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Rosanne Cash: Writing Masterclass from 4x Grammy Winner | How I Write

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Jul 30, 2025

Guest

Rosanne Cash

Rosanne Cash, a 4-time Grammy winner with over 40 years in music, shares her mastery of transforming raw emotion into lasting songs. She likens songwriting to painting, beginning with vivid images. The conversation dives into using grief and anger as creative fuel and the importance of mastering rhyme schemes. Cash reflects on how songs often start visually and emphasizes the significance of authenticity in writing. She also discusses how personal experiences shape both her music and narrative style over time.

01:07:59

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Episode notes

00:00 / 00:00

Inspiration from a Subway Encounter

Rosanne Cash overheard a Hispanic woman mentioning "eight gods" while riding the A train to Harlem.
This phrase inspired her to write the song "The Eight Gods of Harlem" blending diverse cultural elements.

00:00 / 00:00

Learning from Song Masters

Rosanne Cash deconstructed songs by masters like Bob Dylan to understand their craft.
This analytical practice helped her develop discipline and respect for songwriting tradition.

00:00 / 00:00

Master Rhyme Before Breaking Rules

Learn rhyme schemes and structure before breaking poetic rules in songwriting.
Mastery of fundamentals like rhyme allows more effective creative freedom.

Get the Snipd Podcast app to discover more snips from this episode

The Rhythm of Memoir: Songwriting Influences

01:45 • 18min

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The Evolution of Musical Expression

20:13 • 5min

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Reflections on Authenticity and Songwriting

25:24 • 19min

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Navigating Grief and Creativity

44:25 • 7min

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The Evolution of Voice: Aging and Personal Growth in Artistry

51:39 • 2min

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The Art of Songwriting: Emotions and Imagery

53:47 • 12min

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Transformative Dream: A Commitment to Artistic Depth

01:05:47 • 2min

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I interviewed Rosanne Cash, a 4-time Grammy winner who's been writing songs for over 40 years. She's mastered something most writers struggle with: turning raw emotion into beautiful, lasting songs. She writes songs like a painter, starting with visual images, and brings the same rhythmic approach to both music and prose. We talked about how to turn pain into art, why anger and grief are powerful creative forces, how to deconstruct great songs to learn from masters like Bob Dylan, and how to develop your authentic voice through decades of deliberate practice. If you want to write with more emotional depth and turn life's difficulties into meaningful art, this conversation will show you how. Enjoy!

00:00:00 Why Great Writers Love Language Early 00:07:47 When to Ask for Feedback on Songs 00:14:46 How to Deconstruct Songs Like Bob Dylan 00:21:25 How to Study Different Songwriting Traditions 00:25:19 Why Truth Should Drive Your Creative Work 00:31:11 Why You Must Master Rhyme Schemes First 00:35:13 How to Use Anger as Creative Fuel 00:42:15 Why Emotions Are Invitations for Discovery 00:50:56 How Your Voice Changes Over Your Career 00:56:06 How Songs Start as Visual Images 01:01:25 Why Music Survives When Everything Else Dies 01:05:48 The Dream That Changed Everything About Art

Hey! I’m David Perell and I’m a writer, teacher, and podcaster. I believe writing online is one of the biggest opportunities in the world today. For the first time in human history, everybody can freely share their ideas with a global audience. I seek to help as many people publish their writing online as possible. Follow me Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-i-write/id1700171470 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@DavidPerellChannel X: https://x.com/david_perell

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