$old 4 a $ong™ isn’t just a podcast — it’s a revolution for undervalued creatives. Hosted by Terrance Sawchuk, Billboard #1 writer & multi-platinum producer, each episode helps you rewrite your story from undervalued to unstoppable.

Take the free Artist Worth Quiz, join the $old 4 a $ong Journal, and join the waitlist for the $4$ Artist Accelerator™ course all at www.sold4asong.com

Legendary songwriter Roger Cook joins host Terrance Sawchuk on Sold for a Song to share untold stories behind hit records, the realities of Nashville’s music machine, and the future of music ownership. From Bono bar stories to Alanis Morissette’s Jagged Little Pill sessions, this episode is packed with songwriting wisdom, industry laughs, and lessons every creative needs to hear.

Episode Summary
In this powerful episode of Sold for a Song, Terrance Sawchuk sits down with Hall of Fame songwriter Roger Cook (You Got Your Troubles, I Just Want to Dance with You) for an unfiltered conversation about:

• The highs and lows of songwriting success

• Crazy stories with Bono, The Beatles, and Roy Orbison

• Alanis Morissette’s intellectual intercourse lyric inspiration

• The Nashville writing grind vs. creative freedom abroad

• Music industry greed, market share royalties, and blockchain’s future

• Why the simplest songs often hit the hardest

This episode isn’t just music history—it’s a roadmap for songwriters, artists, and anyone navigating creative ownership in today’s industry.

Key Takeaways

• “Write one for the radio, one for yourself.” Roger’s simple but powerful philosophy on staying authentic.

• Market share vs. fairness: Why songwriters often lose money despite millions of streams—and how Web3 could fix it.

• Creative freedom matters: Why some of the best songs come from outside the pressure cooker of Nashville.

• The hit songs that changed everything: From You Got Your Troubles to I Just Want to Dance with You.

• Lessons from legends: Stories involving Bono, The Beatles, John Prine, and Alanis Morissette.

Quotes from the Episode

• “The easiest thing you’ll ever do in this business is sign a record deal. The hardest thing? Keeping it.” – Roger Cook

• “At some point, you might as well fail being you.” – Terrance Sawchuk

• “Write for love first. Let the hits take care of themselves.” – Roger Cook

Resources & Links

• Join the Sold for a Song community: TerranceSawchuk.com

• Follow Terrance on Instagram: @terrancesawchuk

• Listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and everywhere you get your podcasts

Timestamps

• 00:00 – Introduction

• 01:03 – Nashville beginnings & signing record deals

• 05:07 – Stories about Bono, The Beatles, Roy Orbison

• 08:45 – Songwriting with Alanis Morissette

• 12:30 – Nashville co-writing culture & royalty frustrations

• 16:20 – Writing hits vs. personal songs

• 19:30 – Chances Are and the power of simplicity

• 24:30 – You Got Your Troubles: Roger plays his biggest hit

• 28:00 – Nashville then vs. now: 1970s to the streaming era

• 34:18 – Market share, streaming, and blockchain’s promise

• 36:50 – Publishing splits, admin deals & music business lessons

• 40:00 – Closing thoughts & future conversations

• Join the movement: TerranceSawchuk.com

• Subscribe, rate, and review $old 4 a $ong to help more creators reclaim their worth.

• Want to go deeper? Watch for the $old 4 a $ong Academy + 1:1 mentoring inside the private portal.

• Host: Terrance Sawchuk

• Guest: Roger Cook

• Production: $old 4 a $ong / Terrance Sawchuk

• Music/Editing: Terrance Sawchuk

• Location: Nashville, TN

songwriting, music business, publishing splits, masters vs publishing, Nashville, George Martin, The Beatles, Roger Cook, Terrance Sawchuk, ASCAP, royalties, country songwriting, catalog sales, investor catalogs, 1000 true fans, ukulele, John Prine

👉 Subscribe, review, and share this episode with someone who needs to hear it.
👉 Join the movement at TerranceSawchuk.com.