Legendary songwriter Steve Dorff to appear at New York’s Triad Theater

“I Wrote That One Too,” An Evening with Steve Dorff: The Hit Songs and the Stories Behind Them” is a new show by Songwriters Hall of Famer Steve Dorff, whose career spans five decades with over 400 songs and numerous №1 hits recorded by legendary artists such as Barbra Streisand (“Higher Ground”), Celine Dion (“Miracle”), Anne Murray (“I Just Fall in Love Again”), Kenny Rogers (“Through the Years”), George Strait (“I Cross My Heart”), Eddie Rabbitt (“Every Which Way But Loose”), and countless others.

Dorff is a gifted composer in every musical field and has over 28 placements in TV series such as Murphy Brown, Growing Pains, Murder She Wrote, Columbo, Reba, Spenser: For Hire, Just the Ten of Us, The Singing Bee, and feature films such as Every Which Way But Loose, Pure Country, Bronco Billy, Rocky IV, Tin Cup, and Honkytonk Man.

The show happens Tuesday, June 11–7PM at the Triad Theater, located at 158, West 72nd Street in New York City.

Here’s a Q/A with Dorff, covering his career and his recent memoir among other things:

Congratulations on your induction into the Songwriters Hall of Fame last year. Do you have any favorite moments from the evening? What was it like for you to achieve this award?

A favorite moment for me was my son Stephen’s induction speech, but overall, it was a magical evening for my family, friends, and me. Being inducted into the Hall of Fame was a lifelong dream realized. It’s like a mountain climber reaching the top of Everest…

You have written for legendary artists such as Barbra Streisand, Celine Dion, Kenny Rogers, Anne Murray, Whitney Houston, Cher, Willie Nelson, George Strait, Dolly Parton, and Blake Shelton, just to name a few. How do your songs find their way to artists usually?

My songs have reached the artists who made them famous in just about every conventional and unconventional way possible. Sometimes through personal contacts, publisher pitches, meetings with the actual artists or producers, and sometimes just plain luck of being at the right place at the right time.

Do you have a preferred method of writing?

Not really. the ideas come at all different times, and the collaborations are often very varied.

You have synesthesia and discuss it a little in your memoir, I Wrote That One Too…A Life in Songwriting from Willie to Whitney.” How does having synesthesia affect your songwriting process?

It doesn’t really affect the writing process. Synesthesia more affects the way I listen to music.

You also compose for TV and film. What is a favorite project you’ve worked on and why?

Having scored over 30 films and dozens of TV shows, it’s really hard to pinpoint a favorite. I loved doing the Columbo movies, as well as Murphy Brown and Growing Pains. Blast from The Past was a fun movie to work on. Each project brings its own challenges and rewards.

Your memoir shares many behind-the-scenes stories from the songwriting and music business world. Can you share one brief story from the book with readers?

Well, most of my stories are not brief. Be easier to read the book LOL!

BMG released your memoir on audiobook in January as they are building their music-related book publishing efforts. Your memoir is their first audiobook release, which is exciting. How did this partnership come about?

I was being interviewed for a songwriting blog, and one of the interviewers had just been tapped as head of BMG Book division. He loved my book and asked if I had any plans to do the audio version. I made a deal with him to do it.

You lent your voice to the audiobook. Did you record it in your home studio?

I spent 8 hours sitting in a comfortable chair reading my own book. It was much more difficult than I had imagined it would be though. I recorded it at my engineer’s studio in Burbank. Much better optimum sound quality.

You have begun guest speaking at universities to young songwriters, artists, and students looking to work in the music business one day. What types of things do you usually speak about with them?

Most of the guest speaking events center on great questions from eager students who all want to know, “How do you get successful in the Music Business?” The questions vary from songwriting to scoring film, networking, the process, the business side of things, publishing, production, etc.

Are there any songs or projects that you’re working on that you can mention now?

Producing tracks for Lauren Allred (The Greatest Showman), Frank Ray (Country Artist), Pure Country-The Musical, and several new films to be released in 2019.