FROM THE STUDIO OF KORBY LENKER

A Song for
Someone You Love

A private song commission — written, recorded, and performed for the person who already has everything except the one thing only you could give.

Begin Here

WHAT THIS IS

Some gifts sit on a shelf. This one lives in a person.

Here’s what happens. You tell me about someone you love — how you met, the thing they always say, the night you’ll never forget, the ordinary Tuesday that turned out to matter. I take those details and write a real song. Not a jingle. Not a novelty. A song you’d want to hear even if it weren’t about your person.Then I record it — usually just voice, guitar or piano, and the story you trusted me with — and send you the audio and a video performance you can share however you like.You play it at the birthday dinner, the anniversary, the graduation, Christmas morning. The room goes quiet. Someone reaches for a tissue. You’ll know.I’ve been doing this for years. Again and again, people tell me it was the most meaningful gift they ever gave.

How it works

Four steps, start to finish

01

We talk

A private 30-minute call where you tell me about the person and the occasion. I’ll ask about the details you may not have thought to include — the small, specific things that make a song feel like it could only be about one person on earth.

02

I write

I disappear into my studio in East Nashville and write the song. This usually takes a week or two. I’m not trying to be fast. I’m trying to get it right.

03

You hear it first

I send you a private first recording. If something is off — a detail, a name, a feeling — we adjust. One round of revisions is included. The song should feel right before anyone else hears it.

04

The moment

You receive the final recording and video. How you share it is up to you — at a dinner table, in a card, projected on a screen at a party, or kept between the two of you. I’ve seen all of the above. They all work.

Three ways to commission a song

Choose the shape of the gift

Every commission starts with the same foundation: a private conversation, an original song, and a recording made with care. The difference is how fully you want the piece brought to life.

The Song

A private acoustic commission

$4,500

30-minute intake call
Original song, written for your person
Acoustic guitar & vocal or piano & vocal recording
Video of the live performance
One round of revisions
Delivered in 2–3 weeks

The Recording

A finished studio keepsake

$6,950

Everything in The Song + the below:
Fully produced studio recording
Professional mix and master
Two deliverables — the intimate video and the finished track
Delivered in 4–5 weeks

The Experience

A live memory at Ranch Vovo

$9,500

Everything in The Recording + the below:
A studio session in East Nashville
A studio moment for the recipient, or a chance for you to secretly add your voice or a small part to the recording
Behind-the-scenes photos and video
Travel not included — I’m happy to help with Nashville recommendations

From past clients

After the song

"My wife and I retired to Wyoming — a log cabin on Teton Creek with a stone fireplace and big windows that brought the mountains inside. We learned to fly fish, hike, ski. We made good friends. Korby came to play house concerts three times, and those nights — the music, the food, the laughter — are some of our best memories. After eleven years, we sold the cabin and moved back to Ohio. It was one of those big decisions. Korby wrote us a song about it afterward, with no guidance — just his feel for what that place and those years meant to us. The song captures it exactly."

— Don R., retirement / family legacy

"I asked Korby to write a song for my wife as a Christmas gift, and what he delivered went far beyond anything I imagined. “Ship Out on the Water” captured our story in a way that was both intimate and incredibly moving."

— Ken L., Christmas gift for his wife

"Korby wrote a personal song for my daughter Veronica’s 7th birthday, and it was wonderful. He turned a few photos and details about what she loves into something deeply personal and memorable. Veronica felt truly special, and the song made an amazing gift."

— Packy H., daughter's birthday

"We worked with Korby to create something we'd never heard of — an album of love songs on ukulele as our wedding album. Getting to visit his studio and sing backup vocals was one of our favorite memories from that season of our lives. Years later, we still play it on holidays, on trips, on quiet nights at home. It's the soundtrack to our marriage."

— Lindsey V., wedding album commission

Korby Lenker in the studio

Who I am

A few words about the songwriter

I'm Korby Lenker. I've spent the last twenty years in East Nashville writing songs, making records, touring, and — more recently — building a studio and production company called Ranch Vovo with my wife and creative partner, Randa. I've released multiple albums, written a book, hosted a hundred episodes of a podcast about the people who make this music, and collaborated with artists like Molly Tuttle and Liz Longley.

I say all that not to impress you but so you know: this is what I do. When I write a song for someone you love, it's not a side project or a gimmick. It's the same craft I bring to everything. The difference is that this one belongs to you.

More about me and my work at korbylenker.com.

Multiple albums released · Sync placements in film and television · Author of Medium Hero · Host of The Morse Code Podcast · Winner, Kerrville New Folk Contest · Winner, International Songwriting Competition · Winner, MerleFest Songwriting Competition · Ranch Vovo Studio, East Nashville

Questions

Before you ask

How long does the process take?

The Song package takes 2–3 weeks from our first call to delivery. The Recording takes 4–5 weeks. The Experience is scheduled around your availability and mine — usually within 6–8 weeks. If you have a hard deadline, tell me early and I'll make it work. Rush delivery is available for an additional fee.

What if I'm not sure which package to choose?

Start with a call. We'll talk about the occasion, the person, and what would feel right. There's no commitment until you say go.

Can I keep the song private?

Absolutely. The song is yours. I won't release it, post it, or share it without your written permission. The stories people share with me during this process are personal — sometimes deeply so — and I treat them that way. Everything we discuss stays between us. If you'd like a formal confidentiality agreement, I'm happy to provide one.

What if I want to surprise someone with the Nashville studio experience?

I’ve done this before. We coordinate everything in advance — I write the song, you bring the person to Nashville “for a trip,” and the studio session becomes the surprise. Or, if you’d rather keep the song itself as the surprise, you can come in on your own and add your voice, a harmony, or a small part to the recording. It becomes a gift you didn’t just commission, but helped make. It’s a lifetime memory, and it’s also genuinely fun.

What genre or style will the song be?

I write in the folk, Americana, and singer-songwriter tradition — acoustic guitar, piano, honest lyrics. If you've listened to any of my music, you know the sound. That said, I'm flexible. We'll talk about tone during our first conversation.

Is there a deposit?

Yes — 50% upfront to reserve your spot, with the balance due on delivery. I keep the number of active commissions small so each one gets my full attention.

Let's talk about your person

No obligation. Just a conversation about who they are, what they mean to you, and whether a song is the right way to say it.

Schedule a Private Call