Episode
Jeff Silbar - Acclaimed Songwriter Of The Grammy Winning "Wind Beneath My Wings", Which Became A Mega-Hit For Bette Midler. Also Hits With Kenny Rogers, John Cougar, Ringo, Sheena Easton, Gladys Knight, Dolly Parton And Many Others!
- Published
- Apr 3, 2026
- Duration seconds
- 2472
- Processing state
processed
Actions
POST https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/follow-your-dream-music-and-much-more-3624619/episodes/jeff-silbar-acclaimed-songwriter-of-the-grammy-winning-wind-beneath-my-wings-which-became-a-mega-hit-for-bette-midler-also-hits-with-kenny-rogers-john-cougar-ringo-sheena-easton-gladys-knight-dolly-parton-and-many-others/transcription-requests
Idempotently request low-priority transcript generation for this episode.GET https://stenobird.com/podcast/follow-your-dream-music-and-much-more-3624619/jeff-silbar-acclaimed-songwriter-of-the-grammy-winning-wind-beneath-my-wings-which-became-a-mega-hit-for-bette-midler-also-hits-with-kenny-rogers-john-cougar-ringo-sheena-easton-gladys-knight-dolly-parton-and-many-others.md
Read the agent-friendly Markdown representation of this episode resource.
Summary
Songwriter Jeff Silbar shares the behind-the-scenes story of co-writing the Grammy-winning classic 'Wind Beneath My Wings.' He discusses the high-stakes reality of pitching songs to major producers and the evolution of the recording industry.
Topics
- Songwriting
- Music Industry
- Nashville
- Grammy Awards
- Music Production
- Pop Music
- Country Music
- Jeff Silbar
Highlights
- Main idea: The accidental nature of hits, as 'Wind Beneath My Wings' was written without any initial expectation of massive success
- Practical takeaway: Successful pitching requires restraint; bringing too many songs to a producer can damage your reputation
- Failure mode: Relying on modern remote recording can strip a track of the 'yin and yang' energy found in live studio sessions
- Main idea: A blues-rock background provided a unique, 'fresh' perspective when writing for the Nashville country market
- Practical takeaway: High-quality demos are essential, even if major artists eventually replace your instrumentation with session legends
Chapters
1:00The Legacy of a Grammy Winner: An introduction to Jeff Silbar's career and the impact of 'Wind Beneath My Wings'.4:30Writing a Mega-Hit: The spontaneous moment of inspiration and the lack of foresight regarding the song's eventual fame.8:00Navigating the Music Industry: Reflections on the late 70s era and the transition of musical styles.11:00The Moment of Recognition: Realizing a song has massive potential after seeing it used in a film context.16:50The Art of the Pitch: The discipline required to pitch songs to producers without overstaying your welcome.20:00The Producer's Perspective: The tension of playing demos for producers who only listen to the first chorus.26:00Finding a Unique Voice: How a rock-influenced style helped create fresh sounds in the Nashville country scene.