Paul Overstreet

This week’s grin is Paul Overstreet. 

In the format of music in which I work Paul is as close to an icon as we get. With 27 top 10 songs, 2 Grammys and most impressively, 5 consecutive BMI songwriter of the year awards (no one else has even gotten close to this record), he is considered one of the top 5 most successful songwriters in the history of country music. Paul pretty much wrote the soundtrack to American country music during it’s most prosperous years, 1987-1995. With songs like “Forever and ever Amen”, “On the other Hand”, “When You Say Nothing At All”, “ Diggin’ Up Bones”, “Love Can Build A Bridge”, etc Paul helped usher in a new era of multiplatinum superstars. He was also a successful artist and had several top 5 hits in the 80s-90s and still is an in demand entertainer. He has continued to be prominent in the careers of today’s superstars as well, from Kenny Chesney to Blake Shelton.

Paul and I first wrote back in 2005 but it had been a while and this week he came out to my studio and we had a blast writing and catching up. We wrote a song, started another and talked about re-writing one of our past songs. We went to lunch (a rarity for songwriting sessions these days) and had margaritas and talked about parenting (Paul and his wife have 6 kids, one of which is the lead guitarist for Hot Chelle Rae, another who is a main character on the hit TV show “Glee”.), travel, God, the business and how blessed we both are.

I grew up on Paul Overstreet’s music. I still remember singing along with “All The Fun” in my 1^st car. I remember learning to play “Somebody’s Doing Me Right” and “Long Line of Love” on piano in college.

One of cool aspects of being a part of such a tight knit creative community here in Nashville is getting to work with people who have influenced your music and becoming collaborators with your heroes. It’s a unique gift and honor and is the essence of treasure.

Happy Hunting

Tips and Philosophy on Picking....

The forensic definition of picking in the context of shows like American Pickers, Pawn Stars, Storage Wars, ad nauseum, generally centers around the acquisition of items whose full retail value is either not recognized or because of some form of nuanced negotiation is not realized by the seller; the buyer then proceeding to maximize the retail value by establishing and promoting the true marketplace worth of said item.

Although my philosophy of picking still incorporates these elements, my actual practice of the art (yes, I believe picking is an art form) varies depending on several factors. Ultimately I believe that the essence of picking is understanding, finding and giving a home to under-appreciated art. The beat up ’57 Gibson J45 guitar with 3 strings in someone’s closet or the John Wood Dodge painted miniature in a Nashville antique store sold as “nice picture in neat frame”, or even the hammered gold medieval coin covered in British dirt for 1000 years. For me it’s about finding things created with time, blood, sweat, tears and ingenuity; pieces of history, sometimes obvious but many times overlooked because of size, age or amount of dirt acquired along the way. The fun for me is researching and knowing an area of collectible so well that wherever I am my eyes are always tuned to see the glint of treasure. The thrill, of course, is in the chase:)  Here are a few tips that I’ve learned over the years, some the hard way:

1.    I (almost) never buy anything I don’t know something about. Seeing an item and thinking “this just looks like it should be worth more than it costs” is a great way to lose money.

2.    Start small. When you are just beginning to learn an area of collectible buy some inexpensive examples, study them and learn from them and as you become more advanced in knowledge, sell off the lower end pieces. My experience is you can usually get your money back on them because liberally speaking “junk sells”.

3.    Learn the market segments for collectibles and rules and laws governing the buying, selling and transport of different types of items. For example, pre 1898 firearms are considered antiques by the ATF so you can send them through the US mail and need no license to buy or sell them but there are international laws restricting the ownership of even antique arms in Europe.

4.    Know the relevant dealers and collectors in all the fields you trade in. Developing a network of people that you can instantly turn to in order to buy or sell or consign is important. Also, it’s good to know which of them buy and sell on eBay and other auction sites so that you know who you’re competing against.

5.    Find a mentor. Some of my dearest friends are people that I’ve met and been generously mentored by in different fields. Someone you can call and run an item by is probably the biggest asset you can have.

6.    Be a mentor. Pay it forward. This applies to all of life. ‘Nuff said.

7.    Stay away from trendy items. Two words. Beanie Babies.

8.    Let your passion drive your knowledge base; let your knowledge base drive what you buy.

9.     I try to never buy any collectible that I’m not happy to keep long term. If I don’t like it well enough to keep it myself, then why should I expect anyone else to want it?

10. Finally, never go into debt to pick anything and keep perspective.  If you can't afford to lose it, don't buy it. I do not have a significant portion of my net worth or discretionary income in antiques and collectibles. Although in general quality A&C items appreciate in value, individual areas fluctuate based on many factors including some that are difficult to predict.

Remember above all, it’s about having fun, educating yourself and sharing your passion and knowledge with others. In my opinion, making money is the by-product of a discerning eye and not the end goal of picking.

Happy Hunting!