Best Writers of Westcoast

[Tony Onstad]

Just curious...who do you think ranks as the overall best songwriter(can be with a co-writer)of Westcoast music?Someone who has consistently(maybe with the occasional dud)created timeless tunes(they can be producers,instrumentalists,etc. as well,you name it).The reason I ask this is that arrangements,production,the playing--can make the tune,but if stripped of all that,and to put it to the test,to have a mediocre piano player play the song,and if the song still has structural power,then that is,by definition,a great song.Make sense? 

[Johnathan Rodriguez]

I would have to say Randy Goodrum. His songs definitely fit the "westcoast" sound, from his solo works to the songs he has written for artists suchs as Michael Johnson, Toto, George Benson, and so forth. Check out his album "Fool's Paradise" for top notch music.

[Tony Onstad]

For sure,Johnathan--Goodrum writes some of the best Pop ballads out there--love "Fool's Paradise" and a whole host of other stuff by him.Good choice!

[Piarres Mendizabal Hansen]

Well, I think Marc Jordan was the writer of most of his stuff from the first two albums. Then again the amazing arranging, production and musicians on those records.. You have Donald Fagen there too. And not to forget Bill Champlin, he has written/co-written great tunes for himself and other artists too. Oh, and the Graydon-Foster-R.Page-S.George tunes.. But this is just a few of them. So much talented people involved on the creation of those albums ;)

[Kenneth Bremer]

Wow this is a tuff one, but David Foster would be one of the songwriters on the list among many others :-)

[André Lindberg]

I have to agree with you Kenneth. David Foster (and might I also add Jay Graydon), are the two masterminds of this genre. Take for example Peter Allen's Bi-Coastal album. How good would it be without Fosters incredible direction? It would have sounded like a Barry Manilow album. These two producers (or musicians, like Foster wants you to call them) really puts magic on everything they do, and I'm certain that the whole westcoastscene would have sounded different without them. Sure, both Steely Dan and McDoobie's had a big part in it. But not in the same measurement.

[Johnathan Rodriguez]

It kind of makes you wish that David Foster could go back to that "sound" again. The Josh Groban/Andrea Bocelli is gorgeous music however nowhere near the sound of lets say Peter Allen "Bi-Coastal".

[Piarres Mendizabal Hansen]

I think André is right. Bi-Coastal is totally amazing in all senses. Foster and Graydon are responsible of the purest westcoast sound. Anyway, westcoast can have all kinds of ingredients which can make it so great too.