Jim Colyer & Veda Radanovich

Jim Colyer · July 2, 2006

I met Veda Radanovich at Lonnie's Western Room in Printers Alley in Nashville in the summer of 2000. She was singing rock and country hits for admiring tourists. I was impressed with Veda's energy and stage presence. She bore a resemblance to Shania Twain. I was writing Shania-style songs and recording various female singers. I introduced myself to Veda and asked if she were interested in doing my songs. She answered in the affirmative. We went to Direct Image Recording Studio in Nashville, where I had been working with Kenny Royster.

I LOOKED TWICE http://jimcolyer.com/@tracks/11/lofi.mp3 was our first effort. It is about a girl who walks into a bar, does a double-take and finds Mr. Right. It drives like Bob Seger. Kenny gets great musicians.

Veda performed HARD EARNED LOVE http://jimcolyer.com/@tracks/1/lofi.mp3 at her BMI showcase at Nashville's Exit/In.

ALL ROADS LEAD TO YOU http://jimcolyer.com/@tracks/3/lofi.mp3 is Veda's favorite. I used travel images to show lovers who always find each other.

COUNTRY http://jimcolyer.com/@tracks/2/lofi.mp3 is a spoof of country music and patriotism. I could not resist putting Shania in.

Veda inspired LOVE ME JUST A LITTLE http://jimcolyer.com/@tracks/7/lofi.mp3 She was on stage at Lonnie's one night. It was at the end of her show. She asked her audience, "Do you love me just a little?" It made a good title. I tried to convey Veda's emotion in the lyrics and melody.

A MAN IS A MAN http://jimcolyer.com/@tracks/4/lofi.mp3 got play on 268 FM stations. Veda did the 'bat dance" around the studio. She was ecstatic. There was always a chemistry between her and Kenny.

We recorded I PROMISE (WEDDING SONG) http://jimcolyer.com/@tracks/13/lofi.mp3 and SWIM WITH DOLPHINS http://jimcolyer.com/@tracks/12/lofi.mp3 with Veda's bass player, Brian Eckert. I get emails from brides-to-be who want to sing WEDDING SONG to their hubands at their weddings. I wrote SWIM WITH DOLPHINS around Veda. Randy Travis was a major influence on her career.

THE TRUTH http://jimcolyer.com/@tracks/6/lofi.mp3 is a hurricane of emotion. I wrote it driving from Louisville to Nashville as tears streamed down my face.

A WOMAN WANTS IT ALL http://jimcolyer.com/@tracks/8/lofi.mp3 is a co-write. The lyrics are Veda's. The melody is mine. Veda had a composition book when we met. It contained snippets of choruses and ideas. This lyric was intact. It slid easily into my melody.

The night we recorded JESUS PAID MY DEBT http://jimcolyer.com/@tracks/9/lofi.mp3 there was a homeless man outside Kenny's studio. Veda insisted on giving him money. She said he might be an angel sent to test us. I was skeptical. We got a fine track that night on a Gospel song I wrote in 1973 in the religious revival following Vietnam.

Jim Colyer