Bruce Pollock ("The Next to Last of the Rock Journalists") is the Deems Taylor Award winning author of 15 books on music, including Bob Dylan FAQ, America's Songs, V.3 Working Musicians: Defining Moments from the Road and The Rock Song Index: The 7500 Most Important Songs of Rock and Roll History. Visit Bruce at brucepollockthewriter.com
Dave Alvin - "4th Of July"When Dave recorded the first version of the song with his group the Blasters, producer Nick Lowe gave him some life-changing advice. 
Jimmie Dale Gilmore - "Tonight I Think I'm Gonna Go Downtown"Jimmie's song is the underpinning of a much bigger tale: the story of The Flatlanders. 
Julie Gold - "From A Distance"Julie was a secretary at HBO when she thawed out her childhood piano (literally) and wrote the hit that changed her life. 
Bob Lind - "Elusive Butterfly"On the wings of his hit, Bob found success, madness, and a career doing what he most loves. 
Jonathan Edwards - "Sunshine""How much does it cost? I'll buy it?" Another songwriter told Jonathan to change these lyrics. Good thing he ignored this advice. 
Danny O'Keefe - "Good Time Charlie's Got the Blues"Gloom led to inspiration for Danny's hit song. He got a record deal and an Elvis cover out of it, but success was fleeting. 
Lou Gramm - "Waiting For A Girl Like You"Gramm co-wrote this gorgeous ballad and delivered an inspired vocal, but the song was the beginning of the end of his time with Foreigner. 
Kerry Livgren of KansasIn this talk from the '80s, the Kansas frontman talks turning to God and writing "Dust In The Wind." 
Jules Shear - "All Through The Night"Shears does very little promotion, which has kept him secluded from the spotlight. What changed when Cyndi Lauper had a hit with his song? Not much, really. 
Randy NewmanNewman makes it look easy these days, but in this 1974 interview, he reveals the paranoia and pressures that made him yearn for his old 9-5 job.