Michael Coleman of See Your Shadow Songwriting Interview Part 4

Michael Coleman of See Your Shadow Songwriting Interview Part 4

by Christian Lamitschka for Country Music News International

Lamitschka:  What has been your greatest challenge in the music business?

Coleman: Trends change so quickly in the industry that as soon as you have a piece ready to pitch to a record company or artist, it is already out of date or gets rejected because it doesn’t fit into the latest trend as opposed to companies being able to listen to a piece of music and seeing how the arrangement can be updated.  The lack of insight is very frustrating.

Lamitschka: What moments in your career stand out in your memory as highlights and achievements which you are proud of?

Coleman: There are many, but I think the thing that I am really proud of was getting my membership to the Country Music Association.  Why that sticks out is because I became a member early on in my career and at that time you had to go before a Board and prove your worthiness before being accepted so having been deemed worthy early on in my career really made me feel good.

Lamitshka: Any thoughts of retirement ahead?

Coleman: Maybe, or just shifting gears to the next thing I want to check off of my bucket list.

Lamitschka: Who is your biggest critic, yourself or others.

Coleman: Others. You’d be surprised how much more kind to you strangers are than those that are in your friendship circle.

Lamitschka: When you get time off how do you like to relax?

Coleman: I work hard and I play hard and I like to relax by travelling going on vacation and unplugging.  Before COVID hit I had some great trips planned.  I was going to Spain, Greece, South Africa and to various cities around the United States

Lamitschka: Is there anything in your life you would change if you could?

Coleman: I do have a pretty good life, but if I could change one thing it probably would be to be able to balance my work and leisure better than I do.  I live and breathe my work and sometimes, that’s not a good thing.

Lamitschka: What hopes and desires do you have?

Coleman: I would love to write the first country and western opera. That has been a desire of mine for quite sometime.

Lamitschka: What has been your biggest disappointment in your life?

Coleman: Losing my mom so young.  I mean she was only 64 when she died and her passing has been extremely difficult for me, it’s probably the most difficult thing I have been through.

Lamitschka: Many European fans travel to the Unites States to attend the several of the music festivals for the opportunity to see so many of their favorite artists, bands and celebrities.  Will you be participating and how will the fans be able to find you?

Coleman: We won’t be doing any shows anytime soon because of COVID.  Most festivals we were going to be at have been canceled well into 2022.

Lamitschka: Is here any place you haven’t played that you would like to?

Coleman: I mentioned earlier that I wanted to do a country and western opera and I would love for that to be on Broadway.