The Courage to Begin: Browntown Songwriter Roger Tomhave Earns National Recognition for Inspirational Song

Browntown may be a small community nestled in Warren County’s scenic Gooney Valley, but one resident is making a name for himself in the national songwriting community.

Roger Tomhave, a singer, songwriter, artist, and longtime arts educator, has received national recognition for his original song, “The Courage to Begin,” a message about persistence, creativity, and finding the determination to take that all-important first step.

The song, co-written with Tom Kimmel and Kim-Char Meredith, was recognized among the 2026 emPower Music Award recipients in the Personal Transformation category.

Tomhave recently visited the Royal Examiner studio to talk about the recognition, his growing collection of original songs, and the creative partnerships that have shaped his musical career.

He also brought his guitar and performed “The Courage to Begin,” giving viewers a chance to hear the song and the message behind it.

A Song About Taking the First Step

The idea for “The Courage to Begin” came from something Tomhave had been thinking about for years.

As an artist, musician, educator, and songwriter, he had encountered many talented people who struggled with the uncertainty of beginning something new.

Whether writing a song, creating a painting, learning an instrument, or stepping onto a stage, the hardest part is often getting started.

Tomhave wanted to write something that encouraged people to move beyond that hesitation.

“The Courage to Begin is just a message about, well, that’s really what it takes to get started,” he explained.

The song began during an online songwriting retreat approximately two years ago.

Tomhave was paired with fellow songwriters Tom Kimmel, a longtime Nashville songwriter, and Kim-Char Meredith of Chicago.

Although the three musicians were separated by hundreds of miles, they spent a couple of hours collaborating over Zoom.

Tomhave brought the original concept and some lyrics. Together, they shaped the music and developed the song’s message.

The collaboration produced a song that would eventually earn recognition from emPower Music & Arts, an organization that celebrates inspirational music across multiple genres.

National Recognition for Positive Music

The emPower Music Awards, formerly known as the Posi Awards, recognize songs with positive and life-affirming messages.

Unlike many music competitions that focus on a particular style, these awards consider songs from a wide range of musical traditions.

Folk, Americana, country, jazz, rock, and other genres are represented, with an emphasis on music that encourages personal growth, healing, unity, and positive change.

“The Courage to Begin” was among the songs recognized in the organization’s 2026 Personal Transformation category.

The official award listing credits Tomhave, Kimmel, and Meredith as the songwriters.

For Tomhave, whose musical roots are in folk and Americana, the recognition reflects his long-standing interest in songs that tell stories and communicate something meaningful.

His music frequently explores relationships, family, community, personal experiences, and the challenges people encounter throughout life.

Why Three Songwriters Can Be Better Than One

Tomhave has been writing songs since college, but he discovered something important when he began collaborating with other writers around 2007.

Working alone could be a slow process.

He might develop the words for a song but struggle to find the right melody or musical arrangement.

Sometimes an idea would sit unfinished for months or even years.

Writing with others changed that.

“Getting together with other people, not only did they enhance the music,” he explained, but they also improved the lyrics.

Having additional songwriters in the room meant having people who could challenge an idea, suggest a different phrase, or hear a musical possibility that he had missed.

Sometimes a single word or a new chord progression could change the direction of an entire song.

Tomhave now participates in songwriting retreats with musicians from across the country.

He and his wife, Carol, also host retreats at their Browntown home.

Those gatherings typically bring together eight to twelve songwriters for several days of intensive collaboration.

Participants work in small groups, often spending two-hour sessions developing new material.

At the end of the day, they gather to perform their newly written songs for one another.

For Tomhave, the process is both productive and enjoyable.

He often arrives with dozens of unfinished song ideas, ready to discover what another songwriter might contribute.

He compares the process to putting together a puzzle, with each participant bringing pieces that might fit together in unexpected ways.

A New Album Built Entirely on Collaboration

That collaborative spirit is at the heart of Tomhave’s latest album, Written in My Heart, released in September 2026.

Tomhave wrote every song on the recording with one or more collaborators.

Tomhave joked that the album could almost have been called Co-Written in My Heart.

The title song offers a good example of why he enjoys working with others.

The idea began while Tomhave and Carol were visiting Tampa, Florida.

He had arranged to meet with songwriter Jana Stanfield, but the session was canceled when she was delayed.

With unexpected time on his hands, he began working on lyrics and a melody in his hotel room, recording an early version on his phone.

At first, he thought the song was finished.

But the more he listened to it after returning home, the less satisfied he became.

During a later songwriting retreat in Browntown, he brought the lyrics to JD Martin of Colorado and Gary Lynn Floyd of California.

The three spent a session rebuilding the song, refining the words, and developing a stronger musical direction.

The finished version became the title track of his new album.

“I like that song hugely better now,” Tomhave said.

The experience reinforced his belief that collaboration can make a song stronger than any one writer could achieve alone.

Music That Brings People Together

Another song on Written in My Heart, titled “I Am America,” reflects Tomhave’s interest in bringing people together through music.

He wrote it with Los Angeles songwriter Harold Payne.

The two began with a discussion about political divisions and how music might encourage a more positive conversation.

Rather than focusing on what separates Americans, they developed a song centered on shared identity and unity.

Tomhave said the idea came together naturally once the two writers agreed on the message they wanted to communicate.

The song reflects his approach to songwriting: Begin with something meaningful, then find a musical way to help listeners connect with it.

“I definitely am a storyteller,” he said.

His stories often come from personal experiences, relationships, family, and the places that have shaped his life.

He hopes those personal stories will resonate with others, too.

Browntown Remains a Source of Inspiration

Although Tomhave collaborates with musicians across the country, Browntown remains an important part of his creative life.

He and Carol moved from Fairfax to the rural Warren County community, where the mountains and peaceful surroundings have inspired numerous songs.

Tomhave has said many of those ideas began while sitting on the deck of his home, looking out over the landscape.

One of his musical projects, The Browntown Suite, consists of four songs celebrating the community through its changing seasons.

His connection to Browntown extends beyond music.

Tomhave is also involved with the Gooney Valley History and Preservation Club, which documents and shares the area’s heritage.

The organization produces an annual historical calendar featuring photographs and stories about Browntown and the surrounding valley.

Tomhave has previously visited the Royal Examiner studio to discuss the club’s preservation work and its efforts to help residents understand their community’s history.

That interest in local history fits naturally with his songwriting.

Both preserve stories and help people connect with places and experiences that might otherwise be forgotten.

An Artist and Educator With a Long Career

Music is only one part of Tomhave’s artistic background.

He is a professor emeritus of art, design, and art history at James Madison University and has spent much of his professional life involved in arts education.

Earlier in his career, he worked with Fairfax County Public Schools, including serving as a fine arts coordinator.

His experience includes teaching, curriculum development, and advocating for arts education.

He has received state and national recognition for his contributions to the field.

Those experiences continue to influence his songwriting, especially his belief that creativity grows through encouragement, experimentation, and collaboration.

Closer to home, he continues performing with a group of local musicians known as the Browntown Boys.

The five-member group performs primarily familiar songs by other artists, along with some of Tomhave’s original compositions.

He described the experience simply as a great deal of fun.

His recent releases also include Love Is Here, another 2026 album featuring songs about relationships, family, and personal experiences.

Both albums are available through major digital music platforms.

The Courage to Begin

Browntown singer-songwriter Roger Tomhave performs his award-recognized song, “The Courage to Begin,” during a visit to the Royal Examiner studio, where he shared the inspiration behind the song and his passion for collaborative songwriting.

During his Royal Examiner studio visit, Tomhave picked up his guitar and performed the song that brought him national recognition.

“The Courage to Begin” carries a message that extends well beyond songwriting.

It acknowledges that success rarely comes without mistakes, unexpected turns, and moments when giving up might seem easier than continuing.

But the song also emphasizes something Tomhave has learned through decades of creative work: Progress begins when someone is willing to try.

That philosophy shows up throughout his career, from his years as an arts educator to the unfinished lyrics he brings to songwriting retreats and the new musical partnerships he continues to develop.

Even now, with numerous recordings and professional accomplishments behind him, Tomhave is still looking for the next song, the next collaboration, and the next story worth telling.

His latest recognition is an opportunity to celebrate what he has accomplished, but the song’s message is about something more universal.

Whether someone is beginning a creative project, pursuing a long-delayed dream, rebuilding after disappointment, or simply trying something unfamiliar, the first step can be the most difficult.

And as Tomhave’s song reminds listeners, moving forward doesn’t require knowing exactly how the journey will end.

Sometimes, all it takes is “The Courage to Begin.”

Readers can listen to “The Courage to Begin” and the other tracks from Written in My Heart on Roger Tomhave’s official album page.

Additional information about his music and artistic work is available at www.rogertomhave.com.

Town Talk, sponsored by National Media Services, Inc., is a Royal Examiner series that introduces you to local entrepreneurs, business owners, nonprofit leaders, and public officials who help shape Warren County. Conversations cover a wide range of topics about our community and the people making a difference.