At Talent Is Timeless, we run Monthly Songwriting Challenges to help keep our members writing, sharing, and connecting. Each month, we spotlight some of the incredible songwriters who placed in these challenges — inviting them to share more about their lives, their creative journeys, and the stories behind their songs. This month, we’re featuring 67-year-old songwriter Eric Richard Stone, based in Nederland, Colorado.

Eric joined Talent Is Timeless in January 2025 and is an active participant in several Song Circles across the U.S., balancing community involvement with a life that still includes plenty of travel. The song that earned Eric recognition was first written during a particularly heavy moment in recent history. He began the original version back in 2019–2020, as the U.S. was grappling with the Black Lives Matter protests and the isolation of the COVID-19 shutdown.

“I used wings as a metaphor for anything that might lift my spirits at the time,” Eric explains.

Those wings came in many forms: long hikes and cross-country skiing in the Colorado mountains, the company of close friends and loved ones, humour, and — always — music. Recently, Eric revisited the song with fresh ears and experience. He pared back the lyrics, refined the structure, and lowered the key to better suit his vocal range. The result is a song that feels leaner, stronger, and more grounded — a reflection of both the time it was born from and the growth that followed.

Music has been woven into Eric’s life from the beginning. He grew up in a family of professional musicians — violinists, pianists, and flautists — and singing came naturally to him as a child. He sang in school choirs and vocal ensembles before discovering folk and popular music on the radio. Wanting to sing the songs he loved, he taught himself guitar. By age 16, after taking a music theory class, he wrote his first song.

“That would have been 1975,” he says. “I’ve been writing songs ever since.”

While Eric built a demanding career as a wildlife biologist and raised three sons, songwriting never fully left his life.

“I always found some time to play and write,” he reflects.

But everything shifted in 2014, when he retired after more than 30 years in his field.

“I knew I wanted to dedicate my energy to songwriting and performing,” he says.

Retirement didn’t slow him down — it focused him. Since then, Eric has reached milestones many songwriters dream of. In 2022, he performed in the Songwriter Showcase at the Rocky Mountain Folks Festival, taking the main stage in front of a massive audience. More recently, in the summer of 2025, he booked a 20-day international tour, performing seven shows across Switzerland, Germany, and Scotland.

Talent Is Timeless has become an important part of Eric’s ongoing creative rhythm.

“I love the monthly challenges,” he says. “They give me a nudge to write, and I’m constantly inspired by hearing all the other wonderful songwriters.”

While unreliable internet sometimes limits his ability to join events, the feedback and sense of shared purpose continue to fuel him. One thing that surprises people most about Eric’s journey is simply how much he still performs — and that his sets are largely made up of original material.

“There aren’t a whole lot of us ‘old farts’ getting booked in pubs and concerts around here,” he jokes.

But he sees that visibility as important, especially for younger songwriters.

“I love to encourage them.”

His advice to other songwriters over 50 is thoughtful and hard-earned:

“At all costs, avoid comparing yourself and your creations to anyone else. Focus on finding intrinsic value in what you’re doing, and don’t worry about how others see your songs.”

Eric’s story is a reminder that creativity doesn’t retire — it waits. Sometimes for the right moment, sometimes for the quiet space to listen, and sometimes for the courage to spread your wings again.

You can listen to Eric’s winning song here: https://youtu.be/pwTHHpJo75A?si=uenMfjQRKS0f8qMv

And Connect with Eric on Talent Is Timeless here: https://www.talentistimeless.com/members/eric-stone/