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Terrance Sawchuk

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Sold 4 a Song
Sold 4 a Song#22: When Music Stopped Being The ProductIn this episode of Sold 4 a Song, Terry Sawchuk breaks down a quiet but fundamental shift in the modern music business: how platforms moved from distributing music to extracting data—and why most artists never see the upside of the value they generate. Every stream, skip, save, replay, and share feeds an ecosystem designed to learn, predict, and monetize human behavior at scale. While creators focus on promotion and visibility, tech platforms quietly leverage analytics, audience data, and pattern recognition to build massive profit engines—often without artists realizing what they’re giving away. This episod...
2026-01-1908 minSold 4 a Song
Sold 4 a Song#21: Why It Is Illegal For Songwriters To Form A UnionIn this episode of Sold 4 a Song, Terrance Sawchuk answers the question why do musicians, singers, actors, directors, producers, screenwriters, even stagehands,have unions… but songwriters don’t? In this episode of Sold for a Song, Terry Sawchuk breaks down a truth that shocks many creators: songwriters are legally prohibited from forming a union in the United States. Not discouraged. Not frowned upon. Illegal. Drawing on 30+ years in the music industry, including real-world examples from his own Billboard #1 career, Terry explains: How U.S. labor and antitrust law classify songwriters Why owni...
2026-01-1325 minSold 4 a Song
Sold 4 a Song#20: The Rhythm of My Heart with Marc JordanIn this episode of Sold 4 a Song, Terrance Sawchuk sits down with legendary songwriter Mark Jordan, the creator of “Rhythm of My Heart” and a writer whose songs have been recorded by Diana Ross, Rod Stewart, Joe Cocker, Manhattan Transfer, Bonnie Raitt, Cher, and more. Mark shares the untold story behind writing “Rhythm of My Heart,” his lifelong relationship with dyslexia before it was understood, and how neurodiversity became a creative advantage rather than a limitation. From CBC transcription sessions and LA studio legends to publishing blind spots and royalty realities, this conversation explores how value is created—...
2026-01-0757 minSold 4 a Song
Sold 4 a Song#19: 2025 Year In ReviewIn this episode of 'Sold for a Song', Terry Sawchuk discusses the evolving landscape of the music industry, emphasizing the importance of artists owning their copyright and data. He reflects on the past year, highlights key guests, and addresses the impact of AI on music creation and artist-fan relationships. Looking ahead to 2026, he shares his upcoming projects aimed at empowering creatives and raising awareness about the true value of music. Takeaways Artists must own their copyright and data to thrive. Monetizing directly and leveraging art is crucial. Empowering artists is essential for...
2025-12-2913 minSold 4 a Song
Sold 4 a Song#18: Dr. Connie Tomaino, Music Therapy and Neurologic FunctionIn this episode, Terry sits down with Dr. Concetta “Connie” Tomaino — co-founder and Executive Director of the Institute for Music and Neurologic Function (IMNF) — for a mind-opening conversation on the true value of music far beyond streaming numbers. They break down how music actually engages the brain, why rhythm can restore movement in Parkinson’s, how songs can “wake up” memory in dementia, and how music therapy helps veterans and trauma survivors access what words can’t. Then Terry connects it back to the core mission of Sold 4 a Song: the painful irony that the people who create the world...
2025-12-1656 minSold 4 a Song
Sold 4 a Song#17: Panic at The Music RowIn this episode of Sold For A Song, Terry Sawchuk discusses the undervaluation of music creators and the impact of AI on the music industry. He emphasizes the need for musicians to recognize their worth and leverage technology to reclaim control over their careers. The conversation highlights the challenges posed by AI, the exploitation of session musicians, and the importance of using technology to empower artists rather than diminish their value. Takeaways Empowering artists is crucial for redefining creative success. Musicians must awaken their self-worth to thrive. AI is changing the landscape...
2025-12-0910 minSold 4 a Song
Sold 4 a Song#16: Welcome to the AI Wild West — Why Artists Are Being Left Behind (Again)In this episode of Sold 4 a Song, Terry Sawchuk breaks down the AI Wild West currently reshaping the music industry — and who is really benefiting from it. Terry exposes how AI platforms like Suno allegedly trained their models using music scraped from YouTube without permission, reached billion-dollar valuations, and were ultimately rewarded with licensing deals from major labels like Warner Music. Meanwhile, actual songwriters and artists are told by PROs that using “too much AI” could disqualify them from performance royalties. This episode confronts the glaring double standard: AI companies can profit from creators’ work at scale...
2025-12-0209 minSold 4 a Song
Sold 4 a Song#15: How Fans Can Change Everything (And Why Artists Need You More Than Ever)In this Thanksgiving special episode of Sold 4 a Song, Terry Sawchuk speaks directly to music fans and creators alike, pulling back the curtain on why being a songwriter in the United States is anything but a free-market profession. Terry explains how intermediaries — from Live Nation and Ticketmaster to DSPs and social platforms — control market share, inflate costs for fans, and extract the lion’s share of revenue while creators earn fractions of a penny. He walks listeners through how streaming royalties actually work, why songwriters make hundreds instead of tens of thousands where they once did, and how re...
2025-11-2518 minSold 4 a Song
Sold 4 a Song#14: Fredric Dannen, New York Times Best Selling Author of The Hitmen. The book that shook the music industry.In this landmark episode of Sold 4 a Song, Terry sits down with legendary investigative journalist and author Fredric Dannen, whose book The Hit Men ripped the lid off payola, mafia influence, and systemic corruption inside the record business. Fredric walks through the origin story of The Hit Men: how an innocuous business assignment on PolyGram led to Dick Asher’s shocking Pink Floyd “Another Brick in the Wall” experiment, the rise of independent promoters known as The Network, and how major labels effectively created an extortion machine that controlled radio airplay. He recounts Clive Davis’ attempts to block th...
2025-11-1857 minSold 4 a Song
Sold 4 a Song#13: Let's Create a Song With AI In 1 minuteIn this first-ever video episode of Sold 4 a Song, Terry pulls back the curtain on just how frighteningly easy it is to create a full song using AI — in real time. Using the AI platform Suno, Terry demonstrates step-by-step how anyone can generate a “world-class-sounding” track in minutes. He starts with a simple, ridiculous concept— a Motown-style uptempo song about his two cats, Tomato and Tomato, who beg for food and treats all day — and shows how quickly AI turns a basic text prompt into a fully produced track with vocals, horns, backing vocals, and artwork. Along th...
2025-11-1109 minSold 4 a Song
Sold 4 a Song#12: Nobody Is Coming To Save YouIn this episode of Sold 4 a Song, Terry delivers one of the hardest—but most necessary—truths for creatives: no one is coming to save you. Terry dismantles the myth that record labels, managers, agents, or social media algorithms will discover and “rescue” artists who haven’t yet put in the work. Drawing from decades inside the music industry, he explains that even in the so-called “old days” of artist development, gatekeepers still only amplified artists who were already moving people—through their songs, their performances, and their presence. He challenges creators to shift their focus away from...
2025-11-0310 minSold 4 a Song
Sold 4 a Song#11: Entitlement vs AccountabilityIn this episode of Sold 4 a Song, Terry goes straight at a mindset that quietly kills more music careers than bad deals or bad luck ever will: entitlement. He contrasts entitlement with accountability, and breaks down why so many artists feel “slept on” when, in reality, they haven’t yet done the hard work of mastery, clarity, and connection. Terry uses Russell Brunson’s Hook / Story / Offer framework to help artists see their careers through a marketing lens: Hook – Are you capturing attention? Story – Are you telling your story in a way that lets fans se...
2025-10-2716 minSold 4 a Song
Sold 4 a Song#10: I Just Wanna Be Unique Like Everyone ElseIn this episode of Sold 4 a Song, Terry tackles one of the most misunderstood—and most exploited—ideas in the music business: being “unique.” He opens with a classic, brutally honest “music industry haiku” using Bob Dylan to illustrate how the industry endlessly chases originality… then immediately tries to standardize it, replicate it, and replace it. Labels search for “the next Bob Dylan,” then a younger Bob Dylan—until even Bob Dylan himself becomes unrecognizable to the system that once needed him. Terry argues that while the industry operates on market share, creators cannot. Artists who chase trends, co...
2025-10-2110 minSold 4 a Song
Sold 4 a Song#9: From Rejection to Revelation: What Are They Gonna Say—No?aIn this foundational solo episode, Terry pulls back the curtain on who he is, where he came from, and why Sold 4 a Song exists at all—especially now, in the age of streaming and AI. He starts with a clear mission: to put power and value back into the minds, hearts, and hands of creators, at a pivotal historical moment where AI and platforms are poised to strip even more leverage from songwriters and artists. If artists don’t act now, Terry warns, their ownership and value may slip away in ways that will be almost impossible to r...
2025-10-1425 minSold 4 a Song
Sold 4 a Song#8: He's A Maniac On The Floor. Oscar Nominated, Grammy Award Winning Songwriter Producer Dennis MatkoskyOscar-nominated, Grammy-winning songwriter/producer Dennis Matkosky (Diana Ross, Flashdance, Al Jarreau, Boz Scaggs, Keith Urban, LeAnn Rimes) sits down with host Terrance Sawchuk to drop a masterclass on creative longevity and business ownership. From writing “Maniac” in 15 minutes and tailoring it for Flashdance with Phil Ramone, to the long road behind Keith Urban’s “You’ll Think of Me,” to discovering and championing HARDY, Dennis shares hard-won lessons on belief, persistence, and treating yourself like the CEO of your art. We get into LA vs. Nashville, film/TV cuts, admin vs. ownership, AI and streamlining, and the new “blue ocean” model w...
2025-10-0748 minSold 4 a Song
Sold 4 a Song#7: In Fred We Trust. Hits, Heartbreak, and the Art of Producing Legends with Fred Mollin.What does it take to produce the greatest songwriters on earth—and still love the work decades later? Grammy-nominated, Juno Award-winning producer Fred Mollin joins Terrance Sawchuk to talk about building trust with legends (Jimmy Webb, Kris Kristofferson, Johnny Mathis, Billy Joel, James Taylor), surviving label bankruptcies, composing for film/TV, and why great producers are often great reducers. You’ll hear the true story behind “Sometimes When We Touch,” how a label collapse wiped out life-changing royalties, why U.S. theatrical runs don’t pay performance royalties to composers (but Europe does), and the making of Jimmy Webb...
2025-09-3041 minSold 4 a Song
Sold 4 a Song#6: Somebody's Someone. The Pride of Chicago, Daphne Willis.In this episode, the conversation explores the challenges and triumphs of artists in the music industry, focusing on the importance of self-worth, the impact of personal struggles, and the evolving landscape of music distribution and fan engagement. The guests share their experiences navigating the complexities of the industry, the role of social media, and the significance of authentic connections with fans. They also discuss the power of music to heal and the future of technology in the music world. Takeaways You can't ignore the pain of your audience. The music industry undervalues its...
2025-09-2346 minSold 4 a Song
Sold 4 a Song#5: The Legend To The Legends. Hall of Fame Songwriter Roger Cook Part 2Legendary songwriter Roger Cook joins host Terrance Sawchuk on Sold for a Song to share untold stories behind hit records, the realities of Nashville’s music machine, and the future of music ownership. From Bono bar stories to Alanis Morissette’s Jagged Little Pill sessions, this episode is packed with songwriting wisdom, industry laughs, and lessons every creative needs to hear. Full Show Notes Episode Summary In this powerful episode of Sold for a Song, Terrance Sawchuk sits down with Hall of Fame songwriter Roger Cook (You Got Your Troubles, I Just Want to Dance with You...
2025-09-1641 minSold 4 a Song
Sold 4 a Song#4: The Legend To The Legends. Hall of Fame Songwriter Roger Cook Part 1Legendary songwriter Roger Cook—the only British citizen inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame—joins Terrance Sawchuk to unpack six decades of craft, business, and integrity. From “Long Cool Woman (In a Black Dress)” and “I’d Like to Teach the World to Sing” to “Talking in Your Sleep,” Roger shares how to write songs that outlast trends, the reality of publishing splits, why masters vs. publishing changed the game, and how artists can build direct, sustainable careers with 100 true fans. You’ll hear frank stories about George Martin, The Beatles, UK/US publishing practices, live performance roy...
2025-09-0944 minSold 4 a Song
Sold 4 a Song#3: Hit Me With Your Best Schwartz, Fair Trade Music with Hit Songwriter Eddie SchwartzIn this episode of 'Sold for a Song', legendary songwriter Eddie Schwartz shares his journey in the music industry, detailing the struggles and triumphs of being a songwriter. He discusses the creation of his iconic song 'Hit Me With Your Best Shot' and the challenges he faced in getting it recognized. The conversation then shifts to the Fair Trade Music initiative, aimed at ensuring fair compensation for music creators and promoting ethical practices in the music industry. Schwartz emphasizes the importance of education and accountability for modern songwriters, advocating for a shift in how artists manage their careers and...
2025-09-0139 minSold 4 a Song
Sold 4 a Song#2: The Way You Do Everything with Prince's Bus Driver Neville Drew ShendeIn this episode of $old 4 a $ong, host Terrance Sawchuk goes behind the scenes of the touring world with Neville Drew Shende — veteran entertainer coach driver, Director of Tour Relations at Pioneer Coach, and founder of CDL Platinum. Neville shares stories from two decades on the road with iconic artists like Prince, Alicia Keys, Aerosmith, Papa Roach, and Disturbed, offering a rare look at life on tour and the lessons that shaped his career. From the discipline and artistry of Prince to the importance of self-worth, hard work, and healthy balance, Neville brings a fresh perspective on wh...
2025-09-0157 minSold 4 a Song
Sold 4 a Song#1: New York State of Mind with A&R Executive Patrick CliffordIn this episode of Sold 4 A Song, host Terrance Sawchuk engages with Patrick Clifford, a veteran A&R executive, to explore the evolution of the music industry, the importance of empowering artists, and the challenges faced by creators today. Patrick shares his journey from the romanticism of the old school music business to the modern landscape shaped by technology and streaming. The conversation highlights memorable experiences with iconic artists, the significance of ownership, and the necessity for artists to be business-savvy in a rapidly changing environment. Takeaways The music industry has historically undervalued songwriters...
2025-09-0153 min