed with Ann and Nancy Wilson in the mid 90s.
- How music royalties are divided between songwriters, performers, and publishers.
- What Sue thought of the grunge scene in Seattle in the late 80s, why she was not initially impressed and didn’t understand the appeal of Mother Love Bone when the band was first starting out, and why she has profound respect for Kelly Curtis who managed Mother Love Bone and later Pearl Jam after Anthony Wood passed away.
- What it was like touring with Heart throughout Europe.
- How Sue met Bryan’s Dad, Greg Smith, when Greg was Heart’s tour pilot. Sue also tells the story of an adventure with Greg in Germany, which involved landing a plane at a closed airport on a dark runway.
- How songwriting is both a craft that can be taught/learned, and an art with an element of magic that perhaps can’t be taught/learned.
- What it was like receiving a limited edition, signature Nancy Wilson Martin Guitar in the mail, as a gift from Nancy.
- Sue’s advice for Bryan about how to finish a song he wrote in high school but never finished.
Resources:
- Sue Ennis’ Website and Twitter
- YouTube Video for the title song from Nancy Wilson’s first Solo Album, You and Me
- Transcript of Episode
- Youtube Interview