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Loved Trees, not sure my email message went through! Mrs. Kate
It did thank you Kate. Thank you for the kind words, I'm glad you enjoyed it. Keep safe, Bob
Lots of you kind people have given stars to my new music "Trees" and I have tried to acknowledge you all today. However, the site has been hellish slow to load pages today and some comments have appeared not to go, so I'm not convinced I got to everyone. If I missed you, thanks for your support, it has been tremendous. Bob
Hi Bob-Thanks again for listening and supporting my music, this time for "Another World". I appreciate your input!
You deserve it Jeana.
Hey Bob! Thanks for the stars on Dreaming Alone, greatly appreciated sir! Warren
Well deserved sir!
I'm listening to "Achill Lament" now. It really is lovely and the emphasis on the pipes is a welcome change. Also sounds like there's more emphasis on the guitar which is really nice. It is a beautiful tune among the several beautiful tunes on your Instrumentals album which I'll encourage anyone reading this to go over to Bob Bentley's website and buy it now!
Thank you John. As you know, feedback is so important in the whole songwriting and production process, otherwise we just carry on in our own little bubble, not really knowing how things are. So, I'm very grateful to get comments from someone who "knows his onions", especially as you feel the track has been improved. Thanks again for your continuing support. Bob
"Only Getting High" sounds very good, Bob. I just listened to your latest version of it. John
Thanks John. I've yet to listen to it in the car, my usual double check on the sound of the mix. It may change again! Cheers, Bob
Thank you, Bob, for 5-starring "Ride the Wave." Anyone who has heard your songs (and they should!) will know that you know what songwriting is about and your compliments and insights are very meaningful! Thank you, sir! John
My pleasure John.
Nothing seems to be working for me on this PC now. All mail in my mailbox goes blank when I try to hear song. When I went back to review your new song Bob, the mail edition was blank, would not play, nor does you photo appear!!!? Plus, the comment that I sent to you before this one, has disappeared. I give up...................
I'm going back to my Mac.....It's just that the PC is in one of computers in studio...
Hi Bob, I love your "Remember Last Summer"! Beautiful sentiment and brings memories to so many of us, "the way we were". Hope you and family are all well. I have had a lot of trouble with this site vs Google Chrome. No music files would work, (all of a sudden!), so I've uninstalled it several times, and now on Bing, and was able to bring everything back up. I've been wresting with this for over a week! Hard to believe that we are so close to September, once again, and looking forward to autumn! "Talk" to you later! Cyndi
HI Cyn, Thanks for the comments, and your perseverance! Glad you liked the song. Lots of people have had problems with the BJ site recently. It's very poor and has had major glitches since they modernized it. Keep well Bob
Thanks for the update Bob. I miss the last version of BJ; so much easier to navigate and, less issues!
ðŸ‘ðŸ‘
Hey Cyndi, Try moving over to BRAVE browser...it is all I use now....plus, Safari, too... Brave is very good..... Chet Nichols
cyn who? Corkran?
I will try Brave Chet Thanks So Much!!! catnip=+=
Hi Patrick, Yes, Corkran:) Hope all is well with you!
I've been using the Brave browser for a long time now, is far better than most, and less invasive. This Bjam site is still full of problems nonetheless, some I've reported. By far the worst aspect is the mail system. Try following a mail message conversation - the sent folder doesn't even tell you who each message was sent to! Not good.
Hi Bob, You send comments out with a song and an evaluation page included. How do you attach those to the comment? Thanks ~Phil
I might have to go through the motions to remind myself. I think it's when you message people, attach a song link the system then asks you if you want to attach an evaluation sheet. Give that a test. Meanwhile I'll give it a trial. Bob
I have not shared any of my songs in over as year. Here is my newest one, a short instrumental called "Acryllic". https://www.broadjam.com/artists/so ngs.php?artistID=126883&mediaID=797 116
Hi Phil, Attaching songs and review sheets does not work in this "comments" section. However, if you message people using the Bjam mail app, you have the option to add a link to music, pic, etc. at the bottom. If you attach music, you get the review sheet option. Hope that helps, Bob
And thanks for the stars for We Have Been Young, very much appreciated. I hope you're managing to get your songs and review sheets out and about? Bob
You've done a beautiful job with "Thomas's Theme," Bob. It has an epic striving feel and rendered in the way Mark Knopfler does his instrumentals.
Glad you like it John, thanks for the feedback. Bob
Hi, Bob. Thank you very much! I was surprised to see the Earth chart listings this morning. I'm guessing you're back from spending time in Greece. Those islands look so pretty in the pictures I've seen.
Hi John, I thought I'd replied but now I see it has disappeared - maybe part of the vendetta!! Yes, back safe and sound from a wonderful fortnight away. Other islands had wild fires to deal with, we were lucky this time but have had them both in Greece and Portugal in the past - scary for us but devastating for the locals. Just reworked and posted Thomas's Theme and finishing off a new version of Remember Last Summer. I thought I had a Namibian lady recording Under Her Wing but we've changed our minds. It's not really a song for young pop artists, as a Kenyan vocalist discovered recently! There'll be something else in due course. Keep well. Bob
Hi, Bob. We've been keeping up with what has been going on among the Greek islands. We were hoping you didn't have to contend with the fires while you were looking for a peaceful time. I'll have a listen at "Thomas's Theme." I know what you mean about finding the right vocalist for your songs. I have thinking of using Sofi's vocals for "Sunny Sunday" since she has more of a folk influence that I like. I have had some trouble with the replies on this website, too. Some other of our friends have mentioned troubles with it. So now I copy my responses before hitting the Submit button. John
BOB: THANKS FOR THE FINE RATING ON MY SONG. I'LL KEEP MY EARS OPEN FOR NEW SONGS FROM YOU. GEORGE
Hi Bob , for some reason I'm unable to reply to any comments . Hopefully this will work ! Thanks for the lovely comments about Flowers and Chocolates , and for the 5 stars . Phil .
You're welcome Phil.
Thanks much my friend for the nod on Let's Dance (We Need It) the shortened vocal version, much appreciated that SOMEONE is listening! Thank you again, all the best! Warren
Someone's got to keep an eye on you!
Thank you Bob, for the stars on "And Always, We Speak of Love"; appreciate you for your support!
I just like it!! Simple as that Cyndi.
Hi Bob, your note made my day. :) I wish I could say it was my voice, but it's a vocalist I work with on some of my songs. She is incredible at bringing the emotion that I want to express the lyrics/story. And, it is so hard to get so close to being selected and then they just aren't quite the right thing. I'm hoping that one day it will be the perfect match for something. Congrats on getting so close as well. I wish you luck and will look out for your music! Christy (aka Violet Pen)
Hi Christy, Good, it is a wonderful song and your vocalist certainly does it proud. The submission system is a controversial subject amongst several of us at the moment but probably something I shouldn't go into publicly!! As it happens I didn't get anywhere on that particular opportunity but that's fine. I am hoping for one of my songs to be released this weekend but won't count my chickens until they're hatched, neither will I put the down-payment on that villa in the sun either! Lots of luck, nice to be in touch. Bob
Even better, Bob! "We Have Been Young" is lovelier now with the grit and wisdom of age, and the gentleness of the arrangement. The new harmonies are just right. John
Thanks John, just a couple of vocal parts to improve and I'll be happy. Bob
Bob, one of your songs came up for review and I knew it was you and your song... but before I could give a full review something happened and it went away...story of mother taking you under her wing....I must tell you, you had me with tears running down my face...I hope I was that kind of mom for my 3 girls....I remember when they would have a bad dream I would turn their pillow over, and tell them the other side only had good dreams... Sorry about the review maybe it will come again...always in music....Delta
Hi Delta, thanks for letting me know. No worry about the review, it's easily done. The song is called Under Her Wing, it reached the finals in two categories of the 2022 UK Songwriting Contest, I was disappointed not to win one of them. It's probably my best song, especially as it wasn't written about my own experiences, I just put myself in someone else's place and wrote from their stand point. My childhood was not without it's problems, but it wasn't generally an unhappy one. I'm pleased it moved you, that means it's doing it's job. Much obliged, Bob
Your welcome and their loss for not winning....Delta
Thanks Delta
So glad you liked Florida Sunshine! Thank you Delta!
Welcome....
Thanks so much for 5 stars on "Cant Stop The Love". I so appreciate you taking time out to take a listen to my tune. Thanks again!
My pleasure sir. I hope you found my comments supportive and constructive - they were certainly intended to be. It doesn't help that we all see/hear things differently and we all have different tastes in music - which is bound to make our reviews subjective. However, I do try hard to see past that and, in this case Steve, the song is top quality, regardless of any thoughts I might have regarding the construction. (I made up my mind years ago that I would be as honest as I could, without being rude, whenever I reviewed a song, otherwise we are doing no one any favours. I certainly expect the same in return.), Bob Lots of luck with the song
Hi, Bob. I love listening to the beautiful guitar playing and production work you did on "Comes and Goes" and the guitar solo on "Raindrop Soul." Thank you for the 5-stars on my latest version of "Far From Home." I tried contacting Clay to do a slight change on the song you and I noticed but I guess FiveRR blocked my message so I'll have to put in a new order...a small one. Well, doughnuts this morning and fish at lunch so all is well! John
You're welcome John. I love the sound of fish and doughnuts, especially doughnuts!! I'm on Slimming World for a few weeks to shift that extra stone and a half and would murder a doughnut. Mind you it will all have been worth it when I'm built like an Adonis!! Actually trying to get a song together, I've had a bit of a lack of inspiration recently so it's time I got the creative juices flowing. Catch you later, Bob
Hi Bob! "True Friend" is a killer! Just a really nice heart-felt piece! This will be a classic! catnip=+=
Hey Bob! Also, since the format changed, I don't know where to leave my comment after I hear a song and want to comment! Do you know what the correct procedure is? Thanks catnip
Thanks Catnip, your review is much appreciated. True Friend is getting on in years now but I still have a fondness for it. As regards commenting, the new set up is not at all instinctive, which is why so many of us struggle to add new comments. If you want to make a new comment on someone's site, you need to go to their profile, scroll down past their news, their short list of songs, their albums and playlists and you'll come to an empty comment box above other comments - that's where to start from fresh. I only found this by accident, as I say, it's not in any way instinctive. To get to someone's profile, you can either search for them or, depending where you are, things like reviews etc., there can be a circle on the right side of the screen with three dots and if you click it there is an option "view artist", that can take you to their profile page. Apologies if you knew that already, not trying to teach you to suck eggs! Cheers and thanks again, Bob
Hi Bob, Many thanks for giving my song "Somewhere Way Out There" a 5-star rating. I've just read your bio and it's pretty impressive, I must say! I Love your song "My Christmas Love". You are so lucky to have found such a great female vocalist too! All the best, Mike.
Thank you Michael. Yes, I am lucky indeed, I met Cyndi through Bjam and we are involved in another work in progress at the moment. Much appreciation also for the 5 stars for Christmas Love. Cheers, Bob
Thanks, Bob, for the stars on "Fallen" - appreciated! Susan
I really like it Susan, especially that version. Are the harmonies all separate human voices or computer/midi generated? Cheers, Bob
It is the original female vocalist from 2015, and a few years ago, I added a favorite male vocalist's harmonies...3 tracks, which I remixed in myself, and then added bass from the original production. Thanks for asking! Susan
Complex stuff! It really works.
Thanks...I can hear a few tiny fixes, but it really doesn't matter. This one doesn't match the main acoustic version the publisher has, so it won't get anywhere. It was just for my own fun :)
Hi, Bob. I listened to Blues 2 and 3. The spirited 2 with Latin influences is definitely engaging. Blues 3 is more relaxed, somber, and your guitar playing sounds a lot like Mark Knopfler, which is enviable, even if it is a homage to Santana who I associate with having a slight wail to the strings. But that's just personal bias. I'd be thrilled if I could play like you after all these decades but I'm happy to be able to play well enough just to compose! John
Hi John, Thanks as always for the great feedback you provide, this time for Blue Two. I'm flattered with regard to my guitar playing, it seems to be holding out better than my singing voice!! I do still very much enjoy getting the old Strat out and I've recently bought a NU-X practice amp that's about the size of a small smart speaker!! Not only is it a great sounding (and loud) gizmo, it comes with a wifi jackplug for the guitar which connects to the guitar to the amp without wires and without latency. Thanks again for your comments. Cheers for now, Bob BTW Have uploaded a better version of Blue Two, more accurate guitar bends etc.
I like those songs that come to me with the chorus first, and especially those that pop up quickly. "Rivers that Flow" has your very good gift of writing a lilting melody, pleasant and easy to follow...something of a foot tapper, too. One of my best tunes, "Far From Home," came to me within about three minutes. I almost always get the tune first, then sometimes I have try to find out what the tune feels like, for it to give me its title so I can write the words.
Thanks for the listen and the stars John. Rivers That Flow is a bit of a filler, I like it but it's not one of my best for sure. Had a relisten to Far From Home, it's a fine song with great lyrics, well performed. Keep well, Bob
True, "Rivers that Flow" is not near the heights of "Rolling On" and the classic "Back to a Younger Me," however, it is still good and it would be among the better and best songs for a lot of Broadjam members. Even with "Rivers that Flow," you're careful with the construction of a tune and fitting the lyrics to the mood of the song. Thank you for the relisten of "Far From Home." I've always been happy with that song for its melody and for being a very good story. I think these days it doesn't fare out as well over here because lyrically it is a vulnerable song, but that's what I often write. The trend now seems to be for more cavalier and tough lyrics ever since rap and the new style of country (can we really call it country?...I think it's more pop with a twang) took over.
Bob your, Rolling On is a Cracking song! Love the beat and continual "Rolling on"! The squeezebox subtley supporting at the correct places! Is that really you singing? I think I should start a Podcast of Specific Genre, Top Broadjam music! Your quality is consistently Top Notch Bob! I see you have some Christmas songs. I am thinking I must create a Christmas song! The powers that be are always looking for something new each year!
Ti's me singing sir, thanks again, and for the stars. Will check out Outlander this morning.
On a Celtic vein, Have you heard my rendition of "Outlander"?
Oooooh Bob! You have plucked my heart strings with "Achill Lament"! Why is it not in the Scottish category? Especially loved the wee twirls at the end of the choruses! So So Scottish! You must have a Caledonia connection! All the exclamations are because it is my direct reaction to bonding with it! The choice of instruments was perfect! And it is your absolute best vocals yet!!!! Ha! Arouses the emotions! Many a Scotsman abroad would melt on hearing! Just like me! Really lovely! Run out of superlatives!
Thanks Jim, especially for the vocals!! Achill island is on the West Coast of Ireland, hence the Celtic rather than Gaelic link. However I have family history with both countries and Achill Lament could easily be Scottish, but for the title. I'm just glad you liked it and I'm still keeping everything crossed for a win in the UKSC.
Re UKSC, Good Luck! I had Seven Semifinalists! My worse year out of the three I entered! Had a Finalist in the other two!
Thanks Jim. Over the years I've had a lot of semi finalists but a final place has only happened 5 times, so it's a treat.
Which songs of yours must I hear Bob! You have a fair amount with plenty of plays so you pick your favourites! I remember liking one with a husky voice! Been neglecting you I'm afraid! I am on other sites to share and discuss music so it all takes time!
Hard to say Jim! The husky one is It Won't Be Me Who Says Goodbye but both Achill Lament and Glendalough are newish and in charts. Back To A Younger Me is #1 in the Americana chart. Take your pick sir!
Jim, a couple more Bentley classics I love listening to: "Rolling On" and "Knock 'em Dead." The melodies are very infectious coupled with conversational lyrics that keep with the feel of the melodies and are easy to identify with. John
Thanks John
Hi, Bob. "Achill Lament" is a wonderful instrumental that deserves being in the finals, as "Drawing Room" would have been. "Raindrop Soul had the same fate: a 5-star highly commended pat on the back for the Pop category. Well, I'm glad it caught their attention. "Stay Here Now" made the semi-finals of the Retro category. Some of what actually makes it to the finals baffles me. But that's the world of contests and opportunities. John
Thank you John, kind words as always. Your songs have done OK, especially when you see the stats they sent out today, out of over 6000 entries "Around 20% of entries made it to the Semi Finals (ie four out of five entries did not get to the semis). Between 1% and 2% of entries, depending on category, made it to the finals." So not too bad just getting anything to the semis. I'm trying to play it cool at the moment but have only been in the final a few times and would love to win a category. I recently ditched my personal website, www.bobbentleymusic.com, it was becoming to expensive. I was paying for the domain and then for Wix to host it. No sooner done that and someone wanted to purchase a song (which I did via BJ). I had a flash of inspiration (not common) that my BJ membership included web hosting so I went back and re-purchased my domain name at about a third of the renewal quote and then linked it to BJ. It looks quite good really, has limited customization but certainly does the biz! Just need a queue of people wanting to purchase downloads! Working on a guitar instrumental at the moment and trying to think of some smaller bits and pieces for underscore opportunities. Keep well sir Bob P.S. Just off to listen to Stay Here Now, I don't recall hearing it before..............
As soon as it started I realised I had heard Stay Here Now, and had already given it 5 stars. It's a brilliant retro song with echoes of Carpenters and many other artists of that time.
Thank you, Bob. "Stay Here Now" was special to me in that I wrote it about the year I spent on the phone with Lora before she moved from Portland to Phoenix to be with me. On March 8, 2021 (I remember that because exactly one year later I retired), "Stay Here Now" hit #1 Earth, displacing Jon Omen's "Hearts Bleed Fire" which everyone thought would stay there forever. Two weeks later, Jeana's "Moonlit Glow" was the next #1, which was very pleasing because of how I admired her instrumentals. When I heard "Bright Skies Ahead" the previous September, I thought oh my gosh, I could never write anything that beautiful. She was the first one on BJ to blow me away. Later, when I heard "Knock 'em Dead," the first song I heard of yours, that was one of the very, very few that really stunned me with the feeling of "this is a really great songwriter!" Blown away again! It's those very unique melodies that stand out that few are able to achieve and the everyday yet fresh conversational lyrics. "Back to a Younger Me" is a bombshell of a song. That one knocks me over. Last January I awoke with a chorus that I knew I'd have to wait to find out what its name would be. It turned out to be "Raindrop Soul," which I consider my most beautiful song, and I marveled at how your guitar solo fit the mood so perfectly. It is just lovely. I don't know if I was able to say that adequately at the time as I think losing Ulan affected me more than I realized. So a "highly commended from UK Songwriting is okay...cat songs seldom become pop song standards. But anyway, I had no idea of what the statistics were for the songwriting contest, so I'm glad "Stay Here Now" made it as far as it did. Perhaps if there were more judges from our era who understand the ways of song structure from back then, we might get into those finals. The pop songs are often a lot more frenetic now, using more 16th and 32nd notes seemingly. That was the first UK contest I tried. You certainly have written songs and instrumentals that are very deserving of winning a category!
I just looked at your new website. My bookmark for your site still works which I expected it would. It looks cleaner and navigation is easy.
Thanks for all the compliments John, I wish you were a judge!!