SONGWRITERS ANNONYMOUS

Hi I’m John, and I’m a songwriter. Whew, that’s a hard to admit. It took me a long time to say that to anyone much less than in a Songwriters Anonymous meeting like this, but I AM a songwriter. There I said it, I AM a songwriter!   I’m really glad to be here at Songwriters Anonymous. I’ve been coming here for a while now and I finally got the courage to come up here. There is really a sense of belonging here to find support in a safe environment and know there are others who have the same problem as I do with this crippling disease of songwriting. For many years I was in denial about my problem. I was enslaved by my addiction keeping myself isolated and hoping no one would find out about my terrible secret. I would stay up for long hours in the evening trying to get that initial rush that get when you finish a song. I couldn’t wait to get started on my next one, and the next one after that. Sometime I would have several songs going on at one time. I would walk around all day in a daze looking for deeper meanings on everything I saw or heard, waiting for that perfect title or getting hooked on a melody that keep repeating in my head. Songs would pop into my head all day and I would constantly be writing in my little notebook, compulsively jotting down ideas. I can’t tell you how many songs I have finished. I have them stashed all around the house, in my car, at the office, uh, here right now in my pocket. Eventually everything took on the meaning of a song. I couldn’t distinguish between the song and reality. It was taking a toll on my health, my marriage, my family, job and my friends. I was losing sleep because of dreaming songs. I would hear beautiful music in my dreams and wake up and rush to my recorder and try to capture what I heard. I would wake up the next morning and listen to what I had recorded and it seemed like I was in a stupor and it did not make any sense. Somehow I had lost the initial beauty of it.

I think back to how it all started as a teenager in high school. I started out by reading poetry books out back by the dumpster. But then I graduated into music and I started listening to likes of Bob Dylan, John Lennon, Jim Morrison [all addicts like me] and then it happened; A friend of mine left a guitar at my house overnight. When I picked it up it gave me a sense of power like I never felt before. There’s nothing like the feeling when you play your first Am chord and then it happened; I started putting words in the form of lyrics to that chord. I was repulsed at first, but as I grew to like the taste of putting words to music the songs became easier to swallow. Eventually my habit grew until I was doing 3 songs a day. I was happy to spend long weekends alone with just a pencil and paper and tape recorder. I put all the songs into a notebook that just got thicker and thicker everyday. I knew about other addicts like Paul Simon, Neil Young, James Taylor and Joni Mitchell who like me had thick books of songs too. I wanted to be just like them. I took my songs to local coffeehouses and sang them to unsuspecting audiences. Eventually I was spending a lot of money recording my songs and demoing them, joining websites, songwriting organizations, and entering contests. I'm talking thousands of dollars here. Putting songwriting above everything else. Fame addiction was now taking over. My creations had to be heard by the whole world! Some people used my addiction to get more money from me. They understood this desire towards fame.

Finally I had to admit to my problem and that I was out of control. I’ve come to the conclusion that I’m powerless over this self-destructive behavior; with the help of the program and God someday I will be free to live a normal sane life. Ok, sometimes I still have relapses and slip but now I can see a ray of hope and with all of you here and the program’s help I know that one day I can break out of this cycle of addiction and continue to walk along this road to recovery. Thank you.

John Bennett: A Lifelong Passion for Songwriting

John Bennett is a prolific singer-songwriter with more than 500 original songs to his name. With nearly 56 years of songwriting experience, John calls himself “hopelessly addicted to songwriting”—a passion that has fueled decades of creativity, performance, and mentorship. He continues to write, record, and produce new music from his home studio using Band in the Box and Logic Pro.

A Pioneer in the Songwriting Community

In 1979, John founded the Minnesota Songwriters Association, serving as its original president and working to educate and promote songwriters across the state. A decade later, in 1989, he co-founded the Minnesota Association of Christian Songwriters (MACS), which he directed for 33 years. He remains actively involved in the organization today, serving as its Treasurer.

Over the years, John has mentored countless songwriters, listened to hundreds of original works by Minnesota musicians, and helped bring many artists into the studio for the first time. His influence in the songwriting community has been profound and far-reaching.
Performer and Producer


John has performed as a solo artist and with various bands at venues including the Lake Harriet Bandshell, Minnesota State Fair, The Cedar Cultural Center, Ginkgo Coffeehouse, Riverview Coffeehouse, Mall of America, Famous Dave’s Uptown BBQ & Blues, and many more. He currently performs covers at nursing homes and veterans’ homes with his band:    

2 Believe

He has professionally recorded and produced numerous albums—15 to date—including two Christmas collections. Each album contains 14 original tracks, bringing his total recorded output to nearly 200 songs. His 12th CD of original material is set for release in 2024, and he has plans to record at least a dozen more albums in the coming years.
Recent Projects


John's most recent release, Bunny Fone, is a collection of humorous songs from across his lifetime. The playful spirit of the album has inspired him to begin work on Bunny Fone 2, which will feature not only his own songs but also works by other artists.
Signature Song: “Fabric of America”


Among the many songs John has released, “Fabric of America” stands out as a fan favorite. This patriotic anthem honors both the American flag and the richly diverse fabric of the American people. The song has become something of a signature piece and can be viewed on YouTube.

Looking Ahead

Although John has retired from his formal leadership roles in nonprofit songwriting organizations, he continues to contribute to the community as a mentor, performer, and collaborator. He is open to co-writing with other artists in a variety of styles, including pop, rock, blues, Christian, and country.

Links and Contact

John’s Website

Spotify Artist Page


Latest Album – Bunny Fone:
Listen on Spotify
Listen on Apple Music


Signature Song – “Fabric of America”:
Watch on YouTube


Email: promotions@macsmn.org

Minnesota Greatest Unheard of Songwriters

 There are people who I met over the years who I believe are some of Minnesota’s finest genius unheard of songwriters.  (I will be updating this list more and more as we go along.)

1.  One is Larry Havluck a Native American from International Falls, MN. who is now is in hospice care and was at the very first MAS (then MSA) meetings in 1979  https://youtu.be/PhR0MBWd7tg?si=1hejRkfH53Hukl1I   https://youtu.be/TXoUs-4ZXxo

2.  Here is prolific Howard Kranz  http://howardkranz.com/lyrics.shtml   https://youtu.be/P3WhMDEPQtU?si=7E7zDVgZgMEpc9QF

3.  Scott Horwath  https://www.youtube.com/@scotthorwath7236  The most flawless piano player I've ever known who can play anything and composes a multitude of piano and guitar pieces.