The Presentation of Your Song with Verlon Thompson

Sept. 9-12, 2026 • Nashville’s Scarritt Bennett Center & The Filming Station

Limited to 12 Students

This workshop has been filled.

Please E-Mail Lydia if you’d like to be added to the cancellation list.

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Verlon has been quoted as saying that he “doesn’t teach songwriting so much as he inspires songwriting.” Writers of any and all skill levels will benefit from Verlon’s shared experience of more than 35 years as a professional songwriter. From concept (the “art”) to craft (the nuts and bolts construction), Verlon will guide the class in the writing and presentation of your song.

You’ll also learn tricks-of-the-trade for finding inspiration, letting a rhythm and groove guide you along, ways for your guitar to open up song ideas, and the importance of the presentation and performance of your creation. And you’ll perform on-stage for the class during a closing night concert.

This three-day workshop with Verlon will include:

Exercises to help find inspiration for your song
Hands-on crafting of your song, including rhythms, melodies, and delivery
Closing night on-stage student performance and video-taping
Surprise Guests
Song feedback in the group with Verlon
A One-on-One session with Verlon
An opening night dinner on Wednesday Sept. 9 at a Nashville home with Verlon
A closing night dinner after your performances

In addition to the intensive days of songwriting, you’ll enjoy the third day’s class at Verlon’s event venue The Filming Station, a closing night performance onstage with a videotaping, closing dinner celebration, a surprise guest or two of Verlon’s who will join us and inspire you, and an opening night dinner on Wednesday evening Sept. 9 at a Nashville home with Verlon!

If you have any questions, please email Lydia Hutchinson

WORKSHOP INFORMATION

LIMIT: 12 Students

COST: $1,595 per student. This includes three days of workshops (Thursday/Friday/Saturday), a Wednesday Sept. 9 dinner with Verlon in a Nashville home to meet each other the night before classes start, one-on-one meeting with Verlon, and a closing night dinner together. (Other meals can be found at restaurants in walking distance.)

TRAVEL: You’ll want to arrive in Nashville by late afternoon on Wednesday Sept. 9 so you can join us around 6:30 p.m. for our opening night dinner. And you’ll be busy through the late evening of Saturday Sept. 12, so plan on leaving on Sunday Sept. 13 (or stay longer to enjoy more of Nashville!). Also, we often get asked if family members or friends who are traveling with workshop attendees can join us for dinners or evening events, but since group dynamics and spending time getting to know each other is a large part of this event, all of the activities are kept exclusively for the registrants.

LODGING: Scarritt Bennett has rooms available on the campus on a first-come, first-served basis and can be booked directly through them. More information can be found at Scarritt Bennett Lodging or by calling 615-340-7469. If you’d rather stay at a hotel, these are a few within walking distance to Scarritt Bennett Campus including Embassy Suites, Best Western Music Row, Hilton Home2 Suites, and Hampton Inn. And there are plenty of Air BnB’s around the area of Music Row/Vanderbilt/Belmont.

REFUND POLICY: YOUR DEPOSIT OF $595 ($395 of which is IS NON-REFUNDABLE) will secure one of the 12 spots. You’ll be invoiced for the remaining $1000 on June 15, 2026 that will be due no later than July 1 to keep your spot and not lose $395 of your deposit. If you are fully paid and cancel by July 15, 2026 you’ll be refunded $1200. After July 15 there is no guaranteed refund unless we fill the spot (we will have a cancellation list). If the spot is filled by Aug 15, 2026 then you’ll still receive your $1200 refund. If you cancel after Aug 15, 2026 there are no refunds.