Songcraft: Spotlight on Songwriters

We're celebrating our 10th anniversary all year by digging in the vaults to re-present classic episodes with fresh commentary. Today, we're revisiting our milestone 100th episode with the legendary Lamont Dozier! 

ABOUT LAMONT DOZIER

Lamont Dozier, along with brothers Eddie and Brian Holland, wrote and produced more than 20 consecutive singles recorded by the Supremes, including ten #1 pop hits: “Where Did Our Love Go,” “Baby Love,” “Come See About Me,” “Stop! In the Name of Love,” “Back in My Arms Again,” “I Hear a Symphony,” “You Can’t Hurry Love,” “You Keep Me Hangin’ On,” “Love is Here and Now You’re Gone,” and “The Happening.” Other Top 5 singles they wrote for the Supremes include “My World is Empty Without You” and “Reflections.” 

In addition to their hits with the Supremes, Holland, Dozier, and Holland helped further define the Motown sound by writing major pop and R&B hits such as “Heat Wave,” “Nowhere to Run,” and “Jimmy Mack” for Martha and the Vandellas, “Mickey’s Monkey” for the Miracles, “Can I Get a Witness” and “You’re a Wonderful One” for Marvin Gaye, and “(I’m A) Road Runner” for Junior Walker and the All Stars. The trio found particular success with The Four Tops, who scored hits with their songs “Baby I Need Your Loving,” “I Can’t Help Myself (Sugar Pie Honey Bunch),” “It’s the Same Old Song,” “Reach Out I’ll Be There,” “Standing in the Shadows of Love,” and “Bernadette.” 

Additional hits include “Crumbs Off the Table” for Glass House, “Give Me Just a Little More Time” for Chairmen of the Board, “Band of Gold” for Freda Payne, and Dozier’s own recording of “Why Can’t We Be Lovers.” Hit cover versions of his songs by rock artists include “Don’t Do It” by the Band, “Take Me in Your Arms (Rock Me a Little While)” by the Doobie Brothers, “How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You)” by James Taylor, and “This Old Heart of Mine” by Rod Stewart. With hits spanning multiple decades, Dozier also co-wrote “Two Hearts” with Phil Collins, earning a #1 pop hit, a Grammy award, a Golden Globe, and an Oscar nomination. 

Dozier is in the Songwriters Hall of Fame and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. He is the recipient of the prestigious Johnny Mercer Award for songwriting, as well as the BMI Icon award. Lamont Dozier was additionally named among Rolling Stone magazine’s 100 Greatest Songwriters of All Time.

Taylor Goldsmith of Dawes joins us to talk about the evolution of humor in his songwriting, why he's transparent with his fans, and maybe the most Bob Dylan of Bob Dylan stories we've ever heard. 

PART ONE:
Paul and Scott address the recent wildfires in the Los Angeles area, and encourage people to help make a difference by considering a donation through one of four organizations: 

Fire Aid (fireaidla.org)
The Red Cross (redcross.org)
MusiCares (musicares.org)
World Central Kitchen (wck.org) 

PART TWO:
Our in-depth conversation with Taylor Goldsmith of Dawes

ABOUT TAYLOR GOLDSMITH:
Taylor Goldsmith is best known as the lead singer, guitarist, and primary songwriter for the folk-influenced rock band Dawes. The group, which also includes Taylor’s brother, Griffin, has released nine full-length studio albums, six of which have hit the Top 5 on Billboard’s Americana/Folk Albums chart, and four of which have hit the Top 10 on Billboard’s rock chart. In addition to his work with Dawes, he has been a member of the band Middle Brother with Matt Vasquez of Delta Spirit and John McCauley of Deer Tick. Taylor also contributed to T Bone Burnett’s New Basement Tapes project—which completed unfinished Bob Dylan songs—alongside Marcus Mumford, Jim James, Rhiannon Giddens, and Elvis Costello. As a songwriter outside the band, Taylor has collaborated with The Killers, Conor Oberst, Brandon Flowers, Robert Ellis, Demi Lovato, and his wife Mandy Moore. The most recent Dawes album, released in October of 2024, is called Oh Brother. Sadly, not long after our conversation, both Taylor and his brother Griffin became victims of the massive Southern California wildfires that devastated portions of the Los Angeles area and severely damaged or destroyed their homes. 
 

We're celebrating our 10th anniversary all year by digging in the vaults to re-present classic episodes with fresh commentary. What better way to kick things off than where it all began? Here's a look back at episode one and our conversation with Jim Peterik.  

ABOUT JIM PETERIK
Singer, songwriter, guitarist, and keyboardist Jim Peterik is best known as a founding member of the band Survivor and the co-writer of their Grammy-winning double platinum #1 hit single, “Eye of the Tiger.” But that’s only the tip of the iceberg. Thirty-five of Jim’s songs have appeared on the Billboard Pop chart, including seven Top 10 singles. His first major success came when his original band, Ides of March, took the Peterik-penned “Vehicle” to the #2 position on the Pop chart in 1970, spawning cover versions by Chet Baker and Shirley Bassey. After a stint as a solo artist with Epic Records, Jim formed Survivor in 1979, penning a string of hits for the band, including “I Can’t Hold Back,” “High On You,” “The Search is Over,” “Burning Heart,” and “Is This Love.” While still writing hits for his own group, Jim forged a successful partnership with the members of 38 Special, co-writing classic songs, including “Rockin’ Into the Night,” “Hold On Loosely,” and “Caught Up In You.” Widely respected as a top-notch collaborator, Jim has co-written successful songs with a number of artists, including the Beach Boys, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Sammy Hagar, Cheap Trick, the Doobie Brothers, REO Speedwagon, and Mindi Abair. The long list of those who have covered his compositions includes Paul Anka, Gloria Gaynor, Tony Orlando, Reba McEntire, Larry Gatlin, Blackhawk, and The Outlaws. He is the co-author, with Dave Austin, of Songwriting for Dummies. 

Songcraft celebrates ten years with a look back at episode highlights and behind-the-scenes stories from our first decade! Plus, a few announcements about what's new in 2025. 

Six-time Grammy winner, Nashville Songwriters Hall of Famer, and Kennedy Center honoree Amy Grant joins us to chat about the pursuit of honesty in songwriting, the stories behind some of her songs, and her catalog of modern day Christmas classics. 

PART ONE
Paul and Scott chat about the idea of a "definitive" version of a Christmas song, discuss their favorites, debate about Christmas songs they love and hate, and delve into Scott's elementary school crush on Amy Grant. 

PART TWO
Our in-depth interview with Amy Grant

ABOUT AMY GRANT
Perhaps the most influential pioneer of the Contemporary Christian Music genre, Amy Grant released her first album while still in high school. Her fourth album, 1982’s Age to Age, found unprecedented success with hit singles such as “Sing Your Praise to the Lord” and “El Shaddai.” Age to Age topped the Christian album chart for 85 weeks, earned Amy her first Grammy award, and became the first Christian album to be certified Platinum by the RIAA. Her 1984 album Straight Ahead spawned hits with Amy’s original compositions “Thy Word” and “Angels,” and became the first Christian album to land on the Billboard 200. By the mid-1980s, she further crossed over to mainstream success when “Find a Way,” which she wrote with Michael W. Smith, hit the Top 40 on Billboard’s pop chart. The following year, Amy reached the top of the pop chart with “The Next Time I Fall,” a duet with Peter Cetera. Her 1991 album Heart in Motion sold 5 million copies and spawned four Top 10 singles on the Billboard Hot 100, including the self-penned hits “Baby Baby” and “Every Heartbeat.” That same year, she enjoyed another Top 10 pop hit as a songwriter with Michael W. Smith’s “Place in This World.” Amy continued to find mainstream success in the mid-1990s with singles such as “House of Love,” a duet with her now-husband Vince Gill, as well as the songs “Lucky One” and “Takes a Little Time,” which she wrote with Keith Thomas and Wayne Kirkpatrick, respectively. 

Starting with 1983’s A Christmas Album, holiday music has been an important part of Amy Grant’s artistry. She has since released the albums Home for Christmas, which was certified three-times Platinum; A Christmas to Remember; Tennessee Christmas; and The Animals’ Christmas, a collaborative album with Art Garfunkel featuring songs by Jimmy Webb that explore the nativity story from the perspective of the animals. Amy’s original songs “Tennessee Christmas” and “Breath of Heaven” have become modern day holiday standards. Her Christmas concerts, often featuring husband Vince Gill and longtime collaborator Michael W. Smith, have become a holiday tradition. 

To date, Amy has released twenty studio albums and has sold over 30 million records worldwide. Seventeen of her albums have reached #1 on Billboard’s Top Christian Albums chart, more than any other artist in history. She has won 6 Grammy awards, 26 Dove awards, and has been inducted into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame. Amy has received honorary doctorates from two universities, has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, and was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2021. She was a recipient of the prestigious Kennedy Center Honors for lifetime artistic achievement in 2022. 
 

Bonnie McKee chats about co-writing hits with Katy Perry, including "California Gurls" and "Roar," as well as her own artist career that has resulted in successful singles such as "American Girl." 

PART ONE:
Scott and Paul share a little preview of what's to come as they prepare to celebrate Songcraft's 10 anniversary

PART TWO
Our in-depth conversation with Bonnie McKee

ABOUT BONNIE McKEE:

Bonnie McKee grew up as a classically trained singer and pianist, but began pursuing a pop music career while still a teen. In 2004 she released her debut album, Trouble, with Reprise Records, but soon switched her focus to working as a behind-the-scenes songwriter. She has written ten songs that have hit #1 in either the US or UK, and is best known for her work with Katy Perry, which began with the Diamond-certified and international chart-topping album, Teenage Daydream. Bonnie contributed to three songs on the album, all of which became chart-topping singles: “California Gurls,” “Teenage Dream,” and “Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.).” When the deluxe Complete Confection version of the album was released, Bonnie landed two more chart-topping singles with “Part of Me” and “Wide Awake.” She went on to collaborate with Katy Perry on four songs on the follow-up album, Prism, including the Top 20 single “Birthday” and the #1 hit “Roar.” Other successful singles from the Bonnie McKee songbook include “Dynamite” for Taio Cruz, “Hold it Against Me” for Britney Spears, “C’Mon” for Kesha, and the UK chart toppers “How We Do (Party)” by Rita Ora and “I Don’t Care” by Cheryl. Additionally, she’s written songs for Cher, Christina Aguilera, Kelly Clarkson, Avril Lavigne, Bebe Rexha, Jason Derulo, Kygo, and Adam Lambert, among others.

In 2013, Bonnie reemerged as an artist with the single “American Girl” on Epic Records. She recorded an entire album, but parted ways with the label and it was shelved. Enough tracks and demos leaked online over the years, however, that fans were clamoring for it. Now, more than ten years later, Bonnie has re-recorded the album. She combined the re-recorded tracks with the original release of “American Girl,” which has now been streamed 23 million times on Spotify. The end result is Hot City, an album more than a decade in the making. 

Grammy nominee and four-time ASCAP Christian Songwriter of the Year Jeremy Camp dives deep with Songcraft on creativity, loss, honesty, and following the right path. 

PART ONE
Paul and Scott get in the weeds on Billboard magazine's recent "100 Greatest Country Artists of All Time" list. Plus, we preview the remaining episodes for 2024 and offer a sneak peek at what's ahead for our 10th anniversary year.

PART TWO
Our in-depth interview with Jeremy Camp

ABOUT JEREMY CAMP
Between 2002 and 2024, Christian artist Jeremy Camp released fifteen studio albums, four of which have been certified Gold by the RIAA. Additionally, his 2005 album Live Unplugged has been certified double Platinum. Fourteen of Jeremy’s singles as an artist have hit #1 on Billboard’s Christian charts, including the Gold-certified “Walk by Faith,” “There Will be a Day,” “Overcome,” “Same Power,” “Christ in Me,” “Dead Man Walking,” and “Keep Me in the Moment.” Other highlights of his catalog include “Give You Glory,” “Lay Down My Pride,” “Stay,” and “I Still Believe,” which he wrote after the death of his first wife when he was just 23 years old. Jeremy has earned a Grammy nomination, five GMA Dove Awards, three American Music Award nominations, and four awards for ASCAP Christian Songwriter of the Year. In addition, Billboard magazine named him the #2 Christian artist of the decade. Jeremy’s most recent album, Deeper Waters, was released in 2024.   

Three-time Grammy nominee and pop songwriting powerhouse Justin Tranter joins us to talk about his process and his remarkable lists of hits for Chappell Roan, Fall Out Boy, Imagine Dragons, Selena Gomez, Justin Bieber, and many others.

PART ONE:
Scott and Paul nerd out on this year's Grammy nominations

PART TWO:
Our in-depth interview with Justin Tranter

ABOUT JUSTIN TRANTER:
Nominated for Songwriter of the Year at the Grammy Awards in 2024, Justin Tranter is one of the most successful writers in pop music. The recognition capped off a ten year streak of success that includes hits such as “Centuries” by Fall Out Boy, the Selena Gomez hits “Good for You,” “Hands to Myself,” and “Lose You to Love Me,” DNCE’s “Cake By the Ocean,” “Sorry” by Justin Bieber, “Close” by Nick Jonas, “Issues” by Julia Michaels, the Imagine Dragons singles “Believer,” “Natural,” and “Enemy,” Maroon 5’s “Cold,” “Bad at Love” by Halsey, and “Good Luck, Babe!” by Chappell Roan, which is nominated for Song of the Year at the upcoming Grammy Awards in 2025. 

Tranter has additionally contributed to singles by artists such as Gwen Stefani, Britney Spears, Linkin Park, 5 Seconds of Summer, Bebe Rexha, Dua Lipa, Ariana Grande, Lady Gaga, and Miley Cyrus. Others who’ve drawn from the Justin Tranter songbook include Kelly Clarkson, Kacey Musgraves, John Legend, Shakira, Kesha, Christina Aguilera, Tori Kelly, Meghan Trainor, Tom Morello, The Chicks, Billy Porter, and Demi Lovato. In addition to a close songwriting partnership with Julia Michaels, Tranter’s regular collaborators include some of the biggest names in music, such as Cardi B, Sam Smith, Janelle Monae, Leon Bridges, and others. 

Justin’s impressive list of accolades includes multiple GRAMMY and Golden Globe nominations, 16 BMI pop awards, including two consecutive BMI Songwriter of the Year awards, and being named a U.S. Global Music Ambassador as part of the U.S. Department of State and YouTube’s Global Music Partnership alongside Chuck D, Grace Bowers, Kane Brown, Herbie Hancock, Jelly Roll and others. 

Grammy-winning Southern roots rock duo Larkin Poe (sisters Rebecca and Megan Lovell) join us to chat about their creative process and their exciting forthcoming album, Bloom. 

PART ONE:
'Tis the season! Scott and Paul chat about the classic Halloween songs. Is it time for a modern day resurgence of spooky music?

PART TWO:
Our in-depth conversation with sisters Rebecca and Megan Lovell, known to the world as duo Larkin Poe

ABOUT LARKIN POE:
Blues-based rock duo Larkin Poe is comprised of multi-instrumentalist sisters Rebecca and Megan Lovell. The Georgia natives began their career as an acoustic trio with their sister Jessica in 2004. That year they appeared on A Prairie Home Companion and won the Prairie Home National Teen Talent Competition. In 2008, the Lovell Sisters’ song “Distance” won the John Lennon Songwriting Contest grand prize in the country genre. That same year, their song “Time to Grow” received honorable mention in the International Songwriting Competition. After an impressive indie career that included two albums, as well as appearances at Bonaroo and the Grand Ole Opry, the Lovell Sisters disbanded. Rebecca and Megan reemerged as a duo pursuing a new sound that was steeped in the electric blues rather than acoustic and bluegrass music. Between 2010 and 2013 they released five indie EPs, two collaborative albums, and a live DVD. They released their debut album as a duo in 2014 and gained attention with the standout track “Don’t.” In 2016 they reissued their debut studio album under the title Reskinned, which included new tracks such as “Trouble in Mind.” With the 2017 album Peach, Megan and Rebecca took the production reigns and continued to build a following. The next year’s Venom & Faith reached #1 on Billboard’s Blues Album chart and earned the sisters their first Grammy nomination. Their sixth studio album, Blood Harmony, garnered another Grammy nomination, which resulted in their first Grammy win in 2024. Larkin Poe’s latest album is called Bloom and is set for release in January of 2025.

Storytelling folk troubadour and songwriter's songwriter David Wilcox dives deep on his creative process.

PART ONE:
Paul and Scott pay tribute to the late Kris Kristofferson and Hugh Prestwood before diving in to a cringey lyrical trend that they're happy to see fade into history. 

PART TWO:
Our in-depth conversation with David Wilcox

ABOUT DAVID WILCOX:
Emerging from the Asheville, North Carolina progressive folk scene in the late 1980s, David Wilcox signed with A&M Records and carved out a reputation as an insightful, sensitive, and often funny singer-songwriter and storyteller. His first album for the label, How Did You Find Me Here, sold over 100,000 copies on word of mouth alone. Often compared to James Taylor, Joni Mitchell and Nick Drake, Wilcox went on to build a dedicated following and establish himself as a songwriter’s songwriter. In 2008 he was honored, alongside Bob Dylan, with Acoustic Guitar magazine’s silver award in the singer-songwriter category. The San Francisco Chronicle called him the “darling of contemporary singer-songwriter folk” while Rolling Stone wrote that he “uses extended metaphors and beautifully detailed imagery in lyrics that are far more compassionate and philosophic than self-absorbed.” David has now released more than 20 albums. His most recent is My Good Friends, an acoustic collection that he describes as a fan-requested respite while he works on a new full band album.

From Miley's "Wrecking Ball" to The Weeknd's "Earned It" to his own successful instrumental albums, Oscar and Grammy nominated songwriter, composer and producer Stephan Moccio gives opens up on his creative process. 

PART ONE
Paul and Scott share some of your submissions for favorite lyric lines, as well as lyrics that bug you from songs you otherwise love. In addition, they pay tribute to past Songcraft guests JD Souther and Billy Edd Wheeler, who both recently passed away. 

PART TWO
Our in-depth conversation with Stephan Moccio.  

ABOUT STEPHAN MOCCIO
Stephan Moccio is an Oscar-nominated composer and a three-time Grammy-nominated songwriter and producer. His breakthrough came when fellow Canadian Celine Dion’s recording of “A New Day Has Come” made history by topping the Billboard Adult Contemporary chart for 21 weeks. He went on to release Exposure, his first solo album as an artist, which hit the Canadian Top 10 and was certified Gold. Since then, Moccio has balanced his creative efforts between releasing his own projects and working behind the scenes writing for other artists. 

Highlights of Stephan’s career include co-writing “I Believe” for the Vancouver Winter Olympics in 2010 and co-writing and co-producing Miley Cyrus’s multiplatinum international hit “Wrecking Ball.” Additionally, he collaborated with The Weeknd on “Earned It,” the end-credits song for Fifty Shades of Gray, which earned the rare RIAA Diamond certification and was nominated for an Academy Award. 

Stephan has also written songs for Andrea Bocelli, Avril Lavigne, Dua Lipa, James Blunt, Seal, and many more, notching seven Billboard Hot 100 hits and tallying 5 billion streams and counting. Among his solo material, 2020’s Tales of Solace yielded the single “Fracture,” what has generated over 100 million streams on Spotify. His latest release is Legends, Myths and Lavender, which was composed and recorded on the spot in the South of France. 
 

Electronic music pioneer Howard Jones joins us to talk about everything from classic hits such as "Things Can Only Get Better" and "No One is to Blame" to his recent live album, Live at the O2. 

PART ONE
Paul and Scott remind our listeners to send in their favorite lyric line, as well as their least favorite lines from songs they otherwise love. Then Richard Evans joins us to talk about his book Listening to the Music the Machines Make. 

PART TWO
Our in-depth conversation with Howard Jones

ABOUT HOWARD JONES
Electronic music pioneer Howard Jones first exploded on the scene in 1983 with his synthesizer-led UK Top 5 pop hit “New Song.” His debut album, Human’s Lib, reached #1 in 1984 in the UK and featured the hits “New Song” and “What Is Love?” In 1985, Howard released the follow-up, Dream Into Action, which became a Top Ten Platinum album in the US and featured the smash hits “Things Can Only Get Better,” “Life In One Day,” “No One Is To Blame,” and “Like To Get To Know You Well.” Other highlights from subsequent albums include “You Know I Love You…Don’t You?” which hit the Top 20, as well as the US hit “Everlasting Love.”  

To date, Howard Jones has sold over 10 million albums and continues to make new music and tour the world. His hits can be heard in high-profile television series and films such as “Stranger Things,” “Breaking Bad,” “Watchmen,” “The Carrie Diaries,” “Superstore” and “Bumblebee”. His most recent studio album is Dialogue, which was released in September, 2022, completing a trilogy of electronic releases that also includes the multimedia project Engage from 2015 and the studio album Transform from 2019. In August he released Live at the O2, which was recorded earlier this year at the famed London arena.

Shelby Lynne is celebrating the 25th anniversary of her landmark classic album I Am Shelby Lynne, which won her a Grammy award for Best New Artist. We recently sat down with Shelby to discuss the evolution of her songwriting, from her early days in Nashville to her recent genre-defying "comeback" album Consequences of the Crown. 

PART ONE
Scott and Paul talk about their favorite single lyrical lines, lyrics that bug them from songs they otherwise like, and quibble over one of Kris Kristofferson's best-known lines. Plus, they call on listeners to submit their own choices for discussion on an upcoming episode. 

PART TWO
Our in-depth interview with Shelby Lynne

ABOUT SHELBY LYNNE
Shelby Lynne won the Grammy award for Best New Artist in the wake of her genre-bending and critically-acclaimed 1999 album, I Am Shelby Lynne. But it was actually her sixth studio album on an artistic path that took time to unfold. Lynne and her sister, fellow artist Allison Moorer, grew up surrounded by country music. As detailed in Moorer’s gripping memoir, Blood, they were also surrounded by violence and trauma. Both found escape through music, with Lynne signing her first recording contract at the age of 19. Initially working with legendary producer Billy Sherrill, best known for his albums with Tammy Wynette and George Jones, Shelby released a series of albums from Nashville in the late ‘80s through the mid-‘90s. She won the Academy of Country Music’s Top New Female Vocalist Award in 1991, and was nominated for the ACM’s Top Vocal Duo of the Year honor with Faith Hill in 1996. Without any major hit singles, however, Shelby eventually took a break from recording. 

After moving to Palm Springs, California, and partnering with producer Bill Botrell in 1998, she changed direction and found new footing as an uncategorizable artist committed to artistic integrity. The result, I Am Shelby Lynne, has recently been re-released in a 25th Anniversary edition. Follow-up albums Love, Shelby, Identity Crisis, Suit Yourself, and the Dusty Springfield tribute Just a Little Lovin’ were well-received precursors to Lynne launching her own record label. Her subsequent albums Tears, Lies and Alibis, Merry Christmas, Revelation Road, and I Can’t Imagine all reached the Top 10 on Billboard’s Americana/Folk chart, as did her 2017 collaborative album with sister Allison Moorer. Shelby has recently returned to Nashville and has collaborated with Ashley Monroe, Little Big Town’s Karen Fairchild, and others to create her seventeenth album, an unflinchingly honest exploration of heartbreak, called Consequences of the Crown. 

Three-time Grammy nominee Tayla Parx talks about her artist career and her role as a behind-the-scenes songwriter who has crafted huge hits for Ariana Grande, Panic! At the Disco, Dan + Shay, and many others. 

PART ONE:
Is Dave Grohl this generation's Phil Collins? 

PART TWO:
Our in-depth interview with Tayla Parx

ABOUT TAYLA PARX:
Three-time Grammy nominee Tayla Parx is both a highly regarded artist and a successful behind-the-scenes songwriter. In 2019 she won Billboard’s “Hitmaker” award, recognizing her as the first female songwriter since 2014 to have three simultaneous Top 10 songs on the Billboard Hot 100. Her hits for other artists include Panic! At the Disco’s “High Hopes,” “Love Lies” by Khalid and Normani, Dan + Shay’s country chart topper “Glad You Exist,” and the Ariana Grande hits “thank u next,” “7 rings,” and “34+35.” She has contributed to songs by Danity Kane, Fifth Harmony, Jennifer Lopez, Keyshia Cole, Mariah Carey, Jason Derulo, Chris Brown, Pentatonix, JoJo, Alicia Keys, Meghan Trainor, Demi Lovato, Fergie, Big Boi, Christinia Aguilera, Janelle Monae, Anderson .Paak, Kesha, Megan Thee Stallion, John Legend, Dua Lipa, and many others. Her songs have amassed over 15 billion streams on Spotify and have appeared on Billboard’s pop, hip hop, R&B, Latin, and country charts, where she became the fourth Black woman in history to write a #1 country song.

Born in Dallas, Parx’s family relocated to Los Angeles where she studied at Debbie Allen’s Dance Academy. Impressed with her talent, Allen encouraged Tayla to pursue acting. Her breakthrough role came with her portrayal of Little Inez Stubbs in the 2007 remake of Hairspray, and she went on to appear on several Nickelodeon shows before signing her first songwriting deal at the age of 19. As a solo artist Tayla has released three full-length albums, an EP, and a mixtape. Her most recent album is called Many Moons, Many Suns. 

Two-time Grammy nominated duo The Secret Sisters (Laura Rogers and Lydia Slagle) join us to chat about their development as songwriters and reaching new creative heights with their latest album. 

PART ONE:
Scott and Paul chat about Scott's recent trip to see Norah Jones and Lake Street Dive perform at Red Rocks and discuss the ways concerts have changed in recent years. Plus, they take an opportunity to gripe about the changes coming to Southwest Airlines. What does that have to do with anything? Nothing, but I guess they're the ones with the microphones! 

PART TWO:
Our in-depth conversation with Laura Rogers and Lydia Slagle of The Secret Sisters

ABOUT THE SECRET SISTERS:
Two-time Grammy nominees Laura Rogers and Lydia Rogers Slagle, known as The Secret Sisters, are Alabama-born siblings who released their self-titled debut album on Universal Republic Records in 2010. Produced by Dave Cobb, the album featured primarily traditional songs and country music covers alongside two originals. The follow-up, Put Your Needle Down, was produced by T-Bone Burnett and found the sisters contributing more original material, including collaborations with Brandi Carlile and Dan Wilson. Both albums reached the Top 10 on Billboard’s folk chart. Their next two releases—You Don’t Own Me Anymore and Saturn Return—were co-produced by Brandi Carlile, and each earned a Grammy nomination for Best Folk Album. Their fifth, and most recent, studio album is called Mind, Man, Medicine and finds the sisters co-producing for the first time, alongside Ben Tanner and John Paul White, who is best known as half of the duo The Civil Wars. The album was recorded in their hometown of Muscle Shoals, Alabama, primarily at the legendary FAME Studios. 

GRAMMY-winning producer, artist, and songwriter Charlie Peacock defies categorization. Paul chats with him about everything from his early days on the Norther California jazz scene, to writing hits for the Christian music world, to producing everyone from the Civil Wars to Switchfoot. 

PART ONE:
Scott and Paul talk about aging, the Rolling Stones concert Scott just saw, the centrality of energetic drummers, and other fun stuff. 

PART TWO:
Our in-depth conversation with Charlie Peacock

ABOUT CHARLIE PEACOCK

From jazz to pop to rock to country, gospel, and Americana, Charlie Peacock is a Grammy-winning producer, artist, and songwriter who defies categorization. In addition to his own wide-ranging work as a recording artist, he has written well-known songs such “Every Heartbeat,” which was a major pop hit for Amy Grant, and “In the Light,” which is best known for the version recorded by DC Talk. He’s responsible for developing and producing the Grammy Award-winning duo The Civil Wars and the Modern Rock band Switchfoot, including their multi-platinum Top 40 pop hit “Dare You to Move.” 

Peacock launched his career as an artist on the Northern California jazz scene before recording his debut album, Lie Down in the Grass, which was released by A&M Records in the mid-1980s. After a stint with Island Records, he moved to Nashville to work as an artist and producer. His 1990 album, The Secret of Time, earned him a Grammy nomination for Best Rock/Contemporary Gospel Album. In that decade, he produced nearly 50 albums for other artists, and was named the Gospel Music Association’s Producer of the Year for three consecutive years.

The long list of artists he has produced includes Nicole Nordeman, David Crowder, Holly Williams, The Lone Bellow, Al Green, and Ladysmith Black Mambazo. He has produced a wide range of music for film and television, including the Mandy Moore film A Walk To Remember, Chris Cornell's "Misery Chain" from the soundtrack of Twelve Years a Slave, and "Hush," the title theme to the AMC drama Turn: Washington's Spies, featuring Joy Williams and Matt Berninger of The National.

As an artist, he returned to jazz with the Love Press Ex-Curio album in 2005 before embracing vocal music once again with his 2012 album No Man’s Land. In late 2015, Peacock was appointed the Director of Contemporary Music and Industry Outreach at Lipscomb University's College of Arts and Entertainment in Nashville. An author of several books, his forthcoming memoir will explore his musical life, while  his latest album as an artist, Every Kind of Uh-Oh, will be released at the end of August. 
 

Acclaimed genre-crossing songwriter and interpreter Madeleine Peyroux takes stock of her songwriting over the years and shares insights into the creation of her latest album. 

PART ONE
Paul and Scott talk music books, the value of recording, and whether or not performers should stick to a strict or loose interpretation of a song when performing live. 

PART TWO
Our in-depth conversation with Madeleine Peyroux

ABOUT MADELEINE PEYROUX
Madeleine Peyroux moved to Paris with her mother at the age of 12 and began singing with street musicians while still a teenager. She eventually joined the Lost Wandering Blues and Jazz Band, with whom she toured Europe. After being discovered by Atlantic Records she released her debut album, Dreamland, in 1996. Madeleine's commercial breakthrough came with the Gold-selling album Careless Love in 2004 and it’s single, the self-penned “Don’t Wait Too Long,” which was released by Rounder Records and topped the jazz charts. The follow-up album, Half the Perfect World, hit the Top 40 on Billboard’s US album chart. Her 2009 album, Bare Bones, was the first to feature all original material. She moved to Decca Records for the Standing on the Rooftop album in 2011 and has since released four additional studio albums. Her latest effort, Let’s Walk, features all original material and continues to showcase her masterful blending of jazz, blues, folk, pop, and more. 

Three-time GRAMMY winner and musical omnivore Bruce Hornsby chats about his wide-ranging career, from pop to bluegrass to jazz! 

PART ONE:
Paul and Scott talk about their Instagram, a wild Genesis fact, and more. 

PART TWO:
Our in-depth conversation with Bruce Hornsby

ABOUT BRUCE HORNSBY:
Thirteen-time Grammy nominee and three-time winner Bruce Hornsby has built one of the most diverse, collaborative, and adventurous careers in contemporary music. In the early 1980s Bruce was writing songs, playing sessions as a musician, and touring as member of Ambrosia and, later, Sheena Easton’s backing band. By the middle of the decade he’d formed the group Bruce Hornsby and the Range, signed a deal with RCA Records, and released his debut album, which spawned the hit singles “The Way It Is,” “Mandolin Rain,” and “Every Little Kiss.” As a result, Bruce and the band won the Grammy Award for Best New Artist in 1987. Their sophomore album, Scenes from the Southside, spawned the hit single “The Valley Road” and included Bruce’s own version of “Jacob’s Ladder,” a song he co-wrote that became a #1 hit for Huey Lewis. In addition to his own artist career, Bruce began collaborating extensively in that era, including producing Leon Russell, co-writing Don Henley’s “The End of the Innocence,” playing piano on Bonnie Raitt’s “I Can’t Make You Love Me,” and appearing on albums by everyone from Bob Dylan to Stevie Nicks to Willie Nelson. 

In the late 1980s and early 1990s Bruce increasingly began incorporating elements of bluegrass and jazz into his music. He disbanded the Range to pursue other projects, including becoming a staple of the Grateful Dead’s touring lineup. His debut solo album, Harbor Lights, was released in 1993, and he won another Grammy that year, for Best Pop Instrumental, for composing “Barcelona Mona” with Branford Marsalis for the Barcelona Olympics. He released two additional solo studio albums in the 1990s before forming a new band, The Noisemakers, which released four studio albums between 2002 and 2016. 

In that same period, he collaborated with bluegrass artist Ricky Skaggs to release one studio album and one live album, and with bassist Christian McBride and drummer Jack DeJohnette to release a jazz album called Camp Meeting. Bruce's 2014 album Solo Concerts showcased a sampling of his one-man performances. In 2019 Bruce returned to releasing studio albums as a solo artist with Absolute Zero, an album included collaborations with Blake Mills, Justin Vernon of Bon Iver, and others. Among Bruce's many collaborations includes a longstanding partnership scoring films for director Spike Lee. 

Earlier this year, Bruce released Deep Sea Vents, a water-themed collaborative album with the band yMusic that was released under the name Brhym. 

You might know Rachel Platten for the wildly successful "Fight Song," but she's in the middle of a renaissance that's bringing her artistry into a new era. 

PART ONE:
Paul and Scott  give their unfiltered responses to the new-ish 4-part Stax Records documentary streaming on Max.

PART TWO:
Our in-depth conversation with Rachel Platten.

ABOUT RACHEL PLATTEN:
Emmy Award-winning singer, songwriter, musician, and children’s book author Rachel Platten is best known for “Fight Song,” an anthemic power ballad that became an international Top Ten hit in 2015, was certified six times Platinum, has been streamed over a billion times, and was even adopted as Hillary Clinton's campaign theme song in 2016. 

Rachel’s music career began with a self-released album in 2003, followed by a move to New York City’s Greenwich Village. She found success licensing songs for films and television before releasing her album Be Here in 2009. The single “1000 Ships” hit number 23 on Billboard’s Adult Top 40 chart. Her third full-length album, Wildfire, was released on Columbia Records and featured the successful singles “Fight Song,” “Stand by You,” and “Better Place.” The follow-up album, Waves, featured the single “Broken Glass.” 

Rachel issued the non-LP single "You Belong" in 2018, signaling a sonic shift away from her prior major label releases. Exploring new creative territory by embracing her struggles with mental health, Rachel has released recent songs such as “Girls,” “Mercy,” and “Bad Thoughts.” Poised to reassert herself as an artist focused on unflinching honesty and authenticity, she will release the album I Am Rachel Platten later this year. 

Nashville-based platinum-selling indie artist Judah Akers of Judah & the Lion goes deep on the five stages of grief and finding beauty in the midst of pain.

PART ONE
Paul and Scott dive deep on how Nashville has transformed into a very different kind of "Music City USA."

PART TWO
Our in-depth conversation with Judah Akers

ABOUT JUDAH AKERS
Judah Akers is best known as the lead singer, guitarist, and primary songwriter of Judah & The Lion. Their debut EP, Sweet Tennessee, was released in 2013, climbing to #2 on Billboard’s Bluegrass Albums chart and the Top 15 on the Folk Albums chart. And the first full-length album, Kids These Days, debuted in the Top 5 on Billboard’s Folk Albums chart. Expanding their sound, the band released Folk Hop n’ Roll in 2015, landing in the Top 10 on Billboard’s Heatseekers Albums chart and the Americana/Folk Albums chart. Later that year, the song “Take it All Back” hit the top of the Alternative Songs chart for three weeks and was later certified Platinum. The follow-up single, “Suit and Jacket,” was certified Gold. Judah & the Lion’s third album, Pep Talks, hit the Top 20 on Billboard's Top 200, and the Top 5 on the Alternative Albums chart, while the singles “Over My Head” and “Why Did You Run” performed well on the Alternative Songs chart, earning them iHeart’s Best New Alternative Artist award for 2018. Their most recent album is The Process, released in May of 2024. Built around the concept of the five stages of grief, the songs are Akers’ exploration of his own mental health and life circumstances that find beauty, purpose, and even joy in the midst of the pain. 

With an ACM Top New Female Vocalist win and nearly 20 Canadian Country Music Awards, the chart-topping Carolyn Dawn Johnson chats about everything from her songwriting successes to her artist career to her co-writing with Chris Stapleton.

PART ONE
Paul and Scott dive deep on their opinions about the recently-announced Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction class of 2024.

PART TWO
Our in-depth conversation with Carolyn Dawn Johnson.

ABOUT CAROLYN DAWN JOHNSON
Canadian-born singer, songwriter, producer, and musician Carolyn Dawn Johnson moved to Nashville in the mid-1990s and started getting her songs recorded by artists such as Patty Loveless, Suzy Bogguss, Kathy Mattea, and Jo Dee Messina. Her breakthrough came in 1999 with Chely Wright’s recording of "Single White Female," which hit #1 on the country charts. Wright’s follow-up recording of Johnson’s "Downtime" also became a Top 5 hit. Carolyn was named Breakthrough Songwriter of the Year by Music Row magazine in 2000 and landed a record deal of her own with the Arista Nashville label. Her self-produced debut, Room with a View, hit the Top 10 in the US and earned Gold status in Canada. The singles "Complicated“ and "I Don’t Want You to Go“ were both Top 10 hits in the US. She won the Academy of Country Music’s Top New Female Vocalist award and swept the Canadian Country Music Awards. The follow-up album, Dress Rehearsal, also debuted in the Top 10. To date, Carolyn has earned nearly 20 Canadian Country Music Awards for songwriting, performing, and producing. As an artist she has toured with Reba McEntire, Alan Jackson, Kenny Chesney, Keith Urban, and Merle Haggard. As a backup vocalist and musician she’s toured with Ashley McBryde, Miranda Lambert, and Martina McBride. After a hiatus as an artist she has recently begun recording new music while continuing to enjoy success as a writer, including Chris Stapleton’s "The Day I Die,“ a song Carolyn and Chris wrote together that appeared on his 2023 album Higher. 
 

Folkie Americana indie hero Drew Holcomb joins us to chat about the songwriting process and which of his songs he's not a fan of! 

PART ONE
Scott and Paul debrief the experience of recently seeing the 74-year-old Bruce Springsteen perform with the energy of a teenager

PART TWO
Our in-depth conversation with Drew Holcomb

ABOUT DREW HOLCOMB
Memphis native Drew Holcomb first broke through on the national scene with the 2011 album Chasing Someday, credited to his band Drew Holcomb & the Neighbors. Subsequent studio albums, such as Good Light, Medicine, Souvenir, and Dragons hit the Top 10 on Billboard's folk and indie charts  and earned Holcomb and his bandmates a loyal following. The fiercely independent group is widely regarded as a live performance powerhouse, while Holcomb's original songs have found particular resonance with music supervisors who have made them staples of film and TV show synch placements. Whether working with the band, solo, or as a duo with his wife and fellow singer/songwriter, Ellie Holcomb,  Drew's literate folk-based Americana represents a craftman's approach to the songwriting process. The most recent album from Drew Holcomb & the Neighbors is called Strangers No More. 

Grammy winners and astonishingly fabulous musicians Chris Thile, Sean Watkins, and Sara Watkins of Nickel Creek join us to chat about their fresh approach to songwriting on their most recent album, Celebrants. 

PART ONE
Paul and Scott chat about musical virtuosity, Beyonce, Ricky Skaggs, and the blending of musical genres. 

PART TWO
Our in-depth conversation with Nickel Creek

ABOUT NICKEL CREEK

GRAMMY Award-winning trio Nickel Creek—mandolinist Chris Thile, violinist Sara Watkins, and guitarist Sean Watkins—formed a group as young children in Southern California and honed their chops on the bluegrass circuit for a decade before signing with Sugar Hill Records. Their platinum-selling debut self-titled album was produced by Alison Krauss in 2000 and revolutionized bluegrass and folk music, helping usher in a new era of what we now know as Americana. The genre-bending group has earned nine Grammy nominations across categories in bluegrass, country, folk, contemporary folk, Americana, and American Roots.    

Each member of Nickel Creek has taken part in a number of outside projects over the years. Thile is a 2012 recipient of a MacArthur Fellowship and served as the host of the radio show Live from Here (formerly known as A Prairie Home Companion) from 2016 to 2020. He has also released collaborative albums with world-renowned musicians as well as six studio albums with his Grammy-winning band Punch Brothers. Sean Watkins is a co-founder of Watkins Family Hour alongside Sara, which has released three albums and maintains a long-running collaborative show in Los Angeles. Sean has also released a string of solo albums, while Sara’s extracurricular projects include the aforementioned Watkins Family Hour, as well as the Grammy-winning roots trio I’m With Her. Sara has released four studio albums and has contributed fiddle to recordings by artists such as Phoebe Bridgers, the Killers and John Mayer.

The Grammy-nominated Celebrants, Nickel Creek’s fifth studio album and first project in nine years, was recorded at Nashville’s historic RCA Studio A and released to overwhelming critical acclaim in 2023.  

Ninety-eight-year-old Songwriters Hall of Famer Alan Bergman chats with us about a wide-ranging career that started with Johnny Mercer and continues to today. 

PART ONE
Paul and Scott talk about the Abba Voyage virtual concert and scare themselves with the possibilities of digital technology. 

PART TWO
Our in-depth interview with Alan Bergman

ABOUT ALAN BERGMAN
Alan Bergman and his late wife Marilyn joined forces professionally in the 1950s to create one of the most successful songwriting teams of all time. Though both musicians, the pair are best known as lyricists, and they found particular success writing for the silver screen. The Bergmans earned eleven Grammy nominations, including four nominations for Song of Year. They won the Song of the Year honor for “The Way We Were” from the Barbra Streisand film of the same name. They received fifteen Academy Award nominations for Best Original Song, winning twice for “The Windmills of Your Mind” and “The Way We Were,” and earning a record-setting three nominations in a single year in 1982. The following year they won their third Oscar, for Best Original Song Score, for the Yentl soundtrack, which included Best Original Song nominees “Papa, Can You Hear Me” and “The Way He Makes Me Feel.” Other highlights from the Bergman catalog include “Nice ‘n Easy” performed by Frank Sinatra, “The Summer Knows,” recorded by Sarah Vaughn, “You Don’t Bring Me Flowers,” which they wrote with Neil Diamond, “Someone in the Dark,” which Michael Jackson recorded for the E.T. soundtrack, and “I Knew I Loved You,” which was recorded by Celine Dion. Additionally, the four-time Emmy award winners were inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame and were recipients of the National Music Publishers Association Lifetime Achievement Award. The Bergmans held a number of executive positions in various organizations, including serving on the executive committee of the Music Branch of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and as board members of the National Academy of Songwriters. From 1994-2009 Marilyn served as the president of ASCAP. Their songs have been recorded by Fred Astaire, Johnny Mathis, Sergio Mendes, Ray Charles, Bing Crosby, Stan Getz, Dusty Springfield, Diana Ross, Gladys Knight, Glen Campbell, Sting, Natalie Cole, Tony Bennett, Norah Jones, and countless others. We’re thrilled to share this conversation with the now 98-year-old Alan Bergman, recorded at his home back in August. 

SUMMARY:
Norah Jones joins us to chat about her new album Visions and the evolution of her songwriting since she took the world by storm in 2002. Afterward, stick around for a very special conversation with Tish Melton. The 18-year-old songwriter discusses her new Brandi-Carlile produced EP and more. 

PART ONE:
Paul and Scott reflect on Norah Jones's unique place in the musical world, the central role of patience in the delivery of a great song, the Tracy Chapman and Luke Combs Grammy performance, Joni Mitchell, Brandi Carlile, and the beauty of cross-generational musical collaboration.

PART TWO:
Our career-spanning in-depth interview with Norah Jones.

PART THREE:
Spotlight profile on Tish Melton, a talented young singer-songwriter who recorded her Brandi Carlile-produced EP at the age of 17. The high school senior has just released it to the world and gives us a little insight into early steps on what we know will be a long musical journey.

ABOUT NORAH JONES
Norah Jones catapulted onto the music scene at the age of 22 with the release of her now classic debut album, Come Away with Me. She took home five Grammy awards in 2003 alone, including Best New Artist, Record of the Year, and Album of the Year, while Come Away with Me went on to be certified twelve times platinum. The follow up album, Feels Like Home, became another international chart topper, establishing Norah as a consistent genre-bending musical force. In total, she has released nine solo studio albums for the legendary Blue Note Records; multiple projects with side bands such as The Little Willies, El Madmo, and Puss n Boots; collaborative albums with Danger Mouse, Willie Nelson, and Billie Joe Armstrong; and duets or guest appearances with a diverse list of artists that includes Ray Charles, Dolly Parton, OutKast, Ryan Adams, Foo Fighters, Talib Kweli, Jerry Lee Lewis, Herbie Hancock, Tony Bennett, Keith Richards, Mavis Staples, Emmylou Harris, Logic, and Wilco. Over the course of her career Norah has been nominated for 19 Grammy awards, winning nine of them, and has sold more than 50 million records worldwide. Her latest album, Visions, was produced by Leon Michels, and was just released on March 8th.      

Blackberry Smoke frontman and primary songwriter Charlie Starr goes deep on his music's Southern roots and wide-ranging appeal.

PART ONE
Paul and Scott talk Pearl Jam's new single, how travel defines fanhood, and why Blackberry Smoke are a force to be reckoned with when it comes to playing live. 

PART TWO
Our in-depth interview with Charlie Starr

ABOUT CHARLIE STARR
Charlie Starr is a guitarist, vocalist, and the primary songwriter of the Atlanta-based Blackberry Smoke. Building a dedicated fanbase over the past two decades, Blackberry Smoke has perfected a gritty Southern brand of rootsy rock & roll that crosses genres. Their commercial breakthrough came with the 2012 album The Whippoorwill, which landed on Billboard’s mainstream, country, Americana, and indie charts. Their follow up album, Holding All the Roses, produced by Brendan O’Brien, became the first independently released album in modern history to hit #1 on the Billboard Country Album chart. Both Holding All the Roses and the follow up, Like an Arrow, hit #1 on the UK Rock chart in addition to topping the US country chart. Their 2021 album, You Hear Georgia, topped the Billboard Americana/Folk chart, giving the band dominance in yet another musical category. Blackberry Smoke’s most recent release, recorded with the help of Grammy-winning producer Dave Cobb, is called Be Right Here. 

90-year-old blues legend Bobby Rush joins us for a wide-ranging and revealing conversation about songwriting, music, life, and so much more!

PART ONE:
Scott and Paul chat about Scott's experiences at the Grammy awards, including running into Ted Danson, Jason Isbell, Verdine White, and others. Plus seeing the Killer Mike drama go down and getting soaked in the biggest storm in recent Los Angeles memory! 

PART TWO:
Our in-person an in-depth conversation with living legend Bobby Rush

ABOUT BOBBY RUSH:
 One of the last of the golden era blues artists, 90-year-old Bobby Rush has been preforming professionally since the 1940s. After a stint traveling with the Rabbit’s Foot Minstrels as a teenager, he toured the juke joints of Louisiana, Arkansas, and Mississippi before settling in Chicago in the 1950s. Starting in 1964, he released a string of singles on seven different record labels before releasing his first album, Rush Hour, in 1979. Bobby has since amassed an impressive body of recorded work that covers funk, soul, blues, and other influences. Penning much of his own material, his standards include “Chicken Heads,” “Bow Legged Woman,” “I Wanna Do the Do,” “Sue,” “One Monkey Don’t Stop No Show,” “Big Fat Woman,” “Night Fishin’,” and “Down in Mississippi.” At the age of 83, he won his first Grammy award. Bobby is now a three-time Grammy winner (with seven nominations), is in the Blues Hall of Fame, and has won 16 Blues Music Awards. Rolling Stone magazine dubbed the charismatic entertainer ”the King of the Chitllin’ Circuit.” Also known as “the Funkiest Man Alive,” Bobby Rush shows no signs of slowing down. His most recent album is 2023’s Grammy-winning All My Love For You. 

Tags: Grammy nominee, Grammy winner, Blues Hall of Fame

 

Rock & Roll Hall of Famer Duff McKagan, best known as a member of Guns N' Roses and Velvet Revolver, talks about writing songs with his legendary bandmates, a few of his various side projects, and his genre-spanning recent album, Lighthouse.

PART ONE
Scott and Paul shout out some Patreon supporters and reflect on the small handful of artists who, like Guns N' Roses, emerged on the scene and completely changed the game. 

PART TWO
Our in-depth interview with Duff McKagan

ABOUT DUFF McKAGAN
Though best known as the bassist for Guns N’ Roses, Duff McKagan wears many musical hats. He started his career in Seattle playing various instruments in various punk bands. Following a stint on guitar in the group 10 Minute Warning he moved to Los Angeles, and eventually ended up in Guns N' Roses. Starting in 1987, they released a steady stream of classics with songwriting credits to the whole band, including “Welcome to the Jungle,” “Sweet Child o’ Mine,” “Paradise City,” and “Patience.” As the 1990s dawned, the group released the albums Use Your Illusion I and II, which included Duff-penned songs such as “Civil War,” which he co-wrote with Slash and Axl Rose, and “So Fine,” which he wrote solo, and on which he performed the lead vocal. 

Following Duff’s first solo album, Believe in Me, in 1993, he formed the supergroup Neurotic Outsiders, which included Steve Jones of the Sex Pistols, John Taylor of Duran Duran, and Matt Sorum of The Cult and Guns N’ Roses. After departing Guns N’ Roses in 1997, Duff returned to 10 Minute Warning before forming a new band called Loaded. That band went on hiatus when he launched Velvet Revolver with Loaded guitarist Dave Kushner, Slash, Matt Sorum, and Scott Weiland of Stone Temple Pilots. Writing the songs with the whole band, they found success with tracks such as “Slither” and “Fall to Pieces.” 

In 2016 Duff and Slash officially returned to Guns N’ Roses to headline Coachella. Prior to his return, he played with various groups, including a revival of Loaded, Alice Cooper’s band, Jane’s Addiction, and Hollywood Vampire. Since returning to Guns N’ Roses Duff has remained busy with outside projects. His solo album Tenderness, produced by Shooter Jennings, was released in 2019. He co-wrote five songs on Ozzy Osbourne’s Ordinary Man album, and co-wrote three songs on Iggy Pop’s album Every Loser. 

The Rock & Roll Hall of Famer's  most recent solo effort, entitled Lighthouse, was released in 2023. 

SUMMARY:
Audley Freed founded the band Cry of Love before going on to become a well-known guitarist for the Black Crowes, the Dixie Chicks, Sheryl Crow, and many others. He sits down with Songcraft at his Nashville home to go deep on his own fandom, the kind of musician he tries to be, and how his riffs have kickstarted some great songs. 

PART ONE:
Paul and Scott geek out over the new Black Crowes single and review that band's role in their friendship, give some background on this historically unique Songcraft episode, and much more.

PART TWO:
Our in-depth conversation with Audley Freed  

ABOUT AUDLEY FREED:
Musician and songwriter Audley Freed launched his career with the band Cry of Love. Their debut album Brother, on Columbia Records, spawned two #1 and two Top Ten AOR hits, including the Freed co-written “Peace Pipe,” named by Billboard magazine as one of the “top 50 AOR songs of all time.” After a second Cry of Love album, Freed went on to join The Black Crowes. Spending three years with the band, he performed on the album Lions and the Gold-certified double live album Jimmy Page & The Black Crowes: Live at the Greek. He has toured as a guitarist with Jakob Dylan, Peter Frampton, Joe Perry, The Dixie Chicks, and many others, and has played on albums by Rodney Crowell, Alison Krauss, Kenny Chesney, and more. Audley has been a member of the bands Big Hat and Trigger Hippy, and has been a member of Sheryl Crow’s band for more than a decade. As a songwriter, his music has been recorded by Chris Robinson, Gov’t Mule, Kid Rock, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Allison Moorer, Train, Gary Allan, and Wade Bowen, among others.

 

SUMMARY:
Songwriters Hall of Famer JD Souther joins Scott and Paul for an in-depth interview to kick off the New Year! 

PART ONE:
Paul and Scott welcome two very special guests (ages 8 and 5) to help set the tone for the new year. Plus they reveal the clever message a listener sent in to win the Stax Christmas LP from the last episode. 

PART TWO:
Our in-depth conversation with JD Souther

ABOUT JD SOUTHER:
JD Souther is perhaps best known for writing or co-writing ten songs recorded by the Eagles, including “Victim of Love,” “The Sad Café,” “How Long,” and the #1 hits “Best of My Love,” “New Kid in Town,” and “Heartache Tonight.” Another ten of his songs were recorded by Linda Ronstadt, among them “Faithless Love,” “Prisoner in Disguise,” and “Simple Man, Simple Dream.” The list of other artists who have drawn from the JD Souther songbook includes Bonnie Raitt, Rod Stewart, Conway Twitty, Glen Campbell, George Strait, Trisha Yearwood, Tom Jones, Roy Orbison, Raul Malo, Michael Buble, India.Arie, and Crosby, Stills & Nash. Additionally, JD co-wrote three songs with Don Henley on his End of the Innoncence album, including “Heart of the Matter,” and found success with the Dixie Chicks’ cover of his “I’ll Take Care of You.” As an artist, JD launched his career with the group Longbranch / Pennywhistle, which he founded with future Eagle Glenn Frey. Soon after, he co-founded the Souther-Hillman-Furay Band with Chris Hillman of The Byrds and the Flying Burrito Brothers, and Richie Furay of Buffalo Springfield and Poco. In total, JD has released seven solo studio albums between 1972 and 2015, and landed two Top 10 hits as a recording artist with “You’re Only Lonely” and the James Taylor duet “Her Town Too.” Souther was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2013. 

SUMMARY
In this very special holiday episode of Songcraft, we're taking it back to Christmas at Stax, featuring conversations with some of the luminaries of the storied Memphis label that dominated Southern soul music in the 1960s and 70s. You'll hear from Deanie Parker, William Bell, and Carla Thomas as we celebrate the season and close the book on another year at Songcraft. 

PART ONE
Paul and Scott reflect on 2023, talk Grammy nominations, and tease upcoming episodes for 2024.

PART TWO
Interview segments with Deanie Parker, William Bell, and Carla Thomas about their original holiday songs and what Christmas was like at Stax Records in the glory days. 

SUMMARY:
Two-time Grammy nominee and acclaimed singer-songwriter Peter Case joins Songcraft to talk about his wide-ranging career.

PART ONE:
Scott and Paul chat about instruments that are nearly as famous as their players. 

PART TWO:
Our in-depth interview with Peter Case

ABOUT PETER CASE:
Two-time Grammy nominee Peter Case made a name for himself in the pioneering California power pop trio The Nerves before going on to form The Plimsouls, which made a splash with the single “A Million Miles Away.” Launching a solo career with producer T Bone Burnett in the mid-1980s, Case went on to earn a reputation as a songwriter’s songwriter with staples such as “Old Blue Car,” “Entella Hotel,” “Two Angels,” “Travellin’ Light,” “Dream About You,” and “Beyond the Blues.” His songs have been recorded by The Go-Go’s, Marshall Crenshaw, Goo Goo Dolls, John Prine, Robert Earl Keen, James McMurtry, Chris Smither, Robert Randolph, John Prine, Alejandro Escovedo, Joe Ely, Hayes Carll, Dave Alvin, and others. Peter’s most recent album, Doctor Moan, is his first collection of original songs in seven years.  

SUMMARY:
Bush front man Gavin Rossdale joins to chat about the band's first career-spanning compilation as he looks back on all the classic songs. 

PART ONE:
This is a long one that covers Scott's eyewitness account of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony, Paul's experience at U2's Sphere show, and the guys' thoughts on new music from the Rolling Stones and the Beatles. 

PART TWO (28 minute mark):
Our in-depth conversation with Gavin Rossdale

ABOUT GAVIN ROSSDALE:
As the lead vocalist, guitarist, songwriter and founder of the band Bush, Gavin Rossdale has sold over 24 million records in the U.S. and Canada, garnered over 1 billion streams, and won the prestigious Ivor Novello Award for International Achievement in Songwriting. He and the band are responsible for a string of 25 consecutive Top 40 hit singles on Billboard’s Modern, Mainstream, and Active Rock charts spanning over 30 years. Seven of those songs reached #1, including “Comedown,” “Glycerine,” “Machinehead,” the Grammy-nominated “Swallowed,” and 2022’s “More Than Machines.” Rossdale has also starred in films such as The Bling Ring and Constantine, and has found success with his solo work, including the Top 40 single “Love Remains the Same.” Bush recently released its critically-acclaimed ninth studio album, The Art Of Survival. Gavin and the band’s latest project is called Loaded: The Greatest Hits, 1994-2023, and is Bush’s first career-spanning compilation. 

SUMMARY:
Grammy-nominated artist and songwriter Dave Barnes joins us to chat about his recording career, his hits for other artists, and his latest album that was inspired from an entire year listening to nothing but the Beatles

PART ONE:
Scott and Paul talk about concept albums and reveal their favorites

PART TWO:
Our in-depth conversation with Dave Barnes

ABOUT DAVE BARNES:
Nashville-based singer, songwriter, musician, podcaster and comedian Dave Barnes began his professional life as an indie touring musician in the early 2000s. After a couple of critically-acclaimed albums, he signed with Razor & Tie Records and released his third full-length studio effort, Me and You and the World. The follow-up album, What We Want, What We Get, included the single “God Gave Me You,” which became a Top 5 Contemporary Christian hit for Dave and was subsequently recorded by Blake Shelton. The cover version became a #1 hit on country radio, went five times Platinum, and earned Dave a Grammy nomination for Best Country Song and a CMA nomination for Song of the Year. He found additional success writing with and for other country artists, including Thomas Rhett and Maren Morris’s #1 duet “Craving You,” Carrie Underwood’s “Kingdom,” and “Like a Lady,” a Top 20 single by Lady A. The list of artists who have recorded his songs also includes Reba McEntire, Tim McGraw, and Christian artist Bethany Dillon, who scored a Top 5 hit with “All I Need.” 

Drawn to thematic projects, Dave has released two Christmas albums, two Valentine’s Day LPs, and an album paying tribute to the sounds of '70s Southern California called Carry On, San Vicente. To date, he has released over a dozen full-length studio albums. The most recent, Featherbrained Wealth Motel, came after a year Dave spent listening solely to The Beatles. 

SUMMARY:
Celebrated songwriter Natalie Merchant chats about her songwriting, from her days fronting 10,000 Maniacs up to her most recent album, Keep Your Courage. 

PART ONE: 
Were the Lilith Fair-era 1990s the best time for women in music? Scott and Paul discuss.

PART TWO:
Our in-depth conversation with the legendary Natalie Merchant

ABOUT:
Natalie Merchant launched her career as the lead vocalist and primary lyricist of the band 10,000 Maniacs, which broke through with the double Platinum album In My Tribe in 1987. Subsequent albums Blind Man’s Zoo and Our Time in Eden spawned the Merchant-penned singles “Trouble Me” and “These Are Days,” respectively. Following an appearance on MTV Unplugged and a hit single covering Bruce Springsteen and Patti Smith’s “Because the Night,” Natalie departed the band to launch a solo career. Her debut album, Tigerlily, featured the Top 10 singles “Carnival,” “Wonder,” and “Jealousy,” and was certified five times Platinum. She has gone on to release nine solo studio albums, including the Platinum-selling Ophelia, which spawned the single “Kind & Generous”; Leave Your Sleep, which topped the US folk charts; and a 2014 self-titled release that reached the Top 5 on Billboard’s rock chart. Recent years have found Natalie rearranging her songs for string quintet and acoustic instruments for the documentary Paradise Is There, directing Shelter, a documentary on domestic violence, curating the 10-disc box The Natalie Merchant Collection, and spending four days a week working with children as an artist-in-residence at a non-profit pre-school. In November 2022, Natalie was appointed to a six-year term on the board of trustees for the American Folklife Center at The Library of Congress. Her ninth studio album, and first album of all new, original material in nine years, is the self-produced Keep Your Courage on Nonesuch Records. 
 

Summary:
Josh Ritter, named one of the "100 Greatest Living Songwriters" by Paste magazine, dives deep with Scott on the evolution of his songwriting and the boundaries he pushed on his most recent album. 

Part One:
Scott and Paul talk about politicians who play music. Because SOMEONE needs to talk about it! 

Part Two:
Scott's in-depth conversation with Josh Ritter

About Josh Ritter:
Named one of the “100 Greatest Living Songwriters” by Paste magazine, Josh Ritter has released eleven critically acclaimed studio albums. Carving out a reputation as a thoughtful and poetic lyricist, Ritter’s music been covered by Bob Weir, Joan Baez, and Bob Dylan. Attracting attention for breakout songs such as “Getting Ready to Get Down,” “Kathleen,” and “Miles Away,” Ritter is no stranger to critics’ best albums of the year lists. His 2019 album, Fever Breaks, was produced by Jason Isbell and backed by Isbell’s band, the 400 Unit. His most recent album, which reunites him with his own Royal City Band and finds him continuing to push sonic boundaries, is called Spectral Lines. 

SUMMARY:
You wanted the best, you got the best! Rock & Roll Hall of Famer Paul Stanley of KISS joins Songcraft to talk about his long and diverse career through the lens of his role as a songwriter.

PART ONE:
Paul and Scott talk about musicians who adopt personas, how KISS seems to have the best timing of any musical group of all time, and their respective frightening memories of the band. Then they spend the rest of the time pinching themselves that Paul freakin' Stanley is on Songcraft.  

PART TWO:
Our in-depth conversation with Rock & Roll Hall of Famer Paul Stanley

ABOUT PAUL STANLEY:

Paul Stanley is best known for his vocals, guitar, and outlandish stage performances that have helped define KISS. Combining elements of shock rock and glam to set a new standard for theatrical arena rock, Stanley’s Starchild persona, alongside fellow band co-founder Gene Simmons’s Demon character, has become one of the most iconic figures in music history. One of the best-selling bands of all time, KISS has sold over 75 million albums worldwide, and has earned more Gold-certified albums than any other band in the US. Fourteen of their albums have been certified Platinum, three of which have earned multi-Platinum status. Stanley has written or co-written many of the band’s best-known songs, including “Strutter,” “Rock and Roll All Nite,” “Shout it Out Loud,” “Detroit Rock City,” “God of Thunder,” “Hard Luck Woman,” “Love Gun,” “I Was Made for Lovin’ You,” “Lick it Up,” “Heaven’s on Fire,” “Crazy, Crazy Nights,” “Forever,” and many others. 

In addition to his work with the band, Stanley released a self-titled debut album in 1978, and another solo album in 2006 called Live to Win. More recently, he released the album Now and Then, a collection of R&B classics alongside vintage-style originals under the name Paul Stanley’s Soul Station. Defying categorization, he has written a hit song with Michael Bolton, duetted with Sarah Brightman, and even starred in a production of Phantom of the Opera. Paul’s songs have been covered by a diverse list of artists, including Cher, Nirvana, The Replacements, Green Day, Ronnie Spector, Bonnie Tyler, Toad the Wet Sprocket, and Garth Brooks. As a member of KISS, Paul was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2014. This fall, the band wraps the final leg of their End of the Road tour, culminating in a pair of shows at Madison Square Garden in New York, the city where KISS first formed in 1972. 

SUMMARY
Stax Records legend Deanie Parker talks about writing songs for Otis Redding, Albert King, William Bell, and Carla Thomas, dives deep on what made the Stax environment so special, and shines a light on the recently-released box sets of forgotten Stax songwriter demos. 

PART ONE
Scott and Paul discuss the wild story behind the monumental box set Written in Their Soul: The Stax Songwriter Demos.

PART TWO
Our in-depth interview with Deanie Parker

ABOUT DEANIE PARKER
While still in high school, Deanie Parker won a Memphis talent contest and an audition for Jim Stewart at Stax Records. He signed her and released her debut single, on the Volt label, in 1963. The self-penned “My Imaginary Guy” became a regional hit, but the life of a touring artist was not for Parker. She became the first Black employee at Stax’s Satellite Record Shop before joining the label staff as the company’s first publicist in 1964. Learning on the job while studying journalism at Memphis State, Parker eventually became the company’s Vice President of Public Affairs. One of the first female publicists in the music industry, she worked closely with Isaac Hayes, Booker T & the MG’s, Rufus and Carla Thomas, Johnnie Taylor, Albert King, and others. 

Wearing many hats at Stax, Deanie continued to write songs with colleagues such as Steve Cropper, Booker T. Jones, Eddie Floyd, Bettye Crutcher, Mack Rice, Mable John, and Homer Banks, with whom she penned the soul classic “Ain’t That a Lot of Love.” The list of Stax artists who recorded her songs includes Otis Redding, Carla Thomas, William Bell, Sam & Dave, The Staple Singers, and more. Her other writing skills were put to use penning liner notes for classic albums such as Sam & Dave’s Hold On, I’m Comin’, Albert King’s Born Under a Bad Sign, Otis Redding’s Live in Europe, and Shirley Brown’s Woman to Woman. 

From 1987 through 1995, Deanie served as the Assistant Director of the Memphis in May International Festival. A tireless champion of the Stax legacy, she became the first President and CEO of Soulsville, the nonprofit organization established to build and manage the Stax Museum of American Soul Music, Stax Music Academy, and the Soulsville Charter School. She was appointed to the Tennessee Arts Commission in 2004 and, in 2009, was awarded two Emmy awards for the I Am a Man documentary short, for which she was an executive producer and the title song composer. 

The list of artists outside the Stax family who’ve covered Deanie Parker’s songs includes The Rolling Stones, Elvis Costello, Darlene Love, Taj Mahal, Three Dog Night, The Flying Burrito Brothers, The Band, New York Dolls, Simply Red, Hall & Oates, and many others. She is a co-producer and co-liner notes writer of the seven-CD collection Written in Their Soul: The Stax Songwriter Demos, and was recently announced as a 2023 inductee into the Memphis Music Hall of Fame. 

SUMMARY:
Zach Williams of The Lone Bellow chats about his songwriting development and the band's latest album, Love Songs for Losers

PART ONE:
Scott and Paul dive deep on the evolution of George Michael's "Careless Whisper" and the role that production plays in presenting a great song.

PART TWO:
Our in-depth conversation with Zach Williams of The Lone Bellow

ABOUT ZACH WILLIAMS:
Originally delving into songwriting as a way to cope with a family medical crisis, Zach Williams eventually moved to New York City to seriously pursue a career as a writer and performer. There, he formed the group The Lone Bellow, which released its self-titled debut album in early 2013. People magazine named it among the top 10 albums of the year, and it earned the attention of Aaron Dessner of the band The National, who produced The Lone Bellow’s second album, Then Came the Morning. The group subsequently earned an Americana Music Award nomination for Duo or Group of the Year, and relocated to Nashville soon after. They went on to record a third album in Nashville with producer Dave Cobb before making yet another record with Aaron Dessner. The band’s most recent release, Love Songs for Losers, is their first self-produced album. The lead single “Honey” became their first Top 10 single on Billboard’s Adult Alternative Airplay chart. 

 

SUMMARY:
Lake Street Dive's Rachael Price and composer/guitarist Vilray discuss their dynamic duo that preserves the spirit of the Great American Songbook with original music.  

PART ONE:
Scott tells a story about a bad demo that helped him learn an important lesson. Then Paul introduces a pop quiz to identify songs solely based on their drum intros. Scott does OK. 

PART TWO:
Scott's in-depth interview with Rachael & Vilray 

ABOUT RACHAEL & VILRAY:
Rachael and Vilray first met when they were both students at the New England Conservatory of Music. Rachael Price went on to form the band Lake Street Dive with their fellow students Michael Calabrese, Bridget Kearney, and Mike “McDuck” Olson, while Vilray developed his own path as a solo performer. Inspired by a shared love of classic Tin Pan Alley pop standards, the duo came together in 2015, eventually signing with Nonesuch Records. They released their self-titled debut in 2019, and the more elaborately produced I Love a Love Song album earlier this year. While Rachael contributes as a songwriter in other contexts, vocalist and guitarist Vilray is the sole writer of the duo’s original songs. Heavily steeped in classic songwriting traditions with a contemporary flourish, the music of Rachael & Vilray is simultaneously fresh and timeless. The pair joined Scott for a conversation about songwriting and song interpretation earlier this year when I Love a Long Song was first released.   

SUMMARY:
We chat with Ashley Gorley who, with more #1 singles than any writer in any genre, is the reigning king of country music songwriters. 

PART ONE:
Paul and Scott discuss the state of contemporary country music, the way the genre has come to dominate the pop chart, and the rapidly-changing nature of what's the most popular song at any given moment.

PART TWO:
Our in-depth conversation with Ashley Gorley

ABOUT ASHLEY GORLEY:
With an unprecedented track record of nearly 70 chart-topping country hits, Ashley Gorley is perhaps the most commercially successful songwriter in history. He has written more #1 singles than anyone in any genre, and has had over 400 of his songs recorded by artists such as Morgan Wallen, Chris Stapleton, Luke Bryan, Thomas Rhett, Carrie Underwood, Blake Shelton, Kelsea Ballerini, Lee Brice, Brad Paisley, Darius Rucker, Bon Jovi, and Weezer. Ashley has been named ASCAP Country Songwriter of the Year nine times, Billboard Country Songwriter of the Year six times, and NSAI Songwriter of the Year six times. He was then named NSAI Songwriter of the Decade for the period ranging from 2010-2019. Additionally, Ashley was honored as the Top Male Songwriter of 2021—across all genres—by the National Music Publishers Association. In 2023 the NMPA honored him with their icon award for non-performing songwriters. The multiple CMA, ACM, and Grammy nominee has received the CMA’s Triple Play Award 20 times in his career, which recognizes songwriters with three or more #1 songs in a single year. In 2016, Ashley became the first songwriter to be honored with three CMA Triple Play Awards in a single year for earning nine chart-topping songs in a 12-month period. He repeated that feat in 2020 and again in 2022. This year, Gorley was announced as ACM Songwriter of the Year, also taking home the Song of the Year award and celebrating three Song of the Year nominations, placing him in rare company with Kris Kristofferson and Merle Haggard, the only other songwriters to achieve the same feat in a single year. In addition to his decorated career as a songwriter, Ashley launched his own music publishing company, Tape Room Music, with a writer roster that has earned nearly 40 #1 hits. 

SUMMARY:
REO Speedwagon's Kevin Cronin sits down in person with Scott and Paul for an amazingly in-depth conversation about his career and his legendary songs "Roll with the Changes," "Time for Me to Fly," "Keep on Loving You," and "Can't Fight This Feeling," and more! 

PART ONE: 
Paul and Scott talk about the resurgence of Tracy Chapman's "Fast Car," the current historical invasion of the pop charts by the country genre, the time they absolutely massacred REO Speedwagon's "Time for Me to Fly" in their high school cover band, and how you can hear 18 minutes of bonus audio detailing the wild saga that led to this episode. 

PART TWO:
Our in-depth conversation with Kevin Cronin

ABOUT KEVIN CRONIN:
Kevin Cronin joined REO Speedwagon as the band’s lead singer prior to the release of the group’s second album in 1972. He contributed three songs to the project, including “Music Man,” but departed during the recording of the follow-up LP Ridin’ The Storm Out. After a brief solo career, Kevin returned to the group in 1976 and went on to write some of its most enduring songs, including “Roll with the Changes,” “Time for Me to Fly,” and “Don’t Let Him Go.” Additionally, he wrote the band’s only number one hits, “Keep on Loving You” and “Can’t Fight This Feeling,” cementing REO Speedwagon’s legacy as both classic rockers and masters of the power ballad. In a career spanning more than five decades, REO Speedwagon has sold more than 40 million records and has landed more than a dozen Top 40 hits on the Billboard chart, including “Take it On the Run,” which was written by lead guitarist Gary Richrath. In addition to Kevin’s success with his own band, his songs have been covered by artists ranging from The Lemonheads to Dolly Parton. The Grammy-nominated music legend also happens to be just about the nicest rock star you’ll ever meet. 
 

SUMMARY
David Shaw, lead singer and one of the primary songwriters of the New Orleans-based band The Revivalists joins us to talk about the band's history, their three #1 Billboard singles, the times they opened for The Rolling Stones, and their new album, Pour it Out Into the Night.

PART ONE
Paul and Scott offer up opportunities for song critiques, co-writing, and a lot of other cool Patreon perks.

PART TWO
Our in-depth conversation with David Shaw of The Revivalists

ABOUT DAVID SHAW
David Shaw is the lead singer and one of the primary songwriters of the New Orleans based band The Revivalists. Formed by Shaw and guitarist Zack Feinberg, the now eight-piece group has released five full-length studio albums and two EPs since 2008. Their breakout single, “Wish I Knew You” from 2016 hit #1 on Billboard’s Alternative Airplay chart and has been certified double Platinum. Additionally, they’ve topped the Billboard Adult Alternative Airplay chart with their songs “All My Friends” and “Kid.” The latter is the lead single off The Revivalists most recent album, Pour It Out Into the Night.
 

Summary:
Rock & Roll Hall of Famer Graham Nash joins us to talk about CSN, his solo career, and his most recent album.

Part One:
Joe Biden and Donald Trump are the two oldest presidents in American history. And it looks like they might square off once again in a contest of the aged. But guess which rock stars are older than our oldest presidents? Scott and Paul hash it out, and you might be surprised. 

Part Two:
Our in-depth conversation with Graham Nash

About Graham Nash:
Grammy winner Graham Nash began his career with The Hollies, co-writing the Top 5 singles “Stop Stop Stop,” “On a Carousel,” and “Carrie Anne,” as well as penning the critically-acclaimed “King Midas in Reverse.” After leaving the group he joined forces with David Crosby of The Byrds and Stephen Stills of Buffalo Springfield to assemble one of music’s first supergroups, Crosby, Stills & Nash. As a trio, and as a quartet with Neil Young, CSN became one of the most popular groups of the 1970s. As a songwriter, Nash contributed such classics to the group as “Marrakesh Express,” “Lady of the Island,” “Teach Your Children,” “Our House,” and the Top 10 hits “Just a Song Before I Go” and “Wasted on the Way.” As a solo artist, he penned classics such as “Better Days,” “Chicago,” and “Prison Song.” Nash is a member of the Songwriters Hall of Fame, and was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame as both a member of the Hollies and CSN. Additionally, he was appointed an Officer of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (OBE) by Queen Elizabeth II. While continually building his musical legacy, Graham is also a renowned photographer and visual artist whose work has been shown in galleries and museums worldwide. His latest project, and his seventh studio album as a solo artist, is entitled Now. 



 

SUMMARY:
With nine Grammy nominations and a GMA Dove Award for Songwriter of the Year, Matt Maher is one of the leading songwriters in contemporary Christian music. He joins us for a wide-ranging conversation about creativity, collaboration, and and his evolving career. 

PART ONE:
Paul and Scott talk about the recent Ed Sheeran copyright infringement trial.

PART TWO:
Our in-depth conversation with Matt Maher

ABOUT MATT MAHER:
Matt Maher is one of the leading songwriters in contemporary Christian music. Raised in Canada, he studied jazz at Arizona State University before launching an artist career and releasing his major label debut, Empty & Beautiful, in 2008. The album spawned the Top 5 single “Your Grace is Enough.” He went on to find further success as an artist with self-penned songs such as “Alive Again,” “Hold Us Together,” “All the People Said Amen,” and the double platinum single “Lord, I Need You.” He has been nominated for nine Grammy awards and was named the GMA Dove Award Songwriter of the Year in 2015. Finding great success with parenthetical titles, Matt has written four songs that have hit #1 on Billboard’s Christian Airplay chart for him as an artist: “Because He Lives (Amen),” “Glory (Let There Be Peace),” “Alive & Breathing” (no parentheses), and “The Lord’s Prayer (It’s Yours),” Additionally, he’s hit #1 by writing for other artists, including “I Lift My Hands” (with Chris Tomlin) and “Come As You” (with David Crowder). Further successes writing for other artists includes Chris Tomlin’s “I Will Rise,” “Third Day’s “Soul on Fire,” and Cody Carnes’s “Run to the Father,” among many others. Matt’s most recent album as a songwriting artist is called The Stories I Tell Myself.   

Summary: 
Why the heck are we having  comedian on Songcraft?

Part One:
Paul and Scott chat about comedy, fandom, and the great Willie Nelson

Part Two:
Our in-depth conversation with the very funny Dusty Slay

About Dusty Slay:
Comedian Dusty Slay hasn’t written a song that you’ve heard, but he’s written a lot of jokes, and a lot of those jokes are about songs. Growing up in a trailer park in Opelika, Alabama, Dusty tried his hand at community college before dropping out. His plans to join the army were foiled by an arrest, so, at age 21, he moved to Charleston, South Carolina, where he spent years working as a pesticide salesman while moonlighting as an aspiring comedian at open mic nights. After getting sober in 2012 he got serious about his comedy career. After being voted "Best Local Comedian" and winning the Charleston Stand Up Comedy Competition two years in a row, Dusty eventually relocated to Nashville where he continued to build his comedy platform with his unique brand of self-described "clean comedy with an edge." He became the youngest comedian to ever perform at the Grand Ole Opry and, in 2019, Variety listed him as one of "10 Comics to Watch." Today, he has close to a half million Tik Tok followers, a Comedy Central special, and appearances on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon and Jimmy Kimmel Live! In 2021, Slay appeared on season three of the Netflix comedy special series The Standups. He hosts a podcast about drinking, drugs, and religion called We’re Having a Good Time, and is a co-host of the popular Nateland podcast, alongside fellow Nashville comedians Nate Bargatze, Brian Bates, and Aaron Weber. In April, all four performed at Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena to a record-breaking crowd of over 19,000 fans. 

SUMMARY
Our guest is author, educator, and celebrated singer-songwriter Dar Williams who emerged from the vibrant mid-90’s Boston scene that included Patty Griffith, Melissa Ferrick, Throwing Muses, Vance Gilbert, and Jonatha Brooke. Dar has now recorded more than a dozen studio albums, and recently released the book How to Write a Song That Matters, which was born from the songwriting retreats she’s been conducting since 2013. 

PART ONE
Scott and Paul talk about AI and the impact it's having on the world of songwriting

PART TWO
Our in-depth interview with Dar Williams 

ABOUT DAR WILLIAMS
Author, educator, and celebrated singer-songwriter Dar Williams was always in the right place at the right time for the success she’s had over a career that has spanned 30 years. She emerged from the vibrant mid-90’s Boston scene, inspired by the eclectic influences of alt-rockers, Berklee jazz musicians, slam poets, and folk artists, including Patty Griffith, Melissa Ferrick, Throwing Muses, Vance Gilbert, and Jonatha Brooke. After a year of touring non-stop with her first album, The Honesty Room, in 1994, she was invited by Joan Baez to tour in Europe and The United State. Dar has now recorded more than a dozen studio albums, and recently released the book How to Write a Song That Matters, which was born from the songwriting retreats she’s been conducting since 2013. 

 

Summary:
Our guest is Chris Shiflett, Foo Fighters guitarist, Rock & Roll Hall of Famer, 12-time Grammy winner, and solo artist named "Americana's biggest rock star" by Rolling Stone. 

Part One: 
Scott & Paul talk about country crossover and why Halloween's no fun at the Duncan house

Part Two: 
Our in-depth interview with Chris Shiflett

About Chris Shiflett:
Best known for his work in Foo Fighters, Chris Shiflett is a punk veteran, Americana and rock songwriter, modern-day guitar hero, and an artist who’s been blurring the lines between genres for more than 25 years. He’s an alum of California-based punk bands No Use for a Name and Me First and the Gimme Gimmes, as well as his own projects Jackson United and Chris Shiflett and the Dead Peasants. Named "Americana’s biggest rock star" by Rolling Stone, Chris balances his full-band projects with a thriving solo career. The twelve-time Grammy winning Rock & Roll Hall of Famer’s forthcoming country album—and his third as a solo artist—is called Lost at Sea. 

Brent Smith is known as one of the best voices in rock thanks to his work as the lead singer, primary lyricist, and contributing songwriter to the band Shinedown. Formed in Jacksonville, Florida, Shinedown has gone on to land 30 singles in the Top 5 on Billboard’s Mainstream Rock chart. With 18 of those songs reaching the top spot, the band holds the record for the most number one singles in the chart’s history. Their music has been streamed more than 6.5 billion times around the globe, and 15 of their singles have been certified either gold, platinum, or multi-platinum. Shinedown has sold more than 10 million records, and their latest album, Planet Zero, is continuing the trend of rock dominance. In our conversation with Brent he shares how Otis Redding opened his eyes, why he’s committed to suicide prevention, and the nuts and bolts of his writing process with the band. 

We're joined by Grammy winner Robert De Leo, who is best known for his work in Stone Temple Pilots. Collaborating with lyricist and vocalist Scott Weiland, Robert wrote or co-wrote the music for many of the group’s classic songs, including “Plush,” “Creep,” “Wicked Garden,” “Vaseline,” “Interstate Love Song,” “Big Bang Baby,” “Down,” “Hollywood Bitch,” and “Between the Lines.” Outside of their music in Stone Temple Pilots, Robert and his brother Dean have also written and recorded songs for their band Talk Show, as well as Army of Anyone, which is a collaboration with Filter frontman Richard Patrick. Since the death of Weiland and subsequent lead singer Chester Bennington, the De Leo brothers and drummer Eric Kretz continue to make music as Stone Temple Pilots with current vocalist Jeff Gutt. Most recently, Robert has released his debut solo album, Lessons Learned, a deeply personal collection of original songs. Featuring a handful of guest singers, it’s a different sound than listeners might expect from De Leo, exploring the the vibes of Laurel Canyon, Americana, roots music, and a healthy dose of one of Robert’s musical heroes, Glen Campbell. In this episode you’ll hear a lot of great new music and gain a deeper appreciation for some of the amazing Stone Temple Pilots catalog as Robert grabs his guitar and breaks down some of those classics in mind-blowing depth. This is one of our favorite Songcraft conversations, and you definitely won’t want to miss it. 

 

SUMMARY:
We chat with Rock & Roll Hall of Famer and Song of the Year Grammy nominee Mike Campbell, who's best known for his work with Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, but is also a songwriter who co-wrote "Refugee," “Here Comes My Girl,” “You Got Lucky,” “Runnin’ Down a Dream,” “Stop Draggin’ My Heart Around," "Boys of Summer," “The Heart of the Matter," and many more. He chats about working with Tom, collaborating with Chris Stapleton, and his fantastic band The Dirty Knobs. 

PART ONE:
Paul and Scott chat about the contenders for "Best American Rock Band of All Time" and talk about the conclusion of season one of Songcraft (which lasted for 8 years and 200 episodes). Find out what's next! 

PART TWO:
Our in-depth conversation with Mike Campbell

ABOUT MIKE CAMPBELL:
Rock & Roll Hall of Famer Mike Campbell is best known as the lead guitarist for Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, but is also a prolific songwriter who co-wrote some of the band’s best-known classics. Among them are “Refugee,” “Here Comes My Girl,” “You Got Lucky,” “Runnin’ Down a Dream,” “Makin’ Some Noise,” and “You Wreck Me.” He’s also a co-writer of the Stevie Nicks duet “Stop Draggin’ My Heart Around,” as well as the Don Henley classics “The Heart of the Matter” and “Boys of Summer,” the latter of which earned Mike a Grammy nomination for Song of the Year. In addition to collaborating with Petty, Nicks, and Henley, Campbell has written songs with Bob Dylan, John Prine, Jeff Lynne, Chris Stapleton, The Dixie Chicks, Roger McGuinn, Cheap Trick, Marty Stuart, JD Souther, Susanna Hoffs, and others. He’s performed on albums by a list of luminaries that includes Aretha Franklin, Johnny Cash, Roy Orbison, Jackson Browne, Bob Seger, Linda Ronstadt, Michael McDonald, and Warren Zevon. Additionally, the ten-time Grammy nominee was named one of the top 100 guitarists by Rolling Stone magazine. In recent years, Campbell has been focused on his previous side project, The Dirty Knobs. Though they formed over 20 years ago, the group released its debut album in 2020. Their second album, and most recent release, is called External Combustion. 
 

PART ONE:
We pay tribute to Songcraft friend and legendary songwriter Lamont Dozier, who passed away recently at the age of 81. In happier news, we discuss Paul's recent nomination for a GMA Dove Award for Songwriter of the year before diving into the Ringo Starr Instagram foot controversy. 

PART TWO (14:39):
We make an important announcement about the future of Songcraft, reveal the winner of our Dave Alvin book giveaway, and share all the details on the brand new Byrds coffee table book. 

PART THREE (22:13):
Our in-depth interview with Roger McGuinn

ABOUT ROGER McGUINN:

Our guest on this episode of Songcraft is Rock & Roll Hall of Famer Roger McGuinn. Best known for his work with The Byrds, Roger’s distinctive 12-string electric guitar style helped propel the singles “Mr. Tambourine Man” and “Turn! Turn! Turn!” to the top of the charts. As a songwriter, Roger wrote or co-wrote many of the band’s classics, including “Eight Miles High,” “5D,” “Mr. Spaceman,” “So You Want to Be a Rock ‘n’ Roll Star,” “Drug Store Truck Drivin’ Man,” “Ballad of Easy Rider,” “Chestnut Mare,” and others. He launched a solo career in the 1970s, releasing albums that explored new musical territory, and touring as part of Bob Dylan’s Rolling Thunder Revue. 

By the end of the decade, Roger had reunited with former Byrds bandmates Chris Hillman and Gene Clark as a trio known as McGuinn, Clark & Hillman, which yielded the McGuinn-penned Top 40 single “Don’t You Write Her Off.” His 1991 comeback album, Back from Rio, included the Billboard Mainstream Rock hits “King of the Hill” and “Someone to Love,” and featured songs co-written with Tom Petty, Dave Stewart, Jeff Lynne, Mike Campbell, and McGuinn’s wife Camilla, who has since become his primary songwriting partner. 

A lifelong folk music enthusiast, McGuinn has recorded hundreds of songs as part of his online Folk Den project. A compilation album, Treasures from the Folk Den, earned Roger his third Grammy nomination. Most recently, the three surviving founding members of The Byrds—McGuinn, Hillman, and David Crosby—have put together an oversized 400-page coffee table book of photographs and oral history called The Byrds: 1964-1967, which is available for order in both standard and limited-edition autographed versions at www.byrdsbook.com. 

SUMMARY:
Our guest on this episode is John Hall, founder of the band Orleans and co-writer of the group's enduring hits "Dance with Me" and "Still the One." He chats with us about how Janis Joplin launched his songwriting career, co-writing Steve Wariner's #1 country hit "You Can Dream of Me," and how he ended up serving two terms as a US Congressman before returning to music.

PART ONE:
Paul and Scott chat about Orleans' legendary "naked" album cover, and band/artist names you're afraid to say out loud. If you've ever stressed about how to say Husker Du, Bon Iver, Chvrches, or Bjork, we've got you!  

PART TWO:
Our in-depth interview with John Hall

ABOUT JOHN HALL:
John Hall is a musician, songwriter, community activist, founder of the band Orleans, and former US Congressman. After forming the group Kangaroo, which shared house band duties with Bruce Springsteen’s group The Castilles at Greenwich Village’s legendary Café Wha, Hall worked extensively as a sideman. He toured and/or recorded as a guitarist with Seals & Crofts, Taj Mahal, Bonnie Raitt, Little Feat, Carly Simon, Jackson Brown, and others, but established himself as a songwriter when he and then-wife Johanna penned “Half Moon” on Janis Joplin’s Pearl album. After John formed the group Orleans, he and Johanna continued to find success as songwriters with the band’s hit singles “Dance with Me” and “Still the One.” The following decade, John became a chart-topping country writer when he co-wrote Steve Wariner’s #1 single “You Can Dream of Me.” He's known for co-founding the organization Musicians United for Safe Energy with Jackson Brown, Bonnie Raitt, and Graham Nash. John helped organize the legendary 1979 No Nukes concerts at Madison Square Garden, and his song “Power” became the anthem for the event. In 2006, John was elected to the US House of Representatives, representing New York’s 19th District. After serving two terms, he returned to making music. John's songs have been covered by Millie Jackson, Chaka Kahn, Ricky Skaggs, Taj Mahal, Jackson Browne, Linda Ronstadt, James Taylor, Levon Helm, Bobby McFerrin, Bonnie Raitt, Chet Atkins, New Grass Revival, Jose Feliciano, Bill Anderson, The Oak Ridge Boys, Patty Loveless, and more. His most recent solo album is called Reclaiming My Time. We spoke with him in June of 2021 when the album was brand new and when he was working on some Orleans projects that have since become available and can be found at johnhallmusic.com.       

 

SUMMARY:
We're joined by Northern Irish singer/songwriter and frequent Ed Sheeran collaborator Foy Vance, who chats about addiction, spirituality, and the creative process. 

PART ONE:
Inspired by Foy Vance's magnificent whiskers,  Scott and Paul go down the rabbit hole to discuss the greatest musical mustaches in history. Actually, the mustaches aren't musical in and of themselves, they're just attached to musicians. But you get the idea. 

PART TWO:
Our in-depth conversation with Foy Vance

ABOUT FOY VANCE:
Northern Irish singer/songwriter Foy Vance launched his recording career with his own record label and quickly gained attention as his songs were used on various TV shows. Touring with Ed Sheeran exposed his music to a wider audience, and his 2013 album Joy of Nothing, which featured a collaboration with Bonnie Raitt, won the inaugural Northern Ireland Music Prize for best album. After signing with Sheeran’s Gingerbread Man label, Vance released his third studio album, The Wild Swan, which was executive produced by Elton John and released in 2016. Aside from his own recordings, Foy co-wrote four songs on Ed Sheeran’s Multiply album from 2017 and four more on Sheeran’s Divide LP from 2017. Additionally, Foy’s songs have been recorded by Alicia Keys, Miranda Lambert, H.E.R., Keith Urban, Rag N’ Bone Man, and others. In total, he has released nine EPs and six studio albums. His most recent, and his fourth for Gingerbread Man Records, is called Signs of Life. 


 

PART ONE:
Paul and Scott chat about the canonical playlist that's part of every Independence Day fireworks display, the time Scott accidentally hit Lee Greenwood in the face with a water balloon, and how our Patreon supporters can get the chance to get their hands on one of the very first copies of Dave Alvin's forthcoming book New Highway. 

PART TWO:
Our in-depth interview with "Fourth of July" composer Dave Alvin on the Fourth of July! 

ABOUT DAVE ALVIN:
Grammy-winning artist, musician, songwriter, poet, and roots music pioneer Dave Alvin launched his professional career when he and his brother Phil founded the Downey, California, based group The Blasters. Blending rockabilly and R&B, Dave became the band’s primary songwriter, penning classics such as “Marie, Marie,” “American Music,” “Border Radio,” “Jubilee Train,” “Little Honey,” “Dark Night,” and “Long White Cadillac,” which later became a Top 40 country hit for Dwight Yoakam. After a brief stint as a member of the band X, Dave launched a solo career and continued to craft critically-acclaimed songs that defy genre, including “Fourth of July,” “Haley's Comet,” “Dry River,” “King of California,” “Abilene,” “Ashgrove,” “Harlan County Line,” “Johnny Ace is Dead,” and “Downey to Lubbock,” a collaboration with Jimmie Dale Gilmore. Dave’s songs have been covered by Los Lobos, Little Milton, Buckwheat Zydeko, Shakin’ Stevens, Joe Ely, Robert Earl Keen, James McMurtry, and others. Additionally, his music has been featured on a number of TV soundtracks, including Justified and The Sopranos. 

PART ONE:
It's mailbag time! What are you saying about us?

PART TWO:
Scott and Paul's in-depth interview with Nashville Songwriters Hall of Famer Bob Morrison

ABOUT BOB MORRISON:
After an artist career recording for the Columbia, Barnaby, Capitol, and Monument labels, Bob Morrison hit the #1 spot on the country charts as a songwriter with Kenny Rogers’ recording of “You Decorated My Life.” Also a Top 10 Billboard pop hit, the composition earned Morrison a Grammy for Best Country Song. Additionally, he co-wrote “Lookin’ for Love,” a #1 country single and a #5 pop hit popularized by Johnny Lee from the soundtrack of the film Urban Cowboy. 

Other chart-topping selections from Morrison’s catalog include Debby Boone’s “Are You on the Road to Loving Me Again,” Conway Twitty’s “Don’t Call Him a Cowboy,” and Highway 101’s “Whiskey, If You Were a Woman.” Further highlights from his songbook include Olivia Newton-John’s cut of “The River’s Too Wide,” Reba McEntire’s Top 10 single “(You Lift Me) Up to Heaven,” Kenny Rogers’ Top 5 “Love the World Away,” Conway Twitty & Loretta Lynn’s “I Still Believe in Waltzes,” Gary Morris’s “The Love She Found in Me,” George Jones’s “Shine On,” and the Dixie Chicks’ “Tonight the Heartache’s on Me.” 

Just a few of the many other artists who’ve recorded Bob’s songs are Ray Charles, Roy Orbison, Glen Campbell, Jerry Lee Lewis, Sammy Davis Jr., Ray Price, John Anderson, Barbara Mandrell, Dottie West, Mel Tillis, The Kendalls, and The Carpenters. He was named ASCAP Country Songwriter of the Year in 1978, 1980, 1981, and 1982, as well as NSAI Songwriter of the Year in 1981. In 2016 Bob was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame.

SUMMARY:
Our guest is Grammy winner Kristian Bush, best known as one half of the country duo Sugarland. He chats about a career that has earned him six BMI awards, five ACM awards, and five CMA Vocal Duo of the Year honors, as well as about his ambitious new solo project, which will include four albums in one year that will present a total of 52 songs.

PART ONE:
Paul and Scott talk celebrity softball tournaments, John Schneider, waterbeds, and Walter Payton. And it's even weirder than it sounds.  

PART TWO:
Our in-depth conversation with Kristian Bush

ABOUT KRISTIAN BUSH:

Kristian Bush is best known as one half of the platinum-selling country duo Sugarland. The Sevierville, Tennessee native spent his formative years making music with his brother Brandon, who would go on to play keyboards in the rock brand Train. Kristian launched his professional music career from Atlanta in 1994 with the folk-rock duo Billy Pilgrim, which released two albums for Atlantic Records. Within the decade, he moved on to form Sugarland with Kristen Hall and Jennifer Nettles, and the group’s debut single “Baby Girl” became a massive hit. Their debut album, Twice the Speed of Life, which was produced by Garth Fundis, was certified triple platinum. With the departure of Kristen Hall, Sugarland became a duo that went on to rack up five #1 hit singles, including “All I Want to Do” and the Grammy-winning “Stay.” Additional hits followed, including the double platinum “Stuck Like Glue” and “Babe,” a collaboration with Taylor Swift. Sugarland has sold over 22 million albums worldwide and was inducted into the Georgia Music Hall of Fame. Kristian has earned six BMI awards and is a four-time Grammy nominee. In addition to five ACM awards, Sugarland has won the CMA’s Vocal Duo of the Year honor five times. Kristian’s most recent solo project is called 52, a series of four albums comprised of a total of 52 songs. The first installment, called ATL x BNA is available now. 

PART ONE:
Paul and Scott reflect on returning to large-scale concerts, and talk about their recent experiences seeing Paul McCartney and Pearl Jam.

PART TWO: 
Our in-depth conversation with Ann Wilson

ABOUT ANN WILSON:
Four-time Grammy nominee and Rock & Roll Hall of Famer Ann Wilson is best known as the lead singer and co-songwriter for the band Heart, which she and her sister Nancy formed in 1973 and propelled to rock superstardom. One of the pioneering female-fronted rock bands, Heart’s self-penned classics include “Crazy On You,” “Magic Man,” “Dreamboat Annie,” “Barracuda,” “Little Queen,” “Heartless,” “Straight On,” “Dog & Butterfly,” and “Even It Up.” In the mid-1980s they reinvented themselves as mainstream radio hitmakers with a string of successful singles, including “What About Love,” “Never,” “These Dreams,” “Nothin’ at All,” “Alone,” “Who Will You Run To,” “There’s the Girl,” “All I Wanna Do Is Make Love to You,” and “Stranded.” As Heart, Ann and Nancy Wilson have sold more than 35 million albums worldwide. Since 2007, Ann has released three full-length studio albums and two EPs. Her most recent, Fierce Bliss, which was released at the end of April, is her first solo album to include original material. 
 

SUMMARY:
Our guest is seven-time Grammy nominee and 1997 Best New Artist Grammy winner Paula Cole. She joins us to chat about her early work with Peter Gabriel, her monster hits “Where Have all the Cowboys Gone” and “I Don’t Want to Wait,” her work as an instructor for the Berklee College of Music, and her ongoing musical development, including her latest album, American Quilt.  

PART ONE:
Paul and Scott chat about background singers. Or do we call them backing vocalists? Additional vocalists? I'm not sure we really ever settled it.

PART TWO:
Our in-depth interview with Paula Cole

ABOUT PAULA COLE:
Our guest on this episode of Songcraft is Paula Cole. The 1997 Best New Artist Grammy winner rose to prominence with her self-produced second album, This Fire, which spawned two massive hit singles. “Where Have All the Cowboys Gone,” a Top 10 hit that earned three Grammy nominations, and “I Don’t Want to Wait,” which was used as the theme song for the show Dawson’s Creek. Subsequent albums explored a range of stylistic ground, earning Cole critical acclaim and an eventual place on the faculty at the Berklee College of Music. She was the first woman in history to earn a Grammy nomination for Producer of the Year with no male collaborators. The BMI Pop Award winner has a total of seven Grammy nominations, and continues to write and release new music. Her most recent album is American Quilt. 

SUMMARY:
Our guest is Richard Thompson, a  three-time Grammy nominee who has earned lifetime achievement honors from the Americana Music Association and the BBC Awards. Named one of the top 20 guitarists of all time by Rolling Stone magazine, Thompson is a highly revered musician and songwriter whose music has been covered by Elvis Costello, Robert Plant, REM, Emmylou Harris, and many others. Algonquin Books recently released the paperback version of Richard’s memoir Beeswing: Losing My Way and Finding My Voice, 1967-1975.  

PART ONE:
Paul and Scott talk about which music books they love, and one that Scott really hates. 

PART TWO:
The guys chat about their friends at Pearl Snap Studios.

PART THREE:
Our in-depth conversation with Richard Thompson.

ABOUT RICHARD THOMPSON:
Our guest on this episode of Songcraft is three-time Grammy nominee and Ivor Novello award winner Richard Thompson. Named as one of the top 20 guitarists of all time by Rolling Stone magazine, Thompson began his career as one of the architects of the British Folk Rock movement with his band Fairport Convention in the late 1960s. The 1970s and early ‘80s brought a series of critically-acclaimed duo albums by Richard and his then-wife Linda Thompson. Two of those releases—I Want to See the Bright Lights Tonight and Shoot Out the Lights—were named among Rolling Stone’s 500 Greatest Albums of All Time. Returning to a solo career after the musical and marital partnership concluded, Thompson has released more than 20 solo studio albums and film soundtracks, and has earned lifetime achievement honors from the Americana Music Association and the BBC Awards. He was bestowed with an Order of the British Empire by Queen Elizabeth II at Buckingham Palace, and his song “1952 Vincent Black Lightning” was named by Time magazine on its list of the 100 Greatest Songs Since 1923.” As influential a songwriter as he is a guitarist, Richard’s music has been covered by Elvis Costello, Robert Plant, Don Henley, REM, Sleater-Kenny, David Byrne, Linda Ronstadt, The Five Blind Boys of Alabama, Emmylou Harris, Bonnie Raitt, Los Lobos, The Del McCoury Band, David Gilmour, Alison Krauss, Patty Loveless, Shawn Colvin & Loudon Wainwright III, among others. Algonquin Books recently released the paperback version of Richard’s memoir Beeswing: Losing My Way and Finding My Voice, 1967-1975. 

SUMMARY
Our guest is critically-acclaimed singer/songwriter Paul Thorn, who has carved out an independent career from his home base in Tupelo, Mississippi, that has earned him legions of dedicated fans. His latest release is a highly personal album titled Never Too Late to Call. 

PART ONE
Paul and Scott chat about the Grammy Awards, somehow find a way to make it all about them, and figure out that being a guest on Songcraft is a great way to get a Grammy nomination. 

PART TWO
Our in-depth conversation with Paul Thorn

ABOUT PAUL THORN
Tupelo, Mississippi, native Paul Thorn started out as a professional boxer before being discovered by Miles Copeland and signing a recording contract with A&M Records. Thorn eventually struck out on his own and formed the independent Perpetual Obscurity Records with manager and songwriting partner Billy Maddox. They’ve gone on to release nine studio albums, four of which have hit the Billboard charts. All Music writes that Thorn’s catalog has “balanced blues, rock, gospel, country, and soul in a singular strain of Americana with songs that embrace the human condition with their humor, irony, pathos, tenderness, heartbreak, grief, anger, and joy.” Though his songs have been recorded by Shenandoah, Tanya Tucker, Toby Keith, Sawyer Brown, Kim Richey, Billy Ray Cyrus, Jerry Jeff Walker, Diane Schuur, and others, nobody delivers a Paul Thorn song with the same touch as the man himself. From “It’s a Great Day to Whup Somebody’s Ass” to “Pimps & Preachers” to “I Don’t Like Half the Folks I Love” to “Mission Temple Fireworks Stand,” Paul’s diverse catalog has built a dedicated audience who love his unique sense of the craft and his mesmerizing skills as a performer. His latest album, produced by Matt Ross-Spang in Memphis, is Never Too Late to Call.

 

PART ONE:
Paul and Scott talk about Pearl Snap Studios, contrabassoons, penny whistles, and bagpipes. 

PART TWO:
The guys remember Foo Fighters drummer Taylor Hawkins, who recently passed away, chat about Taylor's previous gig playing for Alanis Morissette, and talk about why Debbie Gibson deserves serious respect. 

PART THREE:
Our in-depth conversation with Debbie Gibson

ABOUT DEBBIE GIBSON:

You may know Debbie Gibson for her late 1980s hit pop singles “Only in My Dreams,” “Shake Your Love,” “Out of the Blue,” and the chart-toppers “Foolish Beat” and “Lost in Your Eyes.” What you might not realize is that Debbie wrote all those hits completely solo while still a teenager. At the age of 16 she became the youngest artist ever to have written, produced, and performed a #1 single on the Billboard charts. She once shared the ASCAP Songwriter of the Year honor with Bruce Springsteen, the same year she was nominated for Best Pop Female Vocalist by the American Music Awards and Favorite Female Music Performer by the People’s Choice Awards. 

Now more than 35 years into her career, Debbie has sold over 16 million records worldwide, and has released 10 studio albums. Her most recent, The Body Remembers, was released last August, and is her first US studio album in 20 years to feature all original songs, including a new duet version of “Lost in Your Eyes” with Joey McIntyre of New Kids on the Block. Though she was named one of Billboard magazine’s Top 60 Female Artists of All Time, Debbie has also found success in musical theater, starring in Les Miserables and Cabaret on Broadway, and in the London West End production of Grease, among more than a dozen other productions. Never a pre-packaged pop invention of record label executives, Debbie was a musical prodigy who has continued to make her mark as a singer, songwriter, producer, musician, actor, and entrepreneur. 

SUMMARY:
Our guest is Jerry Cantrell, the founder, lead guitarist, co-lead vocalist, and primary songwriter of Alice in Chains. The nine-time Grammy nominee has written more than 20 Top 10 hits on the Billboard Mainstream Rock chart, has sold more than 30 million albums worldwide, and was named one of the “100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time” by Guitar World magazine. His latest solo release is the critically-acclaimed Brighten.  

PART ONE:
Paul and Scott chat about their high school years, the Seattle explosion, Chuck Klosterman's new book, and why certain bands from the much-hyped grunge movement evolved and survived when others burned out.  

PART TWO:
Our in-depth interview with Jerry Cantrell

ABOUT JERRY CANTRELL:

Nine-time Grammy nominee Jerry Cantrell is best known as the founder, lead guitarist, co-lead vocalist, and primary songwriter of the hard rock band Alice in Chains. Signing with Columbia Records in 1989, the Seattle-based band got lumped into the grunge explosion of the early 1990s when Cantrell-penned classics such as “Man in the Box,” ”Would?,” “Rooster,” and “Down in a Hole,” took over MTV and Billboard’s Mainstream Rock chart. But Alice in Chains was always about more than Seattle hysteria. By the middle of the decade they’d released three multiplatinum selling studio albums—Facelift, Dirt, and the self-titled Alice in Chains—as well as three EPs, including Jar of Flies, which went triple platinum and became the first EP in history to top the Billboard 200. A string of Top 10 singles, including “No Excuses,” “I Stay Away,” “Grind,” “Heaven Beside You,” and “Again” established the band as rock radio mainstays. 

Plagued by struggles with addiction, Alice in Chains took a hiatus from live performances before regrouping in the spring of 1996 for an appearance on MTV Unplugged. The subsequent album hit the Top 5 on the Billboard 200 and was certified Platinum. That same year the band found themselves on another extended hiatus, leading to the release of Cantrell’s debut solo album, Boggy Depot, in 1998. 

The death of Alice in Chains singer Layne Staley in 2002 could have meant the end of the band, but they eventually regrouped and released the Gold-selling Black Gives Way to Blue in 2009, and the follow-up album, The Devil Put Dinosaurs Here. Both releases hit the Top 5. Alice in Chains has continued to release new music as recently as 2018’s Rainier Fog album, and the band has now sold more than 30 million records worldwide. 

In addition to his first solo release, Cantrell put out the album Degradation Trip Volumes 1 & 2 in 2002. His most recent release, the critically-acclaimed Brighten, is his first solo record in almost two decades. Named among Guitar World magazine’s “100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time,” Jerry is also a formidable songwriter. More than 20 of his compositions, both with Alice in Chains and as a solo artist, have hit the Top 10 on the Billboard rock chart.  

SUMMARY:
Our guest on this episode is Roland Orzabal of Tears for Fears. Known for such classics as “Everybody Wants to Rule the World,” “Shout,” “Head Over Heels,” “Mad World,” and “Sowing the Seeds of Love,” the group has a brand new album, The Tipping Point, and is embarking on a major world tour. 

PART ONE:
Scott and Paul read listener emails and set the record straight on their opinion of the moon landing.

PART TWO:
Our in-depth conversation with Roland Orzabal.

ABOUT ROLAND ORZABAL AND TEARS FOR FEARS:

Roland Orzabal and Curt Smith formed Tears for Fears in Bath, England, in 1981 and have gone on to sell 30 million albums worldwide. Their major breakthrough in the UK came in 1982 with the Top 5 single “Mad World” and the subsequent platinum-selling album The Hurting. They gained major steam in the US with their sophomore album Songs From the Big Chair, which included the hit singles “Everybody Wants to Rule the World,” “Shout,” and “Head Over Heels.” Featured in the book 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die, Songs From the Big Chair reached #1 and was certified five times Platinum by the RIAA. 

Tears for Fears’ follow-up single “Sowing the Seeds of Love” was another massive hit, but Curt departed the group not long after. Following a couple of albums with Orzabal at the helm, the duo reunited for the Everybody Loves a Happy Ending album in 2004. Now, after a long wait of 17 years, Roland and Curt have just released their seventh studio album The Tipping Point, and are embarking on a major tour. Even as they bring us new music, their legacy is well-established as one of the most unique and influential British groups to emerge in the last few decades. Their songs have been covered or sampled by Gary Jules, Adam Lambert, Lorde, Kanye West, Drake, and many others. And, in 2021, the band was honored with the Outstanding Song Collection honor at the Ivor Novello Awards in London. 

SUMMARY:
Our guest is nine-time Grammy nominee and two-time winner Janis Ian, who is best known for her classics “Society’s Child” and “At Seventeen,” both of which were inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame. She joins us to chat about her long career and her latest studio album, The Light at the End of the Line.

PART ONE:
Scott and Paul talk about "We Don't Talk About Bruno" and the changing definition of how something becomes a hit. 

PART TWO:
Our in-depth conversation with Janis Ian

ABOUT JANIS IAN:
Though best known for the folk-tinged classic “At Seventeen,” Janis Ian is an artist whose musical creativity crosses several genres. The nine-time Grammy nominee and two-time winner first gained national attention at the age of 15 when her self-penned “Society’s Child” became a Top 20 Billboard pop hit in 1966. Produced by Shadow Morton, who had built a reputation as the producer of radio friendly girl groups like The Shangri-Las, the song took a new direction and tackled the considerably heavier and controversial topic of interracial romance. It was banned from radio and Janis was targeted with death threats.

After several albums for the Verve and Capitol labels, Janis signed with Columbia in the mid-1970s and found her greatest commercial success with the album Between the Lines. In addition to the Top 20 Adult Contemporary hit “In the Winter,” the album featured the chart-topping “At Seventeen.” Janis performed both songs as the musical guest on the very first episode of Saturday Night Live. On the strength of that LP she was nominated for Grammy awards for Song of the Year, Record of the Year, Album of the Year, and Best Pop Vocal Performance, the latter of which she won. Both “Society’s Child” and “At Seventeen” have since been inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame. 

Other classics from the Janis Ian songbook include “Jesse,” which was a hit for Roberta Flack, and “Stars,” which has been recorded by Nina Simone, Cher, Shirley Basse, and Joan Baez. A truly international artist, Janis’s “Love is Blind” reached #1 in Japan, while “Fly Too High” topped the charts in South Africa and reached the Top 10 in Australia and the Netherlands. 

In the mid-1990s Janis launched her own label, Rude Girl Records. Her most recent release, The Light at the End of the Line, is Janis’s first album of new material in 15 years. She has announced it will be her final solo studio album. 

SUMMARY:
Our guest on this episode of Songcraft is Natalie Hemby, a six-time Grammy nominee and two-time winner who has earned five CMA Song of the Year nominations and was named Music Row magazine’s 2021 Female Songwriter of the Year. Her songs have been recorded by Kacey Musgraves, Alicia Keys, Lady Gaga, Maren Morris, Ed Sheeran, Sheryl Crow, Dierks Bentley, Eli Young Band, Kelly Clarkson, Chris Isaak, Blake Shelton, Lee Ann Womack, and many others. We last spoke with Natalie in 2017, but we catch up with her today to find out more about her life as a behind the scenes songwriter, her work with supergroup The Highwomen, and her critically-acclaimed solo album Pins and Needles. 

PART ONE - 2:49
Scott and Paul chat about Pearl Snap Studios and set the stage for this very special "old friends" episode.

PART TWO - 6:02
They guys welcome longtime friend and fellow music geek David Manning to argue about beloved songs that they actually hate. 

PART THREE - 39:20
Our in-depth conversation with Natalie Hemby

ABOUT NATALIE HEMBY:
When we first spoke with Natalie Hemby in 2017 she’d already racked up three CMA Song of the Year nominations and written a half dozen #1 singles, including “Pontoon” and “Tornado” by Little Big Town, “Downtown” by Lady A, “You Look Like I Need a Drink” by Justin Moore, and Miranda Lambert’s “White Liar” and “Automatic,” the latter of which was named ACM Song of the Year and snagged Natalie her first Grammy nomination for Best Country Song. In the five years since then, her songwriting star has continued to rise. She co-wrote three songs on Kacey Musgraves’ Golden Hour, which won the Grammy for Album of the Year—across all categories—and earned Natalie a CMA Song of the Year nomination for “Rainbow.” Natalie co-wrote two songs with Lady Gaga for the soundtrack to A Star is Born, including Song of the Year Grammy nominee “Always Remember Us This Way” and the Grammy winner for Best Song Written for Visual Media, “I’ll Never Love Again.” She has scored additional #1 hits with Jon Pardi’s “Heartache Medication,” as well as Miranda Lambert’s “Bluebird,” which was nominated for both CMA and ACM Song of the Year, and the Best Country Song Grammy. Natalie beat herself in that Grammy category when she won the Best Country Song honors for “Crowded Table,” which she wrote with Lori McKenna and Brandi Carlile. The song was recorded by the supergroup The Highwomen, of which Natalie is a member alongside Carlile, Marren Morris, and Amanda Shires. “Crowded Table” was also named Song of the Year by the Americana Music Association, while The Highwomen won Americana Album of the Year and Duo or Group of the Year. Recent pop cuts, including Kelly Clarkson’s “I Dare You” and Ed Sheeran’s “Love in Slow Motion,” illustrate Natalie’s versatility and underscore why she was named Music Row magazine’s 2021 Female Songwriter of the Year. In addition to her work with The Highwomen, Natalie’s been flexing her considerable artist muscles recently with the release of her album Pins and Needles, which PopMatters calls “a phenomenal album from an artist coming into full possession of her gifts.” 

 

SUMMARY
On this episode of Songcraft we’re joined by three-time Grammy nominee and two-time Americana Music Awards nominee Allison Russell. She’ll discuss her debut solo album, Outside Child, her long journey in the music industry leading to this moment, and her escape from childhood trauma to find resilience, joy, and healing through the art of music. 

PART ONE
Paul and Scott discuss the worst songs they love, pay tribute to the late songwriting legend Dallas Frazier, and revisit the idea of musical discovery's happy accidents. 

PART TWO
Our in-depth conversation with three-time Grammy nominee Allison Russell

ABOUT ALLISON RUSSELL
Canadian-born singer-songwriter Allison Russell released her debut solo album Outside Child in 2021, but has been part of the music world for many years. She formed the band Po’ Girl with Trish Klein of The Be Good Tanyas in 2003 before launching the duo Birds of Chicago with her partner JT Nero in 2012. In 2018, she joined the musical collective Our Native Daughters, which also includes Rhiannon Giddens, Leyla McCalla, and Amythyst Kia. Outside Child is a highly personal album chronicling Russell’s formative experiences as a survivor of physical and sexual abuse, while highlighting themes of hopefulness and resilience that have resonated with fans and critics. The project earned a Grammy nomination for Best Americana Album, while the single “Nighflyer” earned Allison nominations for Best American Roots Performance and Best American Roots Song. Additionally, she has been nominated for four Canadian Folk Music Awards, two Americana Music Awards, and has performed on stages ranging from the Grand Ole Opry to the National Museum of African American Music to Jimmy Kimmel Live! alongside Brandi Carlile. Allison recently inked a deal with Flatiron Books, a division of Macmillan, which will release her forthcoming memoir. 

SUMMARY
Our guest on this episode of Songcraft is Cinco Paul, the creator, executive producer, showrunner, and songwriter for the Apple TV Plus series Schmigadoon!, starring Cecily Strong and Keegan-Michael Key. Though previously known as the scriptwriter for animated features such as the Despicable Me films, this project was Paul’s opportunity to lovingly and very impressively recreate the songwriting style of golden era musicals with a humorously contemporary twist. He joins us to deconstruct his reconstruction of the world of Rogers and Hammerstein. 

PART ONE
Scott and Paul get into their feelings about musical theater, touch on the Beatles documentary once again, and discover they disagree about the concept of perfect rhyme in lyrics. 

PART TWO
Our in-depth interview with Cinco Paul

ABOUT CINCO PAUL

Cinco Paul is best known for his long resume of blockbuster animated films which he co-wrote with partner Ken Daurio, including the Despicable Me series, the Dr. Seuss films The Lorax and Horton Hears a Who, and The Secret Life of Pets. Other films written by the pair include The Santa Clause 2 with Tim Allen, College Road Trip with Martin Lawrence and Raven Symone, and Hop with Russell Brand. Paul and Daurio’s films have earned over four billion dollars at the box office. 

While not primarily known as a songwriter or musician, Cinco Paul previously wrote a stage musical adaptation of their script for Bubble Boy after the Jake Gyllenhaal film version failed to live up to their original vision. Additionally, he wrote the lyrics for the original songs in The Lorax, which earned him an ASCAP award in 2013. As far as music goes, that was about all the world heard from Cinco Paul until 2021 when he appeared as the creator, executive producer, showrunner, and, perhaps most impressively, songwriter for the Apple TV Plus series Schmigadoon!

The six-episode musical comedy stars Cecily Strong from Saturday Night Live and Keegan-Michael Key from Key & Peele who get lost hiking in the woods and stumble on a magical version of an early-1900s town that you’d find in a musical from the 1940s or ‘50s. Part parody, part loving tribute to golden era productions such as Oklahoma, The Music Man, Carousel, and The Sound of Music, Schmigadoon’s songs are an impressive recreation of a lost era of American songwriting that skewer the tropes that haven’t aged well while also celebrating what was great about that brand of songcraft. The soundtrack for Episode 1 earned Paul his first Grammy nomination for Best Compilation Soundtrack for Visual Media.    

PART ONE
Paul and Scott talk about The Beatles' Get Back documentary from a songwriting perspective

PART TWO
Our in-depth interview with Amanda Shires

ABOUT AMANDA SHIRES
Singer, songwriter, fiddle player, and Americana hero Amanda Shires has released eight albums as a solo artist, in addition to her work as a member of both Jason Isbell & The 400 Unit and the supergroup The Highwomen alongside Brandi Carlile, Natalie Hemby, and Maren Morris. The Grammy winner was named Texas Music magazine’s Artist of the Year in 2012, and was named Emerging Artist of the Year for 2017 at the Americana Honors & Awards. The Lone Star State native launched her career playing fiddle with The Texas Playboys before going on to tour with Billy Joe Shaver and others. At Shaver’s suggestion, she eventually relocated to Nashville to pursue songwriting. While getting established, she worked as a side musician with Justin Townes Earle before joining Jason Isbell’s band, The 400 Unit. Shires and Isbell married in 2013 in a ceremony officiated by past Songcraft guest Todd Snider. Amanda was featured on Luke Combs’ 2020 single “Without You,” and is currently getting attention for her unorthodox holiday album called For Christmas, which features nine original songs, a cover of “What Are You Doing New Year’s Eve,” and a reworking of “Silent Night” with all new lyrics. 

 

SUMMARY:
Our guest on this episode of Songcraft is Rock & Roll Hall of Famer Steve Perry. Named one of Rolling Stone’s “100 Greatest Singers of all Time,” Perry penned classic Journey songs such as “Any Way You Want It,” “Open Arms,” and “Don’t Stop Believin'” as well as solo hits such as “Oh Sherrie” and “Foolish Heart.” He joins us to chat about his approach to songwriting and his new holiday album The Season. 

PART ONE:
Paul and Scott talk about Patreon and then get into the good stuff. Is "Die Hard" a Christmas movie or not? While people debate it, nobody seems to notice that virtually all songs about winter are considered Christmas songs even when they don't mention anything about Christmas at all. The guys hash out this phenomenon only because they like to stir the pot.

PART TWO:
Our in-depth conversation with the legendary Steve Perry.

ABOUT STEVE PERRY:
One of the most iconic voices in rock music history, Steve Perry is best known as the lead singer of the band Journey during the group’s most successful period. His first Top 20 pop hit as either a performer or songwriter was the solo-written “Lovin’, Touchin’, Squeezin’,” which became a hit for the band in 1979. In the following decade he co-wrote an unbelievable streak of classic songs with Neil Shon and Jonathan Cain, including “Any Way You Want It,” “Who’s Crying Now,” “Open Arms,” “Separate Ways,” ”Send Her My Love,” and “Don’t Stop Believin',” a single that’s been certified five times platinum. His 1984 debut solo album Street Talk produced the classic singles “Oh Sherrie” and “Foolish Heart.” After penning additional Journey hits “Be Good to Yourself,” “Girl Can’t Help It,” and “I’ll be Alright Without You” he departed the band and released his second solo album, For the Love of Strange Medicine, featuring the single “You Better Wait.” After briefly reuniting with Journey and co-writing the additional hits “When You Love a Woman” and “Message of Love” in the mid-1990s, he stepped away from recording. Steve returned in 2018 with his third solo album, Traces, and has recently released his fourth solo record, a holiday collection called The Season, produced by Steve and Thom Flowers, and featuring contributions from multi-instrumentalist Dallas Kruse. The Rock & Roll Hall of Famer, whom Rolling Stone magazine named of the “100 Greatest Singers of All Time” joins us to talk about exploring the great American Christmas songbook from a writer’s perspective, to share some stories about his own songs, and to offer some insight into his approach to the craft.

SUMMARY
Our guest on this episode of Songcraft is Bruce Cockburn. The Canadian singer-songwriter’s more than 50-year career has produced 34 albums, 22 of which have been certified Gold or Platinum in his home country. He has won 13 Juno Awards, and is a member of both the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame and the Canadian Music Hall of Fame. Bruce joins us to chat about his career and his new 2-CD career-spanning compilation, entitled Greatest Hits: 1970-2020, which will be released on December 3rd. 

PART ONE
Scott and Paul chat about the nature of hall of fames, or is it halls of fame?

PART TWO
Our in-depth interview with Bruce Cockburn

ABOUT BRUCE COCKBURN
Singer-songwriter Bruce Cockburn blends folk, jazz, rock and world music influences into a unique blend that has earned him critical praise and near-mythic status in his Canadian homeland. He has won 13 Juno Awards, and has been inducted into both the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame and the Canadian Music Hall of Fame. Cockburn is best known in the US for songs such as “Wondering Where the Lions Are,” “Lovers in a Dangerous Time,” “If I Had a Rocket Launcher,” “If a Tree Falls,” and “Pacing the Cage.” He has released 34 albums over the course of a more than 50-year career, 22 of which have been certified Gold or Platinum in Canada. He received the Governor General’s Performing Arts Award for Lifetime Artistic Achievement, which is the highest Canadian artistic honor. He holds more than a half dozen honorary doctorates for his musical contributions, and is an Officer of the Order of Canada. Ranging from spiritual musings to political activism, his songs have been covered by Judy Collins, Dan Fogelberg, k.d. land, Jimmy Buffett, Barenaked Ladies, Jerry Garcia, and others. His new 2-CD career-spanning compilation, entitled Greatest Hits: 1970-2020, will be released on December 3rd. 

PART ONE: 
Scott and Paul talk about the phenomenon of greatest hits album. What does the term mean? When are they necessary? Which artists warrant them, which don't, and when are they woefully inadequate? 

PART TWO: 
Our in-depth interview with Ray Benson of Asleep at the Wheel

ABOUT RAY BENSON:
As the co-founder and only consistent member of the group Asleep at the Wheel, Ray Benson has carried the torch for Western Swing and other formative musical traditions that helped shape the country genre. The band has released over 30 albums, and landed more than 20 songs on Billboard’s Country Singles Chart. Additionally, Benson has released two solo albums, and a duet album with fellow Texas legend Dale Watson. As a producer, he has worked with Willie Nelson, Aaron Neville, Brad Paisley, Vince Gill, Merle Haggard, and others.

Ray has earned thirty Grammy nominations, winning nine of them over the course of four decades. He was inducted into the Texas Heritage Songwriters Hall of Fame, is in the Austin Music Hall of Fame, received the Texas Music Association Lifetime Achievement Award, and earned the Americana Lifetime Achievement Award for Performance. In short, this long tall Texan is a living legend. 

SUMMARY
Our guest on this episode of Songcraft is Yola. The acclaimed British singer and songwriter has released two albums on Dan Auerbach’s Easy Eye Sound label, both of which were produced by the Black Keys’ frontman. She was nominated for four Grammy awards for 2019, including Best New Artist, and is a sometime collaborator with the supergroup The Highwomen alongside Brandi Carlile, Natalie Hemby, Marren Morris, and Amanda Shires. Yola joins us to chat about her life as a songwriter and artist. 

PART ONE
Paul and Scott discuss the history of the Best New Artist Grammy category, including a few surprising tidbits of trivia.

PART TWO 
Our in-depth interview with Yola

ABOUT YOLA
Singer-songwriter Yola made a major splash at the 2020 Grammy ceremony with four nominations: Best Americana Album, Best American Roots Performance and Best American Roots Song for her composition “Faraway Look,” and Best New Artist in the general category alongside Lizzo, Lil Nas X, and Billie Eilish. Dubbed by many as a "country soul singer," the British artist’s breakthrough came when she teamed up with Black Keys frontman Dan Auerbach in Nashville to write and record her debut solo album, Walk Through Fire, on which she and Auerbach collaborated with a roster of Southern soul songwriters including Dan Penn and Memphis studio legend Bobby Wood. She was subsequently nominated for Emerging Artist of the Year and Album of the Year at the 2019 Americana Music Honors & Awards. 

Though Yola’s emergence might have seemed like an overnight success to some, she’d been working in music in the UK as a vocalist and collaborator with DJs and producers, including Massive Attack. In 2009 she was a writer on “Hopes and Fears,” a single by UK singer Will Young, and in 2013 she co-wrote the Top 10 UK hit “Turn Back Time” by Sub Focus, on which she also sang an uncredited vocal. Additionally, Yola sang lead on the Top 5 UK pop hit “Won’t Look Back” by Duke Dumont. 

In the wake of her success with the Walk Through Fire album, Yola reteamed with Auerbach for her most recent release, Stand For Myself, featuring highlights such as “Diamond Studded Shoes” and “Dancing Away in Tears.” Her accolades continue, having won Artist of the Year honors at the 2020 UK Americana Awards and earning a 2021 nomination from the CMA for the International Achievement Award. Earlier this month she played a sold out show with Chris Stapleton at Madison Square Garden. 

SUMMARY
Our guest on this episode of Songcraft is Justin Gray, a songwriter, record producer, and music executive whose projects have sold in excess of 40 million copies, and earned more than eight billion streams worldwide. He’ll join us in a bit to talk about his day-to-day life as a songwriter-producer who has worked with Avril Lavigne, Mariah Carey, Glen Campbell, John Legend, and many others. 

PART ONE
Scott and Paul welcome Darrin Pfeiffer for a conversation about drumming, songwriting, and more. Darrin is a fabulous drummer (formerly of Goldfinger), the host of the Dangerous Darrin Show podcast, Scott's neighbor, and a heck of a nice guy. 

PART TWO
Our in-depth interview with Justin Gray

ABOUT JUSTIN GRAY
Justin Gray is a Canadian-born, Los Angeles-based songwriter, record producer, music executive and tech entrepreneur. His various projects have sold in excess of 40 million copies, and earned more than eight billion streams worldwide. He has collaborated with a diverse range of artists including Avril Lavigne, Mariah Carey, John Legend, Luis Fonsi, Joss Stone, Glen Campbell, and many others. He has scored several #1 hits around the globe, including one of China’s biggest hits of 2020 with Universal Music artist Sunnee. His extensive film and TV work includes Toy Story 4, Melissa McCarthy’s Life of The Party, Hannah Montana, Beverly Hills 90210, Modern Family, Lethal Weapon, Hawaii 5-0, and many others. He has been a guest speaker at Canadian Music Week and South by Southwest, and has been a lecturer for master classes in songwriting and production at Berklee College of Music, USC Thornton School of Music, and UCLA. 

SUMMARY:
Our guest on this episode of Songcraft is genre-bending singer, songwriter, artist, and international sensation LP. She joins us to chat about everything from writing Rihanna’s double platinum Top 10 single “Cheers (Drink to That), to her own artist career which has yielded classics such as “Lost on You” (which reached #1 in 18 countries), to her much-anticipated upcoming sixth studio album, Churches.  

PART ONE:
Scott and Paul don't hold back on their feelings about Rolling Stone's recently revised "500 Greatest Songwriters of All Time" list. 

PART TWO:
Our in-depth interview with LP

ABOUT LP:
Born Laura Pergolizzi on Long Island, New York, the singer, songwriter, and artist now known as LP got her start with a pair of impressive independent album releases before landing a deal with Island Records. While that album was never completed, “Love Will Keep You Up All Night,” one of the songs she wrote for the project, was recorded by The Backstreet Boys on their Unbreakable album in 2007. Inspired to write for other artists, LP went on to have cuts such as “Shine Ya Light,” a Top 10 hit for Rita Ora in the UK, and “Cheers (Drink to That),” a Top 10 double platinum single for Rihanna in the US. The wide range of other artists who’ve recorded her songs includes Heidi Montag, Christina Aguilera, Jo Walsh, Leona Lewis, Cher, and Celine Dion. 

LP rediscovered the joy of writing songs for herself with “Into the Wild,” which was used in a Citibank commercial. She signed with Warner Bros. and recorded the Forever For Now album, which featured collaborations with writers such as Claude Kelly, Billy Steinberg, and Isabella Summers from Florence and the Machine. She moved on to Vagrant Records for the Lost on You album, with a title track that has garnered over 455 million listens on Spotify, over 750 million views on YouTube, and chart-topping status in nearly 20 countries. Truly an international sensation, LP continued to gain attention for songs such as “Girls Go Wild” from her Heart to Mouth album, and has already released a handful of songs, including “The One That You Love,” “How Low Can You Go,” and “One Last Time” from her forthcoming release, Churches, which will be available this December.  

SUMMARY:
Our guest on this episode of Songcraft is musician, songwriter, arranger, and producer Van Dyke Parks. Best known for his work with Brian Wilson on The Beach Boys’ legendarily ill-fated Smile album, Parks has released a number of solo albums, scored several films, arranged countless sessions, and worked with a long list of artists, including The Byrds, Randy Newman, Harry Nilsson, Little Feat, U2, Fiona Apple, Joana Newsom, and many others. 

PART ONE:
Scott and Paul chat about why they're approaching this episode a little differently than usual, the saga of The Beach Boys' Smile, and why Paul should stop checking stuff out from the library. 

PART TWO:
Our in-depth interview with the legendary Van Dyke Parks

ABOUT VAN DYKE PARKS
Van Dyke Parks is one of the more unique American musicians, songwriters, arrangers, and record producers to emerge in the 1960s. Born in Mississippi, he attended the American Boychoir boarding school in Princeton, New Jersey, in his formative years. His first career was as a child actor, appearing on over 100 episodes of various TV shows, including his role as “the kid from downstairs” on The Honeymooners. He did theater and appeared in films, including The Swan with Grace Kelly and Alec Guinness, before going on to study music at the Carnegie Institute in Pittsburgh, where he briefly studied with Aaron Copland. In the early 1960s Van Dyke began playing acoustic guitar, and moved to the West Coast where he and his brother Carson performed on the coffee house circuit as a duo known as The Steeltown Two. He landed his first arranging job with “The Bare Necessities” for Disney’s The Jungle Book in 1963 before a brief stint as an MGM recording artist in the middle of the decade.  

He is perhaps best known, however, for his collaborations with Brian Wilson with whom he worked as a lyricist on The Beach Boys’ ill-fated Smile album. The pair revisited their work with the release of Brian Wilson Presents Smile in 2004. Though the Smile recordings weren’t released at the time, Van Dyke signed with Warner Bros. Records and, in 1967, released his album Song Cycle, an ambitious debut that incorporated a wide range of traditional American musical influences with experimental recording techniques. 

He went on to produce the debut albums by Ry Cooder and Randy Newman, and took a job as an executive at Warner Bros. Records in the 1970s. He became enamored with calypso music in that era, releasing a couple of albums as an artist showcasing the genre, and producing The Esso Trinidad Steel Band. Toward the end of the decade he began composing film soundtracks before returning in the 1980s with two albums of original material, Jump!, which explored the Uncle Remus and Br’er Rabbit stories, and Tokyo Rose, which explored the intersection between Japanese and American culture in the context of a trade war. In the 1990s, he and Brian Wilson teamed up once again to release the album Orange Crate Art. His most recent full-length album as a solo artist is 2013’s Songs Cycled. The long list of musicians Van Dyke has worked with includes The Byrds, Tim Buckley, Harry Nilsson, Little Feat, Steve Young, Phil Ochs, Frank Zappa, Ringo Starr, U2, Fiona Apple, Joanna Newsom, Skrillex, and many others.  

Thanks for checking out this very special bonus episode. Today we’re pleased to feature a great podcast called Basic Folk, by sharing one of their episodes in our feed. Fellow members of the American Songwriter podcast network, Basic Folk is a unique show that features honest conversations with a variety of musicians. The proceedings are anchored by public radio host Cindy Howes and guest host, singer/songwriter Lizzie No. They bring the warmth, the humor, and most importantly, insightful questions to a genre that is often misunderstood. Their definition of “folk” is extremely broad, so they’ve featured interviews with people such as Tom Rush, Jonatha Brooke, and even some past Songcraft guests, including Lori McKenna, Bridget Kearney of Lake Street Dive, and Emily Saliers of Indigo Girls. The interview we’re sharing with you today features Cindy’s chat with Wesley Schultz of The Lumineers. The two-time Grammy nominees have released three studio albums, starting with the triple platinum self-titled debut which featured now-classic songs such as “Hey Ho” and “Stubborn Love.” Subsequent releases have featured Top 10 Billboard rock singles such as “Ophelia,” “Angela,” and “Gloria,” making The Lumineers one of the most popular artists in the folk-oriented Americana genre. We chose to feature this particular episode based on Wesley’s in-depth analysis of songwriting, including the first comparison we’ve ever heard on songwriting and playing golf as similar disciplines. Interesting interview, so check it out. Wesley Schultz. The Lumineers. Basic Folk. Good stuff! 

 

SUMMARY:
Our guest on this episode of Songcraft is Rami Yacoub, one of the most influential Swedish songwriters and producers of the last two decades. He joins us in a few moments to talk about his career, from early Britney Spears classics such as “Baby One More Time,” to boy band hits such as One Direction’s “What Makes U Beautiful,” to recent smashes such as Lady Gaga and Ariana Grande’s double platinum chart topper “Rain on Me.”  

PART ONE:
Scott and Paul chat with Nashville-based songwriter Arlis Albritton (cuts by Jamey Johnson, Luke Bryan, and others) about the upcoming St. Augustine Songwriters Festival, which Arlis founded. 

PART TWO:
The guys pay tribute to a few recently-departed music legends: The Rolling Stones' Charlie Watts, Don Everly, and the great Tom T. Hall, who was a guest on the 67th episode of Songcraft - a conversation that turned out to be his final interview. 

PART THREE:
Our in-depth interview with hitmaker Rami Yacoub. 

ABOUT RAMI YACOUB:
As a songwriter and producer, Rami Yacoub has been involved in some of the biggest pop hits of the last twenty years. Raised in Sweden by Palestinian parents, Rami’s first massive international hit was Britney Spears’ “Baby One More Time,” which he co-produced with Max Martin. He and Martin went on to score additional hits with Spears, including “Oops…I Did it Again,” “Stronger,” and “I’m Not a Girl, Not Yet a Woman.” Additionally, he wrote and produced The Backstreet Boys’ Top 10 single “Shape of My Heart” and NSYNC’s “It’s Gonna Be Me,” which was the group’s only single to reach #1 on the Billboard pop chart. After co-writing P!nk’s “U + Ur Hand,” he found massive success writing and producing for One Direction, including the hit singles “What Makes U Beautiful,” “One Thing,” “Live While We’re Young,” and “Kiss You.” Additional hits Rami has written include “Starships” and “Pound the Alarm” by Nicki Minaj, “One Last Time” by Ariana Grande, “Unstable” by Justin Bieber, and the double platinum #1 hit “Rain on Me” for Lady Gaga, which was one of more than half a dozen songs he co-wrote for her critically acclaimed Chromatica album in 2020. The long list of artists who’ve recorded Rami’s songs includes Demi Lovato, Celine Dion, Carl Rae Jepson, 5 Seconds of Summer, Avicii, All Time Low, Selena Gomez, Jason DeRulo, and Madonna. 
 

SUMMARY
Our guest on this episode of Songcraft is Poo Bear, who is known for his extensive collaborations with Justin Bieber, including the multi-platinum hits “Where Are U Now,” “What Do You Mean,” and “Despacito (Remix),” as well as for hits such as “Caught Up” by Usher, “I Can Transform Ya” by Chris Brown, and “10,000 Hours” by Dan + Shay. He joins us i to chat about his multi-platinum career as a behind the scenes writer, and his recent work as an artist. 

PART ONE
Scott and Paul chat about their elevator encounters with Ice Cube, Common, Kenny Loggins, Kelly Rowland, and Jermaine Jackson, and why random run-ins don't always result in amazing songwriting partnerships. 

PART TWO
Scott's in-depth interview with Jason "Poo Bear" Boyd

ABOUT POO BEAR
Song of the Year Grammy nominee Poo Bear is perhaps best known for his collaborations with Justin Bieber, including the multi-platinum hits “All That Matters,” “Where Are U Now,” “What Do You Mean,” “Company,” “Yummy,” and “Intentions,” as well as “Despacito (Remix)” (with Luis Fonsi and Daddy Yankee) and “I Don’t Care” (with Ed Sheeran). Other hits from the Poo Bear songbook include “Anywhere” and “Peaches and Cream” by the R&B group 112, “Caught Up” by Usher, “My Petition” from Jill Scott’s Grammy-winning Beautifully Human album, Chris Brown’s “I Can Transform Ya” and “She Ain’t You,” and Dan + Shay’s “10,000 Hours.” 

His catalog has registered sales of over 350 million records worldwide, dozens of multi-platinum certifications, and 100 billion streams and counting. He has collaborated with The Rolling Stones, Whitney Houston, Mariah Carey, P!nk, Faith Evans, Dr. Dre, Lupe Fiasco, Drake, Snoop Dogg, Yo Gotti, Rick Ross, Skrillex, DJ Khaled, Mariah Carey, Billie Eilish, Steven Tyler, and many others.

Not limited by any one genre, Poo Bear’s songwriting can be found on everything from J Balvin’s Latin Grammy award-winning Energía to Zac Brown Band’s #1 country album The Owl. As an artist, he co-founded the rootsy project Bear and a Banjo, which released a self-title debut in 2020 that was produced by T-Bone Burnett. Further stepping out from behind the scenes, Poo Bear’s most recent release is the single “The Day You Left.” 

Part One:
Paul and Scott pay tribute to ZZ Top's Dusty Hill, talk about bands with unchanging lineups, delve into the particulars of magnificent Songcraft beards, and take a closer look at Billboard's Christian music charts.  

Part Two:
Our in-depth conversation with David Crowder

ABOUT DAVID CROWDER:
David Crowder is a phenomenally successful singer, songwriter, and musician in Christian music. He first rose to prominence with The David Crowder Band, which introduced church communities to songs such as “O Praise Him,” “Here is Our King,” and “How He Loves,” which has earned nearly 60 million streams on Spotify. The five-time Grammy nominee began a genre-bending solo career under the mononymous stage name Crowder in 2012, and has released four albums and a string of Top 10 singles including “I Am,” “Come As You Are,” “Forgiven,” “All My Hope,” “Red Letters,” and “Let it Rain.” Other staples from the Crowder songbook include “Open Skies,” “Everything Glorious,” “This I Know,” and “I’m Leaning on You.” Crowder has collaborated with a range of artists, including Chris Tomlin, Tauren Wells, Riley Clemmons, Maverick City Music, Marty Stuart, and Emmylou Harris, and has earned 16 GMA Dove Awards. His most recent album, Milk & Honey hit #1 on the US Christian charts, and the lead single “Good God Almighty” became his first song to hit #1 on all four Billboard Christian music charts. 

SUMMARY:
Our guests on this episode of Songcraft are Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, best known for co-writing and producing nearly every Janet Jackson hit. They’ve worked with a who’s who of artists, earning them 26 Billboard #1 R&B hits, 16 Billboard #1 pop hits, more Producer of the Year Grammy nominations than anyone in history, and a place in the Songwriters Hall of Fame. We’ll chat with them about their varied career, and their new first-ever album under their own names, entitled Volume One. 

PART ONE:
Fan mail and the hardest job in the world.

PART TWO:
Scott and Paul chat about the idea of the celebrity producer, and how Jam & Lewis might have set a new mold. 

PART THREE:
Our in-depth interview with Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis

ABOUT JAM & LEWIS
With 26 Billboard #1 R&B hits and 16 Billboard #1 pop hits to their credit, Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis are perhaps the most influential and successful songwriting and production duo in modern music history. With a total of 41 Top 10 hits in the US, Jimmy and Terry were named ASCAP Songwriters of the Year a record-breaking nine times. They are perhaps best known for their work with Janet Jackson, beginning with the Control album, which earned the duo a Grammy for Producer of the Year. Between 1986 and 1994 they scored thirteen #1 songs with Janet on either the R&B or pop chart, including “What Have You Done For Me Lately,” “Nasty,” “When I Think of You,” “Control,” “Let’s Wait Awhile,” “Miss You Much,” “Rhythm Nation,” “Escapade” “Love Will Never Do (Without You),” “The Best Things in Life Are Free,” “That’s the Way Love Goes,” “Any Time, Any Place,” and “Again,” which earned Jimmy, Terry, and Janet an Academy Award nomination for Best Original Song. 

Jimmy and Terry got their start as musicians with Morris Day and the Time, the Prince-produced band whose biggest hit was the Jam and Lewis-penned “Jerk Out.” They made the transition to a successful songwriting and production team working with the S.O.S. band, which landed a #2 R&B hit with “Just Be Good to Me.” From there, they made their mark on pop and R&B hits for decades to come. In addition to their work with Jackson, the duo wrote and produced the #1 pop singles “Human” by Human League, “Romantic” by Karyn White, “Thank God I Found You” by Mariah Carey, and the Boyz II Men singles “On Bended Knee” and “4 Seasons of Loneliness.” Additional R&B chart toppers include “Encore” by Cheryl Lynn, “Fake” by Alexander O’Neal, “Everything I Miss at Home” by Cherelle, “Sensitivity” by Ralph Tresvant, and the Johnny Gill singles “Rub You the Right Way” and “Wrap My Body Tight.” 

Other highlights from their catalog include New Edition’s “If It Isn’t Love” and “I’m Still in Love With You,” “No More Drama” by Mary J. Blige, Robert Palmer’s hit pop cover of their Cherelle single “I Didn’t Mean to Turn You On,” and recordings by Gladys Knight & The Pips, Barry White, Michael Jackson, Lionel Richie, Usher, Spice Girls, Aretha Franklin, Charlie Wilson, Ledisi, Sting, Elton John, Beyonce, Rihanna, Rod Stewart, Drake, Kendrick Lamar, Gwen Stefani, Willie Nelson, and many others.

Always versatile, the duo has earned Grammy awards for Best R&B Album for Chaka Kahn’s Funk This, Best Gospel Song for Yolanda Adams’ “Be Blessed,” and Best Dance Recording for Janet Jackson’s #1 pop and R&B hit “All For You.” Additional Jackson hits that were written and produced with Jam and Lewis include the Janet and Michael Jackson hit “Scream” and the #1 singles “Together Again,” “I Get Lonely,” “Doesn’t Really Matter,” and the Nelly duet “Call On Me.”

In total the team has earned over 100 gold, platinum, multi-platinum and diamond album certifications from the RIAA, have received more Producer of the Year Grammy nominations than anyone in history, earned the NAACP Lifetime Achievement Award, and were inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame. They’ve recently released their first album under their own names, which is called Volume One. 

SUMMARY:
Our guest on this episode of Songcraft is Georgia native and Best Americana Album Grammy nominee Brent Cobb. The self-described songwriter-singer joins us to chat about his dual career as an artist and as a behind-the-scenes tunesmith for Luke Bryan, Little Big Town, Miranda Lambert, Kenny Chesney, and others. 

PART ONE
Paul and Scott dissect the difference between a guitarist and a guitar enthusiast. 

PART TWO:
Scott's in-depth interview with Brent Cobb

ABOUT BRENT COBB:
Georgia native Brent Cobb began his music career in Los Angeles working with his cousin Dave Cobb and Shooter Jennings. He later found himself in Nashville where he landed a staff songwriting deal and started getting his songs recorded by artists such as Luke Bryan, Little Big Town, Miranda Lambert, Kenny Chesney, and many others. He eventually signed an artist deal with the Elektra Records imprint Low Country Sound, scoring a Top 20 country album with Shine On Rainy Day. The LP earned a Grammy nomination for Best Americana Album. His follow-up release, Providence Canyon earned Brent a spot touring with Chris Stapleton. His most recent release, Keep ‘Em On They Toes, marks his return to Georgia and his most personal album to date. We recently caught up with Brent via phone where he called in from a semi-quiet corner of a hotel hallway at Disneyworld where he was vacationing with his family. 
 

SUMMARY:
Our guest on this episode of Songcraft is Richard Marx, who is best known for writing and recording hits such as “Don’t Mean Nothing,” “Hold on to the Nights” and “Right Here Waiting.” But that’s only part of the story. As a songwriter, Marx has written #1 hits for other artists, ranging from Kenny Rogers to Josh Groban to NSYNC to Keith Urban. He’s sold more than 30 million albums as an artist, earned the Grammy Song of the Year as a writer, and, with the publication of his new memoir on July 6th, is now an author with many amazing stories to tell.    

PART ONE:
Scott and Paul talk about the new Songcraft T-shirts, and wonder if Richard Marx is perhaps in an elite club whose only other members are the Bee Gees. 

PART TWO: 
Our in-depth conversation with Richard Marx

ABOUT RICHARD MARX
Grammy-winning performer Richard Marx has sold more than 30 million albums as an artist, but if you only know him from late 1980s ballads such as “Hold on to the Nights” and “Right Here Waiting,” you only know part of the story. A prolific songwriter, Marx has landed fourteen songs at the top of various Billboard charts, and has written a #1 single in each of the last four decades. His genre-crossing songwriting success includes “What About Me” and “Crazy,” which Kenny Rogers carried to the top of the Adult Contemporary and Country charts, respectively; “Edge of a Broken Heart,” a hit for the female metal band Vixen; “This I Promise You,” a Top 5 pop single for NSYNC that stayed at #1 on the Adult Contemporary Chart for 13 weeks; Josh Groban’s debut single “To Where You Are,” which also reached #1; and “Dance With My Father,” which Richard wrote with the song’s performer, Luther Vandross, and which earned the pair the prestigious Grammy Song of the Year award in 2004. Additionally, Richard has scored three major hits with Keith Urban: the Top 5 “Everybody,” and the #1 singles “Better Life” and “Long Hot Summer.”  

Despite all his songwriting success, however, Marx is best known as a singer and performer who today jokes about his 80s hairstyle and of-the-era drum sounds. But the songs are undeniable, all of which Marx wrote and produced himself. His debut self-titled album yielded four Top 5 singles: “Don’t Mean Nothing,” “Should’ve Known Better,” “Endless Summer Nights,” and “Hold on to the Nights.” His follow-up, 1989’s Repeat Offender, was even more successful, going quadruple-platinum and earning two number one Billboard pop singles, “Satisfied” and “Right Here Waiting,” in addition to the Top 5 “Angelina.” More hits followed, including “Keep Coming Back,” “Hazard,” “Take This Heart,” “Now and Forever,” and “Until I Find You Again.” 

In addition, Richard’s songs have been integral to a number of successful film soundtracks. He earned a Grammy nomination for his contributions to St. Elmo’s Fire; scored a Top 10 pop hit with “Surrender to Me,” which Ann Wilson of Heart and Robin Zander of Cheap Trick recorded for the movie Tequila Sunrise, and wrote “At the Beginning,” a hit duet for the film Anastasia that Richard performed with Donna Lewis. 

Over the course of his career, Richard’s songs have been recorded by Barbra Streisand, The Tubes, Sarah Brightman, Monica, Natalie Cole, Michael Bolton, Paulina Rubio, Emerson Drive, Chicago, Billy Ray Cyrus, Vince Gill, Kenny Loggins, LeAnn Rimes, Celine Dion, Julio Iglesias, Berry Manilow, Daughtry, Vertical Horizon, Lifehouse, Dave Koz, Jennifer Nettles, Ringo Starr, and many others. 

His memoir, Stories to Tell, is available July 6 from Simon & Shuster. 

SUMMARY:
Our guest on this episode of Songcraft is musician, rapper, poet, activist, and singer-songwriter Michael Franti, who is best known for his work with his group Spearhead. He joins us to discuss the evolution of his music, the creation of hits such as “Say Hey (I Love You)” and “The Sound of Sunshine,” and his most recent album, Work Hard & Be Nice. 

PART ONE:
Scott and Paul get into some serious grammar nerd stuff about implied punctuation in lyrics, how incorrect sentence construction often works better in lyrics, and what the heck Bryan Adams really had in mind when he wrote "Heaven."

PART TWO:
We chat about our friends at Pearl Snap Studios, address Scott's "Zoom yelling," and tee up for the main event...

PART THREE:
Scott's in-depth interview with Michael Franti

ABOUT MICHAEL FRANTI
Socially conscious and genre-bending artist, musician, rapper, poet, activist and singer-songwriter Michael Franti launched his career with early groups such as Disposable Heroes of Hiphoprisy, whose debut release was listed in the book 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die. He went on to form Spearhead, which evolved from hip-hop to incorporate influences including jazz, soul, funk, rock, reggae, and folk. The 2008 Michael Franti & Spearhead album All Rebel Rockers was his first to hit the Top 40 on the Billboard album charts on the strength of the single “Say Hey (I Love You),” which was also a Top 20 hit on the pop chart. He went on to release a string of albums that hit the Rock Albums Top 5, including The Sound of Sunshine, All People, and SoulRocker. His most recent album is called Work Hard & Be Nice, which was released during the pandemic in the summer of 2020. In addition to his work as an artist and activist, Michael is the owner of a yoga resort hotel in Bali called Soulshine, from which he joined us for this interview.
 

Summary:
Our guest on this episode of Songcraft is Marty Dodson, who has written #1 singles such as “Everybody Wants to Go to Heaven” for Kenny Chesney and “Must Be Doin’ Something Right” for Billy Currington. The Nashville hitmaker joins us to discuss his songwriting journey, and give us further insight into Songtown, the songwriter community he co-founded to provide quality resources for aspiring professionals.  

Part One:
Scott and Paul talk about their favorite music podcasts of the moment.

Part Two:
Our in-depth interview with Marty Dodson.

About Marty Dodson:

One of the rare Nashville songwriters who actually grew up in Nashville, Marty Dodson changed careers as a young adult to dedicate himself to his passion for writing songs. Much of his success came in the country world with singles such as Rascal Flatts’ Top 10 hit “While You Loved Me,” Carrie Underwood’s “Songs Like This,” Kenny Chesney’s multi-week #1 hit “Everybody Wants to Go to Heaven,” Charlie Worsham’s debut single “Could It Be,” Blake Shelton’s “Doing it to Country Songs.” and two Billy Currington chart-toppers, “Must Be Doin’ Something’ Right” and “Let Me Down Easy.” 

Never one to limit himself to a single genre, Marty has also collaborated with Tom Higgenson of the rock band Plain White T’s, which recorded two of his songs, and has had his compositions recorded by everyone from Joe Cocker, who had an international #1 with Marty’s “Fire It Up,” to Cho Yong Pil, a South Korean superstar who had a multi-week #1 with Marty’s song “Bounce.” 

In addition to his writing, Marty is the co-founder of Songtown, a creative community of aspiring writers that provides blog posts, webinars, podcasts, and even books, including two co-authored by Marty: Song Building: Mastering Lyric Writing, and The Songwriter’s Guide to Mastering Co-Writing.

SUMMARY: 
Bridget Kearney and Rachael Price of the band Lake Street Dive join us to talk about a career that’s earned them top 20 albums on the Billboard 200 chart, a half dozen singles on the AAA chart, massive critical praise, and a brand new album on Nonesuch Records called "Obviously" that elevates the band’s pop, rock, R&B, and jazz influences into a perfectly unique blend that's equal parts retro and contemporary. 

PART ONE:
Paul & Scott read listener mail, talk Patreon perks, and tell you how to get your very own Songcraft T-shirt! 

PART TWO:
Our in-depth conversation with Rachael and Bridget of Lake Street Dive

ABOUT LAKE STREET DIVE:
Lake Street Dive’s tight harmonies and wide-ranging tastes in pop, rock, R&B, and jazz blend together to create a cohesive sound that celebrates retro influences with a contemporary attitude. Formed at the New England Conservatory of Music in 2004, the group has released seven studio albums, issued two EPs, and charted a half dozen singles on Billboard’s Adult Alternative Airplay chart including “Call Off Your Dogs,” “Good Kisser,” “Shame Shame Shame,” and “Hypotheticals.” The latter is off their most recent album on Nonesuch Records, titled Obviously. The group has appeared on Late Night with David Letterman, Conan, The Ellen DeGeneres Show, and NPR’s Tiny Desk series. They’ve earned many millions of YouTube views with their innovative interpretations of covers songs, as well as with originals such as “What I’m Doing Here,” “You Go Down Smooth,” “Mistakes,” “Side Pony,” and “Bad Self Portraits.” Lead singer Rachael Price and bassist Bridget Kearney join us to talk about their songwriting process and the evolution of the band. 
 

PART ONE:
Scott & Paul chat about making records, and dive way too deep on how every Songcraft guest is connected.

PART TWO (30 minute mark):
Our in-depth interview with Todd Snider

ABOUT TODD SNIDER:
Celebrated singer-songwriter Todd Snider has continued the troubadour legacy of mentors like John Prine, Jerry Jeff Walker, and Ramblin’ Jack Elliott, while putting his uniquely clever, wry, sly, and often irreverent spin on folk, rock, country, and Americana. Launching his career on Jimmy Buffett’s Margaritaville Records, Snider has spent more than two decades touring relentlessly, both on his own and with legendary artists such as Emmylou Harris. Along the way he’s made a splash with fan favorite songs such as “Talking Seattle Grunge Rock Blues,” “Alright Guy,” “Can’t Complain,” “Beer Run,” “Statistician’s Blues,” and “Play a Train Song.” He has released well over a dozen albums, including The Devil You Know and Agnostic Hymns and Stoner Fables, both of which were named to Rolling Stone’s list of the Top 50 Albums of the Year. He also formed the group Hardworking Americans, and published a memoir called I Never Met a Story I Didn’t Like: Mostly True Tall Tales. His songs have been covered by Garth Brooks, Gary Allan, Mark Chesnutt, Tom Jones, Jerry Jeff Walker, Billy Joe Shaver, Elizabeth Cook, Warren Haynes, Loretta Lynn, and Elvis Costello. His experimental new funk-influenced album is called First Agnostic Church of Hope and Wonder.

SUMMARY:
Dan Nigro has already taken 2021 by storm as the co-writer and producer of Olivia Rodrigo’s global smash hit “Drivers License.” He joins us to talk about his development as a writer, his success with Freya Ridings and Conan Gray, and how he’s experiencing this moment as pop music’s new songwriting superstar. 

PART ONE:
Scott and Paul chat about how oddly "adult" pop music was in the '80s.

PART TWO:
Our in-depth interview with Dan Nigro

ABOUT DAN NIGRO:
Songwriter and producer Dan Nigro is having a major moment. Olivia Rodrigo’s debut single “Drivers License,” which he co-wrote and produced, made her the youngest artist in history to debut at the top of the Billboard pop chart. A global sensation, the song not only stayed on top of the US chart for two full months, but reached number one in the UK, Japan, and more than 20 other countries. It set a new streaming record on Spotify with over 15 million plays in a single day. 

Prior to his years-long overnight success, Dan began his musical life as the leader of indie rock band As Tall as Lions before transitioning to songwriting and producing. His resume includes “Cameo Lover” by Kimbra, “Mercy” by Lewis Capaldi, “Castles” by Freya Ridings, “So Hot You’re Hurting My Feelings” by Caroline Polachek, and “Heather” by Conan Gray. In addition to those songs, which have nearly 300 million combined views on YouTube, Dan has written and/or produced for Sky Ferreira, Kylie Minogue, Billy Idol, Little Boots, Carly Rae Jepsen, Zella Day, Finneas, and many others. His latest single, Olivia Rodrigo’s “Deja Vu,” was released less than two weeks prior to this episode and is already a Top 10 pop hit, indicating that the team of Rodrigo and Nigro is here to stay. 

SUMMARY: 
Rock & Roll Hall of Famer and four-time Grammy nominee Nancy Wilson of Heart joins us to chat about self-penned classics such as "Crazy on You," "Magic Man," "Barracuda," and "Never," as well as her work scoring films, and her upcoming debut solo album, You and Me. 

PART ONE: 
Paul and Scott chat about demos, their friends at Pearl Snap Studios, the grand finale of their Women's History Month series, why Nancy Wilson paved the way for little girls to aspire to great guitar heights, and what one Heart song each of them plans to blast after the interview. 

PART TWO: 9:02 mark
Our in-depth interview with Nancy Wilson

ABOUT NANCY WILSON:
Four-time Grammy nominee and Rock & Roll Hall of Famer Nancy Wilson is best known for her work in the band Heart, which she and her sister Ann helped propel to rock superstardom in the 1970s, thanks to self-penned classics such as “Crazy On You,” “Magic Man,” “Dreamboat Annie,” “Barracuda,” “Little Queen,” “Heartless,” “Straight On,” “Dog & Butterfly,” and “Even It Up.” In the mid-1980s they reinvented themselves as mainstream radio hitmakers with a string of successful singles, including “What About Love,” “Never,” “These Dreams,” “Nothin’ at All,” “Alone,” “Who Will You Run To,” “There’s the Girl,” “All I Wanna Do Is Make Love to You,” and “Stranded.” 

Though she has sold over 35 million albums worldwide as a member of Heart, Nancy’s songwriting efforts extend beyond the confines of the band. She has written songs and scores for films, including Say Anything, Jerry Maguire, Almost Famous, Vanilla Sky, and Elizabethtown. She is also a founding member of the bands The Lovemongers and Roadcase Royale. Though she previously released a solo acoustic set called Live At McCabe’s Guitar Shop, Nancy’s debut studio album as a solo artist, You and Me, will be released on May 7th.   

Jackie DeShannon is best known for her hit records “What the World Needs Now is Love” and the self-penned “Put a Little Love In Your Heart.” The Songwriters Hall of Fame member and five-time Grammy nominee who won the coveted Song of the Year Grammy for “Bette Davis Eyes” joins us to chat about her remarkable career. 

PART ONE
Scott and Paul chat about their new theme song, Grammys lost and won, further reflections on Women's History Month, and why Paul's daughter is a little confused by Paul Stanley of KISS. 

PART TWO
Our in-depth interview with the legendary Jackie DeShannon

ABOUT JACKIE DeSHANNON

Jackie DeShannon was one of the first women in pop music to write and record her own material. As an artist, Jackie is best known for her recording of the Burt Bacharach and Hal David classic “What the World Needs Now is Love,” as well as for her self-penned “Put a Little Love in Your Heart,” which was a Top 5 hit for her before being revived 20 years later to become a hit once again for Al Green and Annie Lennox. The five-time Grammy nominee who won the coveted Song of the Year Grammy for “Bette Davis Eyes” composed several classics, including “Dum Dum,” a hit for Brenda Lee, “Breakaway,” a hit for both Irma Thomas and Tracy Ullman, “When You Walk in the Room,” which was covered by The Searchers, and “Don’t Doubt Yourself Babe,” which was included on the debut album by The Byrds.

Jackie appeared with The Beatles on their first American tour in 1964 and has collaborated with a wide range of artists including Randy Newman, Jimmy Page, and Van Morrison. Her songs have been covered by Marianne Faithfull, Ella Fitzgerald, Glen Campbell, The Everly Brothers, Cher, Gladys Knight & The Pips, Dolly Parton, Rick Nelson, Bruce Springsteen, Michael McDonald, and Taylor Swift. Jackie was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2010. 

Summary: Grand Ole Opry legend Jeannie Seely. a Grammy winner who placed nearly 30 singles on the Billboard country charts as an artist, joins us to chat about her craft as a BMI award-winning songwriter whose compositions have been recorded by Merle Haggard, Ray Price, Irma Thomas, Rhonda Vincent, Faron Young, Connie Smith, Dottie West, Willie Nelson, and others. She talks about co-writing with Randy Newman and Glen Campbell, shares her perspective on Nashville’s songwriting community as the former spouse of Hall of Fame songwriter Hank Cochran, tells us what she learned from Porter Wagoner, and sheds insights on the challenges women of her generation faced while making their way as respected country songwriters.   

PART ONE: The guys chat about Paul's recent songwriting success with artist Lauren Daigle and look ahead to what they have planned for Women's History Month.

PART TWO: Our in-depth interview with Jeannie Seely.

ABOUT JEANNIE SEELY:

Singer, songwriter, producer, actress, author and radio show host Jeannie Seely has been a staple of the Grand Ole Opry cast for more than five decades, and is now the Official Ambassador for the Opry. She rose to prominence with the #1 hit “Don’t Touch Me,” a multi-million selling single written by her ex-husband, songwriting legend Hank Cochran, that earned her a Grammy award and recognition from Billboard, Cashbox and Record World magazines as the Most Promising Female Country Artist. Earning the nickname Miss Country Soul, Seely placed nearly 30 songs on the Billboard country chart, including “It’s Only Love,” “A Wanderin’ Man,” “I’ll Love You More (Than You Need),” “Can I Sleep in Your Arms Tonight Mister,” the Grammy-nominated Jack Greene duet “Wish I Didn’t Have to Miss You,” and the self-penned songs “Farm in Pennsyltucky” and “He Can Be Mine.”

Before she hit the charts as an artist, Jeannie found early pop songwriting success with “Anyone Who Knows What Love Is (Will Understand),” a pop and R&B hit for Irma Thomas that she co-wrote with Randy Newman. Soon, country artists such as Connie Smith and Dottie West began recording Jeannie’s songs. Since then, her compositions have been recorded by Willie Nelson, Ernest Tubb, Ray Price, Little Jimmy Dickens, Tex Williams, Merle Haggard, Lorrie Morgan, Doyle Lawson, and Faron Young, who scored a Top 10 pop hit with “Leaving and Saying Goodbye,” which earned Jeannie a BMI award.  

Recording for the Monument, Decca, MCA and Columbia labels, Seely is credited with breaking barriers for women in country music, and the four-time CMA Awards nominee hasn’t slowed down. She hosts her own radio show on Willie’s Roadhouse on SiriusXM, and co-wrote “Like I Could,” a recent bluegrass chart topper recorded by Rhonda Vincent. Her recent albums include Written in Song, which spotlights her own compositions, and American Classic, her most recent album which features “Not a Dry Eye in the House,” a duet with Willie Nelson that was released on Jeannie’s 80th birthday in 2020.    

Our guest is Diane Warren, an Emmy, Golden Globe, and Grammy winner with 11 Academy Award nominations for Best Original Song. The Songwriters Hall of Famer and ASCAP Founders Award winner is known for a long list of hits, including “Rhythm of the Night,” “Blame it On the Rain,” “Because You Loved Me,” “Don’t Turn Around,” “Unbreak My Heart,” “I Don’t Wanna Miss a Thing,” and “How Do I Live.” She joins us to talk about her wide-ranging career, and her upcoming first-ever studio album, The Cave Sessions, Vol. 1.   

PART ONE:
Scott and Paul chat about the Bruce Springsteen Super Bowl commercial, authenticity, Willie Nelson's reggae album, and Lady Gaga's meat dress. 

PART TWO:
The guys pay tribute to Songwriters Hall of Famer (and former Songcraft guest) Jim Weatherly who passed away recently. Hear all about Scott's connection with the "Midnight Train to Georgia" writer that goes back many many years.  

PART THREE: Our in-depth interview with Diane Warren

ABOUT DIANE WARREN
Songwriters Hall of Famer Diane Warren is an Emmy, Golden Globe, and Grammy winner (with a total of 15 Grammy nominations to her credit) who has been honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and is perhaps one of the most successful pop songwriters of all time. Her long list of Top-10 pop hits includes “Rhythm of the Night” by DeBarge, “I Get Weak” by Belinda Carlisle, “Nothing’s Gonna Stop Us Now” and “Set the Night to Music” by Starship, “Who Will You Run To” by Heart, “I Don’t Wanna Live Without Your Love” and “Look Away” by Chicago, “Blame it on the Rain” by Milli Vanilli, “How Can We Be Lovers” and “When I’m Back on My Feet Again” by Michael Bolton, “I’ll Be Your Shelter” and “Love Will Lead You Back” by Taylor Dayne, “If I Could Turn Back Time” and “Just Like Jesse James” by Cher, and “When I See You Smile” by Bad English.

But those are just a few highlights from the 1980s. In the ‘90s she became a five-time ASCAP Pop Songwriter of the Year, and was named Billboard Pop Songwriter of the Year for three years in a row thanks to writing hits such as “If You Asked Me To” and “Because You Loved Me” for Celine Dion, “Don’t Turn Around” for Ace of Base, “For You I Will” for Monica, “The One I Gave My Heart To” for Aaliyah, “Unbreak My Heart” for Toni Braxton, “Have You Ever” for Brandy, “I Don’t Want to Miss a Thing” for Aerosmith, “I Turn to You” for Christina Aguilera, “Music of My Heart” for Gloria Estefan, and “How Do I Live” for LeAnn Rimes, which became the longest-running song in Billboard chart history. 

Warren has earned eleven Academy Award nominations for Best Original Song between 1988 and 2020, including “Nothing’s Gonna Stop Us Now,” “Because You Loved Me,” “How Do I Live,” “I Don’t Want to Miss a Thing,” “Til It Happens to You,” which was a collaboration with Lady Gaga, “Stand Up for Something,” which was a collaboration with Common and “I’ll Fight” from the film RBG. 

She has continued to have her songs recorded by a wide-range of artists in recent years, including “Born to Be Somebody” by Justin Bieber, “I Was Here” by Beyonce, “Only Love Can Hurt Like This” by Paloma Faith, and “To Get Here” by Willie Nelson. Other artists who’ve recorded her songs include Barbra Streisand, Johnny Mathis, Jennifer Hudson, Patti LaBelle, Dionne Warwick, Roy Orbison, Al Green, Rod Stewart, Ringo Starr, Eric Clapton, Bette Midler, Lionel Richie, Faith Hill, Trisha Yearwood, Reba McEntire, Bon Jovi, Alice Cooper, KISS, Joan Jett, Mariah Carey, Mary J. Blige, Jessie J, Demi Lovato, Carrie Underwood, Adele, Diana Ross, Aretha Franklin, and Whitney Houston. 

A recipient of the prestigious ASCAP Founder’s Award, Warren has recently completed her first studio album, The Cave Sessions, Vol. 1, which features John Legend, Celine Dion, Mary J. Blige, Jason Derulo, Ty Dolla $ign, LP, and Darius Rucker who performs the lead single “Times Like This.” 

In addition to his own albums and mixtapes, artist, songwriter, and entertainer Eric Bellinger has co-written hits such as Chris Brown’s “New Flame” and Usher’s “Lemme See,” as well as songs by Justin Bieber, Trey Songz, The Game, and others. Eric joins Paul to chat about his remarkable career that spans pop, hip-hop, and R&B. 

PART ONE
Scott and Paul talk about musicians who are also great athletes and theorize about the connections between sports and music, including Paul's tales of his days playing basketball with Brian McKnight

PART TWO
Paul's in-depth interview with Eric Bellinger

ABOUT ERIC BELLINGER
Singer, songwriter, and producer Eric Bellinger balances his career as a performer with a long list of behind-the-scenes writer credits on hits such as Chris Brown’s “New Flame,” which topped multiple Billboard charts, “Lemme See,” an ASCAP-award winning song by Usher that reached #2 on Billboard’s Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart, the Top 40 “Right Here” by Justin Bieber featuring Drake, and the theme song of the hit film Think Like a Man, performed by Jennifer Hudson, Ne-Yo, and Rick Ross.

The list of other artists who’ve recorded Eric’s songs includes Selena Gomez, Ashanti, Keke Palmer, Brandy, Fantasia, Trey Songz, The Game, Tyrese, Tank, and Teyana Taylor. In addition to “New Flame,” Eric also earned recognition for his contributions to Chris Brown’s Grammy-winning album F.A.M.E., which included the songs “Fine China” and “Love More,” featuring Nicki Minaj. 

With over a dozen studio albums, mixtapes, and EPs to his credit, Eric Bellinger the artist has released singles such as “Valet” featuring Fetty Wap and 2 Chainz; “Type a Way” featuring Chris Brown; “Moist” featuring K Camp, and “Enough,” which directly addresses racial and societal injustice. His most recent album, a duo project with Hitmaka called 1-800-Hit-Eazy, will be released later this month. 

Nine-time Grammy nominee Ani DiFranco joins Scott and Paul to talk about her career as a fiercely independent singer-songwriter and activist, and share some insights into the social, political, and personal challenges that inspired her honest but hope-filled new studio album, Revolutionary Love. 

PART ONE
Paul and Scott discuss the complicated legacy of genius songwriter/producer and convicted murderer Phil Spector, before paying tribute to the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. in honor of the MLK holiday. They each choose a favorite song to emerge from the Civil Rights era and consider how King's message informs the artistic world today. 

PART TWO
Our in-depth interview with the great Ani DiFranco

ABOUT ANI DIFRANCO
Singer, songwriter, musician, producer, poet, author, spoken-word artist, activist and entrepreneur Ani DiFranco has released more than 20 independent studio albums on her own label, Righteous Babe Records. Though often classified as “alternative folk,” DiFranco’s musical influences span a range of genres. After relentless touring, she reached a wide commercial audience in the late 1990s and early 2000s with albums such as Little Plastic Castle, Up Up Up Up Up Up, Revelling/Reckoning, Evolve, Educated Guess, and the gold-certified live album Living in Clip. The Grammy winner and nine-time nominee achieved her sole Top 40 hit as a songwriter when Alana Davis covered the DiFranco classic “32 Flavors” in 1997. 

The prolific and critically-acclaimed performer developed her own uniquely percussive guitar style and has collaborated with a range of artists, including Bon Iver’s Justin Vernon, Bruce Cockburn, Pete Seeger, Utah Phillips, Maceo Parker, and Prince. In addition to releasing her own music, her label has issued recordings by Sara Lee, Andrew Bird, Nona Hendryx, and others. 

Ani was one of the first musicians to receive the Woman of Courage Award from the National Organization for Women, and was honored with both the Woody Guthrie Award and the Southern Center For Human Rights’ Human Rights Award. Her memoir, No Walls and the Recurring Dream, was released in 2019 by Viking Books. The New Orleans-based DiFranco’s latest album, Revolutionary Love, is a timely social statement scheduled for release on January 29, 2021. 
  

PART ONE:
Paul and Scott geek out about the Bee Gees documentary, and the nature of being the kind of songwriter who MUST do it, no matter what.

PART TWO:
Dan Wilson chats about how Liam Gallagher of Oasis inspired the first new Semisonic music in years; why his relationship with songs has always been very practical; how his first massive hit was born from a need to mix up the set list; the theory he once had about lyrics that he doesn't have any more; the lesson he learned from writing with Carole King that he's carried through his entire career; why it was a good thing that Natalie Maines of the Dixie Chicks rejected his song idea; how Rick Rubin informed his approach to music; the gritty details on the two-day process of writing "Someone Like You" with Adele; why Nashville's songwriting ethic impacted his process; the time a song was finalized over pizza with John Legend and Chrissy Tiegen; and how fellow songwriter Teddy Geiger indirectly inspired a most unusual format for Dan's collection of wisdom for writers and musicians. 

ABOUT  DAN WILSON:
Songwriter, singer, musician, producer and acclaimed visual artist Dan Wilson is a Minnesota native and Harvard graduate who launched his music career with the band Trip Shakespeare, which was signed to A&M Records. He went on to co-found the rock band Semisonic, whose platinum-selling Feeling Strangely Fine album yielded the singles “Secret Smile,” “Singing in My Sleep,” and “Closing Time,” a chart-topping hit that earned Dan a Grammy nomination for Best Rock Song. 

He went on to reinvent himself as a behind-the-scenes hitmaker, earning a Song of the Year Grammy for co-writing “Not Ready to Make Nice” with the group then known as The Dixie Chicks, and writing three songs on Adele’s multiplatinum 21 album: “Don’t You Remember,” “One and Only,” and “Someone Like You,” which became an international hit and earned Dan an Album of the Year Grammy for his production work. Wilson has also found success in Nashville, co-writing Dierks Bentley’s number one hit “Home” and earning yet another Album of the Year Grammy nomination for Taylor Swift’s Red LP, for which he co-wrote and produced the song “Treacherous.” 

Dan’s long list of collaborators includes Carole King, Rachel Yamagata, Jason Mraz, Gabe Dixon, Weezer, Keith Urban, Josh Groban, James Morrison, P!nk, Leann Rimes, John Legend, Chris Stapleton, Panic! At the Disco, Cold War Kids, Noah Cyrus, Leon Bridges, Celine Dion, and many others.

In addition to his acclaimed Words and Music by Dan Wilson solo concerts, he launched a social media series called Words & Music in Six Seconds. The series, which focuses on “forging collaborative relationships, seeking a community, testing out ideas in front of an audience, and writing better songs,” has recently been turned into a deck of 75 cards, designed by Dan, that distill his insights from nearly three decades of writing, performing, and collaborating with the world’s greatest musical artists. You can get your own set and find out more about Dan’s amazing career at danwilsonmusic.com. 

PART ONE
Scott and Paul chat about the holidays and Paul's latest Christmas cut by Hamilton star Leslie Odom Jr.

PART TWO
The guys catch up with Eagles songwriter and past Songcraft guest Jack Tempchin ("Already Gone," "Peaceful Easy Feeling") about his brand new holiday song and children's book. 

PART THREE
Our in-depth conversation with thirteen-time Grammy nominee and two-time winner Walter Afanasieff who co-wrote and co-produced Mariah Carey hits such as the number one singles “Can’t Let Go,” “My All,” “Hero,” “One Sweet Day,” and the perennial holiday classic "All I Want for Christmas is You." Additionally, he produced some of the biggest movie soundtrack songs of all time, including “Beauty and the Beast,” “A Whole New World,” and “My Heart Will Go On" from Titanic. 

ABOUT WALTER AFANSIEFF

Thirteen-time Grammy nominee and two-time winner Walter Afanasieff is best known for his collaborative songwriting and production partnership with Mariah Carey that yielded hit singles such as “Can’t Let Go,” “Dreamlover,” “Hero,” “Without You,” “Anytime You Need a Friend,” “Butterfly,” “My All,” and “One Sweet Day,” a duet with Boyz II Men that was named ASCAP Song of the Year. It hit #1 in December of 1995 and stayed there for sixteen weeks—a record that remained unbroken for more than two decades. Their “All I Want for Christmas is You” was released in 1994 and has since become a holiday standard. It hit #1 on Billboard’s pop chart for the first time in 2019, giving Walter and Mariah the world record for the longest period of time between a song’s original release and its arrival at the top of the chart.  

In addition to his success with Carey, Afanasieff carved out a formidable reputation as a go-to producer of hit movie songs. After co-writing and co-producing the Gladys Knight single “Licence to Kill” from the James Bond film of the same name, he went on to produce “Beauty and the Beast,” “A Whole New World” from Aladdin, “Even If My Heart Would Break” from The Bodyguard, and “My Heart Will Go On” from Titanic, which became the best-selling single in the world for 1998. Additionally he produced “Some Day” from The Hunchback of Notre Dame and the Academy Award nominated “Go the Distance” from Hercules.

Other hits from the Walter Afanasieff songbook include “Can You Stop the Rain,” a #1 R&B single for Peabo Bryson that earned a Grammy nomination for Best R&B Song, “Missing You Now,” a #1 Adult Contemporary hit for Michael Bolton, “If You Go Away,” a Top 20 single for New Kids on the Block, Savage Garden’s #1 pop single “I Knew I Loved You,” and Ricky Martin’s massive global hit “She Bangs.”

The long list of additional artists Walter has written and produced music for includes Michael Jackson, Lionel Richie, Luther Vandross, Destiny's Child, Kenny G, Andrea Bocelli, Johnny Mathis, Kenny Loggins, Barbra Streisand, Christina Aguilera, Marc Anthony, Babyface, and Josh Groban.  
 

Part One:
Scott and Paul chat about recording a special song as a gift for your loved one, shout-out our most recent Patreon supporters, make wild speculations about Bob Dylan, and discuss why spite motivated Scott to get a second Grammy nomination.  

Part Two:
Our in-depth interview with Erika Ender

About Erika Ender:
Though best known as the co-writer of the international hit “Despacito,” Panamanian-born Erika Ender is an accomplished songwriter and singer who has written or co-written more than 40 chart topping singles. Working in Spanish, Portuguese, and English, Erika’s songs have been recorded by artists such as Justin Bieber, Akon, Luis Fonsi, Daddy Yankee, Mark Anthony, Chayanne, Gloria Trevi, Gilberto Santa Rosa, Prince Royce, and Jenny Rivera. She’s one of only two women to write a Spanish language song that’s climbed to the number one spot on Billboard’s Hot 100; she’s the only Hispanic woman to be nominated for a Song of the Year Grammy; and she was the youngest person ever inducted into the Latin Songwriters Hall of Fame. The two-time Latin Grammy winner was named by People en Espanol magazine as one of its 25 Most Powerful Women and she has carved out an impressive artist career of her own with successful singles such as “Abreme La Puerta,” “Luna Nueva,” “Cheque Al Portador,” “Quien Sale No Entra,” Sigo Caminando,” “Darnos un Dia” and “Te Conozco de Antes.”    

Luke Laird is one of Nashville’s most successful songwriters. He has written two dozen #1 country hits, earning him six separate CMA Trip Play awards, each of which recognizes the achievement of penning three #1 country songs within a 12 month period. The two-time Grammy winner has been named both ACM and BMI Country Songwriter of the Year. Highlights of his catalog include Kasey Musgraves’ “Space Cowboy” which earned him a Grammy for Country Song of the Year, Rodney Atkins’ “Take a Back Road” which was named BMI Country Song of the Year, Little Big Town’s “Pontoon” which earned an ACM nomination for Song of the Year, and Tim McGraw’s “Diamond Rings and Old Barstools,” which was nominated for a Country Song of the Year Grammy. Two of his most revered songs are Kenny Chesney’s “American Kids” and Eric Church’s “Give Me Back My Hometown,” which were both nominated for CMA Song of the Year, ACM Song of the Year, and the Grammy for Country Song of the Year. 

Laird built his reputation as a country chart topper with the Carrie Underwood hits “So Small,” “Last Name,” “Temporary Home,” “Undo It,” and “Mama’s Song” before going on to write chart toppers such as “A Little Bit Stronger” for Sara Evans, “Drink in My Hand” and “Talladega” with Eric Church, “One of Those Nights” for Tim McGraw, “Downtown” for Lady Antebellum, “I See You” and “Fast” for Luke Bryan, “Gonna” for Blake Shelton, “Head Over Boots” for Jon Pardi, and “T-Shirt” for Thomas Rhett. He’s written other massive hits for Miranda Lambert, Chris Young, Brad Paisley, Jason Aldean, Darius Rucker, and Frankie Ballard, and has had his songs recorded by George Strait, Zac Brown Band, Dierks Bentley, Maren Morris, Midland, Rascal Flatts, Lindsay Ell, Ashley Monroe, Toby Keith, Sheryl Crow, Amy Grant, Florida Georgia Line, Jessica Simpson, and Cassandra Wilson featuring John Legend. In addition to his success as a songwriter, Laird has produced Thomas Rhett, Brett Eldredge, Jake Owen, Sam Hunt, Ingrid Michaelson, and Kasey Musgraves, earning Grammy recognition for his work producing her albums Same Trailer Different Park and Pageant Material. He recently released his first album as an artist, the deeply personal Music Row. 

 

PART ONE
Scott and Paul talk about their friends at Pearl Snap Studios and pinch themselves over having the opportunity to talk with Elvis Costello.

PART TWO
Elvis Costello discusses his new album Hey Clockface and talks about the record that set him on his musical journey; why he still likes writing in a notebook; the reason he resists the urge to go to an instrument too soon when he gets a melodic idea; the songwriting question he asked Bob Dylan; why he thinks he’s missed out on some cover songs; how he knows when a song is finished; the track on his new album that represents a songwriting “first” for him; his experiences in the studio with a gun-toting producer; and what he learned about the marriage of lyrics and melody from his co-writing relationships with Paul McCartney and Burt Bacharach. 

ABOUT ELVIS COSTELLO
Released between 1977 and 1979, Elvis Costello’s first three albums—My Aim is True, This Year’s Model, and Armed Forces—were all included in Rolling Stone magazine’s list of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time. That early period of his recording career yielded now-classic singles such as “Alison,” “Watching the Detectives,” “Pump it Up,” “Radio Radio,” “Oliver’s Army,” “Accidents Will Happen,” and others.

Though he established his career as a rock artist and reached commercial heights in the US with the pop hit “Everyday I Write the Book,” Costello’s more than thirty studio albums cover a breathtaking range of stylistic ground, from Almost Blue, his early 1980s album of country covers, to The Juliet Letters, his 1993 collaboration with The Brodsky Quartet, to North, an album of ballads partially inspired by his wife Diana Krall that topped Billboard’s Jazz chart in 2003, to Il Sogno, his first full-length orchestral work, which was performed by the London Symphony Orchestra, and topped Billboard’s classical chart in 2004, to Wise Up Ghost, a 2013 collaboration with Questlove and The Roots. In between, he’s continued to release albums both solo and with his bands The Attractions, The Imposters, and The Sugarcanes. 

Always an adventurous collaborator, Costello entered into a fruitful songwriting partnership with Paul McCartney that yielded more than a dozen songs, including Costello’s Top 10 single “Veronica” and McCartney’s “My Brave Face.” He went on to release entire collaborative albums with Richard Harvey, Burt Bacharach, Allen Toussaint, and others. He has written lyrics for compositions by Charles Mingus, Billy Strayhorn and Oscar Peterson, as well as musical settings for lyrics by Johnny Cash, and Bob Dylan. His songs have been covered by a range of artists including George Jones, Chet Baker, Dusty Springfield, and Solomon Burke. 

Costello has been nominated for fourteen Grammy awards, two of which he won, as well as an Academy Award for co-writing “The Scarlet Tide” with T-Bone Burnett for the film Cold Mountain. He has received two Ivor Novello awards for Songwriting, the Americana Association’s Lifetime Achievement in Songwriting award, and the ASCAP Founder’s Award, which was presented by Burt Bacharach. He was inducted into both the Songwriters Hall of Fame and the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, and was named one of the 100 Greatest Songwriters of All Time by Rolling Stone magazine. His genre-stretching new album, Hey Clockface, was recorded in Helsinki and Paris, and was released on October 30. 

 

PART ONE
Co-hosts Scott and Paul pay tribute to the legacies of Eddie Van Halen and Johnny Bush, two songwriters from very different genres who recently passed. 

PART TWO
Our in-depth interview with the amazing Ledisi where she reveals her wide-ranging influences; gives us the inside track on working with Rex Rideout, Raphael Saadiq, and Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis; talks about the hand Prince played in shaping her career, and explains why she geeked out when she saw Bruce Springsteen at the Grammy Awards. 

ABOUT LEDISI
Ledisi is a singer, songwriter, and actress with a dozen Grammy nominations in categories including Best New Artist, Best R&B Album, Best R&B Performance, and Best R&B Song. After several years on her own independent label she signed with Verve Forecast Records for her album Lost & Found, which hit the Top 10 on Billboard’s R&B Albums chart. She went on to release a string of albums for the label, all of which hit the Top 5 on the US charts. In addition, she landed more than a dozen hits on Billboard’s R&B singles charts, including “Alright,” “Goin’ Thru Changes,” “Pieces of Me,” “Stay Together,” “I Blame You,” “High,” “All the Way,” and others. In addition to her twelve Grammy nominations, Ledisi has won two Soul Train Music Awards, been nominated for Best Female Artist three times at the NAACP Awards, and is an NAACP Spirit Award honoree. She performed at the White House seven times at the request of Barack and Michelle Obama, and has maintained consistently high critical acclaim—from her first album to her most recent release, The Wild Card on her own Listen Back Entertainment in partnership with BMG. 

Part 1 - Paul and Scott reflect on their experiences with legendary songwriters Mac Davis and Al Kasha, two Songcraft guests who recently passed away but left an important legacy,

Part 2 - Our in-depth interview with Lucinda Williams

ABOUT LUCINDA WILLIAMS
One of the most revered songwriters on the face of the earth, Lucinda Williams was once crowned “America’s Best Songwriter” by People magazine. She first gained widespread attention after Mary Chapin Carpenter made her song “Passionate Kisses” a Top 5 hit, which earned Lucinda a Grammy award for Country Song of the Year. She went on to release a string of critically-acclaimed albums that garnered her a total of 15 Grammy nominations spanning the genres of rock, pop, country, folk, and Americana. 

One of the primary architects of the Americana genre, Lucinda has received more Americana Music Association award nominations than nearly any other artist, and she was the first female recipient of the AMA’s Lifetime Achievement Award for Songwriting. VH1 named her one of the 100 Greatest Women in Rock & Roll, while Rolling Stone named her among its 100 Greatest Songwriters of All Time. In addition to her own success as an artist with songs such as “I Just Wanted to See You So Bad,” “Right in Time,” “Essence,” “Righteously,” “Are You Alright,” “Come On,” and “Real Love,” the daughter of famed poet Miller Williams has also had her songs recorded by Tom Petty, Elvis Costello, Emmylou Harris, Willie Nelson, Patty Loveless, Bettye LaVette, and many others.  

PART ONE
Scott and Paul dive deep on Rolling Stone's controversial revision of its "500 Greatest Albums of All Time" list and discuss how valuation of music changes with the progression of each decade.

PART TWO
Our in-depth career spanning conversation with Will Hoge

ABOUT WILL HOGE
As a songwriter Will Hoge is perhaps best known for “Even if it Breaks Your Heart,” a #1 country hit for Eli Young Band that earned a Grammy nomination for Best Country Song as well as both CMA and ACM nominations for Song of the Year. Originally recorded on Hoge’s own album The Wreckage, it is one of many acclaimed compositions from the pen of the outspoken singer-songwriter who celebrates both his southern heritage and progressive social views. In addition to performing “You Make Me Happy,” the theme song to the CBS sitcom Still Standing, Hoge has released more than a dozen albums. Though his music ranges from rock to folk to Americana, his single “Strong” earned mainstream country radio airplay and was featured in a national Chevy truck commercial. He has collaborated with writers such as Brett Beavers, Tommy Lee James, Hillary Lindsay, Gordie Sampson, Chris Stapleton, Hayes Carrl, Brendan Benson, and Wade Bowen. Other artists who’ve recorded his songs include the group Trigger Hippy and Lady A, formerly known as Lady Antebellum.  

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PART ONE: Scott and Paul chat about watching Cobra Kai, 80s nostalgia, and why bands are re-recording their classic hits for movies. They discuss why Brandy is the first guest to appear on Songcraft twice, and return to 80s movie sequel nostalgia yet again whereupon Paul floats his theory that Rocky III and Rocky IV are the Rubber Soul and Revolver of movies. Somewhere in there's it's decided that Brandy Clark is the Empire Strikes Back of Songcraft. 

PART TWO: Our in-depth conversation with six-time Grammy nominee Brandy Clark

ABOUT BRANDY CLARK

Brandy Clark has made a successful career writing songs for other artists, including The Band Perry’s #1 hit “Better Dig Two,” and Miranda Lambert’s “Mama’s Broken Heart,” which earned a Grammy nomination for Best Country Song and CMA and ACM nominations for Song of the Year. Other highlights from her catalog include Kasey Musgraves’ “Follow Your Arrow,” which won CMA Song of the Year, as well as cuts by artists such as Reba McEntire, George Strait, Jennifer Nettles, Darius Rucker, Keith Urban, LeAnn Rimes, Lindsay Ell, Toby Keith, and Sheryl Crow. 

As a critically-acclaimed singer-songwriter, her debut album, 12 Stories, earned her Grammy nominations in the categories of Best Country Album and Best New Artist, regardless of genre. The single “Hold My Hand” was nominated for Best Country Song. Her second album, the Grammy-nominated Big Day in a Small Town, was named one of the best albums of the year by Rolling Stone, Entertainment Weekly and American Songwriter, while the single “Love Can Go to Hell” earned Brandy yet another nomination for Best Country Solo Performance. Her most recent album, Your Life is a Record, was released earlier this year, with The New Yorker review noting that “no one is writing better country songs than Brandy Clark is.”   

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PART ONE
Scott and Paul chat about the loss of Justin Townes Earle, talk about how to get a good demo of an original song, and reflect on the unique cultural movement that emerged from Stax Records.

PART TWO
An in-depth conversation with Eddie Floyd

ABOUT EDDIE FLOYD
Eddie Floyd first found success on the Billboard charts as a songwriter for Carla Thomas, Solomon Burke, and Wilson Pickett, who had hits with "634-5789 (Soulsville, U.S.A.)" and "Ninety-Nine and a Half (Won’t Do)." He went on to top the charts as both writer and artist, recording soul classics “Knock On Wood,” “Raise Your Hand,” “Big Bird,” “I’ve Never Found a Girl,” and “California Girl.” Other artists continued to hit the charts with his songs, including Otis Redding, Sam & Dave, William Bell, Rufus Thomas, Esther Phillips, and Amii Stewart, who reached #1 on the pop charts with her disco version of “Knock On Wood” in 1979. 

From his early life as a doo-wop singer with The Falcons to his successful career with Stax Records, to his stints as the lead singer of both The Blues Brothers Band and Bill Wyman’s Rhythm Kings, Floyd has always considered himself, first and foremost, a songwriter. His catalog has been covered by Mavis Staples, Janis Joplin, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Eric Clapton, David Bowie, Bruce Springsteen, Bon Jovi, Tom Jones, Ike & Tina Turner, Albert King, Seal, James Taylor, Al Green, Etta James, Ella Fitzgerald, and others. He has been inducted into both the Alabama Music Hall of Fame and the Memphis Music Hall of Fame, and has recently released his autobiography Knock! Knock! Knock! On Wood: My Life in Soul.
 

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ABOUT MAC POWELL

Mac Powell is best known as the lead singer of the contemporary Christian band Third Day, which sold more than 12 million albums in the US, earned two dozen Gospel Music Association Dove Awards, and won four of the eleven Grammy awards for which they were nominated. Powell was a writer on most of Third Day’s singles, nearly 20 of which hit #1 on Billboard’s Christian charts. These include “Nothing At All,” which was also a Top 40 hit on the rock charts; “Alien,” “Sky Falls Down,” “40 Days,” and the gold-certified single “Cry Out to Jesus”—all of which won Dove Awards for rock song of the year; as well as the church standard “Your Love Oh Lord,” “Sing a Song,” “Mountain of God,” “Revelation,” “Born Again,” I Need a Miracle, the gold-certified “Soul on Fire,” and “Call My Name,” which was subsequently covered by Keith Urban. In addition to his work with Third Day, Powell has released four albums, either solo or with his group Mac Powell and the Family Reunion. He is an inductee into the Georgia Music Hall of Fame alongside fellow Songcraft guests including Mac Davis, Bill Anderson, William Bell, and Emily Saliers of Indigo Girls. 

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Singer, songwriter, musician, producer, and Songwriters Hall of Fame inductee Linda Perry first made her mark as an artist, serving as lead vocalist and primary songwriter of the group 4 Non Blondes, which is best known for the Top 15 pop hit “What’s Up?” Following a couple of solo albums, Linda emerged as a powerhouse songwriter and producer thanks to her work on P!nk’s multiplatinum Misundaztood album. The debut single, “Get The Party Started,” which Linda wrote solo, was a global smash. She followed it up with another solo-written composition, “Beautiful,” which became a chart-topping ballad for Christina Aguilera that earned a Grammy nomination for Song of the Year. 

Subsequent chart success came with Gwen Stefani’s debut solo single “What You Waiting For,” Alicia Keys’s “Superwoman,” Ariana Grande’s debut single “Put Your Hearts Up,” Miley Cyrus’s “Hands of Love,” and additional singles for Aguilera, including the Top 10 hits “Hurt” and “Keeps Gettin’ Better.” Recently, Linda collaborated with Dolly Parton on the soundtrack of the film Dumplin’, including the song “Girl in the Movies,” which was nominated for both a Golden Globe and a Grammy award. 

Linda is a four-time Grammy nominee, including a 2019 nomination for Producer of the Year, making her the only solo female producer to ever earn a nomination for their work producing other artists. The long list of artists Linda has produced, collaborated with, or had her songs covered by include Adele, Courtney Love, Cheap Trick, Faith Hill, Britney Spears, KT Tunstall, Weezer, Pat Benetar, Solange, L.P., Joan Jett, The Chicks, Vanessa Carlton, Celine Dion, Elvis Costello, and Lady Gaga. In addition to her prolific songwriting and production activities, Perry is a multi-faceted music industry entrepreneur, having worked as a music publisher, manager, or mentor with artists such as James Blunt, Dorothy, and Natasha Bedingfield. 

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PART 1
Co-hosts Scott B. Bomar and Paul Duncan chat about how they’re continuing to adapt their Songcraft recording sessions for the world of COVID-19 before getting into a discussion about whether they’d take a time machine to Abbey Road Studios in London, Stax Studios in Memphis, Motown in Detroit, or FAME in Muscle Shoals

PART 2 - 12:35 mark
The in-depth interview with David Porter: Named one of Rolling Stone magazine’s “100 Greatest Songwriters of All Time,” Porter is best known for his songwriting partnership with Isaac Hayes that helped define the sound of Memphis’s legendary Stax Records. As the first African American staff songwriter at Stax, Porter, along with his partner, wrote and produced songs such as “B-A-B-Y” for Carla Thomas, “Your Good Thing (Is About to End)”—an R&B hit for Mable John that later became a pop and R&B smash for Lou Rawls, and his own recording of “Can’t See You When I Want To.” Hayes and Porter are best known, however, for their work with Sam & Dave, including such classic hits as “You Don’t Know Like I Know,” “You Got Me Hummin’,” “Hold On! I’m Comin’” (which later became a country hit for Waylon Jennings and Jerry Reed), “Soul Man” (which became a hit a second time thanks to the Blues Brothers), “I Thank You” (which was later covered by ZZ Top), and “When Something is Wrong with My Baby” (which was reimagined as a memorable duet between Otis Redding and Carla Thomas, a country hit for Sonny James, and an adult contemporary hit for Linda Ronstadt and Aaron Neville). The list of artists who’ve covered Porter’s songs includes Aretha Franklin, Bruce Springsteen, William Bell, Melissa Ethridge, Bonnie Raitt, Garth Brooks, Etta James, Celine Dion, Wilson Pickett, George Benson, Dusty Springfield, Jerry Lee Lewis, The Staple Singers, Solomon Burke, James Brown, Eric Clapton, B. B. King, Tina Turner, Jackie Wilson, and more. His songs have been used as samples in countless recordings by artists such as Jay-Z, Eminem, Wu-Tang Clan, The Notorious B.I.G., Justin Bieber, Mariah Carey, and others. A highly celebrated giant among celebrated songwriters, Porter was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2005. 
 

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The Texas Heritage Songwriters Hall of Famer discusses getting clean and sober with the help of Stevie Ray Vaughan; why he hated his first album; the Flannery O'Connor quote that guides his songwriting life; his collaborations with Eric Church; and the little trick he played on Ringo Starr.

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In this mini-episode / announcement, Scott and Paul talk about what's changing at Songcraft...and what's staying the same.

Songcraft chats with Brett James, a two-time ASCAP Country Songwriter of the Year who has earned 25 #1 hits with songs such as “Who I Am” by Jessica Andrews, “Bottoms Up” by Brantley Gilbert, “I Hold On” by Dierks Bentley, and Carrie Underwood's “Jesus Take the Wheel,” which was nominated for ACM and CMA Song of the Year awards and won a Grammy for Best Country Song. In addition to his remarkable career as a behind-the-scenes Nashville songwriter, Brett has a recently-released artist EP called I Am Now.

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Grammy winner and two-time Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee (as a member of both The Byrds and Crosby, Stills & Nash) chats about his remarkable career, including producing the debut album for then-girlfriend Joni Mitchell, the song he wrote as a message to George Harrison, his magical connection with Jerry Garcia, the song Jackson Browne forced him to finish, the writing partner with whom he has the best chemistry, and why he's blown away by Marc Cohn, Shawn Colvin, Sarah Jarosz, and Jason Isbell.

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The guys pay tribute to Little Richard before welcoming Minnesota native Caitlyn Smith, who found her way to Nashville as a songwriter before signing with Monument Records and earning a nod as one of Rolling Stone Magazine’s “10 New Artists You Need to Know.” Her second album, Supernova, was recently released to critical acclaim. Caitlyn’s list of hit songs that have been recorded by other artists includes “Wasting All These Tears,” a Top 5 single for Cassadee Pope, “You Can’t Make Old Friends” by Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton, and “Like I’m Gonna Lose You,” a multi-platinum hit for Meghan Trainor featuring John Legend. Smith, along with co-writers Kate York and Mary Steenburgen, won a Critics’ Choice Award for the song “Glasgow (No Place Like Home)” from the film Wild Rose. Other artists who’ve recorded Caitlyn’s songs include Lori McKenna, Lucy Hale, Jason Aldean, Garth Brooks, Rascal Flatts, Laura Bell Bundy, Chris Isaak, Lindsay Ell, Lady Antebellum, and Trisha Yearwood. 

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The exceedingly generous and gentlemanly Peter Frampton talks about David Bowie giving him his very first job; Bill Wyman of the Rolling Stones getting him into a recording studio for the first time; stumbling into session work thanks to George Harrison; writing two massive hits in the same day; how the loneliness of stratospheric success impacted his songwriting; and the inside stories of classics such as "Baby, I Love Your Way," "Show Me the Way," "Do You Feel Like We Do," "I'm in You," and many more.   

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In this very special bonus episode, Scott and Paul pay tribute to ten of the songwriters and composers whose lives were claimed by the COVID-19 virus from mid-March to mid-April, 2020, including: Manu Dibango ("Soul Makossa"), Joe Diffie ("New Way to Light Up an Old Flame," "My Give a Damn's Busted"), Alan Merrill ("I Love Rock 'n' Roll"), Ellis Marsalis ("Dear Dolores"), Adam Schlesinger ("That Thing You Do," "Stacy's Mom"), and John Prine ("Angel From Montgomery," "Love is on a Roll"). Plus, they take a moment to remember Bill Withers, a previous Songcraft guest, who died from heart complications on March 30th.

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Scott and Paul catch up with Nashville-based singer-songwriter Jessi Alexander, who has a fantastic new album called Decatur County Red. The two-time Best Country Song Grammy nominee has also achieved success as a writer for other artists, including the multi-platinum single "The Climb" by Miley Cyrus, CMA and ACM Song of the Year "I Drive Your Truck,' and the Blake Shelton hits "Drink On It," "Mine Would Be You," and "Turnin' Me On." In this refreshingly honest interview, Jessi talks about everything from professional disappointment to how she keeps new ideas flowing.     

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ZZ Top's Billy Gibbons has two Grammy nominations, sixteen Top 10 singles, over 50 million albums sold, and a place in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Scott and Paul catch up with him to discuss his legendary classic rock catalog, including "La Grange," "Tush," "Cheap Sunglasses," "Gimme All Your Lovin'," "Sharp Dressed Man," "Legs," and many more.

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An in-depth conversation with the two-time Grammy winner and Rock & Roll Hall of Famer who was a co-founder of both The Moody Blues and Paul McCartney & Wings. 

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Three-time Grammy winner and ten-time nominee Shawn Colvin joins Scott and Paul to chat about her remarkable three-decade career as a pioneering folk-pop singer-songwriter. 

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The Grammy Song of the Year nominee and ASCAP Song of the Year winner joins us to chat about her wide-ranging career and multi-genre songwriting success. About Wendy Waldman From recording artist to musician to backing vocalist to record producer to multi-platinum songwriter for other performers, Wendy Waldman has a diverse music industry resume. Though her father was a film and television composer who wrote the Perry Mason theme and worked on classics such as The Twilight Zone and Star Trek, Wendy was drawn to the blues and folk music at a young age. Her first serious group was Bryndle, featuring Karla Bonoff, Kenny Edwards, and Andrew Gold. Though they split up before their first album was released, all four would be instrumental in Linda Ronstadt’s success and would re-form in later years to record three albums that are now regarded as modern-day classics. Wendy’s solo career began when she signed with Warner Bros. Records and released her first album, which Rolling Stone magazine called the “singer-songwriter debut of the year.” A series of critically-acclaimed releases followed before Wendy relocated from Los Angeles to Nashville, where she found commercial success with Crystal Gayle’s #1 single “Baby, What About You,” The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band’s chart-toppers “Fishin’ in the Dark” and “Home Again in My Heart,” as well as Top 10 singles for Lorrie Morgan, The Forester Sisters, and Nicolette Larson with Steve Wariner. Always difficult to pigeonhole, Waldman’s achievements on the country charts were rivaled by her success in the pop world, where she scored with Don Johnson’s Top 5 single “Heartbeat” and Vanessa Williams’s “Save the Best for Last.” which reached #1 on the pop, R&B, and adult contemporary charts, earned Wendy a Grammy nomination for Song of the Year, and was named ASCAP Song of the Year.   Wendy’s songs have additionally been covered by Patti Austin, Kenny Rogers, Reba McEntire, Cher, Alison Krauss, Randy Travis, Percy Sledge, Kathy Mattea, Aaron Neville, Rita Coolidge, CeCe Winans, Bette Midler, Johnny Mathis, Judy Collins, Restless Heart, Barbara Mandrell, Tanya Tucker, Patty Loveless, and many others. 

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The Golden Globe winner joins us to chat about his bands Ima Robot (known for the Suits theme song "Greenback Boogie") and Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros (which Rolling Stone recognized for releasing one of the Top 10 Best Albums of the Year). Plus, Alex reflects on adding film composer to his resume, and the process of creating his eclectic new solo album, I vs. I. 

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The Best Country Song Grammy nominee and BMI Country Songwriter of the Year joins us to talk about his career as a consistent Nashville hitmaker in four consecutive decades. EPISODE DETAILS: PART ONE  Scott and Paul pay tribute to Songcraft guest David Olney, who recently passed away on stage at a songwriter festival. PART TWO - 5:50 mark The guys discuss how this episode was brought to you by Pearl Snap Studios in a much more literal way than ever before. PART THREE - 8:05 mark Paul and Scott call up Ed Hill to hear about how be began his musical life as an American kid with a Japanese guitar hooked on the British Invasion and playing in a Mexican band; why landing a steady gig at a famous Bakersfield nightclub made him fall in love with country music; the way he landed his first cut, which became a Top 5 hit; how he keeps his antenna up for new song ideas; what he calls the "yellow legal pad days" of songwriting; the artist who cried when the Ed Hill song he recorded hit #1 on the charts; why a record label stopped promoting one of his singles; how he's never met Martina McBride, Faith Hill, and many others who made his songs famous; and the reason he says stubbornness has given him songwriting longevity. ABOUT ED HILL Starting his career as a musician, Ed Hill earned two ACM award nominations for Piano Player of the Year and received a Grammy award as a member of Mickey Gilley’s Urban Cowboy Band. He went on to become one of Nashville’s top tier songwriters, scoring 400 cuts and more than 40 singles. His very first cut, “’Til Love Comes Again” became a Top 5 hit for Reba McEntire, who later hit #1 with his song “The Heart is a Lonely Hunter.” Other Top 5 singles from Hill’s catalog include “Runnin’ Behind” and  ACM Vocal Event of the Year “Find Out Who Your Friends Are” for Tracy Lawrence, “Be My Baby Tonight” for John Michael Montgomery, “It Matters to Me” for Faith Hill, “Whatever You Say” for Martina McBride, “Songs About Me” for Trace Adkins, “How ‘Bout Them Cowgirls” for George Strait, “Drinking Class” by Lee Brice, and “Most People Are Good,” a single for Luke Bryan that was named Song of the Year by the Music Row Awards in 2018. Additional Ed Hill catalog highlights include the Trisha Yearwood classic “Georgia Rain” and Trace Adkins’ “Just Fishin’,” which earned Ed a Grammy nomination for Best Country Song. Five of Ed’s titles have earned the “Songs I Wish I Had Written” recognition from the Nashville Songwriters Association, International. In 2006, Ed was named BMI Country Songwriter of the Year. He recently released a memoir called It Matters to Me: One of Country Music’s Most Beloved Songwriters.    

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Grammy nominee and neo-soul singer songwriter Allen Stone, described by USA Today as "a pitch perfect powerhouse" joins us for a deep dive into his creative process. EPISODE DETAILS: PART ONE  Scott and Paul catch up after the holidays and chat about the appeal of Allen Stone (and Christie Brinkley). PART TWO - 6:15 mark Paul and Scott call up Allen Stone to get the details on how a Cake album was his gateway to music outside the church; why the chemicals coursing through his veins led him to write songs of his own; why he says "everything is imitation" in songwriting; the reason he might be an X-Ray technician if he had it all to do again; why he was "super ashamed" of his debut LP; what he does to force himself to write songs; what happened when Macklemore and Ryan Lewis invited him to collaborate; why he tried not to fall in love with his now-wife; and the reason he says most pop music today has been dumbed down. ABOUT ALLEN STONE Washington state native and Seattle-based singer-songwriter Allen Stone is only in his early 30s, but is already an old soul. Heavily influenced by classic R&B of the 1960s and 70s, Stone and his band built a grassroots following with their high-energy live shows up and down the West Coast. Featuring a handful of co-writes with Andy Grammer, Stone’s self-titled and self-released debut album landed in the Top 40 on Billboard’s R&B Albums chart without the help of a major distributor. The album was re-released by ATO Records and Stone continued to build a national following with appearances on Conan, Jimmy Kimmel Live, and The Ellen DeGeneres Show. His follow-up album, Radius, found the soulful songwriter moving over to Capitol Records. He later returned to ATO for a deluxe re-release of Radius, as well as his most recent album, Building Balance. Featuring the lead single, “Brown Eyed Lover,” it’s clear why USA Today has called Allen Stone “a pitch-perfect powerhouse.” Including collaborations with British neo-soul mainstay Jamie Lidell, the album features Stone’s most intimate lyrics to date. “I don’t have time,” he said, “to write about anything that isn’t deeply personal.” With a recent high-profile gig at the opening ceremony of the Special Olympic in Seattle, viral videos with millions of views, and collaborations with other artists such as Macklemore and Ryan Lewis, the self-described “hippie with soul” continues to make waves with his rootsy sound and socially-conscious lyrics.  

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On this very special holiday episode of Songcraft, we speak with Chris Butler, who wrote the new-wave holiday classic "Christmas Wrapping" by The Waitresses, as well as three other writers of well-known songs of the season: Randy Brooks, who penned the always-polarizing “Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer,” Chris Eaton, who wrote Amy Grant’s classic “Breath of Heaven,” and Songwriters Hall of Famer Paul Williams, who is best known for “Rainbow Connection,” but who also wrote all the songs for The Muppet Christmas Carol. Enjoy the conversations, then hear our ultimate holiday playlist, featuring 150 titles and 150 artists with no repeated songs, and no repeated performers.  EPISODE DETAILS: PART ONE Scott and Paul discuss New Year's resolutions and how their friends at Pearl Snap Studios can help with yours; explore the difference between "sad Christmas" versus "happy Christmas;" and get into a conversation about the specific holiday songs they do and don't like.  PART TWO  Scott and Paul chat with four songwriters about their perennial Christmas hits. Our guests on this very special holiday episode are... Chris Butler – “Christmas Wrapping” by The Waitresses (1981) 12:00 mark Chris Butler has led an interesting life. He was a protester at Kent State when the Ohio National Guard opened fire on him and his fellow students in 1970; he earned a spot in the Guinness Book of World Records for the longest recorded pop song in history (the 69-minute “The Devil Glitch”); and he currently lives in Jeffrey Dahmer’s childhood home in Akron, Ohio. As Chris explains, it’s a beautiful house that nobody wanted, so he got a great deal. He is best known, however, for conceptualizing and leading the 1980s new wave group The Waitresses, which found success with “I Know What Boys Like” and their perennial holiday classic, “Christmas Wrapping.” Chris went on to produce Freedy Johnston, Joan Osborne, and others. He continues to record, produce, and release music under the banner of his own Future Fossil Music. But it’s his unlikely holiday hit that remains the songwriting income gift that keeps on giving. Though it’s been recorded by the Spice Girls, Kate Nash, Miranda Cosgrove, Bella Thorne, the Glee cast, and Kylie Minogue with Iggy Pop, the original Waitresses version is still the one you’re most likely to hear each year in the mall. Randy Brooks – “Grandma Got Run Over  by a Reindeer” by Elmo & Patsty (1979) 31:33 mark Whenever Randy Books is asked how to become a hit songwriter, he always answers, “Do You think if I knew, I’d still be a one-hit wonder after 30 years?” That hit was “Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer,” one of the most loved and loathed modern holiday classics that also happens to be a multi-platinum seller that has topped Billboard’s holiday singles chart multiple times. It even earned Randy Songwriter of the Year and Song of the Year honors from SESAC, and spawned an animated Christmas special, musical toys, ornaments, greeting cards, apparel, video games, a branded hot chocolate mix, and even a Tesla dashboard app. Though the hit version of “Grandma” was recorded by Elmo & Patsy, the song has been covered by Ray Stevens, Mitch Ryder, The Coasters, and—most recently—by Jimmy Fallon and Dolly Parton. Randy continues to perform with his two bands, and solo at songwriter events all over the country. He is resigned to the fact that, no matter what else he might accomplish in life, he is destined to be remembered for just one thing—kind of like the John Wilkes Boothe of songwriters. Chris Eaton – “Breath of Heaven" by Amy Grant (1992) / "Saviour's Day" by Cliff Richard (1990) 44:55 mark UK-based singer, songwriter and musician Chris Eaton first made his mark as a writer when Sir Cliff Richard began recording his material, including the UK holiday hit “Saviour’s Day,” which reached #1 on the pop chart across the pond. In the US, however, Eaton’s Christmas standard is “Breath of Heaven,” which has been recorded by Amy Grant, Donna Summer, Jessica Simpson, Sara Groves, Vince Gill, and Melissa Manchester. Other artists who’ve recorded songs from Chris’s catalog include Janet Jackson, Sheena Easton, Keith Urban, Patti Austin, and Grover Washington, Jr. His greatest success has been in the Contemporary Christian market, where he has earned BMI awards for radio hits such as “Adore” by Jaci Velasquez, “My Heart Goes Out” by Warren Barfield, and the Rachel Lampa singles “Lift Me Up” and “Live For You.” When Amy Grant released “Breath of Heaven” as the single from her multi-platinum-selling Home for Christmas album, it topped the Christian charts and was named CCM Song of the Year by Billboard magazine. Paul Williams – Songs from The Muppet Christmas Carol (1992) 1:05:31 mark Singer, actor, author, recovery advocate, and Songwriters Hall of Famer Paul Williams has penned hits such as “We’ve Only Just Begun,” “Rainy Days and Mondays,” and “I Won’t Last a Day Without You” for The Carpenters; “Out in the Country,” “Family of Man” and “An Old Fashioned Love Song” for Three Dog Night; and “You and Me Against the World” for Helen Reddy. His songs have additionally been recorded by Elvis Presley, Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald, Ray Charles, David Bowie, Tony Bennett, Willie Nelson, REM, Gladys Knight, Diana Ross, Sarah Vaughn, Curtis Mayfield, Gwen Stefani, Diana Krall, the Dixie Chicks, and others. Williams is perhaps best known for his movie songs and soundtracks. He and co-writer Barbra Streisand won an Oscar, a Grammy, and a Golden Globe for “Evergreen (Love Theme from A Star is Born),” and he has earned Academy Award nominations for his musical contributions to Cinderella Liberty, Phantom of the Paradise, Bugsy Malone, and The Muppet Movie, which included his now-standard “Rainbow Connection.” Williams later reunited with Jim Henson, penning the songs for the classic children’s film The Muppet Christmas Carol.

American Songwriter Podcast Network

The Golden Globe and Grammy nominee whose self-titled debut release was named one of the 100 Best Albums of the Eighties by Rolling Stone joins us to chat about his wide-ranging career, from self-penned hits as an artist such as “Someday Someway,” to co-writing the Top 10 hit "Til I Hear it from You" with the Gin Blossoms, to writing the theme for the parody film Walk Hard. PART ONE  Scott and Paul pay tribute to “Day-O” writer and former Songcraft guest Irving Burgie, who recently passed away at the age of 95; reflect on other Songcraft guests who are no longer with us; talk about the importance of Patreon in preserving the important stories of songwriters; and announce two winners of the Marty Stuart book contest.  PART TWO - 6:46 mark The guys dig deep on why nobody knows the name of lead guitar players anymore PART THREE - 14:36 mark Paul and Scott get on the phone with Marshall Crenshaw, who discusses his eclectic range of musical interests that have led him to dig in the Capitol Records vaults for forgotten 1950s country recordings AND to tour as a guest guitarist with MC5; why he got sick of the Beatles for a while; how the simple act of flipping over a cassette tape altered the course of his career; how he wrote one his best known songs in 15 minutes; the only one of his albums he didn't want to make; how he managed not to meet one of the co-writers of his biggest hits until after the song was on the radio; the reason he asked his record label to drop him; whose version of "You're My Favorite Waste of Time" is his favorite; what it's like listening to Phil Spector records on acid; and why he's reissuing his three underrated Razor & Tie albums, even though he's vowed to never release another new album again.  ABOUT MARSHALL CRENSHAW Detroit native Marshall Crenshaw’s debut self-titled album spawned the Top 40 pop hit “Someday Someway” and was named one of the Best Albums of the Eighties by Rolling Stone magazine. Establishing him as a critical darling, Crenshaw went on to release a series of eclectic studio albums that spawned classic songs such as “Whenever You’re on My Mind,” “Better Back Off,” and “You’re My Favorite Waste of Time.” The latter went on to be covered by Bette Middler, Ronnie Spector, the duo of Matthew Sweet & Susanna Hoffs, and Owen Paul, who had a Top 5 hit with it in the UK. Crenshaw carved out a special relationship with Hollywood, appearing with his band in the Francis Ford Coppola film Peggy Sue Got Married, portraying Buddy Holly in the Richie Valens biopic La Bamba, and writing a book called Hollywood Rock: A Guide to Rock ‘n’ Roll in the Movies. Additionally, he penned the title track for the John C. Reilly comedy film Walk Hard, which earned Crenshaw Golden Globe and Grammy nominations. A highly respected writer, Marshall’s songs have been covered by Kelly Willis, the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Freedy Johnston, Robert Gordon, Marti Jones, and the Gin Blossoms, with whom he co-wrote the Top 10 single “Til I Hear It From You.” Ronnie Spector recorded an entire five-song EP of material from the Marshall Crenshaw catalog, and his work has earned him induction into the Michigan Rock and Roll Legends Hall of Fame.  

American Songwriter Podcast Network

The Los Angeles-based songwriter, who has written with and for artists such as P!nk, Kesha, Afrojack, Adam Lambert, Katharine McPhee, and Backstreet Boys while establishing his own celebrated artist career, joins us to talk about his life and art. EPISODE DETAILS: PART ONE  Scott and Paul chat about Pearl Snap Studios, extending the Marty Stuart book contest for one more episode, and the phenomenon of "feature culture" in pop music. PART TWO -  10:44 mark The guys call up Wrabel and find out why he dropped out of Berkeley to write songs; the reason his first few years in Los Angeles were rough; how his debut international hit was born when an artist didn't show up for their writing session; why he called his manager questioning if his first single was too raw and autobiographical to actually release; the time Lady Antebellum let him down; the song he wrote with Kesha the first day the met; why he cried while recording with P!nk; and which of the Songcraft questions gave him goosebumps.  ABOUT WRABEL Singer-songwriter Wrabel is best known for his hit “11 Blocks” and buzzworthy follow-up singles such as “The Village.” Signed to Island Def Jam Music, his first big break came when Dutch DJ Afrojack released a version of Wrabel’s “Ten Feet Tall” that became an international hit. Wrabel garnered further attention thanks to his EDM collaborations, including “Ritual” by Marshmello and “With You” by Kygo. He collaborated on “90 Days” with P!nk, who later shone a national spotlight on Wrabel when she spoke about his song “The Village” on The Ellen DeGeneres Show in the spring of 2019. As a songwriter, Wrabel has written “Here Comes the Change” and “Woman” for Kesha, “Don’t Go Breaking My Heart” by the Backstreet Boys, “Devotion” by Ellie Goulding, “Nirvana” by Adam Lambert, “Everybody Knows” by Idina Menzel, as well as songs for Phillip Phillips, Katharine McPhee, Pentatonix, Lea Michele, Fitz and the Tantrums, Ben Platt, and others. He was a 2018 GLAAD Media Awards nominee and was named to Out magazine’s Out100. In 2019 Billboard named Wrabel their Pride Artist of the Month. Soon after, he was named “one to watch” by People magazine.

American Songwriter Podcast Network

The two-time Grammy nominee Eric Clapton called “one of the great singer-songwriters” joins us to talk about everything from his 1970s classic "On and On" to writing hits like the Oscar-winning “Separate Lives” for Phil Collins, to the unexpected rootsy influences on his new album, We’ll Talk About It Later In The Car.   EPISODE DETAILS: PART ONE  Scott and Paul catch up after their respective travels to New York and Italy; the new 10-CD Bakersfield Sound box set Scott produced; the winner of our Lamont Dozier contest; and instructions about our listeners' final chance to enter to win a copy of Marty Stuart's new coffee table book.  PART TWO - 6:49 mark Stephen Bishop comes by Songcraft World Headquarters to talk about the TV theme song that first made him pay attention to music; why his stepdad forbid him from playing guitar in the house; the days he faked a British accent to try to get ahead in the music business; how his friendship with Mama Cass's sister led to his big career break.; the time he fooled Quincy Jones by imitating a trombone with his mouth; how his best-known song was born from a single chord he couldn't stop playing; why he didn't like Barbra Streisand's version of his song; how he ended up getting his guitar smashed in Animal House; the crappy springs on Eric Clapton's guest bed; the line he refused to sing in the theme song from Tootsie; and why he says you're never gonna write a great song until you get your heart broken.    ABOUT STEPHEN BISHOP Academy Award winner and two-time Grammy nominee Stephen Bishop is a guitarist, vocalist, and songwriter who began his career as a staff writer for a Los Angeles-based music publishing company. After finding success with Art Garfunkel’s recordings of his material, Stephen launched his own artist career with the album Careless, featuring the now-classic hits “Save it for a Rainy Day” and “On and On.” Bishop went on to find success with a number of self-penned hits as an artist, including “Everybody Needs Love,” “Send a Little Love My Way,” “If Love Takes You Away,” “Unfaithfully Yours,” and “Animal House,” the theme song for the National Lampoon's movie of the same name. Bishop also performed the song “It Might Be You” from the film Tootsie, which went to #1 on the Adult Contemporary Charts. Written by the team of Dave Grusin with Alan and Marilyn Bergman, the song won an Academy Award. Stephen went on to win his own Academy Award as a songwriter when he penned “Separate Lives,” which was featured in the film White Nights and became a chart-topping hit duet for Phil Collins and Marilyn Martin. Other artists who’ve covered Stephen’s songs include Eric Clapton, Kenny Loggins, David Crosby, Steve Perry,  The Four Tops, Johnny Mathis, Luciano Pavarotti, Helen Reddy, Diane Schuur, Phoebe Snow, Barbra Streisand, and Beyonce. In his autobiography, Eric Clapton wrote that Stephen was “a close friend during the seventies…whom I regard as one of the great singer-songwriters.”

American Songwriter Podcast Network

Marty Stuart, a five-time Grammy winner, singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, collector, preservationist, and fierce defender of country music’s rich traditions joins us to discuss his career, artistic rebirth, and ongoing artistry. EPISODE DETAILS: PART ONE  Scott and Paul chat about image, country music hair, Elton John’s new autobiography, and two Songcraft contests that give you the chance to win one of two new books by Marty Stuart and Lamont Dozier. PART TWO - 14:15 mark Scott sits down with Marty Stuart to find out how he left home at age 13 to hit the road; what he learned from Johnny Cash about the craft of songwriting; how he found the song that launched the best-known country music supergroup of all time; the three people he considers THE standard of country songwriting; the album that cost him a record deal, a band, a manager, and a publicist; why he had to leave “butt wiggling” songs behind; what he loved about the Dixie Chicks; how a photo of Louis Armstrong gave him a sense of mission for his band; why his greatest songwriting motivation is a deadline; the reason he used to send Harlan Howard and Ralph Mooney $100 at the start of every year; and the Patsy Cline artifact he found in a junk shop that launched his interest in collecting country music memorabilia.  ABOUT MARTY STUART Five-time Grammy winner Marty Stuart only had two professional jobs before launching his own artist career: playing in Lester Flatt’s bluegrass group, then spending five years in Johnny Cash’s band. As a solo artist, Stuart has scored seventeen Top 40 county singles, including Top 10 hits such as “Hillbilly Rock," "Little Things,” “Tempted,” “Burn Me Down,” and the Travis Tritt duets “The Whiskey Ain’t Workin’” and “This One’s Gonna Hurt You (For a Long, Long Time).” Other Stuart songs that have hit the country chart include John Anderson’s recording of “Takin’ the Country Back,” The Dixie Chicks’ “Tortured, Tangled Heart,” and Clint Black and Martina McBride’s duet recording of “Still Holding On.” The release of Stuart’s concept album, The Pilgrim, in 1999 marked a turning point and creative renaissance where Marty, in his words, stopped following the charts and begin following his heart. He put together a highly-celebrated band, The Fabulous Superlatives, and has since championed the beauty and integrity of country music as a uniquely American art form. He is a frequent commentator for historically-oriented projects, including Ken Burns’ ambitious sixteen-hour Country Music documentary. His most recent effort is Marty Stuart’s Congress of Country Music, a Philadelphia, Mississippi-based museum, concert venue, educational and cultural facility that will house his personal collection of over 20,000 country music-related artifacts.  First and foremost, however, Marty is an artist and songwriter. His consistently well-reviewed albums over the last two decades are packed with original songs that celebrate country music’s roots without ever feeling dated. The Grand Ole Opry member’s songs have also been recorded by artists such as George Strait, Emmylou Harris, Linda Ronstadt, Patty Loveless, Kathy Mattea, Wynonna Judd, Gary Allan, Billy Bob Thornton, Connie Smith, Charley Pride, Porter Wagoner, Guy Clark, and Johnny Cash.

American Songwriter Podcast Network

Alice Randall, a Harvard-educated novelist, professor, and songwriter, is the only African-American woman to have written a #1 country hit. She joins us to talk about her career as a songwriter and so much more EPISODE DETAILS: PART ONE  The guys chat about why Paul has been M.I.A. and announce a new contest for a personalized signed copy of Lamont Dozier's new autobiography. PART TWO - 7:13 mark Scott gets together with Alice Randall in Nashville to find out why her dad was so driven to highlight women's contributions to music; how she concluded that country lyrics are the modern day equivalent of metaphysical poetry and 17th Century Puritan sermons; the encouragement she received from Hal David; why she spent hours studying lyrics in the basement of the Country Music Hall of Fame; the reason that Steve Earle cussed her out; why it's harder to be a woman in country music than to be black; and her theory that country music should be defined as three chords and four specific truths. ABOUT ALICE RANDALL Alice Randall is a Harvard-educated African-American novelist who lives in Nashville and writes country songs. Along with Matraca Berg, Alice co-wrote Trisha Yearwood’s chart-topping single “XXX’s and OOO’s (An American Girl),” making her the first—and, so far, only—African-American woman to write a #1 country hit. Additionally, she co-wrote Mo Bandy’s Top 40 hit “Many Mansions,” as well as Judy Rodman’s “Girls Ride Horses, Too,” which was the first Top 10 written by either Alice or her co-writer, future Nashville Songwriters Hall of Famer Mark D. Sanders. After forming an early songwriting partnership with Steve Earle, Alice went on to have her songs recorded by a long list of artists, including Holly Dunn, Marie Osmond, Glen Campbell, Jo-El Sonnier, Walter Hyatt, Pat Alger, Matraca Berg, Radney Foster, Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Crystal Gayle, and Hank Thompson. Along with Mark O’Connor and Harry Stinson she wrote the groundbreaking “Ballad of Sally Anne.” Alice is a New York Times Bestselling novelist who has authored The Wind Done Gone, Pushkin and the Queen of Spades, Rebel Yell, Ada's Rules, and the forthcoming Black Bottom Saints, which is partially inspired by her formative years in Detroit. In addition to her fiction writing, Alice teamed with her daughter, Caroline Randall Williams, to write Soul Food Love: Healthy Recipes Inspired by One Hundred Years of Cooking in a Black Family. She is currently a Writer-in-Residence at Vanderbilt University where she teaches a number of courses, including Country Lyric in American Culture. She was featured in Ken Burns’ acclaimed Country Music documentary spotlighting the often-overlooked contributions of African Americans to the genre’s development. Not only does she write songs, but Randall thinks deeply about, and is deeply moved by, the literary value of song lyrics.   

American Songwriter Podcast Network

Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame inductee Rodney Crowell joins Scott to chat about a remarkable career that has yielded classic songs such as “Til I Gain Control Again,” “I Ain’t Living Long Like This,” “Ashes By Now,” “After All This Time,” and “Shame on the Moon.” EPISODE DETAILS: PART ONE  Scott and Paul chat about their friends at Pearl Snap Studios, Paul's recent ASCAP award, the Ken Burns Country Music documentary, a sad loss in the songwriting community, and how an encounter with Rodney Crowell made an impression on Paul when he was in fifth grade.  PART TWO - 12:03 mark Scott gets together with Rodney Crowell to hear why Townes Van Zandt stealing his girlfriend led to his first cut as a songwriter; how he went from making $7 a night and living in his car to landing a publishing deal; why he told his wife to take her time bailing him out of jail so he could write one of his now-classic songs; how getting rejected by Anne Murray led to getting discovered by Emmylou Harris; the song he realized he inadvertently ripped off when writing “Ashes By Now;” the reason he decided to re-write one of his most classic songs years after it had become a hit; the song he and Rosanne Cash wrote that he still wishes she’d record; how he co-wrote a song with Roy Orbison from beyond the grave; why he now regrets speaking out about covers of his songs he didn’t particularly like; which of his recent compositions he calls one of the best songs he’s ever written; and why he feels like he didn’t find his voice and become a real recording artist until his tenth album.   ABOUT RODNEY CROWELL Emmylou Harris—who once employed Rodney Crowell as the guitarist, harmony singer, and arranger in her legendary Hot Band—introduced many listeners to Crowell’s songs, which then went on to become hits for other artists. “Til I Gain Control Again” was covered by Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson, and Bobby Bare before Crystal Gaye took it to the top of the country charts. “Leaving Louisiana in the Broad Daylight” and “I Ain’t Living Long Like This” became number one hits for The Oak Ridge Boys and Waylon Jennings, respectively. “Even Cowgirls Get the Blues” went on to become a hit for both Lynn Anderson and the duo of Johnny Cash and Waylon Jennings, while “Ashes By Now” became a Top 5 single for Lee Ann Womack before going on to be covered by Etta James.     While it was Harris who first shone the spotlight on Crowell, he soon established his own successful artist career, becoming the first country singer to earn five number-one hits from a single album. His biggest self-penned singles as an artist include “It’s Such a Small World,” “She’s Crazy for Leaving,” “Many a Long and Lonesome Highway,” “If Looks Could Kill,” “Lovin’ All Night,” “What Kind of Love,” “I Couldn’t Leave You If I Tried,” which was nominated for a Best Country Song Grammy, and “After All This Time,” which was nominated for both CMA and ACM Song of the Year and won a Grammy for Best Country Song. Crowell songs that have become number one hits for other artists include Bob Seger’s recording of “Shame on the Moon,” The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band’s “Long Hard Road (The Sharecropper’s Dream),” “Somewhere Tonight” by Highway 101, Tim McGraw’s recording of “Please Remember Me” and Keith Urban’s cover of “Making Memories of Us.” Additional highlights of his catalog include Vince Gill’s Top 10 recording of “Oklahoma Borderline”; “Stars on the Water,” which has been recorded by Jimmy Buffett and George Strait; “Voila an American Dream,” which has been recorded by Guy Clark and the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band; and “Song for the Life,” which was recorded by Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings, Kathy Mattea, and Alison Krauss before becoming a Top 10 hit for Alan Jackson. As a producer, Crowell was behind a string of hits for then-wife Rosanne Cash, including “Seven Year Ache,” “Ain’t No Money,” which he wrote, and “I Don’t Know Why You Don’t Want Me,” which he and Rosanne co-wrote and which earned him his first of sixteen Grammy nominations. Crowell has since been honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award in Songwriting from the Americana Music Association, the prestigious ASCAP Founder’s Award, the Academy of Country Music’s Poet’s Award, and induction into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame   In recent years Crowell has become an Americana darling with critically-acclaimed albums such as The Houston Kid, Fate’s Right Hand, The Outsider, Sex and Gasoline, and a pair of duet albums with Emmylou Harris, Old Yellow Moon and The Traveling Kind. His latest album is called Texas.

American Songwriter Podcast Network

Pulled from deep in our archives, we present the long-lost final interview with two-time Grammy nominee and Nashville Songwriters Hall of Famer Curly Putman, who wrote "Green, Green Grass of Home," "He Stopped Loving Her Today," "My Elusive Dreams," "D-I-V-O-R-C-E," and many others.  EPISODE DETAILS: PART ONE  Scott and Paul chat about how the long-lost final interview with Curly Putman went missing and how they finally recovered it. Plus, they discuss the new Ken Burns documentary, Country Music. PART TWO - 9:24 mark Scott heads over to the now-departed songwriting legend's house to chat about the unusual instrument Curly began on; what Roger Miller said that encouraged him when he was a struggling shoe salesman; why Dottie West being late for a recording session opened a door for “Green, Green Grass of Home;” how Curly became known for killing off the characters in his songs; the reason he didn’t want to rent his house to Paul McCartney; why he thinks “He Stopped Loving Her Today” appeals to so many listeners; which of his songs he’d like to be remembered for in the distant future; and the secret to his sixty year marriage. ABOUT CURLY PUTMAN The late Claude “Curly” Putman, Jr. enjoyed a streak of more than 30 years of consistent country chart success. Many of his songs have become iconic country recordings, including “Green Green Grass of Home” by Porter Wagoner, “Dumb Blonde” by Dolly Parton, “My Elusive Dreams” by Tammy Wynette and David Houston, “D-I-V-O-R-C-E” by Tammy Wynette, “Blood Red and Going Down” by Tanya Tucker, and “He Stopped Loving Her Today” by George Jones, which won CMA Song of the Year for two years in a row. Transcending country music’s classic era, Curly continued to enjoy Top 10 hits with a new generation of artists that included “I Meant Every Word He Said” by Ricky Van Shelton and “Made For Lovin’ You” by Doug Stone. Curly became one of the few songwriters to have a song written in tribute to him when Paul McCartney composed “Junior’s Farm” following a six week stay at Putman’s ranch when Wings was recording in Nashville. Curly, a two-time Grammy nominee, was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame and the Alabama Music Hall of Fame. Twenty-three of his songs have earned BMI performance awards, and his music has been recorded by Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis, Wanda Jackson, Waylon Jennings, Merle Haggard, Marty Robbins, Charley Pride, Johnny Paycheck, Ray Price, Conway Twitty, Loretta Lynn, Joe Tex, Esther Phillips, Tom Jones, Dean Martin, Keith Whitley, George Strait, Randy Travis, Alan Jackson, Trisha Yearwood, Blake Shelton, Gram Parsons, The Grateful Dead, and literally hundreds of others.

American Songwriter Podcast Network

Kendell Marvel built his career as a behind-the-scenes songwriter for Gary Allan, Chris Stapleton, Jake Owen, Lee Ann Womack, Blake Shelton, and George Strait before reinventing himself as a gritty Southern troubadour and making an album with The Black Keys' Dan Auerbach.  EPISODE DETAILS: PART ONE  Scott and Paul chat about a wild news story from this past week involving a previous Songcraft guest and recognize another recent Songcraft guest for achieving an amazing milestone. PART TWO - 10:05 mark The guys call up Kendell Marvel in Nashville to find out how he got his start in honky tonk bars at the age of ten; the childhood hero who ended up recording one of Kendell's songs; the Top 5 hit that he wrote on his very first day in Nashville; who he says is the closest thing we have to Willie Nelson today; the song that he was the most excited to find out had been recorded; the country star he refers to as Eeyore; why he thinks women are making the best music in Nashville today (even though they're not recording his songs); and how making a new record with Dan Auerbach was a life-changing experience. ABOUT KENDELL MARVEL The son of a coal miner, Kendell Marvel was raised in southern Illinois, where his father encouraged his love of country music and took him to play in the local honky tonks starting at the age of ten. He moved to Nashville as a young adult to pursue a career as a country artist, but ended up taking a nearly two-decade detour as a successful songwriter for other artists. Kendell’s breakthrough came with Gary Allan’s Top 5 country hit “Right Where I Need to Be.” He went on to write additional hit singles such as “Tougher Than Nails” by Joe Diffie, “Startin’ with Me” and “Don’t Think I Can’t Love You” for Jake Owen, “Twang” for George Strait, “That Lonesome Song” with Jamey Johnson, and “Either Way,” which was recorded by both Lee Ann Womack and Kendell’s co-writer, Chris Stapleton. Other artists who’ve recorded Kendell’s songs include Tracy Lawrence, Trace Adkins, Blake Shelton, Josh Turner, Randy Houser, Darius Rucker, Cody Johnson, Jim Lauderdale, Aaron Watson, Hank Williams, Jr., and Brothers Osborne. As an artist, Marvel has recorded two albums, Lowdown and Lonesome, and the forthcoming Solid Gold Sounds, which was produced by and mostly co-written with Dan Auerbach of The Black Keys. Kendell currently tours with Chris Stapleton and Brothers Osborne, introducing his unique take on Southern rock-influenced country to new audiences who’ve known his songs but are just getting to know his voice.  

American Songwriter Podcast Network

The sixteen-time Grammy nominee and three-time winner joins us to talk about his remarkably varied body of songwriting from country to to rock to political songs to Americana and contemporary folk. EPISODE DETAILS: PART ONE  Scott and Paul tell you how you can hear their wild story about getting ready for the Steve Earle interview, and they explain why this episode is particularly special. PART TWO - 7:12 mark Paul and Scott head over to Steve's Los Angeles hotel to get the details on how a Chicago radio station saved his career; why reading is more important than listening to records; the book Townes Van Zandt loaned him that transformed his view of writing; the concert that inspired Steve to write "Guitar Town;" what he really thinks of the "Copperhead Road" line-dancing phenomenon; the first song he wrote after a long period of drug addiction and homelessness; why bluegrass is like bebop; who he says is THE badass country singer/songwriter in Nashville today; why he's working on a new political album that isn't just about preaching to the choir; and which song he would play for Guy Clark today to try to impress him.    ABOUT STEVE EARLE Singer, songwriter, musician, author, actor, record producer, and progressive political activist Steve Earle rose to prominence in the 1980s with his album Guitar Town, which topped the Billboard country album chart, earned two Grammy nominations, picked up a Top New Male Artist nomination from the Academy of Country Music, and is included among Rolling Stone magazine’s 500 Greatest Albums of all Time. Raised in Texas, Earle launched his career in Nashville playing bass in legendary songwriter Guy Clark’s backing band. Following a stint recording with a rockabilly-influenced sound for Epic Records, Earle switched to MCA where he broke through with now-classic songs such as “Guitar Town,” “Someday,” “Goodbye’s All We’ve Got Left,” “My Old Friend the Blues,” “Fearless Heart,” “Nowhere Road,” “I Ain’t Ever Satisfied,” “The Devil’s Right Hand,” “The Other Kind,” and “Copperhead Road,” which reached the Top 10 on Billboard’s Mainstream Rock chart.    Drug addiction, homelessness, and a period of incarceration derailed Earle’s career for several years before he reemerged in the mid-1990s as standard-bearer for contemporary folk and Americana music. His eclectic comeback albums Train a Comin’, I Feel Alright and El Corazon garnered near-universal critical praise. The new millennium found Steve continuing to earn attention for his songs, including “Galway Girl,” “John Walker’s Blues,” “Jerusalem,” “The Revolution Starts Now,” and “City of Immigrants.” Always difficult to categorize, Steve has recorded the highly-acclaimed bluegrass album The Mountain with The Del McCoury Band, a traditional blues album called Terraplane, and a duet album with Shawn Colvin. In total, Earle has released nineteen studio albums and has earned sixteen Grammy nominations, including three wins in the Best Contemporary Folk Album category. Steve’s songs have been covered by Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings, Patty Loveless, Joan Baez, Travis Tritt, Vince Gill, Ricky Skaggs, Wanda Jackson, Bob Seger, Levon Helm, and many others. His son, Justin Townes Earle, is a respected singer-songwriter in his own right.

American Songwriter Podcast Network

The three-time Grammy winner, two-time ACM Songwriter of the Year, and star of NBC's Songland joins us to talk about a few of his 40 #1 hits, including "Mama's Broken Heart," "American Kids," "Vice," "Body Like a Back Road," and more.  EPISODE DETAILS: PART ONE  Scott and Paul put in a plug for Pearl Snap Studios! PART TWO - 3:02 mark The guys have a conversation about some of the worst cover songs of all time.  PART THREE - 12:06 mark Paul and Scott head over to Shane's Los Angeles home to get his thoughts on being in a band with LeAnn Rimes when they were little kids; why he used to pray that God would give him another dream other than songwriting; how he had to wrestle with questions of authenticity and sexual identity to discover his artistic voice; the way that Kenny Chesney anointed him that opened the floodgates of commercial success; who he calls his favorite singer of all time; which of his hits he was most shocked was released as a single; what he thinks of the critics who say “Body Like a Back Road” drifted too far from country’s traditions; which of his songs he suspects other songwriters don’t like; the reason The Book of Mormon musical had a huge influence on him; and why joining the cast of NBC's Songland was so fulfilling. ABOUT SHANE MCANALLY With 40 #1 singles to his credit in the last decade, Shane McAnally is already one of the most successful country songwriters and producers of all time. After a brief career as an artist he reinvented himself as a behind-the-scenes hitmaker when Lee Ann Womack found success with his song “Last Call.” The floodgates soon opened with a steady stream of #1 hits, including “Somewhere with You” and “Come Over” for Kenny Chesney, “Alone with You” for Jake Owen, “Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye” for Luke Bryan, The Band Perry’s “Better Dig Two,” and “Downtown” by Lady Antebellum. Industry and critical recognition quickly followed Shane’s commercial success when Miranda Lambert’s recording of “Mama’s Broken Heart” and Kacey Musgraves’ “Merry Go ‘Round” were concurrently nominated for a Best Country Song Grammy, as well as for CMA Song of the Year. “Merry Go ‘Round” won the category and Shane was named the ACM Songwriter of the Year.  Many of his songs have gone on to be recognized by the ACM, CMA, and Grammy awards, including “American Kids” by Kenny Chesney, “Take Your Time” by Sam Hunt, “Vice” by Miranda Lambert, “Drinkin’ Problem” by Midland, “Female” by Keith Urban, “Follow Your Arrow” and “Space Cowboy” by Kacey Musgraves, and Sam Hunt’s “Body Like a Back Road,” which set a new record by spending 34 weeks at number one on the Billboard country chart and was nominated by the CMA for Song of the Year two years in a row. Other highlights from Shane’s extensive song catalog include “Say You Do” and “Different for Girls” for Dierks Bentley; “Gonna Wanna Tonight” for Chase Rice; “Young & Crazy” for Frankie Ballard; “Stay a Little Longer” for Brothers Osborne; “Wild Child” for Kenny Chesney; “John Cougar, John Deere, John 3:16” for Keith Urban; “I Met a Girl” for William Michael Morgan; “T-Shirt,” “Unforgettable,” and “Marry Me” for Thomas Rett; “If I Told You” for Darius Rucker; “Written in the Sand” and “Make it Sweet” for Old Dominion; “Burn Out” for Midland, “Love Ain’t” for the Eli Young Band; and “Down to the Honkytonk” for Jake Owen. The list of additional artists who’ve recorded his songs includes Reba McEntire, Florida Georgia Line, Ashley Monroe, Kelly Clarkson, Sheryl Crow, Hunter Hayes, Tim McGraw, Sara Evans, Little Big Town, Blake Shelton, Carrie Underwood, Maren Morris, Trace Adkins, Tracy Lawrence, Kelsea Ballerini, and George Strait.  Shane has been nominated for the ACM Songwriter of the Year award six out of the last seven years, and has won the honor twice. He’s a three-time Grammy winner and currently stars as a mentor on the NBC television show Songland, where he works with up-and-coming writers to craft material for artists like John Legend, will.i.am, The Jonas Brothers, Meghan Trainor, and Aloe Blacc.

American Songwriter Podcast Network

Matthew Sweet joins us to unpack his process of writing power pop gems like "Girlfriend," "The Ugly Truth," "Sick of Myself" and many others. EPISODE DETAILS: PART ONE Scott and Paul analyze mix tapes, cool bands, and "older brother rock." PART TWO - 5:29 mark Paul and Scott jump on the phone with Matthew Sweet, one of the nicest rock stars on the planet, to get the lowdown on how a postcard from Michael Stipe altered his musical future; why he says being a solo artist is lonely; the reason he describes the drums on "Girlfriend" as "odd." why a paralyzing fear of flying kept him off airplanes for nearly a decade; what he really thinks of being labeled "power pop;" why he was conflicted about making The Thorns album; what happened when he suggested that he and Susanna Hoffs write an album together; and the song he collaborated on with a Saturday Night Live legend that led to another SNL legend covering one of his very earliest recordings. ABOUT MATTHEW SWEET Best known for hits such as “Girlfriend” and “Sick of Myself,” Matthew Sweet is a melodically-oriented rock tunesmith who was at the center of the 1990s power pop revival. After befriending R.E.M., the native Nebraskan relocated to Georgia, where he joined Michael Stipe’s sister Lynda’s band, Oh-OK and launched his own group Buzz of Delight.  Sweet eventually launched his solo career from New York and then Los Angeles, earning gold certification for his albums Girlfriend and 100% Fun. The latter was named one of the year’s best by Entertainment Weekly, and he has gone on to release a dozen more critically-acclaimed solo albums. Additionally, he has collaborated on a series of cover song projects with Susana Hoffs, as well as on an album of original material in collaboration with Shawn Mullins and Pete Droge under the name The Thorns.   As a songwriter, Matthew has collaborated with The Jayhawks, Hanson, Michael Stipe, Chris Stamey, and Jules Shear, with whom he wrote the title track for ‘Til Tuesday’s album Everything’s Different Now. His most recent album is titled Wicked System of Things.   

American Songwriter Podcast Network

Frequent Willie Nelson collaborator, award-winning producer, and co-writer of the CMA and ACM Song of the Year "Give It Away" Buddy Cannon joins us for an in-depth conversation.   EPISODE DETAILS: PART ONE Scott and Paul talk about their friends at Pearl Snap Studios and share a listener-submitted clip highlighting what Pearl Snap can do for you, too! PART TWO - 3:47 mark Paul shares a recent eye-opening musical experience. PART THREE - 8:47 mark Scott calls up Buddy Cannon to learn about how he went from growing up in a family so poor they didn't have a car to becoming a legendary Nashville songwriter and record producer; how he started writing songs out of boredom, the circumstances of getting his first four cuts in two days (all by the CMA's Entertainer of the Year); how his first charting single became a #1 hit; the experience of writing his first song after getting sober; why he had to tell Kenny Chesney he couldn't produce his early albums; the real-life conversation that became his biggest hit; the time he freaked out when his musical hero called him on the phone; and how he and Willie Nelson only co-write via text message. ABOUT BUDDY CANNON Though widely recognized as a respected Nashville record producer, Buddy Cannon initially made his mark in the music business as a songwriter. His first charting single came with Mel Tillis’ recording of “I Believe in You,” which reached #1 on the Billboard country rankings in 1978. He went on to write several Vern Gosdin hits, including the #1 singles “Set ‘Em Up Joe” and “I’m Still Crazy.” George Straight took his “I’ve Come to Expect it from You” to #1, but his greatest success with Straight came in 2006 when “Give It Away” hit the top spot on the charts and went on to be named Song of the Year by both the Country Music Association and the Academy of Country Music. Additionally, Buddy’s songs have been recorded by Hank Snow, Loretta Lynn, David Allan Coe, Billy Ray Cyrus, George Jones, Gene Watson, Alabama, Bill Anderson, Don Williams, Tracy Byrd, and others. As a producer he’s worked on projects for Sammy Kershaw, Sara Evans, Chely Wright, Craig Morgan, John Michael Montgomery, Reba McEntire, Joe Diffie, Joe Nichols, Jamey Johnson, Randy Travis, Lionel Richie, Eric Clapton, Rhonda Vincent, Dolly Parton, and Merle Haggard. He has produced most of Willie Nelson’s recent albums, and has produced every Kenny Chesney album since 1997. His work with Chesney includes nearly two dozen #1 singles. A multiple Grammy winner, Cannon has also won a CMA and three ACM awards for his production work, including the ACM’s Producer of the Year honor in 2005.

Best known as one half of the legendary folk rock duo Indigo Girls,  Grammy award winner Emily Saliers joins us to discuss her remarkable career.  EPISODE DETAILS: PART ONE Scott and Paul announce the winner of the signed copy of Layng Martine's memoir, Permission to Fly, and give an update on their call for demos recorded at Pearl Snap Studios. PART TWO - 3:06 mark The guys talk about how their parents monitored their music when they were kids, then get into a discussion about how Indigo Girls impacted their musical sensibilities.  PART THREE - 9:02 mark Paul and Scott connect with Emily via phone for a wide-ranging conversation that covers the first album she ever bought; how the importance of regionalism has changed in the music industry; why she would change the opening line of her best-known song if she were writing it today; the criticism that most plagued Indigo Girls when they were starting out; how she tries to stretch herself by writing material that might not come as naturally; why she's always dreamed of having a country artist cover one of her songs; her fierce love of hip hop; and why there's no such thing as secular music. ABOUT EMILY SALIERS Singer-songwriter Emily Saliers is best known as one half of  Indigo Girls, which NPR called “one of the finest folk duos of all time.” The Georgia-raised musical icon is the sole writer of some of the group’s best-known titles, including “Closer to Fine,” “Hammer and a Nail,” “Galileo,” “Least Complicated,” “Power of Two,” “Get Out the Map,” and others. With fifteen studio albums to their credit, Indigo Girls are Grammy award winners and winners of the Pell Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Arts. They’ve earned seven gold, four platinum, and one double platinum award for album sales and have collaborated with REM, Joan Baez, Brandi Carlile, P!nk, and Rage Against the Machine’s Tom Morello.   In addition to her work with Indigo Girls, Saliers and her father, a retired theology professor, co-wrote the book A Song to Sing, a Life to Live: Reflections on Music as Spiritual Practice. In recent years she released her debut solo album, Murmuration Nation, and has remained an impassioned activist and advocate for causes close to her heart.

The Rockabilly Hall of Fame inductee who’s been called The Father of Nashville Rock talks about a successful career that’s seen his songs covered by everyone from Martina McBride to The Beatles. EPISODE DETAILS: PART ONE Scott and Paul talk about the last chance to enter to win a signed copy of Layng Martine's memoir, Permission to Fly, as well as ask listeners to send in their recordings they've had produced by our friend Justin at Pearl Snap Studios. PART TWO - 3:18 mark The guys talk about Rocketman, the new Elton John film, and get into a larger discussion about whether or not factual accuracy is important when it comes to music biopics. PART THREE - 11:54 mark Paul and Scott call up Buzz at his studio to get the lowdown on how he launched Nashville’s first rock band with a saxophonist who could only play one note; how gigging with Jerry Lee Lewis landed his group a job as Brenda Lee’s backup band; the time he snuck into a radio station after hours to record one of his earliest original songs; why he didn’t know The Beatles had covered one of his tunes until 20 years after the fact; which record he produced that has a dirty joke hidden in the master number on the label of the 45; the way he ended up recording as “Alvin” on the Chipmunks records; why a Bible verse inspired his biggest hit; what he thought when he heard U2’s interpretation of “Everlasting Love,” and how an album project that didn’t go anywhere still led to one of his biggest hits as a songwriter. ABOUT BUZZ CASON Rockabilly Hall of Fame inductee Buzz Cason has been called The Father of Nashville Rock. He is best known as the co-writer of two R&B classics: “Soldier of Love” - which  has been recorded by Arthur Alexander, The Beatles, and Pearl Jam – and “Everlasting Love,” which was recorded by Robert Knight, Carl Carlton, Gloria Estefan, and U2. Cason began his music career with his own group, The Casuals, which eventually became Brenda Lee’s backing band. He scored one Top 20 pop hit as an artist with “Look For a Star” under the name Gary Miles before hitting the charts as a songwriter with Jan & Dean’s recordings of the songs “Tennessee” and “Popsicle,” as well as Ronny & The Daytonas’ recording of “Sandy.” Robert Knight’s version of “Everlasting Love” became a Top 20 hit on both the Pop and R&B charts around the same time Cason produced soul singer Clifford Curry’s classic “She Shot a Hole in My Soul.” Cason later found success in the country market with Tommy Overstreet’s chart-topping “Ann (Don’t Go Runnin’)," T.G. Sheppard’s Top 20 hit “Another Woman,” a string of Top 40 singles with Freddy Weller, as well as Top 10 with singles by Mel Tillis and the McCarters. Martina McBride had a major country hit with “Love’s the Only House,” which Buzz co-wrote with Tom Douglas. Additionally, his songs have been recorded by a diverse range of artists, including Jerry Lee Lewis, Rick Nelson, Dolly Parton, the Oak Ridge Boys, Jimmy Buffett, Alan Jackson, and Placido Domingo.

The Grammy nominee and Nashville Songwriters Hall of Famer joins us to talk about “Rub It In” (Billy "Crash" Craddock), "Way Down" (Elvis Presley), “The Greatest Man I Never Knew” (Reba McEntire), and his new memoir, Permission to Fly. EPISODE DETAILS: PART ONE Scott and Paul call up Tommy Smith, one of their top tier Patreon subscribers to chat about Songcraft, life, and his budding recording studio. PART TWO - 9:52 mark The guys invite anyone who has recorded demos at Pearl Snap Studios to send in their recordings and then they chat about the songs that have become permanently linked to ad campaigns. PART THREE - 13:49 mark Scott and Paul catch up with Layng via phone to get the story on the song he heard as a young adult that inspired him to start writing his own material; Why trying to get to Elvis lead to his first publishing deal; how he wrote songs without playing an instrument; why he preferred being his own song plugger; how he made magic in a broom closet;  why saying goodbye to Ray Stevens was the hardest day of his life; how his first Nashville co-writing session led to a Grammy nomination; and why an act of terrorism derailed a would-be hit. ABOUT LAYNG MARTINE, JR. A versatile songwriter who has found success as both a pop and country hit maker, Layng Martine has penned more than 20 songs that have reached the Top 40 on the Billboard charts. His breakthrough came with “Rub It In,” a charting single for Layng as an artist that was later revived as a #1 country hit and Top 20 pop hit for Billy “Crash” Craddock. Years later it was altered to become “Plug it In,” the long-running jingle for the Glade Plug-ins television commercials. A half dozen of Layng’s songs have earned BMI awards, including “Everybody Needs a Rainbow,” made popular by Ray Stevens, “I Should Do It,” which was a hit for The Pointer Sisters, “I Wanna Go Too Far,” which became a Top 10 single for Trisha Yearwood, and “Way Down,” the last new song ever recorded by Elvis Presley. “Way Down” reached #1 on the Billboard chart within days of Elvis’s passing. Additionally, Layng wrote charting hits for Freddy Weller, Mel Street, Jerry Lee Lewis, Cristy Lane, Dickie Lee, Tanya Tucker, Kathy Mattea, Pam Tillis, John Anderson, and others. He wrote Reba McEntire’s first charting single, and co-wrote “The Greatest Man I Never Knew,” which became a chart-topping hit for Reba several years later and earned Layng a Grammy nomination for Best Country Song.     The list of other artists who’ve recorded Layng’s songs includes Bo Diddley, Carl Perkins, The Drifters, Barry Manilow, Don Williams and Billy Dean. Layng was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2013, but has since set music aside to focus on narrative writing. He recently published his first book, Permission to Fly: A Memoir of Love, Crushing Loss, and Triumphs, available June 11th via FieldPoint Press.

The two-time Grammy nominee and alt.country pioneer joins us to discuss his career as an eclectic and fiercely independent singer songwriter. EPISODE DETAILS: PART ONE Scott and Paul chat about the classic conundrum of getting annoyed when your favorite artists get too popular, but also getting annoyed when people don't catch on their greatness. PART TWO - 8:20 mark Paul plays a friend's brand new single for Scott and the guys talk about Pearl Snap Studios, Patreon, and how a lucky listener can win a free hat. PART THREE - 12:59 mark Robbie stops by Songcraft World Headquarters to chat about one of his earliest songs--a super twisted parody of a Red Sovine classic; why he never moved to Nashville; how he got a record deal by writing a manifesto; why putting an album's songs in the proper sequence is important; the song he wrote for his celebrity crush; the concept album he never made; the insider details he learned from Tom Brumley; and which of his songs he doesn't want to play anymore. Plus, Robbie performs live and acoustic! ABOUT ROBBIE FULKS Singer, recording artist, instrumentalist, composer and songwriter Robbie Fulks’s most recent solo album, Upland Stories, was named among the year’s best by NPR and Rolling Stone, and was nominated for a Best Folk Album Grammy. Additionally, his “Alabama at Night” earned a Grammy nomination for Best American Roots Song. Though his tastes are wide-ranging, Fulks is steeped in country, bluegrass, and folk traditions with an often irreverent sensibility that can range from hilarious to heart breaking.  Robbie’s first two albums, Country Love Songs and South Mouth, helped define the “alternative country” movement of the 1990s, while subsequent releases found him exploring pop and rock territory. His recent work is more reflective and acoustic-oriented, though he occasionally diverges to pursue eclectic projects such as his 2018 duet album with Linda Gail Lewis, Wild! Wild! Wild! Robbie’s songs have been covered by Sam Bush, Kelly Hogan, Andrew Bird, Mollie O’Brien, Rosie Flores, John Cowan, Pinmonkey, Lone Justice, Old 97s, and others. Additionally, his writing on music and life has appeared in GQ, Blender, the Chicago Reader, DaCapo Press’s Best Music Writing anthologies, and other outlets. Besides country and bluegrass music, Robbie is fiercely fond of—in his own words—Charles Mingus, P.G. Wodehouse, quantum mechanics, his wife Donna, comedy in almost all forms, cooking, swimming laps, the past, Arthur Schopenhauer, Universal horror movies, his grandson and even his sons, coastal towns in the off-season, and rye whiskey, though in nothing like that order.

CMA and ACM Song of the Year winner Larry Weiss chats about his amazing career from the Brill Building to "Rhinestone Cowboy" and more. Plus, up-and-comer Jenny Tolman stops by to preview her cool new record.  EPISODE DETAILS: PART ONE Scott and Paul discuss the recently-aired Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony and chat about some of the artists who've not been inducted yet, but should be! PART TWO -  14:22 mark Nashville-based newcomer Jenny Tolman stops by to discuss her approach to writing her new album There Goes the Neighborhood and to perform the title track live. PART THREE - 28:49 mark Scott and Paul catch Larry Weiss on his cell phone in the grocery store to chat about his first charting single (a co-write with Neil Diamond and eight other guys!); how he beat out King & Goffin, Sedaka & Greenfield and Mann & Weill for a Nat "King" Cole cut; why a well-timed delivery of matzo ball soup led to the recording of one of his classics; the upsetting incident that prompted him to move out of New York City; why he wasn't happy with his vocal performance on the original version of "Rhinestone Cowboy," and the reason he never thought of his biggest hit as a country song in the first place. ABOUT LARRY WEISS Glen Campbell’s recording of Larry Weiss’s “Rhinestone Cowboy” became an international hit and reached the #1 spot on both the country and pop charts in the US. It earned two Grammy nominations and was named Song of the Year by both the Country Music Association and the Academy of Country Music. While Weiss is most often associated with that classic hit, he’s written over a dozen singles that have hit the Top 40, including “Bend Me, Shape Me,” which was a Top 5 pop hit for The American Breed.  Other artists who’ve scored hits from the Weiss songbook include Pat Boone, Baby Washington, The Animals, Al Martino, Jerry Butler, and The Carpenters. Larry has released two albums as an artist, Black & Blue Suite in 1974 and Cuts and Scratches in 2010. He also sang “Brand New Life,” the theme song for the TV sitcom Who’s the Boss?  The list of additional artists who’ve covered his songs includes Nat “King” Cole, Marvin Gaye, Barry Manilow, Charley Pride, Loretta Lynn, Three Dog Night, Dionne Warwick, The Shirelles, Clyde McPhatter, Paul Anka, Gene Pitney, Rod Stewart, David Gilmour, Tom Jones, Robert Plant, Chrissie Hynde, Ben E. King, T-Rex, Paul Revere & The Raiders, Neil Diamond, Wilson Pickett, Dolly Parton, Thome Yorke of Radiohead, Belle and Sebastian, and Michael Jackson, who recorded “To Make My Father Proud,” which appeared on the 1984 album Farewell My Summer Love.

The Motown legend behind "Dancing in the Street," "Stubborn Kind of Fellow," "It Takes Two," "Devil with a Blue Dress On," and "Beechwood 4-5789" opens up about his life and career. EPISODE DETAILS: PART ONE Scott and Paul talk about Pearl Snap Studios, their new rock star Patreon subscriber, Motown's 60th anniversary, and that lost Marvin Gaye album. PART TWO - 12:43 mark Scott heads over to Mickey’s house to get the lowdown on why he almost stormed out of his first meeting with Berry Gordy; how he assembled Motown’s legendary Funk Brothers; the trick he used to convince Marvin Gaye to ditch jazz and become an R&B singer; why “Dancing in the Street” was a message song -- but not the message many people think; the pep talk he would give to Motown’s artists and songwriters; the reason he’d have to kick a young Stevie Wonder out of the studio; why he’s a champion of songwriting collaborations over writing solo; and the real reason he departed Motown. ABOUT MICKEY STEVENSON William “Mickey” Stevenson was hired as Motown Records’ first A&R Director, signing a variety of artists to the label including The Four Tops and Stevie Wonder. He assembled the legendary Motown studio band known as the Funk Brothers and produced such Motown classics as “What Becomes of the Brokenhearted” and “Uptight (Everything is Alright).” As a songwriter, Stevenson partnered with Marvin Gaye to write The Marvelettes' hit “Beechwood 4-5789,” as well as Gaye’s own hit recordings of “Stubborn Kind of Fellow,” “Hitch Hike,” and “Pride and Joy.” Mickey is perhaps best known as the co-writer of “Dancing in the Street,” a massive hit for his former assistant, Martha Reeves, that was written with Gaye and Ivy Jo Hunter. The song was inducted into the Library of Congress’s National Recording Registry and the Grammy Hall of Fame. Additional hits from the pen of Mickey Stevenson include “Devil with a Blue Dress On” for Mitch Ryder & The Detroit Wheels, “Ask the Lonely” for The Four Tops, “Nothing’s Too Good for My Baby” for Stevie Wonder, “It Take Two” for Marvin Gaye and Kim Weston, and “It Should Have Been Me” for Gladys Knight and the Pips. The long list of artists who’ve recorded Mickey’s songs includes Diana Ross, Otis Redding, Wilson Pickett, Little Richard, The Jackson 5, The Everly Brothers, Bruce Springsteen, Bonnie Raitt, Rod Stewart, Phil Collins, Tina Turner, Dusty Springfield, The Kinks, Van Halen, David Bowie, Mike Jagger, The Rolling Stones, and many others.

Rock & Roll Hall of Famer and multiple Grammy nominee Chris Hillman joins us to talk about his songwriting with The Byrds, The Flying Burrito Brothers, The Desert Rose Band, and much more. EPISODE DETAILS: PART ONE Scott and Paul talk about the Motley Crue movie and the pros and cons of musical biopics. PART TWO - 9:45 mark Scott and Paul head up to Ventura to meet Chris Hillman and find out how he got hired to play bass with The Byrds without ever having played bass before; the reason that Miles Davis and Bob Eubanks deserve a lot of credit for The Byrds’ success; how playing bass on sessions for South African jazz legend Hugh Masekela inspired Chris to write his first songs (which became country-rock classics for The Byrds); the band he and Roger McGuinn were mocking when they wrote “So You Want to be a Rock ‘n’ Roll Star;” what happened on a particularly memorable trip to Stonehenge with Mick Jagger and Keith Richards; the song he and Gram Parsons were inspired to write following Gram’s motorcycle accident; what he says really killed Gram; why Chris was so shocked by his major country music success with The Desert Rose Band; how spirituality has impacted his songwriting process; and the inside details of creating his most recent album with producer Tom Petty. ABOUT CHRIS HILLMAN: Rock & Roll Hall of Famer Chris Hillman first came to songwriting prominence as a founding member of The Byrds when he wrote or co-wrote several of the band’s classic songs, including “So You Want to be a Rock ’n’ Roll Star,” “Have You Seen Her Face,” “Time Between,” “Thoughts and Words,” “The Girl with No Name,” “Natural Harmony,” “Old John Robertson,” and others. Departing The Byrds following their landmark Sweetheart of the Rodeo album, Hillman teamed with Gram Parsons to launch the Flying Burrito Brothers. The pair penned a series of now-classic Americana standards for the band, including “Sin City,” “Wheels,” “Christine’s Tune,” “Juanita,” and “High Fashion Queen.”   Chris spent time in the group Manassas, where he co-wrote the charting single “It Doesn’t Matter” with Stephen Stills, before releasing a handful of solo albums and collaborative projects with several other musicians, including Richie Furay, J.D. Souther, Gene Clark, and Roger McGuinn. Hillman found his greatest commercial success with the Desert Rose Band, which he founded with Herb Pedersen and John Jorgenson. Chris penned a dozen of the group’s charting singles, including the Top 10 hits “Love Reunited,” “One Step Forward,” “Summer Wind,” Start All Over Again,” “Story of Love,” and “I Still Believe in You,” which reached #1 on the Billboard country chart. The group was named Band of the Year three years in a row by the Academy of Country Music and earned multiple CMA award nominations. Hillman is a country rock pioneer, a four-time Grammy nominee, and the recipient of the Americana Music Association’s Lifetime Achievement Award. His songs have been recorded by Emmylou Harris, Sheryl Crow, Ron Wood, Tom Petty, Patti Smith, Beck, The Hollies, Roxette, Crowded House, Uncle Tupleo, Dan Fogelberg, Dwight Yoakam, Marty Stuart, Steve Earle, Nazareth, Black Oak Arkansas, The Oak Ridge Boys, Alison Krauss, and others.

Two-time Grammy nominee and co-writer of Kelly Clarkson's global hit "Stronger (What Doesn't Kill You) joins us to discuss his multifaceted career. But first, Scott and Paul talk about whether or not it's still OK to listen to Michael Jackson's music. EPISODE DETAILS: PART ONE Scott and Paul talk about the loss of Dick Dale and Hal Blaine, and remind listeners of their friends at Pearl Snap Studios. PART TWO - 5:15 mark Is it still OK to listen to Michael Jackson's music? How do we separate artists from their art? Or can we? PART THREE -13:00 mark Scott and Paul head over to David's studio in downtown LA to find out why he wanted his earliest music to sound like a machine; what he discovered about his hero Nile Rogers after meeting him in real life; what happened when he played songs for Miles Davis over the phone; why he says it's a good thing there are more writers on songs today than ever before; how he partially inspired Kesha to ditch the guitars; why he says writers shouldn't get in too early on an artist's project; and what major artist rejected "Stronger" before Kelly Clarkson made it a massive hit. ABOUT DAVID GAMSON Two-time Grammy nominee David Gamson established himself as an innovative and influential musician, programmer, and producer with his distinctive synth work and arrangements as a member of the band Scritti Politti. Though classically trained, he gravitated toward the pop, funk and prog-rock influences he absorbed as a teenager, forging his own sound as exemplified by the group’s Top 10 UK hits “Wood Beez” and “The Word Girl,” as well as their successful US single “Perfect Way.”   Outside his work with the group, Gamson is best known as the co-writer of “Stronger (What Doesn’t Kill You),” a massive pop hit for Kelly Clarkson that spent three weeks at #1 on the Billboard pop chart in the US, hit #1 in nearly a dozen other countries, and became one of the best-selling singles of all time.  As a producer, programmer and musician he has collaborated with Roger Troutman, Meshell Ndegeocello, Maxwell, Angie Stone, George Benson, Nile Rogers, Beth Hart, Michael McDonald, Hans Zimmer, will.i.am, legendary producer Arif Mardin, and many others. His songs have been recorded by Miles Davis, Jessi J, Charli XCX, LP, Luther Vandross, Chaka Khan, Al Jarreau, Sheila E., Adam Lambert, Nick Lachey, and more.

The San Francisco folkie who became a Nashville hitmaker with "Life's a Dance," "Don't Laugh at Me," "I Think About You," Grown Men Don't Cry" and more!  IN THIS EPISODE: PART ONE The guys discuss Paul's 2019 Grammy experience and Scott's recent revelation about the importance of Steve Seskin. PART TWO -   9:08 mark Steve Seskin sits down with Scott to talk about the lessons he learned busking on the streets of San Francisco and how they’ve informed his songwriting instincts; the way he learned to write songs he was proud of but didn’t want to sing; the way he managed to avoid burnout as a songwriter; how Morgan Freeman inspired one of his biggest hits; the reason his future was altered when his publishing company ran out of coffee cups; what every writer should do to prepare for a co-writing session; which of his songs made him feel creepy when he first started singing it, and song he wrote that changed the course of his life more than any other. ABOUT STEVE SESKIN

One of the most successful Nashville songwriters who never actually moved to Nashville, Steve Seskin has written songs for a long list of artists that includes Kenny Chesney, Toby Keith, Peter Frampton, Waylon Jennings, Alabama, Ricky Skaggs, Peter Paul and Mary, and others. He has written seven #1 hits, including the Grammy-nominated “Grown Men Don’t Cry” by Tim McGraw; the John Michael Montgomery hits “Life’s a Dance,” “If You’ve Got Love,” and “No Man’s Land;” The Neal McCoy singles “No Doubt About It” and “For a Change;” as well as “I Think About You,” which earned Collin Raye an Academy of Country award for Video of the Year. Seskin’s song “Don’t Laugh at Me” was named the NSAI Song of the Year after it was recorded by Mark Wills. The anti-bullying anthem became a children’s book and was the impetus for the Operation Respect/Don’t Laugh at Me project, a curriculum designed to teach tolerance in schools. Through the program, Steve regularly performs in school assemblies and has launched related programs that help teach kids how to write songs of their own. Working from his home base in the San Francisco Bay area, Steve is additionally an active keynote speaker and songwriting instructor for the West Coast Songwriters Association, the Nashville Songwriters Association International, the Kerrville Folk Festival, and other organizations. Though best known for writing hit songs for others, he is also a successful performer and recording artist who has released more than 20 albums of his own material. Perhaps the best way to experience a Steve Seskin song is by hearing it performed by the man himself.   

Songwriters Hall of Fame and Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee Smokey Robinson talks about his Motown legacy and his string of timeless hits, including “Shop Around,” “You’ve Really Got a Hold on Me,” “The Tracks of My Tears,” “My Guy,” “The Way You Do The Things You Do,” “Cruisin’,” and more! PART ONE Scott and Paul chat about Pearl Snap Studios and share the behind-the-scenes details of how the Smokey interview came about. PART TWO -  8:07 mark Scott and Paul sit down with Smokey to get the inside scoop on the first song he ever wrote; how his love of Gene Autry and Roy Rogers gave him his identity; the songwriting advice from Berry Gordy that changed his life; which song he calls his international songwriting anthem; the collaborator he referred to as his "music mountain;" the hit he wrote onstage; the tragic story behind his most personal song; the artists he had in mind when he wrote "Shop Around" and "Being with You;" which of his hits took less than 30 minutes to write - and which one took five years! ABOUT SMOKEY ROBINSON Ranked in the Top 5 of Rolling Stone magazine’s Greatest Songwriters of All Time, Smokey Robinson is an American Musical Icon. Practically synonymous with the legendary Motown Records, Robinson wrote most of the hits associated with his own group, The Miracles, including “Shop Around,” “You’ve Really Got a Hold On Me,” “Going to a Go-Go,” “Ooo Baby Baby,” “The Tracks of My Tears,” “I Second That Emotion,” “Baby, Baby Don’t Cry,” and “The Tears of a Clown.” Beyond writing for himself, Smokey penned a long list of hits for other Motown artists, including “You Beat Me to the Punch” and “My Guy” for Mary Wells; “The Way You Do the Things You Do,” “My Girl,” and “Get Ready” for The Temptations, “Don’t Mess with Bill” and “The Hunter Gets Captured by the Game” for The Marvelettes; and “I’ll Be Doggone” and “Ain’t That Peculiar” for Marvin Gaye. In later years, Smokey launched a successful solo career, scoring self-penned hits with “Baby That’s Backatcha,” “Quiet Storm,” “Cruisin’,” and “Being With You.” The Grammy-winning songwriter, producer, and performer was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame and the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. He is a National Medal of Arts Recipient and a Kennedy Center Honoree. Smokey has additionally been honored with the Library of Congress’ Gershwin Prize for Popular Song, the Soul Train Heritage Award, the BET Lifetime Achievement Award, the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, and countless other honors. Five of his songs are on the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame’s list of 500 Songs That Shaped Rock & Roll, and five have been inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame. Four of his compositions can be found among Rolling Stone magazine’s 500 Greatest Songs of All Time. The long list of other artists who’ve drawn from the Smokey Robinson songbook includes The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Michael Jackson, Ella Fitzgerald, Aretha Franklin, Otis Redding, The Supremes, The Four Tops, Stevie Wonder, Gladys Knight, Dionne Warwick, Dusty Springfield, Linda Ronstadt, Dolly Parton, George Benson, D’Angelo , Ne-Yo, and more.

With over a dozen Top 5 singles on the Billboard country chart, Nashville Songwriters Hall of Famer Tim Nichols has been a hit machine for years with songs such as “Heads Carolina, Tails California,” “The Man I Want to Be,” and "Live Like You Were Dying." EPISODE DETAILS: PART ONE Scott and Paul talk about their earliest concert experiences. PART TWO -  8:09 mark Scott and Paul get on the phone with Tim to find out how he went to a bunch of free country shows when he was a kid; why he says the story of his career is a cross between Forest Gump and Lemony Snicket; how Mike Wallace and 60 Minutes led to his big break; why he had to wear a Daniel Boone cap on his way to becoming a successful songwriter; what he was feeling when his first hit came from a non-living artist; how an audiobook gave him the idea for one of his biggest hits; and how he looks back now on the day that he wrote THAT classic song. ABOUT TIM NICHOLS

Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame inductee Tim Nichols has written more than a dozen Top 5 country hits, including “I’m Over You” by Keith Whitley, “Heads Carolina, Tails California” by Jo Dee Messina, “(This Ain’t) No Thinkin’ Thing” by Trace Adkins, “I’d Rather Ride Around with You” by Reba McEntire, “I’ll Think of a Reason Later” by Lee Ann Womack,” “That’d Be Alright” by Alan Jackson, “Girls Lie Too” by Terri Clark, “I Still Miss You” by Keith Anderson, “The Man I Want to Be” by Chris Young, and “Cowboys and Angels” by Dustin Lynch.    Nichols is perhaps best known as the co-writer of Tim McGraw’s “Live Like You Were Dying,” which stayed at #1 for seven weeks, won a Grammy for Best Country Song, and was named Song of the Year by the Country Music Association, the Academy of Country Music, BMI, ASCAP, Billboard magazine, and the Nashville Songwriters Association International. It remains the only song to have won every major song award presented for country music.   The list of other artists who’ve recorded Nichols’ songs includes Blake Shelton, Faith Hill, Jason Aldean, Patty Loveless, Vince Gill, Montgomery Gentry, Kenny Chesney, Lonestar, Rascal Flats, Brad Paisley, Kenny Rogers, Tracy Byrd, Gretchen Wilson, Ronnie Milsap, and many more.

Songwriters Hall of Famer, half of the legendary Ashford & Simpson, and one of Rolling Stone magazine's 100 Greatest Songwriters of All Time chats about "Ain't Nothing Like the Real Thing," "I'm Every Woman," "Solid," and more of her many hits! PART ONE Scott and Paul belatedly announce the winner of the Mark Otis Selby CD contest from our recent Tia Sillers episode. PART TWO -  3:18 mark Paul gets the lowdown from Scott on how he managed to pull the Valerie Simpson interview together despite the obstacles! PART THREE - 14:02 mark Scott goes on location in New York to sit down with Valerie Simpson to chat about how meeting a homeless stranger at church opened the door to her songwriting career; why she and Nick Ashford didn't want to be performers at first; the song she told Dusty Springfield she couldn't record; why she was more focused on getting an advance than scoring a hit; which of her tunes was inspired by playing an instrument she doesn't really play; why Berry Gordy didn't want Motown to release "Ain't No Mountain High Enough" as a single; how Valerie realized she and Nick were in love after eight years of working together; and how she ended up on Broadway, thanks to Alicia Keys having to miss a party. ABOUT VALERIE SIMPSON Six-time Grammy nominee Valerie Simpson is best known as one half of the songwriting, production and performing duo of Ashford and Simpson, which she formed with musical partner and eventual husband Nick Ashford after they met at a church in Harlem, New York, in the early 1960s.  After early successes with Aretha Franklin’s recording of “Cry Like a Baby” and Ray Charles’ recordings of “Let’s Go Get Stoned” and “I Don’t Need No Doctor,” Nick and Valerie signed with Motown Records, first as songwriters, where their early successes included the hit singles “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough” and “Your Precious Love,” recorded by Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell. They soon began both writing and producing for the duo, with hits such as “Ain’t Nothing Like the Real Thing,” “You’re All I Need to Get By,” “Good Lovin’ Ain’t Easy to Come By,” and “What You Gave Me.” Additional writing and production credits at Motown came with hits by The Supremes, The Marvelettes, The Miracles, Gladys Knight, and Diana Ross, who found success with “Reach Out and Touch (Somebody’s Hand)” “Remember Me,” “Surrender,” and a remake of “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough” that topped both the pop and R&B charts.   In addition to writing #1 hits such as Quincy Jones’s “Stuff Like That” and Chaka Khan’s “I’m Every Woman” after their Motown period, Ashford and Simpson began releasing their own recordings as a duo, landing nearly 40 songs on the Billboard R&B singles chart. Their list of Top 10 hits as artists, includes“It Seems to Hang On,” “Found a Cure,” “Love Don’t Make it Right,” “Street Corner,” “Outta the World,” “Count Your Blessings,” “I’ll Be There For You,” and “Solid.”   Ashford and Simpson were the recipients of the ASCAP Founder’s Award, which is the highest honor bestowed by the organization. They were inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame, named among Rolling Stone Magazine’s 100 Greatest Songwriters of All Time, and provided the inspiration for the establishment of the Soul Train Ashford & Simpson Songwriter’s Award. Following Nick’s untimely death in 2011, Valerie has continued to write, record, and even appear on Broadway in the acclaimed musical Chicago.

The Grammy and Oscar winner behind "Rainbow Connection," "We've Only Just Begun," "Rainy Days and Mondays," "An Old Fashioned Love Song," "Evergreen (Love Theme from A Star is Born)," the "Love Boat" theme, plus songs recorded by Elvis, Ray Charles, Daft Punk, and many more! EPISODE DETAILS: PART ONE Scott and Paul reveal some of the newest perks of Patreon support. PART TWO -  9:17 mark Songcraft calls up Paul Williams to get the lowdown on how Susan Hayward changed his life; which of his classic songs started out as a bank commercial; the hit he finished writing in the car on the way to play it for a producer; how his songwriting mantra became "don't squeeze the kitty;" why co-writing means having to be willing to share bad ideas; the most intimidating part about writing songs for A Star is Born; what he really thinks of Jim Henson; and how Nashville reignited his passion for writing. ABOUT PAUL WILLIAMS Singer, actor, author, recovery advocate, and Songwriters Hall of Famer Paul Williams has penned hits such as “We’ve Only Just Begun,” “Rainy Days and Mondays,” and “I Won’t Last a Day Without You” for The Carpenters; “Out in the Country,” “Family of Man” and “An Old Fashioned Love Song” for Three Dog Night; and “You and Me Against the World” for Helen Reddy. Williams is perhaps best known for his movie songs and soundtracks. He earned Academy Award nominations for his musical contributions to Cinderella Liberty, Phantom of the Paradise, Bugsy Malone, and The Muppet Movie, which included the now-classic “Rainbow Connection.” Additionally, he and co-writer Barbra Streisand won an Oscar, a Grammy, and a Golden Globe for “Evergreen (Love Theme from A Star is Born).” A versatile writer, Williams has found successes ranging from penning the lyrics to the theme song from The Love Boat TV series, to landing a country hit with Diamond Rio’s Top 5 single “You’re Gone,” to collaborating with Daft Punk, who enlisted Paul for Random Access Memories, earning him a Grammy for Album of the Year. His songs have additionally been recorded by Elvis Presley, Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald, Ray Charles, David Bowie, Tony Bennett, Willie Nelson, REM, Gladys Knight, Diana Ross, Sarah Vaughn, Curtis Mayfield, Gwen Stefani, Diana Krall, the Dixie Chicks, and others. An actor and pop culture icon, Williams has appeared in the films Battle for the Planet of the Apes, Phantom of the Paradise, Bugsy Malone, the Smokey and the Bandit series, The Rules of Attraction, Baby Driver, and TV shows such as Hawaii Five-O, The Muppet Show, Fantasy Island, Star Trek: Voyager, and Goliath. He was a frequent guest on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson, and has been part of virtually every facet of the entertainment industry. Since 2009 Paul has served as President and Chairman of the Board of ASCAP, a performing rights organization that advocates for songwriters and collects royalty payments on their behalf.

Four writers discuss their holiday hits: William Bell ("Every Day Will be Like a Holiday"), Tia Sillers ("A Joyful Noise" by Jo Dee Messina), Robert Earl Keen ("Merry Christmas From the Family"), and Paul Duncan ("Light of the World" by Lauren Daigle) EPISODE DETAILS: PART ONE Scott and Paul discuss their favorite holiday records of all time. PART TWO - 23:12 mark Four songwriters talk about their unique Christmas songs. 

The Grammy-winning songwriter behind “There’s Your Trouble” (Dixie Chicks),  “I Hope You Dance” (Lee Ann Womack), and “That’d Be Alright” (Alan Jackson) talks about her heartbreaking personal losses, her professional triumphs, and how they’ve all worked together to make her the person and songwriter she is today.   EPISODE DETAILS: PART ONE Scott and Paul chat about great songs they never want to hear again. PART TWO - 12:21 mark Find out how you can enter to win a free CD! PART THREE - 14:27 mark Tia drops in at Songcraft World Headquarters to discuss how wandering into the kitchen of the Bluebird Cafe at age 15 changed her life; why she knew she wanted to sit in a circle with songwriters swapping jokes and telling stories before she knew she wanted to write actual songs; how a desperate classmate's plea for her notes led to her first hit single; the two things that must come together for a writer to be truly successful; what "cruel" thing Mark D. Sanders said to her that turned out to be right; why her biggest hit is also a big weight on her shoulders; what tricks she uses to stay engaged in the songwriting process; why she wishes she was a man; and how her husband's untimely death has shaped her as a person and a songwriter. Though best known as the co-writer of Lee Ann Womack’s classic “I Hope You Dance,” Tia Sillers has written successful singles in various genres, establishing herself as one of Nashville’s great songwriters. After scoring with Top 10 singles by George Ducas and Pam Tillis, she hit the top of the country charts with the Dixie Chicks’ recording of “There’s Your Trouble.” Additional charting country singles followed by artists such as Suzy Bogguss, Pinmonkey, Tammy Cochran, Trisha Yearwood, and Alan Jackson, who scored a huge hit with “That’d Be Alright.” In addition to her country success, Tia has landed several songs on Billboard’s Hot Mainstream Rock chart, including Kenny Wayne Shepherd’s “Blue on Black” which spent a total of six weeks in the number one slot. She also found success in Christian music when she and Hall of Fame songwriter Bill Anderson won the Dove award for Country Song of the Year after the Oak Ridge Boys recorded their song “Jonah, Job, and Moses.” Other artists who’ve covered Tia’s songs include Martina McBride, Randy Travis, Trace Adkins, Diamond Rio, John Waite, Vince Gill, Wynonna, Patti Page, Jennifer Lopez, and Gladys Knight. She has won Song of the Year honors from the Grammys, the CMA, the ACM, NSAI, and BMI. Tia has additionally taken home awards from the Canadian Country Music Association and the Billboard Music Awards.

EPISODE DETAILS: PART ONE Scott and Paul chat about why interviewing Chris Barron is a particularly significant milestone for them. PART TWO - 5:18 mark Chris Barron stops by Songcraft World Headquarters to chat about why he calls his musical background a “dog’s breakfast;” what his music teacher told him that blew his mind about songwriting; the reason he doesn’t like Eddie Vedder’s voice; what happened creatively when vocal cord paralysis kept him from being able to sing for many months; what he really thinks about playing “Two Princes” every night; and why, when he was talking to us, he really wanted to be standing on the arm of the couch howling and waving his underwear over his head. Plus, Chris performs two songs live and acoustic!

ABOUT CHRIS BARRON Chris Barron is best known as the lead singer of the Spin Doctors whose major label debut album, Pocketful of Kryptonite, spawned the hit singles “Little Miss Can’t Be Wrong,” “Two Princes,” “Jimmy Olsen’s Blues,” “What Time is It?” and “How Could You Want Him (When You Know You Could Have Me)?” The album was certified five times platinum and earned the band an American Music Award nomination for Favorite Pop/Rock Album, as well as a Grammy nomination for Best Rock Performance. The Spin Doctors built a loyal fanbase through relentless touring, including a key stint as members of the H.O.R.D.E. festival alongside Widespread Panic, Blues Traveler, and Phish. Three additional albums followed, including Turn it Upside Down, another platinum release that spawned the charting singles “Cleopatra’s Cat” and “You Let Your Heart Go Too Fast.” The band eventually broke up after Barron experienced vocal cord paralysis and was told he may never sing again.  When his voice returned Barron embarked on what he has called "a journeyman songwriting experience," branching out to compose lyrics and music that draw from a variety of genres and influences. He returned to music with his debut solo album, Shag. His most recent release, Angels and One-Armed Jugglers, emerged after yet another struggle with vocal cord paralysis. The album has earned enthusiastic critical reviews and has given Chris an opportunity to pursue a solo career while continuing to perform with a reunited Spin Doctors. The band recently celebrated the 30th anniversary of its formation.

EPISODE DETAILS: PART ONE Scott and Paul do a little housekeeping, including sharing listener-submitted additions to their "terrible artist mashup" game from last episode, announcing the winner of the signed Lamont Dozier CD contest, and sharing more information about our friends at Pearl Snap Studios.   PART TWO - 6:28 mark Mike stops by Songcraft World Headquarters to talk about the outside-the-box method he used to build an early following among college students; why he devoted himself to learning to play piano and guitar AFTER he'd scored a major hit; the reason he hates having a coffee table in the recording studio; why he originally told Adam Levine that Maroon 5 couldn't have "Sugar;" the surprising ways that Merle Haggard and Hank Williams, Jr. inspired "I Took a Pill in Ibiza;" and the reason Mike's label isn't allowed to hear his albums until they're finished. Plus, Mike performs two songs live and acoustic that will challenge what you think you know about him! 

ABOUT MIKE POSNER Singer-songwriter, record producer, and poet Mike Posner emerged from the Detroit music scene to build a grassroots following by releasing mixtapes during his college years. After signing with Clive Davis’ J Records he broke through to national prominence with the double Platinum-selling Top 10 single “Cooler Than Me.” Subsequent hits as a solo artist include the Platinum-selling singles “Please Don’t Go” and “Bow Chicka Wow Wow,” which featured Lil Wayne. Posner is perhaps best known for the worldwide hit “I Took a Pill in Ibiza,” which has been streamed more than two billions times (with a b!), and was the second most-streamed song of 2016. “I Took a Pill in Ibiza” earned Mike a Grammy nomination for Song of the Year and turbocharged his reputation as an in-demand songwriter and collaborator. In addition to his own artist output, Posner is a behind-the-scenes songwriter of “Beneath Your Beautiful,” a #1 UK hit by Labrinth, “Boyfriend,” a multi-Platinum single for Justin Bieber, and “Sugar,” another multi-Platinum chart-topping hit for Maroon 5. Other artists who’ve released songs by Posner include Big Sean, Talib Kweli, Pharrell Williams, 2 Chainz, Wiz Khalifa, Nelly, T.I., Snoop Dogg, Avicii, Iggy Azalea, Nick Jonas, Cher Lloyd, and more. Beyond his solo work and his songwriting and production collaborations with other artists, Posner is also one half of the alternative hip hop duo Mansionz. He has released a book of poetry, Teardrops and Balloons, as well as a poetic spoken word album called I was born in detroit on a very, very, very, very, very, very, very cold day. Mike’s most recent single is “Song About You,” which is a prelude to his forthcoming studio album, which will be released in January on Island Records.

PART ONE Scott and Paul reveal their pick for the "other" greatest songwriter of all time to complete the list of 100 they introduced on the last episode. And they remind listeners how to enter the contest to win an autographed Lamont Dozier CD.  PART TWO - 5:14 mark The guys reveal their new favorite game of combining two artist names to create music you wouldn't want to hear. R. Kelly Clarkson? Jars of Clay Aiken? Days of the New Kids on the Block? Come on, you know you want to go down this rabbit hole with us... PART THREE - 13:45 Want to create professional demos of your original songs? We can help! PART FOUR - 15:23 Scott and Paul call up the always-interesting Kinky Friedman, who reveals the identity of the person he believes deserves credit for starting country music's outlaw movement; what Waylon Jennings said when he saw Kinky walking down the street with his laundry; how he ended up receiving the Male Chauvinist Pig of the Year Award from the National Organization for Women; the way Nelson Mandela embraced one of his songs; the advice Willie Nelson gave him that changed his life; the reason he writes about Jesus so much; and why he says you've got to be miserable to write great songs. ABOUT KINKY FRIEDMAN Always provocative and often insightful, singer, songwriter, novelist, humorist, and politician Kinky Friedman, along with his band the Texas Jewboys, brought the spirit of Lenny Bruce to country music. Called the Frank Zappa of country, Friedman raised eyebrows with politically incorrect fare such as “Get Your Biscuits in the Oven and Your Buns in the Bed,” “Homo Erectus,” “They Ain’t Makin’ Jews Like Jesus Anymore,” and “Asshole From El Paso.” Self-stylized as a profane Will Rogers, Kinky’s persona as a cigar-chomping raconteur often overshadowed his considerable skills as a songwriting craftsman. From the sharp social commentary of “We Reserve the Right to Refuse Service to You” to strictly serious fare such as “Rapid City, South Dakota,” “Dear Abbie,” and “Lady Yesterday,” his knack for keen observation and tightly constructed songs attracted the attention of admirers such as Billy Joe Shaver, Willie Nelson, Eric Clapton, and Bob Dylan, who invited Kinky and the Texas Jewboys to join his legendary Rolling Thunder Review tour. Dylan once said, “I don’t understand music. I understand Lightnin’ Hopkins. I understand Lead Belly, John Lee Hooker, Woody Guthrie and Kinky Friedman.” Friedman eventually set songwriting aside and built a reputation as a celebrated mystery novelist. He went on to become a columnist for publications such as Rolling Stone and Texas Monthly and has published a long list of fiction and non-fiction books. He even ran for Governor of Texas in 2006 under the campaign slogan “Why the hell not,” eventually coming in fourth with nearly a half million votes.  In 2018, Kinky the songwriter returned with his first album of new original material in nearly four decades. Circus of Life spotlights the chops of a master songwriter who never lost his touch.

SUPER-SIZED DELUXE DOUBLE EPISODE DETAILS: PART ONE Scott and Paul celebrate their 100th episode by looking back on the origins of Songcraft and answering Rolling Stone's list of the 100 Greatest Songwriters of All Time by counting down their own list of the 100 OTHER Greatest Songwriters of All Time.  PART TWO - 19:37 mark The guys revisit their love of Pearl Snap Studios in Nashville. PART THREE - 21:44 Scott and Paul chat about the search to find a writer for the 100th episode who's written at least 100 Top 10 hits on the Billboard charts. Plus, find out how to enter to win a signed copy of Lamont Dozier's new CD, Reimagination. PART FOUR - 26:26 Scott and Paul catch up with Lamont and proceed to be blown away by his amazing stories of  punching a time clock as a staff songwriter at Motown; an inside look at the company's weekly "quality control" meetings; the secret behind the unusual percussion on "Nowhere to Run;" what happened when Marvin Gaye forgot to learn "How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You)" before the recording session; why Diana Ross was pissed off when she cut the vocals for "Where Did Our Love Go;" which of Lamont's classics came about as a result of getting caught in a compromising situation at a no-tell motel; the time one of his Four Tops hits knocked one of his Supremes hits out of the #1 spot on the pop chart; the muse who inspired "Bernadette" and "I Hear a Symphony;" and what skills he believes are necessary for a long career as a songwriter. ABOUT LAMONT DOZIER Lamont Dozier, along with brothers Eddie and Brian Holland, wrote and produced more than 20 consecutive singles recorded by the Supremes, including ten #1 pop hits: “Where Did Our Love Go,” “Baby Love,” “Come See About Me,” “Stop! In the Name of Love,” “Back in My Arms Again,” “I Hear a Symphony,” “You Can’t Hurry Love,” “You Keep Me Hangin’ On,” “Love is Here and Now You’re Gone,” and “The Happening.” Other Top 5 singles they wrote for the Supremes include “My World is Empty Without You” and “Reflections.” In addition to their hits with the Supremes, Holland, Dozier, and Holland helped further define the Motown sound by writing major pop and R&B hits such as “Heat Wave,” “Nowhere to Run,” and “Jimmy Mack” for Martha and the Vandellas, “Mickey’s Monkey” for the Miracles, “Can I Get a Witness” and “You’re a Wonderful One” for Marvin Gaye, and “(I’m A) Road Runner” for Junior Walker and the All Stars. The trio found particular success with The Four Tops, who scored hits with their songs “Baby I Need Your Loving,” “I Can’t Help Myself (Sugar Pie Honey Bunch),” “It’s the Same Old Song,” “Reach Out I’ll Be There,” “Standing in the Shadows of Love,” and “Bernadette.” Additional hits include “Crumbs Off the Table” for Glass House, “Give Me Just a Little More Time” for Chairmen of the Board, “Band of Gold” for Freda Payne, and Dozier’s own recording of “Why Can’t We Be Lovers.” Hit cover versions of his songs by rock artists include “Don’t Do It” by the Band, “Take Me in Your Arms (Rock Me a Little While)” by the Doobie Brothers, “How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You)” by James Taylor, and “This Old Heart of Mine” by Rod Stewart. With hits spanning multiple decades, Dozier also co-wrote “Two Hearts” with Phil Collins, earning a #1 pop hit, a Grammy award, a Golden Globe, and an Oscar nomination. Dozier is in the Songwriters Hall of Fame and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. He is the recipient of the prestigious Johnny Mercer Award for songwriting, as well as the BMI Icon award. Lamont Dozier was additionally named among Rolling Stone magazine’s 100 Greatest Songwriters of All Time.

EPISODE DETAILS: PART ONE Scott turns the microphone around to ask Paul about the four songs he co-wrote on the album that just debuted at #3 on the Billboard 200 album charts behind Paul McCartney and Eminem. PART TWO - 6:58 mark Scott and Paul call up Jeff Hanna to get the inside scoop on the early days of the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band when Jackson Browne was playing kazoo; how Jeff first got into writing songs during the era when he was playing in Linda Ronstadt's backup band; why he didn't want his record label to release "Mr. Bojangles" as a single; how "yacht rock" made its way into the Dirt Band; the time Steve Goodman kicked his butt in racquetball with a chemo pump in his arm; how one of their singles flopped but became a hit record 5 years later when they released the exact same record again; the reason he and his wife, Nashville Songwriter's Hall of Famer Matraca Berg, set co-writing aside; and how it's possible that Jeff never met one of his "Bless the Broken Road" co-writers until they showed up at the Grammy awards together. ABOUT JEFF HANNA Jeff Hanna is a founding member of the pioneering country-rock and American roots music institution, The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band. As a vocalist and multi-instrumentalist with the group, Jeff has found success with songs such as “Buy For Me the Rain,” “Mr. Bojangles,” “House at Pooh Corner,” “An American Dream,” and the #1 country singles “Long Hard Road,” “Modern Day Romance,” and “Fishin’ in the Dark.”    As a songwriter, Jeff has written or co-written many of the Dirt Band favorites, including “Bayou Jubilee,” “Make a Little Magic,” “Fire in the Sky,” “Face on the Cutting Room Floor,” “Partners, Brothers, and Friends,” “Baby’s Got a Hold on Me,” “I’ve Been Lookin’,” and “Down That Road Tonight.” Hanna has found songwriting success outside the band with songs such as “High on Love,” which was a Top 20 country hit for Patty Loveless and “Bless the Broken Road,” which Rascal Flatts took to the top of the country chart in 2005. The latter earned Jeff a Grammy nomination for Song of the Year and a Grammy win for Best Country Song. The CMA Album of the Year honoree and four-time Grammy winner saw his band’s legendary Will the Circle Be Unbroken album inducted into the Library of Congress’s National Recording Archive and the Grammy Hall of Fame. He continues to tour with the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, and has been a consistent presence in the group for more than 50 years.  

PART ONE Scott and Paul go down the rabbit hole of why it's just not the same when certain famous musicians aren't accompanied by their indispensable musical compatriots. PART TWO - 8:15 mark Scott and Paul call up Matraca to get the lowdown on why she wanted to marry songwriter Red Lane when she was four years old; how she ended up with her first hit after crashing Bobby Braddock's party and sneaking into his music room; why she begged Deana Carter NOT to release "Strawberry Wine" as her first single; which of her songs she believes was partially inspired by Harlan Howard from beyond the grave; and why she doesn't want to be in the room with the producer or artist the first time she hears their version of one of her songs. ABOUT MATRACA BERG Matraca Berg landed her first #1 country single as a songwriter when she was just 18 years old. She went on to earn well over a dozen more Top 10 hits by artists such as Patty Loveless (who found success with “I’m That Kind of Girl” and “You Can Feel Better”), Trisha Yearwood (who scored with “Wrong Side of Memphis,” “XXX’s and OOO’s,” and “Everybody Knows”), and Deana Carter (who hit #1 with “We Danced Anyway” and “Strawberry Wine,” the latter earning the award for CMA Song of the Year). Other hits from the Matraca Berg songbook include Reba McEntire’s “The Last One to Know,” Martina McBride’s “Wild Angels,” The Dixie Chicks’ “If I Fall You’re Going Down with Me,” and Kenny Chesney and Grace Potter’s hit duet, “You and Tequila.” The list of others who’ve recorded Matraca’s songs includes Linda Ronstadt, Dusty Springfield, Emmylou Harris, Loretta Lynn, Ray Price, and Randy Travis. In addition to her success on the mainstream country charts, Berg is what All Music calls “an unclassifiable but utterly classy singer/songwriter and recording artist.” Her debut album, Lying to the Moon, spawned two Top 40 singles and earned her an ACM nomination for Top New Female Vocalist. Her Sunday Morning to Saturday Night album was named one of the Top 10 albums of the year by Time magazine, Entertainment Weekly, and USA Today, while The Dreaming Fields has earned rave reviews from Rolling Stone, NPR, The New York Times, and others. Berg has received three Grammy nominations for Best Country Song, was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2008, and received the prestigious ACM Poet’s Award in 2017. 

PART ONE Scott and Paul give a shout-out to their latest Patreon supporter before revealing their respective Top 5 favorite live albums of all time - a topic suggested by Songcraft listener Bob Hunt! PART TWO - 15:17 mark Scott and Paul call up Gary (with a slightly wonky phone connection) to get the lowdown on how a chance meeting at a French castle led to writing more than two dozen songs with a Beatle; why he thinks growing up on show tunes made him a better country writer; how attending the Woodstock festival changed his life; the poignant true story of his father's death that unexpectedly became a hit song; how he accidentally got Faith Hill a record deal; the Tim McGraw hit he wrote that got shelved for 7 years because his publisher hated it; why he says all songs are love songs; and how he went from country hitmaker to collaborating with Carole King, Kenny Loggins, Richard Marx, Desmond Child, and the American Idol team. ABOUT GARY BURR Gary Burr first found songwriting success when Juice Newton scored a Top 10 pop hit with “Love’s Been a Little Bit Hard on Me.” The floodgates soon opened on a remarkable string of Top 5 country hits, including “That’s My Job” for Conway Twitty, “Watch Me” for Lorrie Morgan, “Sure Love” for Hal Ketchum, “One Night a Day” for Garth Brooks, “I Try to Think About Elvis” for Patty Loveless, “Till You Love Me” for Reba McEntire, “Can’t Be Really Gone” for Tim McGraw, “To Be Loved By You” for Wynonna, “On the Side of Angels” for LeeAnn Rimes, “Out of My Bones” for Randy Travis, and many others. Burr eventually returned to his early pop success, scoring a hit with “Nobody Wants to Be Lonely,” which Ricky Martin and Christina Aguilera took to the top of the Latin charts. Additionally, he wrote Kelly Clarkson’s first hit, “Before Your Love,” which was the best-selling single the year it was released. He also wrote Clay Aiken’s “This is the Night,” which hit #1 the following year. Burr has collaborated with Carole King, both as a songwriter and as a member of her touring band. Similarly, he has worked as a backing musician with Ringo Starr and has co-written more than two dozen songs with Ringo that have appeared on the former Beatle’s albums in recent years. Burr and his wife, singer/songwriter Georgia Middleman, are currently in a band with Kenny Loggins called Blue Sky Riders. In addition to those mentioned, Burr’s songs have been recorded by Neil Diamond, Billy Ray Cyrus, Don Williams, Ricky Skaggs, Faith Hill, Lisa Loeb, Keith Urban, Kenny Rogers, Night Ranger, George Jones, Joe Cocker, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Lady Antebellum, and others. Gary was twice named Songwriter of the Year by the Nashville Songwriters Association, has been named ASCAP Country Songwriter of the Year, and was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame. 

EPISODE DETAILS: PART ONE Scott and Paul announce the winner of the signed John Jorgenson CD contest. PART TWO - 2:46 mark As the lyrics say, "There'll be sad songs to make you cry." Paul and Scott each run down the top 3 songs that have made them do just that. PART THREE - 12:56 mark The immensely likeable Mary Lambert stops by Songcraft World Headquarters to talk about how Jewel inspired her to start playing coffee houses at the age of 13; the year she went from performing to audiences of 15 people to the Grammy stage; the ways in which a history of trauma and abuse has shaped her artistically; why songwriting is her connection to God; the reason co-writing was very jarring to her; why she cried for six hours before Madonna wiped away her tears; and how a failed co-writing session with a runner-up from "The Voice" led to a very important relationship.  Singer, songwriter, and spoken word artist Mary Lambert is best known for writing and performing the chorus for “Same Love,” a major hit for Macklemore and Ryan Lewis. The first Top 40 song in history to advocate for marriage equality, “Same Love” was named one of the Top 10 singles of 2012 by influential music critic Robert Christgau. The multiplatinum hit earned Mary a Grammy nomination for Song of the Year as well as an MTV Video Music Award. She went on to sign with Capitol Records as a solo artist, releasing the Billboard Top 20 single “She Keeps Me Warm,” followed by “Secrets,” which reached #1 on the Billboard dance chart and was certified Gold. Her most recent EP, Bold, further solidifies her reputation as an uncompromising singer-songwriter who celebrates vulnerability, honesty, and social awareness. She has been an advocate for mental health issues and was featured in JC Penney’s influential “Here I Am” ad campaign.

EPISODE DETAILS: PART ONE Scott and Paul chat about genres of music that are virtually represented by a single artist. PART TWO -  8:23 mark Find out how you can win a signed John Jorgenson CD and hear some great bloopers and outtakes from our interview! PART THREE - 10:41 mark John stops by Songcraft World Headquarters to talk about why he asked his school band teacher to assign him to the hardest instrument; how Disneyland became his musical proving ground; the "slightly devious" way he got Chris Hillman to co-found the Desert Rose Band; how his group the Hellecasters navigated the writing process with three guitar-slinging superstars; what he learned from watching Elton John write songs; why he turned down auditions to tour with Bob Dylan and Bruce Springsteen; how he ended up collaborating with Brad Paisley, Rodney Crowell, JD Souther, Peter Frampton, and other greats; and how his Django Reinhardt obsession led to his becoming the American master of  gypsy jazz.  ABOUT JOHN JORGENSON Named “one of the most respected guitarists in the world” by the Los Angeles Times, John Jorgenson is a musician and composer who is not easily pigeonholed. The three-time ACM Guitarist of the Year first rose to prominence as a founder of The Desert Rose Band, which landed eight Top 10 singles on the Billboard country chart between 1987 and 1990. He went on to co-found The Hellecasters, an instrumental guitar trio whose debut release earned Album of the Year honors from Guitar Player magazine. In the 1990s Jorgenson spent six years touring and recording in Elton John’s band and released a collaborative instrumental album with Elton’s longtime guitarist Davey Johnstone. In the following decade Jorgenson firmly established himself as a preeminent interpreter and innovator in a different genre, earning the official designation as the “US Ambassador of Gypsy Jazz.” The John Jorgenson Quintet has released a handful of highly regarded gypsy jazz albums while John has continued to record with artists such as Bonnie Raitt, John Prine, Bob Seger, Barbra Streisand, Kenny Chesney, Earl Scruggs, Luciano Pavarotti, Amy Grant, Lionel Richie, and many others. In 2006 Peter Frampton won the Best Instrumental Album Grammy for Fingerprints, which featured a song performed and composed with Jorgenson called "Souvenirs de Nos Pères (Memories of Our Fathers)" In 2009 Jorgenson took home a Grammy for Best Country Instrumental Performance for his work alongside fellow pickers James Burton, Vince Gill, Albert Lee, Brent Mason, Redd Volkaert, and Steve Wariner on Brad Paisley’s “Cluster Pluck.” “If there’s one guitar player I’d like to be,” Paisley has said, “it would be John Jorgenson.” In 2015, John released Divertuoso, a three disc album that features his three current performing bands: The John Jorgenson Electric Band, The John Jorgenson Bluegrass Band, and the gypsy jazz of the John Jorgenson Quintet.

PART ONE Scott and Paul talk about Randy Poe, Texas, and their favorite songwriters from the Lone Star State. PART TWO - 20:52 mark Robert Earl Keen comes by Songcraft World Headquarters to chat about the Marty Robbins song that set him on his path as a kid; why he wants his songs to be provocative; the book Lyle Lovett gave him that jump started his career; what Steve Earle said that convinced Robert to move to Nashville; how having only $20 in his pocket led to writing his most classic song; which of his albums made him feel like he’d been accepted into the mainstream; and why he kept delaying making a bluegrass album. ABOUT ROBERT EARL KEEN Regarded as one of the purest singer-songwriters in the Texas tradition, Robert Earl Keen is a true pioneer, and one of the most consistent practitioners of the Americana genre. While studying English at Texas A&M University, Keen linked up with fellow aspiring songwriter Lyle Lovett. The pair analyzed songs and worked on their craft together, writing tunes such as “Front Porch Song” which each included on his respective debut album. After the release of the West Textures album in 1989, Keen hit the road with songwriting giants Guy Clark and Townes Van Zandt. It was another Texan, Joe Ely, who recorded two of Robert’s songs on his highly lauded 1993 release Love and Danger that brought Keen to the attention of a wider audience. With a canon of classic songs that includes “The Road Goes on Forever,” “Corpus Christi Bay,” “Gringo Honeymoon,” and “Merry Christmas From the Family,” Keen built a diverse following that ranges from rowdy college kids to dyed-in-the-wool folkies. Live performance has been an important foundation of Keen’s artistry, as illustrated on the modern day classic live album No. 2 Live Dinner that was issued in 1996.  With a dozen studio albums and seven live albums under his belt, Keen has continued to explore new musical ground with a string of charting albums that includes 2015’s Happy Prisoner: The Bluegrass Sessions. Reaching the Top 10 on the country chart and #1 on the bluegrass rankings, Happy Prisoner demonstrates that Keen’s track record as an artist is just as strong as the respect his songs have earned from other performers. Those who’ve covered his material include Nanci Griffith, Eddy Raven, Kelly Willis, The Highwaymen, Jack Ingram, Montgomery Gentry, Shawn Colvin, Gillian Welch, and George Strait. In 2012, Robert Earl Keen was inducted into the Texas Heritage Songwriters Hall of Fame.

IN THIS EPISODE: PART ONE Scott and Paul catch up on the latest Songcraft news and chat about some of their favorite songs about Nashville. PART TWO - 16:06 mark  Wanna learn how to be like Mark D. Sanders? You can start with Patreon. The guys tell you where to check it out. PART THREE - 18:13 mark Scott heads over to Mark's house in Nashville to get the inside scoop on how music helped him survive a troubled home life growing up; why he had trouble co-writing with people who had more success than he had; the co-writer who taught him he could have fun and write a song at the same time; his battles with severe depression; the demo singer he credits with boosting his career; the famous song that inspired the chord progression of "I Hope You Dance;" and the ethical reason he decided to walk away from commercial country music culture after decades of success. ABOUT MARK D. SANDERS

Southern California native Mark D. Sanders moved to Nashville just before turning 30 and began building a career as a professional songwriter that eventually spawned 25 Top 10 hits, including more than a dozen #1 singles. His list of chart-topping hits includes “Mirror Mirror” by Diamond Rio, “Money in the Bank” by John Anderson, “Daddy’s Money” by Ricochet, “It Matters to Me” by Faith Hill, “No News” by Lonestar, “Heads Carolina, Tails California” by Jo Dee Messina, “Blue Clear Sky” by George Strait, “(This Ain’t) No Thinkin’ Thing” by Trace Adkins, and “That’d Be Alright” by Alan Jackson. Other artists who’ve recorded Mark’s songs include Garth Brooks, Reba McEntire, Vince Gill, Martina McBride, Tracey Lawrence, Trisha Yearwood, and Guy Clark.   Sanders was named Songwriter of the Year by the Nashville Songwriters Association in 1995 and 1996, and ASCAP Country Songwriter of the Year in 1997. Lee Ann Womack’s recording of “I Hope You Dance” earned him Song of the Year honors from NSAI, ASCAP, the ACM and the CMA, as well as a Grammy for Best Country Song and a Grammy nomination for Song of the Year across all categories. He was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2009.

EPISODE DETAILS: PART ONE Scott and Paul start the festivities off with a very important discussion about which artists carry their wallets on stage. PART TWO - 07:30 mark Scott and Paul call up Dennis, who reveals the major compliment he once got from Barry White; how the first song he ever co-wrote became a hit for Diana Ross; the shocking original lyrics for “Maniac” that were inspired by serial killer John Wayne Gacy; how an earthquake that totaled his house led to an important career change; why he isn’t necessarily proud of the story behind one of his major country hits; what he looks for in a co-writer; and how his early musical leanings were shaped by the two Philadelphias: Pennsylvania and Mississippi. ABOUT DENNIS MATKOSKY

Dennis Matkosky is best known for co-writing “Maniac,” which was included on the Flashdance soundtrack and became a #1 pop single that earned Golden Globe, Academy Award, and Grammy nominations. Matkosky took home a Grammy award for Best Album of Original Score for a Motion Picture, and continued to find success for the next decade with Billboard charting singles recorded by pop, R&B, and Adult Contemporary artists such as Boz Skaggs, Smokey Robinson, Al Jarreau, Eddie Money, Chicago, and James Ingram. Dennis eventually relocated to Nashville, where he landed a Top 10 country hit with LeAnn Rimes’ recording of “I Need You” before going on to hit #1 with Keith Urban’s version of “You’ll Think of Me.” Other artists who’ve hit the country charts with his songs include Clay Aiken, Reba McEntire, Lonestar, Martina McBride, and David Nail, who hit the Top 10 with “Red Light.”  The list of additional performers who’ve recorded Dennis’ songs includes Diana Ross, Sergio Mendes, Teddy Pendergrass, Johnny Gill, George Benson, Kool & the Gang, Laura Branigan, Sheena Easton, CeCe Winans, Joe Cocker, Rascal Flatts, and the cast of the hit television show Nashville.

EPISODE DETAILS: PART ONE In celebration of Father's Day Scott and Paul discuss the influence their dads had on their musical development. Plus, you'll hear a recording of Paul's late dad, Dr. Tom Duncan, singing his only known original song! PART TWO - 09:13 mark Woody Bomar's in-depth interview SYNOPSIS Scott sits down in Nashville with his dad to get the story about how one of Roy Orbison's bandmates became Woody's guardian angel; why he got shot at on the way to a gig; how he went from pitching Kris Kristofferson's songs to writing #1 hits of his own; why he signed a young teenager named Taylor Swift to her first publishing deal; the reason he says his first cut might actually be his last; and what inspired him to write an album's worth of songs about Route 66 after an exciting career working with country music's biggest names.  ABOUT WOODY BOMAR Woody Bomar began his music career as a songwriter, landing two #1 hits with Conway Twitty’s “We Did But Now You Don’t” and Jim Glaser’s “You’re Getting to Me Again.” He hit the Top 20 with Loretta Lynn’s “Cheatin’ on a Cheater” and had songs recorded by Lee Greenwood, Lynn Anderson, TG Sheppard, Rhonda Vincent, Hank Williams, Jr., and others. Bomar eventually moved to the other side of the desk at Nashville’s Combine Music, where his duties included promoting the songs of Kris Kristofferson, Dolly Parton, Guy Clark, Tony Joe White, and others. Woody soon departed and teamed with business partner Kerry O’Neil to launch Little Big Town Music with former Combine writers John Scott Sherrill and Bob DiPiero. Serving as President and General Manager, Bomar would go on to sign a stable of songwriters that earned fifteen #1 hits, as well as thirty Top 10 singles and more than 500 major cuts by artists such as Faith Hill, George Strait, Tim McGraw, Reba McEntire, Diamond Rio, Kenny Chesney, Waylon Jennings, Vince Gill, Neil Diamond, Dusty Springfield and Peter Frampton. Little Big Town was ultimately purchased by Sony/ATV, which hired Bomar as Senior Vice President and General Manager. During his eight year tenure with Sony, Woody signed Dierks Bentley, Rascal Flatts, Josh Turner, Marty Stuart and Blake Shelton, and was instrumental in bringing Taylor Swift, Gretchen Wilson, Eric Church and Miranda Lambert to the company’s roster. In addition to the new signings, Woody worked with an existing catalog of songs by Tom Douglas, Dean Dillon, Rodney Crowell, Gretchen Peters, Bobby Braddock, Merle Haggard, Willie Nelson, Hank Williams, and many others. After departing Sony/ATV Woody  launched his second independent publishing company, Green Hills Music Group, where he continues to advocate for great songwriters and secure recordings by artists such as George Strait, Luke Bryan, Jake Owen, Rascal Flatts, Hunter Hayes, and Hilary Scott of Lady Antebellum. Woody is a two-time recipient of The Nashville Songwriters Association’s President’s Award and is an inductee into the Middle Tennessee State University’s Mass Communications Wall of Fame.

PART ONE Scott and Paul reveal the winner of their latest contest. Find out who's getting an autographed copy of Steve Dorff's memoir! PART TWO - 02:39 mark Is "Stutter Rock" a thing? The guys connect some dots and dig into a surprisingly pervasive trend in music history. PART THREE - 8:05 mark Scott and Paul's origin story - including a particularly disappointing night backstage at a Guess Who reunion show PART FOUR - 12:52 mark Randy stops by Songcraft World Headquarters to talk about his new George Harrison tribute album; how The Guess Who got its name by accident; his Alex Trebek connection; how he bluffed his way into musical success; why his approach to songwriting is all about borrowing and re-purposing; the '60s band he thought was even better than The Beatles; what he spent all his money on instead of drugs; the Bachman-Turner Overdrive hit that ripped off an Antonín Dvořák classical piece only to then be ripped off by The Doobie Brothers; and why one of his biggest hits was an inside joke with his brother that was never intended to be heard by the public. ABOUT RANDY BACHMAN As the co-founder, guitarist, and primary songwriter of two legendary classic rock bands, Randy Bachman has earned over 120 gold and platinum records. After landing a handful of Top 10 singles in Canada, The Guess Who scored a string of Bachman-penned hits, beginning with “These Eyes,” a Top 10 single Randy wrote with bandmate Burton Cummings. They went on to find success with “Laughing,” “Undone,” “No Time,” and “American Woman,” which was the first single by a Canadian band to hit #1 on the Billboard Hot 100. The B-side, “No Sugar Tonight,” claimed the #1 spot soon after. Randy walked away from The Guess Who at the height of the band’s success, recording an instrumental album and forming the group that would come to be known as Bachman-Turner Overdrive. Like Paul McCartney before him and Dave Grohl after him, Randy is one of only a small handful of artists to find major success with more than one band. During his stint with BTO he wrote their biggest hits, including “Let it Ride,” “Takin’ Care of Business,” “Hey You,” and “You Ain’t Seen Nothing Yet,” which was an international hit that topped the charts in multiple countries. Bachman has reunited in various configurations with his Guess Who and BTO bandmates over the years, in addition to collaborating on various projects with artists ranging from fellow Canadian rock legend Neil Young to his son, Tal Bachman, who is best known for the 1999 hit “She’s So High.” Randy is a best-selling author, a member of the Musicians Hall of Fame, the host of the Vinyl Tap radio show, and a continually prolific songwriter, musician, and recording artist. His most recent album is By George – By Bachman, a tribute to the songs of George Harrison.

PART ONE Scott and Paul announce the five Patreon supporters who are getting signed copies of Billy Edd Wheeler's memoir. Then they fill you in on how you can snag one of two signed Beth Nielsen Chapman CDs for yourself! PART TWO - 02:45 mark The guys talk about cover songs that have become better known than their original versions. PART THREE - 12:34 mark Scott and Paul's in-depth conversation with Beth Nielsen Chapman

Beth stops by Songcraft International Headquarters to chat about her new record; how a traumatic childhood field trip set her on a path of creative reflection; why one of her songs took 18 years to complete; the movie that inspired her to start writing songs again after she quit for four years; why a chance encounter with a Beach Boy inspired her to move to Nashville; how she got commissioned to write songs for Willie Nelson; the unusual way Trisha Yearwood discovered one of her songs and made it a hit; and how a song deeply personal song about losing her husband to cancer became an inspiration to Elton John. Singer/songwriter Beth Nielsen Chapman is best known for co-writing “This Kiss,” a #1 country hit and Top 10 pop hit for Faith Hill that earned a CMA Song of the Year award. Other chart-topping hits from her catalog include Tanya Tucker’s “Strong Enough to Bend,” Willie Nelson’s “Nothing I Can Do About it Now,” Lorrie Morgan’s “Five Minutes,” Martina McBride’s “Happy Girl,” and Alabama’s “Here We Are,” which she co-wrote with Vince Gill.

As an artist, Chapman has released a dozen albums and placed eight singles on Billboard’s Adult Contemporary charts, including “Walk My Way,” “All I Have,” and “I Keep Coming Back to You.” After her husband lost his battle with cancer, Beth worked through her grief by digging into an emotionally rich body of songs that includes “Sand and Water,” a song that was later covered by Elton John on his 1987 world tour.

The long lists of artists who’ve recorded Beth’s material includes Neil Diamond, Michael McDonald, Emmylou Harris, Bonnie Raitt, Roberta Flack, Bette Midler, Keb Mo, Trisha Yearwood, Waylon Jennings, The Indigo Girls, Don Williams, Mary Chapin Carpenter, and Jim Brickman who scored a #1 Adult Contemporary hit with her song “Simple Things.”

The two-time Grammy nominee has been honored by The Alabama Music Hall Of Fame and was the recipient of The Distinguished Artist Award from the Alabama State Council on the Arts in 2009. She was inducted into the Songwriter’s Hall of Fame in 2016.

PART ONE Scott and Paul let you in on how you can score your own autographed copy of Steve Dorff's new memoir, I Wrote That One, Too. 

PART TWO - 02:45 mark Mother's Day is coming up soon! Paul counts down 5 of his favorite songs about moms before Scott lists 5 of his favorite songwriters who are also mothers. 

PART THREE - 12:11 mark Scott and Paul head over to Steve Dorff's house to get the inside scoop on why he sees color when he hears music; the reason that knowing how to write a great song is only half of songwriting success; how he accidentally wound up playing piano on a classic soul record; what he did to make Dusty Springfield throw a chair at him; how he bluffed his way into film scoring; the time he wrote one of the most iconic TV show theme songs of all time in just 15 minutes; and why he hears Boys II Men in his head when George Strait sings one of his biggest hits. 

ABOUT STEVE DORFF
Steve’s Dorff’s songs have been recorded by hundreds of artists, earning him nominations for six Emmy awards and three Grammys. His first major success came with the soundtrack for the Clint Eastwood film Every Which Way But Loose, which yielded three #1 singles, including the title song. Similarly successful soundtrack albums would follow, such as: Bronco Billy, which earned him #1 hits with “Cowboys and Clowns” for Ronnie Milsap and “Bar Room Buddies,” a duet for Eastwood and Merle Haggard; Any Which Way You Can, which spawned a Top 10 hit of the same title for Glen Campbell; and Pure Country, which earned George Strait two #1 hits, “I Cross My Heart” and “Heartland.” In total, Dorff has written nine #1 country hits from motion pictures, more than any other songwriter in history. In addition to his soundtrack success, Dorff has written #1 hits including “I Just Fall in Love Again” for Anne Murray, “Through the Years” for Kenny Rogers, “Don’t Underestimate My Love For You” for Lee Greenwood, “Hypnotize the Moon” for Clay Walker, and “The Man in Love with You” for George Strait. Other artists who’ve recorded his songs include Barbra Streisand, The Carpenters, Celine Dion, Cher, Dolly Parton, Dusty Springfield, Garth Brooks, George Jones, Gladys Knight, Jackie Wilson, Kenny Loggins, Randy Travis, Ray Charles, Reba McEntire, Roy Rogers, Ringo Starr, Smokey Robinson, Whitney Houston,  and Willie Nelson. In addition to his songwriting, Dorff has scored countless films and TV shows, including Spenser: For Hire, Murphy Brown, The Singing Bee, Just the 10 of Us, Murder She Wrote, Major Dad, Reba, and Growing Pains, for which he composed the hit theme song “As Long as We Got Each Other.” In 2017 he published his memoir, I Wrote That One, Too: A Life in Songwriting from Willie to Whitney, and he’s a 2018 inductee into the Songwriters Hall of Fame.

PART ONE Scott and Paul pay tribute to a Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame member who recently passed away. PART TWO - 02:55 mark Like it or not, tax day is upon us! The guys each pick three of their favorite songs about money or taxes. PART THREE - 10:55 mark Scott and Paul's in-depth conversation with Bruce Sudano Bruce comes over to hang out with Scott and Paul at Songcraft world headquarters, where he explains how he hounded Tommy James into giving him a shot; why he says he became a "cocky self-assured arrogant jerk" before he figured out how to be a good songwriter; the reason "Bad Girls" was almost a Cher song; the controversy that erupted when Michael Jackson recorded his song; why Donna Summer went on "The Tonight Show" to help save Bruce's parents' marriage; how his 30 year love story with the disco queen influenced his songwriting; and why he thinks he might be at the end of a creative streak. Bruce Sudano is a Brooklyn-born songwriter, singer, and multi-instrumentalist who first hit the scene when Tommy James and the Shondells recorded his “Ball of Fire” in 1969. He spent the better part of the next decade focusing on his own bands, Alive N Kickin’ and Brooklyn Dreams. The latter group collaborated with Donna Summer on “Bad Girls” and other songs, which led to a personal relationship between Bruce and Donna. The pair married in 1980 and remained together for 32 years until her untimely passing in 2012. The team of Sudano and Summer wrote “Starting Over Again,” which became a #1 country hit and Top 40 pop hit for Dolly Parton. In addition to his multiple Donna Summer cuts, Bruce has also had charting singles recorded by Jermaine and Michael Jackson, Robert Palmer, and Reba McEntire. Others who’ve recorded his songs include Tammy Wynette, Steve Wariner, Point of Grace, and Snoop Dogg. Bruce has released a half dozen solo albums, including his critically acclaimed 21st Century World in 2017.   

PART ONE Scott and Paul have some fun talking about artists who look just like they sound - and those who don't! PART TWO - 11:23 mark The guys talk about their Patreon page, Billy Edd Wheeler's new book, and how five lucky listeners can score a free signed copy for themselves. PART THREE - 18:00 mark Scott and Paul's in-depth conversation with Nashville Songwriters Hall of Famer Billy Edd Wheeler

Scott & Paul chat with the Yale-educated "hillbilly poet" about how Pat Boone covering his song gave him a crash course in music business shenanigans; why he wishes Richie Havens hadn't covered "High Flyin' Bird" at Woodstock; the reason legendary songwriter Norman Gimbel said he'd never make any money; the advice Jerry Leiber gave him about how to write lyrics; why he felt like a "man without a country" while appealing to both commercial country audiences and playing at the Newport Folk Festival; the time he picked up the phone to discover Elvis on the other end of the line; and a big revelation about which "Jackson" the iconic song actually refers to. Billy Edd Wheeler’s early chart successes were collaborations with the legendary songwriting team of Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller, who worked with Wheeler more than they did any other outside writer. The team of Leiber & Stoller & Wheeler’s first significant hit came with The Kingston Trio’s Top 10 pop recording of “The Reverend Mr. Black” in 1963. The trio then found success on the country charts that same year, scoring a Top 10 hit with Hank Snow’s version of “The Woman Who Loved the Man Who Robbed the Bank at Santa Fe And Got Away.” Wheeler is best known for writing “Jackson,” a major hit for Johnny Cash and June Carter in 1967, and “Blistered,” which was a Top 5 hit for Cash shortly after. Other artists who reached the Top 20 with Wheeler’s compositions include Hank Williams, Jr., Johnny Duncan, Jerry Reed, Elvis Presley, and Kenny Rogers, who took “Coward of the County” to #1 on the country chart, and #3 on the pop rankings. Additionally, Wheeler’s songs have been recorded by Judy Collins, Jim Croce, Richie Havens, Bobby Darin, Neil Young, Gram Parsons, Jefferson Airplane, Jerry Lee Lewis, Flatt & Scruggs, Conway Twitty & Loretta Lynn, Nancy Sinatra & Lee Hazlewood, Merle Haggard, Glen Campbell, John Denver, Jimmy Buffett, Wanda Jackson, Chet Atkins, George Strait, Warren Haynes, and others. As an artist, Billy Edd has released nearly 20 albums, and has placed seven singles on the Billboard country chart. His first, “Ode to the Little Brown Shack Out Back,” became a Top 5 hit in 1965. He has earned multiple ASCAP awards, and is a member of the West Virginia Music Hall of Fame and the North Carolina Music Hall of Fame. He was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2001. Wheeler, who pursued his graduate studies at the Yale School of Drama, is also an accomplished playwright, painter, and author, most notably of a revealing new memoir, Hotter Than a Pepper Sprout: A Hillbilly Poet's Journey From Appalachia to Yale to Writing Hits for Elvis, Johnny Cash & More.

Grammy winner Tony Banks is the co-founder and keyboardist of Genesis, which helped define prog rock in the ‘70s with lead singer Peter Gabriel and emerged as a pop powerhouse in the ‘80s after drummer Phil Collins took over the lead vocalist role. Banks and Mike Rutherford were the only two musicians who were members of the band throughout Genesis’ entire history from the late 1960s through the early 2000s. He is a co-writer of Genesis classics, including “The Knife,” “The Musical Box,” “Supper’s Ready,” “Firth of Fifth,” “Follow You Follow Me,” “No Reply at All,” “That’s All,” “Invisible Touch,” “Throwing it All Away,” “Land of Confusion,” “Tonight Tonight Tonight,” “In Too Deep,” “No Son of Mine,” “I Can’t Dance,” and “Hold On My Heart.”     In addition to releasing five solo albums, Banks began scoring films in the late 1970s, including a British horror movie called The Shout, a science fiction film entitled Starship, and Quicksilver, staring Kevin Bacon. It was his work on the Faye Dunaway film The Wicked Lady that first exposed Banks to working with an orchestra, reigniting his long time love for classical music. In 2004 he released Seven: A Suite for Orchestra, which featured the London Philharmonic and marked the start of a series of classical albums. The most recent is simply titled Five.   As a member of Genesis, Banks has sold over 21 million albums in the US alone. He received a Prog God Award at the Progressive Music Awards in 2015, and was named among MusicRadar’s “greatest keyboard players of all time” in 2011. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame alongside Genesis bandmates Peter Gabriel, Phil Collins, Steve Hackett, and Mike Rutherford in 2010.

Best known as the writer and performer of “American Pie,” Don McLean and his songs have hit the Billboard pop, country, and adult contemporary charts nearly twenty times. Staples of his catalog include “Vincent (Starry Starry Night),” which hit #12 in the US and landed at the top of the UK chart; “Castles in the Air,” which charted twice with different versions in 1971 and 1981; and “And I Love You So,” which was covered by Bobby Goldsboro, Perry Como, Johnny Mathis, Glen Campbell and Elvis Presley. McLean’s compositions have been covered by Madonna, Fred Astaire, James Blake, Chet Atkins, Garth Brooks, George Michael, Harry Connick Jr., Josh Groban, Ed Sheeran, and others. He was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2004 and received the BBC Folk Music Lifetime Achievement Award in 2012. “American Pie” was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2002 and was named one of the Top 5 Songs of the 20th Century by the Recording Industry Association of America and the National Endowment for the Arts. McLean has recorded nineteen studio albums. His most recent is Botanical Gardens.

Bob DiPiero has written 15 #1 hits, including “Southern Voice” for Tim McGraw, “If You Ever Stop Loving Me” for Montgomery Gentry, “Blue Clear Sky” for George Strait, “Daddy’s Money” for Ricochet, “The Church on Cumberland Road” for Shenandoah, “Money in the Bank” for John Anderson, “Little Rock” for Reba McEntire, and “American Made” for The Oak Ridge Boys. Neal McCoy’s recording of his song “Wink” stayed at #1 for 4 weeks in 1994 and was named BMI’s most performed country song of the year. Other highlights from DiPiero’s catalog include Faith Hill’s “Take Me As I Am,” Reba McEntire’s “Till You Love Me,” George Strait’s  "Cowboys Like Us" and Vince Gill’s “Worlds Apart, which was named Song of the Year at the Country Radio Music Awards in 1997. Other artists who’ve recorded Bob’s songs include Garth Brooks, Toby Keith, Travis Tritt, Rhett Akins, Billy Ray Cyrus, Patty Loveless, The Mavericks, Marty Stuart, Darius Rucker, Etta James, Martina McBride, Neil Diamond, Trace Adkins, Steve Wariner, Lonestar, Tracy Byrd, Sunny Sweeney, Easton Corbin, Toby Keith, and Little Feat with Bob Seger. Bob received Oscar and Golden Globe nominations for his song “Coming Home,” which Gwyneth Paltrow performed for the film Country Strong. He was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2007, was named Songwriter of the Year at the Nashville Music Awards in 1998, and received the prestigious BMI Icon award in 2017.  

Four-time Grammy nominee Matthew West’s major label debut album, Happy, brought him to national attention in 2004, earning him five Dove award nominations, including Pop/Contemporary  Album of the Year, Song of the Year for the single “More,” and New Artist of the Year. He has gone on to score nearly twenty Top 10 hits on Billboard’s US Christian chart, including Dove award Song of the Year nominee “Only Grace,” “You Are Everything,” “The Motions,” which earned a Grammy nomination for Best Gospel Song,  “Strong Enough,” “Forgiveness,” which was another Grammy nominee for Best Contemporary Christian Music Song,  “Hello My Name Is,” and “Grace Wins,” which reached  #1 status for a record-setting 17 weeks at Christian radio. He has written songs for other artists, including Rascal Flatts, Scotty McCreery, Michael W. Smith, Amy Grant, and Casting Crowns, who earned Matthew yet another Best Contemporary Christian Music Song Grammy nomination for “Jesus, Friend of Sinners.” He has been named ASCAP’s Christian Music Songwriter  of the Year multiple times, earned the Best Contemporary Inspirational Artist honor from the American Music Awards in 2013, won a Billboard Music Award for Top Christian Song in 2014, and was named Billboard’s Hot Christian Songwriter of the Year in 2016. Additionally, he received a Primetime Emmy award nomination for Original Music & Lyrics for “The Heart of Christmas” from the film of the same name. His latest studio album is All In on Sparrow Records.

Though he is now a Nashville Songwriters Hall of Famer, the British-born Roger Cook began his career in the UK, first making a splash on the US charts with The Fortunes’ Top 10 hit recording of “You’ve Got Your Troubles.” Additional US singles in that era included the Top 10 hits “Green Grass” by Gary Lewis & The Playboys, “I Was Kaiser Bill’s Batman,” by Whistling Jack Smith, and “Here Comes That Rainy Day Feeling Again” by The Fortunes.  In 1972 Cook scored with two different versions of “I’d Like to Teach the World to Sing,” an international hit that began as a groundbreaking commercial jingle for Coca-Cola before becoming a successful single for The Hillside Singers and then The New Seekers. Later that year he topped the charts with The Hollies’ “Long Cool Woman (In a Black Dress).” He and longtime songwriting partner Roger Greenaway were named British Songwriters of the Year two years in a row for 1971 and 1972 at the Ivor Novello awards in the the UK. In the mid-1970s, Cook moved to Nashville, where he found success with a string of #1 hits, including BMI Country Song of the Year “Talking in Your Sleep” for Crystal Gayle, “I Believe in You” for Don Williams, and “Love is on a Roll,” a song co-written with John Prine that became another #1 for Williams. Additional chart-topping hits include ASCAP Country Song of the Year “One Night at a Time” and “I Just Want to Dance With You,” both #1 singles for George Strait. Roger’s songs have been recorded by The Drifters, Frankie Valli, Neil Diamond, Johnny Cash, John Prine, Sonny & Cher, Chet Atkins, Nancy Wilson, Bette Midler, Petula Clark, Brenda Lee, Clint Black, Amy Grant, Reba McEntire, and others. He is a Grammy nominee, ACM nominee, three-time CMA Song of the Year nominee, and the only British inductee into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame. Additionally, he and Roger Greenaway were inducted into the national Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2009.  

A legendary recording artist and songwriter for the Memphis–based Stax label, William Bell first found success with his own recording of “You Don’t Miss Your Water,” a song that would go on to be covered by Otis Redding, Jerry Lee Lewis, The Byrds, and others. He found chart success in the ‘60s and ‘70s with additional self-penned singles, such as the Top 20 hits “Everybody Loves a Winner,” “A Tribute to a King,” “Private Number,” and “Tryin’ to Love Two,” which hit #1 on the R&B chart and #10 on the pop chart. His Top 10 R&B hit “I Forgot to Be Your Lover” went on to be covered by Billy Idol as the Top 10 pop hit, “To Be a Lover,” and was reinvented once again when Jaheim sampled it in “Put That Woman First,” a Top 5 R&B hit and Top 20 pop hit in 2004. In 2016 Bell returned to the re-formed Stax label to release This Is Where I Live, an album of primarily original songs that featured William’s own interpretation of “Born Under a Bad Sign,” which was originally recorded by Albert King and went on to become a blues standard that was named one of the “500 Songs that Shaped Rock & Roll” by the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. A partial list of artists who’ve recorded titles from the William Bell songbook includes Lou Rawls, Percy Sledge, Big Mama Thornton, Cream, Jimi Hendrix, Rod Stewart, Etta James, LaVern Baker, Dusty Springfield, Carole King, Linda Ronstadt, Melissa Etheridge, Robert Cray, and Sturgill Simpson. Additionally, his songs have been sampled by Ludacris, Kanye West, and others.  Bell was inducted into the Georgia Music Hall of Fame and the Memphis Music Hall of Fame. He was honored with the R&B Pioneer Award by The Rhythm and Blues Foundation, and the W.C. Handy Heritage Award from the Memphis Music Foundation. In 2016 the Americana Music Association honored him with its Lifetime Achievement Award. The following year he earned his first Grammy award for This Is Where I Live, which was named Americana Album of the Year. 

Launching her career with the Front Porch String Band in the 1970s, Claire Lynch went on to release solo material before ultimately assembling her own Claire Lynch Band. Dolly Parton calls Claire “one of the sweetest, purest and best lead voices in the music business today.” She has received over twenty nominations from the International Bluegrass Music Association, winning a half dozen of their awards, including Female Vocalist of the Year in 1997, 2010, and 2013. Her song “Dear Sister” was named the IBMA's 2014 Song of the Year. She was inducted into the Alabama Music Hall of Fame, and has been nominated for three Grammy awards for Best Bluegrass album, most recently for her 2016 release North By South. In addition to her own recordings, Claire’s songs have been covered by a long list of bluegrass and folk artists, including The Seldom Scene, Patty Loveless, Kathy Mattea, Cherryholmes, and The Whites.

Paul and Scott catch up with Jose Feliciano to find out why "Feliz Navidad" was written in July; chat with "Santa Baby" composer Phil Springer to hear the reason he was hesitant to write the world's first "sexy Christmas song;" get the scoop from Mike Stoller about Elvis recording "Santa Claus is Back in Town" when the song was less than an hour old; find out from former Ray Charles backup singer Mable John what the movie "Christmas Vacation" did for Ray's recording of her song "That Spirit of Christmas;" talk to Mark Lowry about how "Mary Did You Know?" went from a recitation in a local church play to a contemporary Christmas standard; listen to former Motown staff writer Bryan Wells explain why his "Someday at Christmas" is as relevant today as it was when Stevie Wonder first released it more than 50 years ago; and find out how TV producer Lee Mendelson became an accidental songwriter when it was time to add lyrics to "Christmas Time is Here" from "A Charlie Brown Christmas."  

Jose Feliciano – “Feliz Navidad” (1970) A true international superstar, virtuoso guitarist and celebrated vocalist Jose Feliciano found fame in the US with his hugely successful Feliciano album in 1968. He earned a Top 5 hit with his interpretation of The Doors’ “Light My Fire” that same year and has gone on to win seven Grammy awards. “Feliz Navidad” was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame, and was named by ASCAP as one of the most performed holiday songs of all time. Philip Springer – “Santa Baby” by Eartha Kitt (1953) At 91 years old, Phil Springer is one of the last living composers from the pre-rock “Brill Building” era of professional songwriters. In addition to writing the music for “Santa Baby,” Springer penned Frankie Laine’s Top 5 hit “Moonlight Gambler,” Frank Sinatra’s “How Little it Matters, How Little We Know,” and Cliff Richard’s “The Next Time,” which hit #1 in the UK in 1963. Additionally, he wrote songs that have been recorded by Judy Garland, Dusty Springfield, and Elvis Presley. Mike Stoller – “Santa Clause is Back in Town” by Elvis Presley (1957) One of the key architects of rock and R&B songwriting, Mike Stoller is a member of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, the Songwriters Hall of Fame, and one of Rolling Stone magazine’s 100 Greatest Songwriters of All Time. His long list of writing credits with partner Jerry Leiber includes “Kansas City,” “Yakety Yak,” “Stand By Me,” “Poison Ivy,” “Love Potion No. 9,”and more than 20 titles recorded by Elvis, including “Hound Dog,” “Jailhouse Rock,” and the perennial “Santa Clause is Back in Town.” Mable John – “That Spirit of Christmas” by Ray Charles (1985) Best remembered from the sentimental attic scene in National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, “That Spirit of Christmas” was co-written by Mable John. She is Little Willie John’s younger sister and was the first female solo artist signed to Motown’s Tamla label in the 1950s. She would go on to score a Top 10 hit as a Stax artist with “Your Good Thing (Is About to End)” and serve as the leader of Ray Charles’ backing singers, The Raelettes, for more than a decade. Mark Lowry – “Mary Did You Know” (1991) Though he spent eighteen years as a member of the legendary Gaither Vocal Band and has released nearly twenty albums and, Dove award winning Christian singer and comedian Mark Lowry is best known to mainstream audiences as the co-writer of “Mary Did You Know.” The song was first recorded in 1991 by Michael English, who was a fellow member of the Gaither Vocal Band at the time. It would go on to be recorded by Natalie Cole, Reba McEntire, Glen Campbell, Jessica Simpson, Mary J. Blige, Cee Lo Green, Pentatonix, and many others. Bryan Wells – “Someday at Christmas” by Stevie Wonder (1966) Former Motown staff writer Bryan Wells co-wrote Stevie Wonder’s Top 10 hits “A Place in the Sun” and “Yester-Me, Yester-You, Yesterday.” He has earned four Clio Awards for music he has composed for advertising campaigns and is Bette Midler’s former music director. Wells and partner Ron Miller co-wrote three songs on Stevie’s 1967 holiday album, including the title track, “Someday at Christmas” which has since been covered by The Jackson 5, Diana Ross, The Temptations, Jack Johnson, Justin Bieber, and others. Lee Mendelson – “Christmas Time is Here” from A Charlie Brown Christmas (1965)TV producer Lee Mendelson became a songwriter by default when he scrawled the lyrics for “Christmas Time is Here” on the back of an envelope to complete the opening scene of A Charlie Brown Christmas. It was Mendelson who chose Vince Guaraldi to score the special, introducing generations of kids to jazz music. He went on to write additional songs for future Peanuts specials with collaborators including David Benoit.   

Mississippi native Joshie Jo Armstead began her professional career as a vocalist, touring and recording as one of the original Ikettes behind Ike and Tina Turner. She later settled in New York City where she began working with the legendary duo of Ashford and Simpson, who first found major success as the songwriting trio of Ashford, Simpson and Armstead when Ray Charles’ recording of “Let’s Go Get Stoned” became a #1 hit. Soon after, Charles recorded their “I Don’t Need No Doctor” and Aretha Franklin hit the R&B Top 40 with “Cry Like a Baby.”  After Ashford and Simpson went to Motown, Armstead relocated to Chicago where she launched Giant Productions and established herself as one of only a handful of female record label owners and producers in that era. There she scored Top 10 R&B hits with Syl Johnson’s “Come On Sock it to Me,” Ruby Andrews’ “Casanova (Your Playing Days Are Over),” Garland Green’s “Jealous Kind of Fella,” and Carl Carlton’s “Drop By My Place” while also releasing her own records as an artist for Giant Records and later Stax Records.  As a vocalist she has worked and recorded with Diana Ross, Bob Dylan, Roberta Flack, Nina Simone, BB King, Quincy Jones and Burt Bacharach. As a writer she placed 16 songs on the R&B and pop charts.  Her compositions have been recorded by a long list of artists, including James Brown, The Coasters, The Shirelles, Joe Cocker, Styx, Humble Pie, Joan Osborne, Ronnie Milsap, John Mayer, and others.  

As an artist, Mel Tillis scored 36 Top 10 country hits between 1968 and 1984, including six #1s. But Tillis was writing hit songs long before he found success as an artist  As a songwriter he hit the Top 20 an astounding 49 times, most often as the creator behind songs made famous by iconic artists such as Carl Smith, Kitty Wells, Ernest Tubb, Brenda Lee, Faron Young, Ricky Skaggs, and many others. His long list of songwriting successes includes "Burning Memories" and "Heart Over Mind" by Ray Price, "Detroit City" by Bobby Bare, "Honky Tonk Song" and "I Ain't Never" by Webb Pierce, "Mental Revenge" by Waylon Jennings, "Ruby, Don't Take Your Love to Town" by Kenny Rogers and the First Edition, and Mel's own recording of "Sawmill." He was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1976, the same year he was named the Country Music Association's Entertainer of the Year. He was named Comedian of the Year by the CMA six different times in the 1970s. In 1999 BMI named him the Country Songwriter of the Decade - for two decades! He was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2007 and became an official member of The Grand Ole Opry that same year. In 2012 he was awarded the National Medal of Arts by President Barack Obama for his contributions to country music.

After establishing himself as a college football star in Mississippi, Jim Weatherly moved to Los Angeles to pursue a music career. He eventually found success as a songwriter, and is best known for penning “Midnight Train to Georgia,” a #1 pop and R&B hit for Gladys Knight and the Pips that would go on to be named one of Rolling Stone magazine’s 500 Greatest Songs of All Time and earn induction into the Grammy Hall of Fame. Gladys and her Pips recorded a dozen of Weatherly’s songs, including the Top 10 hits “Neither One of Us (Wants to be the First to Say Goodbye)”  “Where Peaceful Waters Flow,” “Best Thing That Ever Happened to Me,” and “Love Finds Its Own Way.” It wasn’t uncommon for Jim to appear on both the pop and country charts simultaneously with different versions of the same song. Bob Luman scored a Top 10 country hit with “Neither One of Us (Wants to be the First to Say Goodbye)” while Ray Price hit the top of the country chart with his version of “You’re the Best Thing That Ever Happened to Me.” Price would record nearly 40 Jim Weatherly songs, including the Top 5 hits “Like Old Times Again” and “Roses and Love Songs.” Thanks, in part, to Ray Price’s success, Jim was named ASCAP’s Country Songwriter of the Year in 1974. Additional hits from the Weatherly songbook include Charley Pride’s #1 single “Where Do I Put Her Memory,” Ed Bruce’s Top 5 hit “You Turn Me On (Like a Radio),” Glen Campbell’s Top 5, “A Lady Like You,” and Bryan White’s #1 single “Someone Else’s Star.” Other artists who’ve recorded Jim’s songs include Eddy Arnold, Reba McEntire, Dean Martin, Vince Gill, Etta James, Neil Diamond, Bill Anderson, Kenny Rogers, Hall & Oates, The Temptations, Garth Brooks, Kenny Chesney, Peter Cetera, and Angie Stone. As an artist, Jim earned a Top 10 pop hit with “Need to Be” and a Top 10 country hit with “I’ll Still Love You.” The Grammy nominee and Dove award winner was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2006 and the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2014.  

Before he retired in the early 2000s, Bob McDill landed 152 hits on the Billboard country chart, more than any other songwriter in history. He hit theBillboard Top 10 an astounding 55 times, and 23 of those singles climbed all the way to #1. Many artists returned to the McDill songbook repeatedly, including Don Williams, who scored with the #1 hits “(Turn Out the Light And) Love Me Tonight,” “Say It Again,” “She Never Knew Me,” “Rake and Ramblin’ Man,” “It Must Be Love,” “Good Ole Boys Like Me,” and “If Hollywood Don’t Need You.” Mel McDaniel enjoyed four Top 10 hits written by Bob, including “Louisiana Saturday Night” and the #1 “Baby’s Got Her Blue Jeans On.” Those who hit #1 at least twice with McDill compositions include Ronnie Milsap, with “Nobody Likes Sad Songs” and “Why Don’t You Spend the Night;” Doug Stone, with “In a Different Light” and “Why Didn’t I Think of That;” Alan Jackson, with “Gone Country” and his revival of “It Must Be Love;” and Dan Seals, who co-wrote several of his own hits with McDill, including the #1 songs “My Baby’s Got Good Timing,” “Everything That Glitters (Is Not Gold),” and “Big Wheels in the Moonlight.” Additionally, Bob wrote or co-wrote #1 singles such as “The Door is Always Open” by Dave and Sugar, “You Never Miss a Real Good Thing (Till He Says Goodbye)” by Crystal Gayle, “Amanda” by Waylon Jennings, “We Believe in Happy Endings” by Earl Thomas Conley and Emmylou Harris, “Don’t Close Your Eyes” by Keith Whitley, “Song of the South” by Alabama, and “She Don’t Know She’s Beautiful” by Sammy Kershaw. In addition to multiple Top 5 singles such as Johnny Russell’s “Rednecks, White Socks, and Blue Ribbon Beer,” Ed Bruce’s “You Turn Me On (Like a Radio)," and Pam Tillis’s “All The Good Ones Are Gone,” Bob has penned Top 10 hits for Johnny Cash, George Jones, Conway Twitty, Bobby Bare, Mac Davis, Johnny Rodriguez, John Anderson, Mickey Gilley, Anne Murray, and Lee Roy Parnell. He has also written charting singles for Jerry Lee Lewis, Charley Pride, Tammy Wynette, and both Duke Boys, Tom Wopat and John Schneider, with the latter taking Bob’s “I’ve Been Around Enough to Know” to #1. McDill was named Country Songwriter of the Year seven times between 1976 and 1994: three times each by the Nashville Songwriters Association and BMI, and once by ASCAP. Nine of his songs were nominated for Song of the Year by the Country Music Association, the Academy of Country Music, or both organizations. The four time Grammy nominee earned ASCAP’s Golden Note Award, received the Academy of Country Music’s prestigious Poet’s Award, and was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame. 

Siedah Garrett is best known as the co-writer, with Glen Ballard, of “Man in the Mirror,” a #1 worldwide pop hit recorded by Michael Jackson. The Southern California native launched her career with a group called Plush in the early 1980s before joining Deco, which was assembled by her mentor, legendary producer Quincy Jones. It was Jones who played “Man in the Mirror” for Michael Jackson. The King of Pop fell in love with the song and the voice on the demo tape. In addition to recording “Man in the Mirror,” Michael invited Siedah to be his duet partner on “I Just Can’t Stop Loving You,” which was released as the first single from the Bad album and hit #1 on the Billboard pop chart. Siedah would go on to co-write “Keep the Faith” on Jackson’s Dangerous album and join him as a featured vocalist on the Dangerous world tour. As a backing vocalist, Siedah can be heard on recordings by Madonna, Sarah Vaughan, Barbra Streisand, Donna Summer, Natalie Cole, Santana, Jessica Simpson, and others. As a featured artist she’s scored hits such as the chart-topping R&B duet “Don’t Look Any Further” with former Temptation Dennis Edwards and her solo Top 20 R&B single “K.I.S.S.I.N.G.” Beyond her work with Michael Jackson, highlights from Siedah’s songwriting catalog include “Sometimes,” a Top 20 R&B hit for The Brand New Heavies, of which she was also a member, as well as five songs on Quincy Jones’s multi-Grammy award winning Back on the Block album. The long list of artists who’ve recorded Siedah’s songs includes Aretha Franklin, Ella Fitzgerald, Al Jarreau, Earth Wind & Fire, The Pointer Sisters, Paula Abdul, Amy Grant, Bobby McFerrin, Barry White, Al B. Sure, El Debarge, James Ingram, will.i.am, and others.   The Grammy winning songwriter was also nominated for two Academy Awards for Best Original Song. The first, “Love You I Do,” was performed by Jennifer Hudson in the film Dreamgirls. The second, “Real in Rio,” was from the animated film Rio, and was co-written with Sergio Mendes.  

Named by Rolling Stone magazine as one of the 100 Greatest Songwriters of All Time, Dann Penn’s impact on the Southern music triangle of Muscle Shoals, Memphis, and Nashville cannot be overstated. In the 1960s he teamed with Chips Moman to create two of Southern soul’s most revered standards: “Do Right Woman, Do Right Man,” which was recorded by Aretha Franklin, and “The Dark End of the Street,” which was first cut by James Carr. Along with his frequent collaborator, Spooner Oldham, Penn has crafted R&B classics such as James and Bobby Purify’s “I’m Your Puppet,” Otis Redding’s “You Left the Water Running,” Percy Sledge’s “It Tears Me Up” and “Out of Left Field,” Solomon Burke’s “Take Me (Just As I Am),” and The Sweet Inspirations’ “Sweet Inspiration.” Additionally, the pair found pop success with Janis Joplin’s recording of “A Woman Left Lonely,” as well as hits such as “Cry Like a Baby” and “I Met Her in Church” that were recorded by The Box Tops, who first broke through to national prominence with the Penn-produced hit “The Letter.” Other artists who’ve recorded songs from the Dan Penn songbook include  Bobby “Blue” Bland,  Jerry Lee Lewis, Clarence Carter, Joe Cocker, Cher, Arthur Alexander, Ruth Brown, Irma Thomas, Bobby Womack, Esther Phillips, Joe Tex, Dolly Parton, Linda Ronstadt, Gregg Allman, Etta James, Dionne Warwick, Brenda Lee, Willie Nelson, Patti LaBelle, Elvis Costello, Buddy Guy, Arthur Conley, Sam & Dave, Elton John, Wilson Pickett, Roger McGuinn, John Prine, and many more. 

Emi Sunshine is a 13-year-old singer and multi-instrumentalist who first came to prominence in 2014 after a video of her performance at a flea market in her native East Tennessee went viral. Emi, who was 9 at the time, was invited to perform on The Today Show with her family band. Since then, she has released several albums, built up a catalog of over 100 original songs, and has performed on the stage of the legendary Grand Ole Opry over a dozen times.  Influenced by Americana, bluegrass, and Appalachian roots music, Emi has performed alongside personal heroes such as Loretta Lynn, Willie Nelson, Ricky Skaggs, Marty Stuart, and others. Though steeped in musical traditions of the past, Emi is bringing her music to a new generation. With over a half million Facebook followers and millions of YouTube views, she’s introducing the deepest roots of America’s music to her own generation. The Chicago Tribune wrote, “EmiSunshine is no tween novelty. Emi is a throwback to earlier eras of country music. With a sharp Appalachian streak in her voice, she's a strikingly powerful vocalist with potent phrasing.”  Her brand new album, Ragged Dreams, features 15 original songs produced by Emi and available now on Little Blackbird Records.

Revered by those in the know, David Olney is a prolific master craftsman who The Los Angeles Times once called “the best songwriter you’ve never heard of,” and about whom the San Francisco Chronicle observed, “In the tradition of Johnny Cash and Tom Waits, Olney has become a pioneer of the Americana music scene.” David was one of the few rockers to emerge from Nashville in the late 1970s and early ‘80s, where he launched his career with The X-Rays, who are best remembered for an appearance on the televised Austin City Limits. He went on to transform himself into a folk-infused singer/songwriter with a rootsy rock edge, releasing more than two dozen solo albums since 1986. Many of his songs have been recorded by other artists, including Emmylou Harris, who cut “Jerusalem Tomorrow,” “Deeper Well,” and “1917.” The latter was a duet with Linda Ronstadt, who also recorded her take on David’s “Women Across the River,” a song that’s also been covered by The Band’s Rick Danko. Other artists who’ve drawn from the Olney songbook include Del McCoury, who recorded “Queen Anne’s Lace” and Connie Britton, who recorded “Postcards From Mexico” for the hit television series, Nashville. The late great Towns Van Zant once wrote, “Anytime anyone asks me who my favorite music writers are, I say Mozart, Lightnin' Hopkins, Bob Dylan, and Dave Olney." David’s most recent album is called Don’t Try to Fight It, and he can been seen performing and discussing songs every Tuesday on his live stream cast called You Never Know at DavidOlney.com.        

One of the great tales of songwriting history is the story of Dr. Nadel and Mr. Starr. Dr. Warren Nadel was a successful New York dentist who maintained a dual career as Randy Starr, best known for writing and recording the Billboard Top 40 pop hit, “After School.” He appeared on American Bandstand several times and went on to co-write the instrumental hit “The Enchanted Sea,” which became a charting single for both The Islanders and Martin Denny. He wrote or co-wrote a dozen songs that appeared in Elvis Presley films, including the charting singles “Kissin’ Cousins” and “Almost in Love.” Additionally, his songs have been recorded by Jackie Wilson, Chet Atkins, Kay Starr, Connie Smith, George Hamilton IV, Connie Francis, the Kingston Trio, and many others.

Hugh Prestwood has written twenty charting singles on the Billboard rankings, including eight Top 10 hits. He began his professional career as a folk singer/songwriter in Greenwich Village in the 1970s before finding commercial success as a writer when Judy Collins began recording his songs toward the end of the decade. In the 1980s he appeared on the country charts with the #1 singles “The Sound of Goodbye” by Crystal Gayle and “The Moon Is Still Over Her Shoulder” by Michael Johnson. By the following decade Prestwood was regularly topping the charts with titles such as Randy Travis’ “Hard Rock Bottom Of Your Heart,” which earned him the BMI Country Song of the Year Award. Similarly, Trisha Yearwood’s recording of “The Song Remembers When” earned him NSAI’s Song of the Year honors and an Emmy award for Outstanding Individual Achievement in Music and Lyrics. Other artists who’ve recording his songs include Alison Krauss, Anne Murray, Conway Twitty, Shelby Lynne, John Conlee, Barbara Mandrell, Gene Watson, The Judds, Lee Greenwood, Tanya Tucker, Alison Krauss, Jimmy Buffet, Sammy Kershaw, Don Williams, Kristin Chenoweth, Vern Gosdin, Kathy Mattea, and Collin Raye, who took the song “On the Verge” to the top of the charts in 1997. Hugh recently released his first full-length album as an artist, I Used to Be the Real Me, on Judy Collins’ Wildflower Records. He was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2006. 

Tom T. Hall was named by Rolling Stone magazine as one of the 100 Greatest Songwriters of All Time. Known as “The Storyteller,” the Grammy winner landed 35 songs in the Top 10 on Billboard’s country chart between 1965 and 1996. Many of those featured Hall as both writer and artist, including “Homecoming,” “Me and Jesus,” “Ravishing Ruby,” “That Song is Driving Me Crazy,” “I Like Beer,” and the #1 hits “A Week in a County Jail,” “The Year That Clayton Delaney Died,” “(Old Dogs, Children and) Watermelon Wine,” “Country Is,” “I Care,” “Faster Horses (The Cowboy and the Poet),” and “I Love,” which also became a hit on the pop chart.   Tom T. Hall songs that hit the Top 5 for other artists include “Hello Vietnam” by Johnny Wright, “How I Got to Memphis” and “(Margie’s at) The Lincoln Park Inn” by Bobby Bare, “If I Ever Fall in Love (With a Honky Tonk Girl)” by Faron Young, “Pool Shark” by Dave Dudley, “You Always Come Back (To Hurting Me)” by Johnny Rodriguez, “I’m Not Ready Yet” by George Jones, “Little Bitty” by Alan Jackson, and “Harper Valley P.T.A.,” which Jeannie C. Riley took to the #1 spot on both the country and pop chart, making her the first woman to achieve that feat.    Hall was named NSAI Songwriter of the Year in 1972, was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1978, joined the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2008, was honored with the Academy of Country Music’s Poet’s Award in 2010, and earned the prestigious BMI Icon award in 2012. 

Austrian musician, film composer, producer, and screenwriter Harald Kloser began his career in Europe playing in a band and collaborating with pop artists such as Falco. As a musician he appeared on recording projects by Tom Waits, Jose Feliciano, Elton John, Al Jarreau, and others. After a career scoring for television, Harald eventually broke through to national prominence with his work on Alien vs. Predator and the sci-fi disaster film The Day After Tomorrow, starring Dennis Quaid and Jake Gyllenhaal. Both films were directed by Roland Emmerich, with whom Kloser went on to work on 10,000 B.C. and 2012, starring John Cusack. Though the two films were scored by Harald, he also co-wrote the scripts with Emmerich. In addition to creating the score for the movie Anonymous, Harald served as both composer and film producer on the recent hits White House Down, starring Jamie Foxx and Channing Tatum, and Independence Day: Resurgence, starring Liam Hemsworth and Jeff Goldblum. He has won three BMI Film & TV Awards for Alien vs. Predator, The Day After Tomorrow, and 2012. 

Singer/songwriter Rory Feek has written multiple #1 country hits for other artists, including Collin Raye's "Someone You Used to Know,” Clay Walker's "The Chain of Love," Blake Shelton’s “Some Beach,” and Easton Corbin’s “A Little More Country Than That.” Other songs from his catalog that have landed in the Top 20 are Tracy Byrd’s “The Truth About Men,” Blaine Larsen’s “How Do You Get That Lonely,” and Jimmy Wayne’s “I Will.” Additionally, his songs have been recorded by Kenny Chesney, Randy Travis, Reba McEntire, Trisha Yearwood, Mark Wills, Waylon Jennings, Charley Pride, The Oak Ridge Boys, John Michael Montgomery, Terri Clark, and Lorrie Morgan. In 2008 Rory formed the duo Joey + Rory with his wife, Joey Martin Feek, for the CMT show Can You Duet. Their popularity led to an ACM award for Top New Vocal Duo of the Year, their own TV show, eight successful albums, and a handful of charting singles, including the self-penned songs “Cheater Cheater” and “That’s Important to Me.” Rory’s identity as a storyteller extends beyond his songs to include screenplays, TV scripts, and a popular blog, which earned a loyal following as he shared his family’s pain, triumphs, fears, and deep personal faith during Joey’s battle with terminal cervical cancer. The duo’s final album, Hymns That Are Important to Us, was released in 2016, less than a month before Joey passed away at age 40. It debuted at #1 on Billboard’s Country Albums chart, was certified Gold, and earned the duo a Grammy for Best Roots Gospel Album. Rory’s memoir, This Life I Live, chronicles his spiritual journey, his love story with Joey, and his disarmingly vulnerable musings on his role in what he calls “God’s larger story.”

Legendary songwriter Mark James is best known for writing the perennial standards “Always On My Mind” and “Suspicious Minds,” the latter earning induction into the Grammy Hall of Fame and named by Rolling Stone magazine as one of the Greatest Songs of All Time. Both compositions were originally hits for Elvis Presley, who recorded additional charting singles by James, including “Moody Blue,” “Raised on Rock,” and “It’s Only Love.” Mark’s initial success came with B.J. Thomas, who hit the charts with his songs “The Eyes of a New York Woman,” “Everybody Loves a Rain Song,” and the Top 5 single “Hooked on a Feeling,” which was revived as a #1 hit by Blue Swede in 1974 and was prominently featured in the 2014 film Guardians of the Galaxy. Additional hits from the Mark James songbook include Brenda Lee’s Top 10 country single “Sunday Sunrise” and previous Songcraft guest Mac Davis’s Top 10 pop single, “One Hell of a Woman.” Mark found his greatest success with Willie Nelson’s revival of “Always On My Mind” in 1982. The record hit #1 on the country chart, became a Top 5 pop single, won BMI Song of the Year, earned CMA Song of the Year two years in a row, and was awarded a Grammy for both Best Country Song and Song of the Year. Other artists who’ve recorded Mark’s material include The Box Tops, Percy Sledge, Lou Rawls, Pet Shop Boys, Julio Iglesias, Helen Reddy, Waylon Jennings, Fine Young Cannibals, Dwight Yoakam, Phish, and Martina McBride. In 2000, BMI named Mark one of the top Songwriters of the Century. He was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2014 and the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2015.

Dickey Lee’s early artist career found him scoring pop and R&B hits in the 1960s with songs such as “Patches” and the self-penned single “I Saw Linda Yesterday.” He went on to record seventeen Top 40 country singles, including the major hits “9,999,999 Tears” and “Rocky,” which hit #1 in 1975. Lee is best known, however, for writing “She Thinks I Still Care,” which George Jones took to the #1 spot on the Billboard country chart in 1962. The song has since been covered by artists as diverse as Elvis Presley, Little Willie John, Connie Francis, Merle Haggard, James Taylor, Harry Connick, Jr., Cher, Anne Murray, and Garth Brooks. Dickey has written an additional half dozen #1 country hits, including “I’ll Be Leaving Alone” for Charley Pride, “You’re The First Time I’ve Thought About Leaving” for Reba McEntire, “Let’s Fall to Pieces Together” for George Strait, and “In a Different Light” for Doug Stone. His long list of additional hits includes Emmylou Harris’ “Someone Like You” and Tracy Byrd’s “Keeper of the Stars,” which won the Academy of Country Music’s Song of the Year award. Other artists who’ve recorded his songs include Ernest Tubb, Eddy Arnold, Marty Robbins, Jerry Lee Lewis, Conway Twitty, Don Williams, Glen Campbell, John Fogerty, Waylon Jennings, Joe Cocker, Vince Gill, Patty Loveless, Jamey Johnson, and Keb’ Mo’. Ten of Dickey’s songs have earned BMI Performance Awards, and he was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1995.

Billy Vera is a multi-faceted performer, songwriter, actor, producer, bandleader of The Beaters, and entertainment industry Renaissance man. He’s written numerous hit singles, including “Mean Old World” by Rick Nelson, “Make Me Belong to You” by Barbara Lewis, Dolly Parton’s #1 country single “I Really Got the Feeling,” and “At This Moment,” which rocketed to the top of the Billboard pop rankings following a memorable usage on the popular TV show Family Ties. He made his charting debut as an artist on Atlantic Records with the self-penned Top 20 R&B single, “Storybook Children,” a groundbreaking interracial duet with Judy Clay. Other Billy Vera songs of note include Bonnie Raitt’s recording of “Papa Come Quick (Jody & Chico)" and “Room With a View,” a modern blues classic that’s been recorded by Eric Burdon, Johnny Adams, and Lou Rawls, who released a handful of albums co-produced by Vera . The long list of additional artists who’ve covered Billy’s songs includes The Shirelles, Robert Plant, Fats Domino, Don Williams, Gregory Isaac, Etta James, Nona Hendryx, Tom Jones, Little Milton, Steve Goodman, and George Benson. Vera launched his acting career with an appearance in the cult classic film Buckaroo Bonzai, and went on to appear in Oliver Stone’s The Doors, the Bruce Willis movie Blind Date, and TV shows such as Alice, Baywatch, Boy Meets World, and Beverly Hills 90201. A noted music historian, Billy has produced over 200 reissue albums, earning multiple Grammy nominations, and a 2013 win for his work on the Ray Charles box set, Singular Genius: The Complete ABC Singles. His historically-oriented radio show, Billy Vera’s Rock ‘n’ Roll Party, earned him a Peabody Award for Excellence in Radio Broadcasting and led to a career as a voiceover artist. He is the voice of major advertising campaigns by Burger King, Honda, Toyota, Mercury, and others, as well as the singer of TV show theme songs, including Empty Nest and The King of Queens. He was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, and tells the remarkable story of his varied career in the new memoir, Billy Vera: Harlem to Hollywood.

Multi-instrumentalist, singer, and songwriter Vince Gill launched his solo career in the mid-1980s, hitting the Top 10 on Billboard’s country singles chart a remarkable 25 times. All but one of those hits was written or co-written by Gill, and a dozen of his compositions have been nominated for either CMA Song of the Year, ACM Song of the Year, or the Best Country Song Grammy. These include “When I Call Your Name,” “Look At Us,” “Pocket Full of Gold,” “When Love Finds You,” “High Lonesome Sound,” “If You Have Forever in Mind,” “Feels Like Love,” and “Threaten Me With Heaven.” “Go Rest High on That Mountain” won both the CMA Song of the Year and the Best Country Song Grammy, while “I Still Believe in You” won the Best Country Song Grammy, as well as both the CMA and the ACM’s Song of the Year awards. Though he’s won four in total, Vince is the only songwriter to ever win three consecutive Song of the Year awards from the CMA. He has won more Grammy awards, with over 20 trophies, than any male country performer in history. These include two Best Country Song wins, as well as a 2017 win for Best American Roots Song for “Kid Sister,” which was recorded by Gill’s band, The Time Jumpers. He has won eight ACM awards and 18 CMA awards, including Vocalist of the Year five years in a row and Entertainer of the Year two years in a row. Other highlights from his long list of hit singles include the #1 hits “Don’t Let Our Love Start Slippin’ Away,” “One More Last Chance,” and “Tryin’ to Get Over You.” In addition to writing his own material, Vince’s songs have been recorded by Loretta Lynn, Bob Seger, John Denver, Mary Chapin Carpenter, John Prine, Willie Nelson, Michael McDonald, LeAnn Rimes, and Alabama, who topped the country charts with his “Here We Are.” Vince was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2005, and the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2007. In 2014, he was named a BMI Icon, one of only twelve country writers ever honored with the prestigious award.

Jimmy Webb emerged as a superstar songwriter and arranger in 1967 when two of his songs – The 5th Dimension’s “Up, Up and Away” and Glen Campbell’s “By the Time I Get to Phoenix” - were among the five nominees for the Grammy’s Song of the Year award. He went on to write a string of major hits for Campbell, including “Wichita Lineman,” “Galveston,” "Where’s the Playground Susie,” “Honey Come Back,” and many others. Additionally, he penned “MacArthur Park,” which was a hit for a diverse range of artists, including Richard Harris, Waylon Jennings, Tony Bennett, Andy Williams, and Donna Summer; “The Worst That Could Happen,” which was a Top 5 hit for The Brooklyn Bridge; “Didn’t We,” which was recorded by Thelma Houston, Frank Sinatra, Diana Ross, and Barbra Streisand; “All I Know,” which became a Top 10 hit for Art Garfunkel; “The Moon’s a Harsh Mistress,” which has been recorded by Joe Cocker, Judy Collins, Linda Ronstadt, and Josh Groban; and “If These Walls Could Speak,” which was recorded by Glen Campbell, Amy Grant, Nanci Griffith, and Shawn Colvin. Others who’ve covered material from the Jimmy Webb songbook include Diana Ross, Dusty Springfield, Nina Simone, The Four Tops, Roberta Flack, The Temptations, The Association, Tom Jones, Dionne Warwick, Cass Elliot, Harry Nilsson, Nancy Wilson, Cher, Bob Dylan, The Everly Brothers, Nick Cave, John Denver, Kenny Rogers, Sheena Easton, David Crosby, Rosemary Clooney, Michael Feinstein, R.E.M., Aimee Mann, America, Aretha Franklin, Isaac Hayes, Peggy Lee, Bette Midler, James Taylor, Carrie Underwood, Dwight Yoakam, and The Highwaymen (consisting of Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings, and Kris Kristofferson), who took Jimmy’s song “Highwayman” to #1, earning him a Grammy for Country Song of the Year. As an artist, he has released more than a dozen albums, most recently 2013’s Still Within the Sound of My Voice, which features duets with guest artists such as Lyle Lovett, Carly Simon, Keith Urban, and Brian Wilson. One of the most celebrated songwriters on the planet, Jimmy is the only individual to win Grammy awards for music, lyrics, and orchestration. He was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame, the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame, and the Great American Songbook Hall of Fame. Additionally, he has received ASCAP’s Lifetime Achievement Award, the Influential Songwriter Award from the National Music Publishers Association, and the Academy of Country Music’s prestigious Poets Award. In 2015 he was named among Rolling Stone magazine’s 100 Greatest Songwriters of All Time. Jimmy’s new memoir, The Cake and the Rain, details his formative years and early career through 1973. It’s available now from St. Martin’s Press. 

Emerging from Brooklyn in the late 1990s, Talib Kweli has carved out a reputation as a gifted lyricist and has been called “one of this generation’s most poetic MCs” by AllMusic.com. A prolific collaborator, he is a member of multiple duos, including Reflection Eternal with DJ Hi-Teck, Black Star with Yasiin Bey (formerly known as Mos Def), and Idle Warship with vocalist Res. He has placed seven releases in the Top 10 on Billboard’s R&B and Hip Hop Albums chart, and has found success with the solo hit “Get By,” which was produced by Kanye West. Additional hits include the Top 5 Black Star track “Definition,” the chart-topping Reflection Eternal singles “Move Somethin’” and “The Blast,” and the Top 5 single “One Four Love Pt. 1,” which was included on the Hip Hop for Respect EP he organized with Mos Def. Additionally, he and Common collaborated on “Get ‘Em High” from Kanye West’s The College Dropout album. Kweli recently contributed to “The Killing Season” from A Tribe Called Quest’s 2016 comeback album that debuted at #1 on the Billboard album charts. Others with whom he’s collaborated include John Legend, Pharrell Williams, J Dilla, The Roots, Will.i.am, KRS-One, Consequence, Anderson Paak, Anthony Hamilton, Mary J. Blige, Raheem DeVaughan, Norah Jones, Musiq Soulchild, Sizzla, Justin Timberlake, and Jay-Z.  

Joe Melson co-wrote more than 200 songs with Roy Orbison, including over half of Roy’s sixteen Monument Records singles that appeared on the Billboard chart between 1960 and 1963. Their first major hit together was “Only the Lonely,” a style-defining performance featuring Orbison on lead vocals and Melson on the prominent counter melody. The pair followed up their success with a string of hits, including “Blue Angel,” “Running Scared,” and “Crying.” Legendary songwriter Boudleaux Bryant once wrote, “It would be an unpardonable oversight to overlook the contribution of Joe Melson to Roy’s meteoric rise to stardom.” In the 1960s Joe landed his own record deal with the Hickory label, while continuing to pen songs for other artists. His successes in that era include The Newbeats’ Top 10 pop single “Run, Baby Run (Back Into My Arms)” and Don Gibson’s Top 40 country hit “Ever Changing Mind.” In subsequent years the team of Melson and Orbison reunited, working together as both co-writers and producers. Linda Ronstadt covered their “Blue Bayou” in 1977, making it a Top 5 hit on both the country and pop charts. Credited with creating the template for the dramatic rock ballad, Melson has won multiple BMI awards. “Blue Bayou” was named one of BMI’s Top 100 Songs of the Century, “Only the Lonely” is among Rolling Stone’s 500 Greatest Songs of All Time, and “Crying” appears on both the BMI and Rolling Stone lists. Most recently, Melson joined forces with Australian Idol winner Damien Leith. The pair have released several singles since 2013 and continue to collaborate. Joe was inducted into the Rockabilly Hall of Fame in 2002.  

Rod Argent is the founding member, keyboardist, and driving force behind the legendary 1960s British Invasion band, The Zombies. Argent wrote the band’s best known classics, including the Top 10 single “Tell Her No” and the #1 hit “She’s Not There,” which Rolling Stone ranked at #297 on the list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time. By the time The Zombies’ 1968 LP Odessey and Oracle was released, the group had disbanded. “Time of the Season” became a surprise hit from the album, however, reaching the Top 5 on the US charts. Over time, Odessey and Oracle has become a cult classic, and was ranked in the Top 100 Greatest Albums of All Time in both Rolling Stone and Mojo magazines. Rod went on to form the band Argent, scoring a Top 5 hit in 1972 with “Hold Your Head Up,” which he co-wrote with former Zombies bandmate Chris White. Additionally, the group recorded the original version of “God Gave Rock and Roll to You,” which was subsequently covered by KISS. After the demise of Argent, Rod threw himself into session work, playing piano on the Who’s classic single “Who Are You,” and working extensively with Andrew Lloyd Weber. He released a handful of solo projects, produced successful albums for artists such as Nanci Griffith and Joshua Kadison, and toured as a member of Ringo Starr’s All Star Band before re-forming the Zombies with original lead singer Colin Blunstone in the mid-2000s. His songs have been recorded by The Ventures, Dusty Springfield, Vanilla Fudge, The Mindbenders, Del Shannon, Santana, Steppenwolf, Uriah Heep, Juice Newton, Eric Clapton, Dave Matthews Band, Susanna Hoffs, Tom Petty, America, Mother Love Bone, Ronnie Spector, and others. The original lineup of The Zombies - Rod, lead singer Colin Blunstone, bassist Chris White, and drummer Hugh Grundy - have just released a career retrospective coffee table book called The Odessey. They’ll launch a tour this month in celebration of the 50th anniversary of the recording of Odessey and Oracle and will perform the full album in its entirety.      

Natalie Hemby came to prominence as an award-winning Nashville-based writer for other artists, penning at least two dozen songs with or for Miranda Lambert, including the hits “White Liar,” “Only Prettier,” “Baggage Claim,” and the #1 single “Automatic,” which was nominated for a Grammy and named both ACM and NSAI Song of the Year. Additionally, she co-wrote Little Big Town’s chart topping singles “Pontoon” and “Tornado,” the #1 hits “Downtown” by Lady Antebellum and “You Look Like I Need a Drink” by Justin Moore, Toby Keith’s Top 20 “Drinks After Work,” and “Don’t Rush,” which was a hit for Kelly Clarkson and Vince Gill. Additionally, she scored a Top 10 UK pop hit with “Jealous,” a song co-written with - and recorded by - the English producer, performer, and multi-instrumentalist known as Labrinth. Natalie has co-written songs with a long list of artists who’ve gone on to record their collaborations, including Eli Young Band, Amy Grant, Keith Urban, Sheryl Crow, Brett Eldredge, Chris Isaak, Laura Bell Bundy, Dierks Bentley, Maren Morris, Johnnyswim, and previous Songcraft guests Trent Dabbs, Lori McKenna, and Maia Sharp. Others who’ve dipped into the Natalie Hemby songbook include Lee Ann Womack, Carrie Underwood, Kellie Pickler, Blake Shelton, Jerrod Niemann and Lee Brice. In addition to writing a half dozen #1 hits, Hemby co-produced a documentary about her grandfather’s hometown called Puxico, which was the inspiration for the eponymous album that’s been heralded by The New York Times, NPR, and Rolling Stone as an early favorite of 2017.

The legendary Jerry Chesnut has written more than three dozen Top 40 singles, including Top 10 classics such as Jerry Lee Lewis’s “Another Place, Another Time,” Porter Wagoner and Dolly Parton’s “Holding On to Nothing,” George Jones’s “A Good Year For the Roses,” Faron Young’s “It’s Four in the Morning,” Loretta Lynn’s “They Don’t Make ‘Em Like My Daddy Anymore,” and  Johnny Cash’s “Oney.” Additionally, he wrote five songs that were recorded by Elvis Presley, including the Top 10 "It's Midnight," and “T-R-O-U-B-L-E,” which would later become a hit single for Travis Tritt. Chesnut also penned charting singles for Tammy Wynette, Dave Dudley, Bobby Goldsboro, Bill Anderson, Hank Williams Jr., Mel Tillis, Tom Jones, and Alan Jackson. His songs have additionally been recorded by Waylon Jennings, Kitty Wells, Ernest Tubb, Eddy Arnold, Ray Price, Marty Robbins, Conway Twitty, Hank Thompson, Willie Nelson, Mark Chesnutt, Johnny Paycheck, George Strait, Elvis Costello, the Counting Crows, and many others. The two-time Grammy nominee was named Billboard’s Country Songwriter of the Year in 1972, was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1996, and became a member of the Kentucky Music Hall of Fame in 2004.

Texas songwriter extraordinaire Radney Foster has written over a dozen Top 10 country hits, including Colin Raye’s “Anyone Else,” Keith Urban’s “Raining on Sunday,” and Sara Evans’s “A Real Fine Place to Start.” He initially hit the scene with songwriting partner Bill Lloyd, with whom he penned Sweethearts of the Rodeo’s “Since I Found You.” The pair gained success as performers with the Top 10 singles “Crazy Over You,” “Sure Thing,” “What Do You Want From Me This Time,” and “Fair Shake,” earning four nominations for CMA Vocal Duo of the Year. Foster’s debut solo album, Del Rio, TX 1959, spawned five charting singles, including the Top 10 hit “Nobody Wins.” He has gone on to release nine additional albums as a highly respected singer/songwriter, while continuing to have his material recorded by others. Notable highlights from the Foster songbook include The Mavericks’ “I Got You,” The Dixie Chicks’ cover of “Godspeed (Sweet Dreams),” Dierks Bentley’s recording of “Sweet and Wild,” Pat Green’s Top 40 single “Three Days,” Jack Ingram’s Top 20 single “Measure of a Man,” Keith Urban’s chart-topping take on “I’m In,” as well as “Somebody Take Me Home” from Kenny Chesney’s #1 triple platinum album The Road and the Radio, and “I Knew You That Way” from Luke Bryan’s multi-platinum #1 album Tailgates & Tanlines. The long list of additional artists who’ve recorded Radney’s songs includes Guy Clark, Hootie & The Blowfish, The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Brooks & Dunn, Gary Allan, Kenny Loggins, and, Darius Rucker.

After establishing herself in Europe, New Zealand native Pam Sheyne broke through to international songwriting success when “Genie in a Bottle” hit #1 in more than 20 countries, sold millions of copies around the world, cemented Christina Aguilera’s place as a new pop superstar, and earned Sheyne an Ivor Novello award for International Hit of the Year. Pam went on to pen the single “Mirror Mirror” for the Norwegian pop duo M2M, which landed in the Top 20 on the US Dance chart, as well as “He Loves U Not,” which was recorded by the girl group Dream, hit #2 on the Billboard pop chart, and was certified Gold after selling more than a half million copies in the US. She went on to write “Irresistible,” the title track to Jessica Simpson’s second album, which reached #15 on the Billboard pop singles chart in 2001. Pam also co-wrote the Top 40 single “She Said” for teen pop singer turned Academy Award winning actress, Brie Larson, and the #1 hit “Lighthouse” for South African Idol winner Elvis Blue. Other artists who’ve recorded her songs include Sheena Easton, O Town, Nick Lachey, Lindsay Lohan, Ce Ce Winans, Vitamin C, Corinne Bailey Rae, Demi Lovato, Seal, and others. In addition to her creative efforts, Pam is also a tireless advocate for the songwriting community and has been in the trenches fighting for fair legislation and business practices that support the songwriting profession.

Scott and Paul look back on the first two years of Songcraft, sharing memories and clips of previous episodes, including some of their favorite moments from classic interviews.