Controversial Song Inspired by Gang Shooting

Radio Station Refuses to Accept Ad for Song Promo

(PRWEB) November 9, 2003 -

songwriter Woody Woodham feels strongly enough about his song, Doing Business with a Gun, that he’s encouraging people to download the mp3 file of it for free from his web site, http://woodywoodham.com. The song is about the violence that plagues America. Says Woodham, "I feel an obligation to get the message out there. I’m sick of hearing about people killing each other every time I turn on the news. My hope is that publicizing the issue will inspire the pursuit of a less violent society.

     "A refrain from the song goes: " A man went into work one day/ and in a panic/ He blew his comrades all away/ with a semi-automatic/...Doing business with a gun/ to brighten up the day/ You know it’s how the West was won/ the good ol’ American way."

     “I actually was actually inspired to write the song before the Columbine High School shootings after an innocent 3 year old boy was shot and killed by the crossfire of a gang related shooting across the street from the house I used to live in,” says Woodham.

     The song is dedicated to John Lennon. Woodham says he’s been a big Beatles fan ever since his uncle took him and his sister to see them perform live when he was a kid back in 1966. “When John was shot, I felt like I lost a good friend. Sometimes just listening to a good Lennon song will still bring a tear to my eye,” says Woodham.

     Recently, when Woodham tried to purchase advertising on a major San Diego radio station, the station director refused to accept the ad.

     KBZT-FM program director, Garret Michaels, did admit he put a "kibosh" on the ad because he said the arrangement sounded "a little like payola."

    "How is payola involved when I’m not making a profit on it," responded Woodham. " The MP3 of the song is available for free at my site (http://woodywoodham.com)"... "Besides," says Woodham, "with payola you get the whole 4 minutes. I just wanted 20 seconds.

     Woodham then turned to one of the competing stations, (KFSD-FM/92.1), and purchased seven spots.

     Says Woodham, “ With so much head banging punk music and rap lyrics with violent content on the market, I’m trying to bring up the peace issue again. I don’t really care much if I make a cent on it.”