The Swan Song Project

A big box of new Swan Song flyers arrived today!
I am looking forward to taking them to the hospices and other places we work. Hopefully they help lots more people to write their Swan Songs.

Let us know if there's anywhere you think our flyers should be.

#swansongproject #songwriting #bereavement

Happy Birthday to Swan Song Trustee Chris Martin.

Chris has been a trustee of The Swan Song Project from the very beginning and continues to be an important member of the team. Thanks for all of your support Chris, we hope you have a great birthday.

Say Happy Birthday to Chris in the comments.

The Swan Song Project helps terminally ill and bereaved people to write and record an original song.

Visit our website to find out more about leaving a unique musical legacy with The Swan Song Project.

#swansongproject #songwriting #bereavement #terminalillness #cancer #legacy #memories

This morning I visited Manorlands Hospice to talk to some staff about what we do.

Another beautiful hospice. We look forward to helping to write some Swan Songs here.

#swansongproject #songwriting #hospicecare #terminaillness #legacy #memories #music

"When I hear great music, it’s just like fine wine.
Happy to say that Stravinsky, was a friend of mine.

Music, thanks for all the memories.
Music, it’s been fun."

Listen to "Thanks for the Memories" written by Chris Cox & Al Bampton on the Swan Song Project website now.

#songwriting #bereavement

We had a very special guest in one of our songwriting sessions this week.

This is Bracken who is a good boy and features in a Swan Song we are working on. He brought a lot to the songwriting session and is always welcome back in the studio.

#doggo #swansongproject #songwriting #songwriter

Fiction/Non-Fiction in Songwriting - Jason Isbell - Foxes in the Snow Thinking about how songwriters can merge truth and fiction in their songs. Inspired by Jason Isbells new album following a public divorce.

I have been meaning to start writing about Songwriting on Substack for a long time and finally wrote my first piece.

It's about blending fact and fiction in songwriting inspired by Jason Isbell's new album

Please Subscribe if you're interested.

#songwriting

open.substack.com/pub/bbsonson...

Nominate a charity - Movement for Good Nominate a charity for a Movement for Good award now.

Please take a minute to nominate The Swan Song Project for the chance to win £1000!

It really only take a minute to make a nomination and could make a real difference to our small charity.

Thanks for your support.

movementforgood.com?fbclid=IwY2x...

Today we've had Al in the studio recording a recently finished Swan Song.

Some lovely feedback from a recent participant at The Swan Song Project.

Visit our website to find out more about how we help people to leave their legacy in song.

#swansongproject #swansong #legacy #memories #legacyprojects #terminalillness #bereavement #grief #hospice

Professor Sophie Daniels on "Why We Write Songs".

Episode 108 of The Swan Song Podcast featured Prof Sophie Daniels.

Listen on all platforms.

#songwriting #songwriter #swansong #swansongproject #communitysongwriting #therapeuticsongwriting #commercialsongwriting #songwritingpodcast #musicpodcast

Today is Valentines Day.

At Swan Song we regularly help people to write love songs. Sometimes for someone living with a terminal illness and sometimes for someone who has passed away.

Here are a few beautiful lyrics from some of those love songs.

Hear them all on our website.

#valentinesday

I'm very excited to be starting on "Therapeutic Songwriting" by Felicity Baker. I'm a bit embarrassed I didn't read it years ago but better late than never.

Sure there's going to be a lot of fascinating ideas and insights in it that will benefit the work we do at The Swan Song Project

Swan Song Podcast #108 - Prof Sophie Daniels (Liberty's Mother) Swan Song Project Podcast · Episode

Sophie was also the latest guest on the Swan Song Podcast.
Listen here:
open.spotify.com/episode/2T6t...

Great to catch up and talk Songwriting with Professor Sophie Daniels before delivering a few sessions for songwriting students at @icmpmusic.bsky.social

#songwriters #songwriting

Episode 108 of The Swan Song Podcast is out now featuring Prof Sophie Daniels (Liberty's Mother).

This was a really fun and interesting episode.

Sophie is a Professor of Songwriting and also writes her own great songs as Liberty's Mother.

Listen on all platforms.

#songwriting #musicpodcast

Tell your story,
Record a message for your loved ones,
Leave a legacy,
In a Song.

The Swan Song Project helps terminally ill and bereaved people to leave their legacy in song.

Visit our website to find out more about how we can help.

#swansongproject #swansong #songwriting #cancer #bereavement

Enjoyed this on my morning walk. In response to your ask for guests I'd love to nominate myself for one of your Yorkshire gigs. For 8 years I've been writing songs with terminally ill/ bereaved people, for over 10 years writing songs in prisons. Think we'd have craic. I've a ticket for York anyway.

Rainbow of Hope - The Swan Song Project Listen to "Rainbow of Hope" on the Swan Song website now. It's an inspiring song written about an amazing life.

swansongproject.co.uk/rainbow-of-h...

"All these things and so much more,
This world you love to explore,
Out in nature,
Seeking Adventure,
We love you forevermore
Under a Rainbow of Hope"

Listen to "Rainbow of Hope" Written by Dave & Kath Greaves, Jamie Roberts & Ben Buddy Slack now.

It's an inspiring song about an amazing life.

YouTube video by Swan Song Project Swan Song on BBC Look North 30/1/2025

Did you see Swan Song on BBC Look North last night?

Thank you so much to Nicola Rees, the team at Look North and Sharna for sharing her story and song. What a lovely feature.

You can watch it here and hear Sharna's song in full on our website

youtu.be/wWDTt5b3BCc

Fancy fundraising for Swan Song in 2025?

Holly is one of the songwriting team here at Swan Song and is also starting to help out with our fundraising. If you are interested in fundraising for us this year she would love to hear from you.

Contact her at Holly (@) swansongproject.co.uk

Swan Song charity helps Leeds woman with cancer record funeral song Sharna Matthews says the process has helped her

Tune in to BBC Look North (If you're in Yorkshire) this evening to see a feature about our work with Sharna on this Swan Song.

You can also read the article here and listen to her song on our website.

#swansongproject #songwriting #bereavement #cancer #funeral #bbclooknorth

Today we started work on a new song at Marie Curie Bradford (Where Swan Song began nearly 8 years ago).

The first session is often just getting to know each other and sharing a few ideas about what direction the song might go in. It could be our first rap song.

Excited to see it develop.

Love this album

@tomrobinson.com Thank you for the follow Tom. Big fan. Hope you are well. Ben

"It fills my heart with pride when I listen to it and the chorus brings tears to my eyes."

Some lovely feedback from a recent Swan Song participant..

Visit our website to find out more about how we can help leave legacies in original songs.

#swansong #bereavement #legacy #memories #hospicecare

"I will run at the speed of light
Til I could hold you in my arms tight
And never again leave you out of sight"

Listen to "Never Again Leave You Out Of Sight" written by Ellen Tang & Holly Taymar on The Swan Song Project Website now.

It's a beautiful song written in memory of a beloved husband.

We've had Nicola Rees from BBC Look North visit the studio to film a feature about the project.

Not sure exactly when it'll be out yet, probably next week sometime. I'll do a post when we know for sure.

Thanks to Nicola and Look North for the support.

#swansong ##songwriting #bereavement

Looking forward to this