Debut Album By JWes The Writer: "Soul Of A Writer"

By John W. Fountain

My zealous pronouncement these days of my latest foray as a writer into the realm of producing music as “JWes the Writer” summons an array of peculiar and yet interesting responses.

“I have a new song,” I say. Or so it goes.

Then silence. I can sense and imagine the unspoken retort even before it rolls from their tongues almost sheepishly or with smothered giggles:

“AI music is not real music…”

“You gotta be kiddin’ me…”

“You must be going through a phase.”

“Oh, that’s nice, but, anywho....”

Usually, however, the response is wrapped in some cordial nicety. “Oh, ok…”

Or I will send a link to my latest AI-assisted creation to a “friend” or family member and most often hear nothing back in response – crickets. (Except for my boy, Huckey, a childhood friend who is always uber energetic and supportive. Oh, and my friend Butch. Thank you, brothers!)

Ok, so here’s the deal. It’s not a phase. Tinkering with SUNO – an AI song generator for creators or writers like me – over these past few months, I have discovered a new tool. Not for my writing, but for my creative juices. A window for my narrative storytelling in a format that expands the possibilities for presenting my thoughts and writing and also serving as a new conduit for my voice.

Recently, a friend texted to tell me that he had sent one of my songs I sent him to a number of his friends:

“Someone said, thanks for sending them an AI song…,” my friend wrote back. “I told them it’s not AI…never even thought about being AI…it’s beautiful,” my friend wrote.

Well-l-l, it is. And it isn’t.

I wrote back, explaining: “All the lyrics: the verses, the hook, the bridge and outro and intro are all written by me from my soul and experience. …I craft the direction of the song and the concept and use AI as a digital studio, band and accompaniment.

I added: “The vast majority of music artists, gospel and worldly, use AI to auto tune their voices and mix and master music. The new technology available in some ways levels the playing field for creatives and provides writers like me with a new vehicle for our voices.”

Ok, so that’s it in a nutshell. AI has made possible digital production studios that allow you to create music with nearly every instrument in the palm of my hand – at least accessible from my computer keyboard. And while these apps apparently can also write lyrics for you, as a writer of thousands of essays, poems, stories and songs – yes, songs – over a 40-year career as a multi-award-winning journalist, author, essayist and columnist, I have absolutely no dearth of material.

At times over the years, I have sat down with a few musician/producer friends and sang some of the songs I have written as they hammered out the melody. But only one of them – my cuz William “Fitf Element” Lockhart – actually produced one for me. I’m not knocking others who couldn’t or didn’t. Studio and production time can be costly and involved. But AI music-production platforms, in a way, help make my dream come true as a an independent “Freed Black Journalist” now expanding my horizons into producing music.

I am aware that there is a river of disdain for anything AI. And as a professor, I admit to having outlawed students using AI to wholesale write their stories while encouraging them to use AI for research with the caveat that they must verify and doublecheck any so-called facts.

So, how is what I’m doing any different?

I always write my own stories and songs. Also, in publishing and distributing my music, I clearly state that the music and singers are AI generated. Lyrics and concept for songs are exclusively by me: John W. Fountain aka JWes the Writer.

So does this make me a fake artist?

I would suggest not anymore fake than those music artists who decide to write books for which they have a ghost writer or perhaps use AI to write their book for them. Or those music artists who don’t write their own songs. Or whose voices are auto-tuned into production perfection. Or those so-called music artists who preach misogyny, murder and mayhem at the behest of the hunt for the all-mighty dollar and music industry executives who encourage the most debased songs that eat away at the moral fabric of Black communities with the promotion of vulgarity, bad behavior, and debauchery. Yung Miami’s, “Spend Dat” is perhaps the latest glaring example:

“Where all my scammin’-ass niggas at? (Where they at?)
Spendin’ that money fast (spend it)
Twenties, fifties, hundreds, cash (cash)

…Spend that sh--, spend that sh-- (yeah)
Spend that sh-- (uh), spend that sh-- (ow)…”

The humanity, soul, storytelling, heart, hurt, love, loss, faith, fortitude and the full authentic experience of living in this flesh and blood upon this earth is at the core of my writing, even my songs. And my belief in and call for hope even amid tragic realties comprise the core of my music. These are the elements of my debut album: “Soul of A Writer”

The album – available on Friday, July 31, on all music streaming platforms – is a compilation of heartfelt stories set to music in a flavorful blend of soul and R&B, inspirational, gospel and sometimes hip hop: From a stirring ballad called “One Hope,” reflecting nostalgically about the days of old on life in the city; to an uplifting gospel exhortation titled, “He’ll Fight Your Battle”; to a country-pop-flavored singalong titled, “California Zephyr”; and more.

I am already at work on a second album with ideas for expanding and further developing this avenue of my storytelling, including an urban opera.

I’m so excited, I’m having fun, and I’m hoping to make a difference. I’m also hoping that there are a few people out there looking for good thoughtful, lyrical storytelling set to music straight from the pen and soul of a writer. And I’m hoping that they – that you – just might be willing to give JWes the Writer a chance.

Email: Author@johnwfountain.com

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