Write You A Song Podcast - An Interview With Sherrie Austin

This morning we share another new podcast from host Tom Mailey from Bonneville radio station New Country 105.1 KNCI in Sacramento. Tom is a country radio veteran with over 30 years of experience in Seattle and Sacramento and a key partner in our Golf & Guitars Children's Charity Music Festival, a little event in our twelfth year that has raised well north of a million bucks for kids and individuals with disabilities. It highlights the songwriters in our industry and is entitled Write You a Song. 

It's his hope that this podcast will shine a little overdue spotlight on the talented men and women who, mostly behind the scenes, write the songs that become part of our lives. You know their words and music, but maybe not their names: Write You a Song will feature some of country music’s biggest songwriters--like Jeffrey Steele, Brett Warren, Ashley McBryde, Tim Nichols and more.

When you think country music and Australia, the first person who comes to mind is that guy married to Nicole Kidman. But he wasn’t the first. He was beaten to the states by a then teenage girl, who arrived here in the 1980s with her parents. But her first job wasn’t singing, or writing. It was as a character on an iconic 1980s TV show.

If you remember The Facts of Life, think back to the final season and a character named Pippa McKenna.

Pippa was played by Sherri Austin...who would do a little more acting in LA before moving to Nashville in the mid 1990s. In 1997, she signed a recording deal and got some airplay on country radio, including a sad but beautiful ballad called Streets of Heaven that, in 2003, became her biggest hit. But her first love- more than acting, more than singing, was writing, which she continued to do even as she left Nashville for a time in 2005 to sing on the stage in New York city. Returning to Nashville in 2011, she released another album, Circus Girl, which displayed her full talent as a singer/songwriter. But, as Austin will explain, she was drawn more towards writing and performing, and since then has become one of country music’s most respected writers. 

Write You A Song Podcast - An Interview With Luke Laird

This morning we share another new podcast from host Tom Mailey from Bonneville radio station New Country 105.1 KNCI in Sacramento. Tom is a country radio veteran with over 30 years of experience in Seattle and Sacramento and a key partner in our Golf & Guitars Children's Charity Music Festival, a little event in our twelfth year that has raised well north of a million bucks for kids and individuals with disabilities. It highlights the songwriters in our industry and is entitled Write You a Song. 

It's his hope that this podcast will shine a little overdue spotlight on the talented men and women who, mostly behind the scenes, write the songs that become part of our lives. You know their words and music, but maybe not their names: Write You a Song will feature some of country music’s biggest songwriters--like Jeffrey Steele, Brett Warren, Ashley McBryde, Tim Nichols and more.

 It’s truly amazing how one simple, polite gesture can utterly change a person’s life.  

As a teenager, songwriter Luke Laird took a family vacation to Nashville. And even though he was already deeply interested in music, he had no idea somebody like him, a young man from Pennsylvania, could do it for a living...until the writer of one of country music’s most iconic songs spent a few moments talking to him following a show the family attended at the legendary Bluebird Café. Without that simple gesture of accessibility, which that writer has probably given a thousand times, Eric Church might never have had songs like Give Me Back My Hometown, Talladega or Drink in My Hand. Carrie Underwood might never have recorded So Small, or Thomas Rhett, T-shirt, Jon Pardi, Head over Boots. Kacey Musgraves might never have won a Grammy for her album Same Trailer, Different Park. And the Nashville songwriting community might never have had one of its most collaborative, creative and encouraging members.  

But thankfully, That writer did. Who was it? And what's the rest of Luke's story? Give this month's episode a listen.

Write You A Song Podcast - An Interview With Matt Butler

This morning we share another new podcast from host Tom Mailey from Bonneville radio station New Country 105.1 KNCI in Sacramento. Tom is a country radio veteran with over 30 years of experience in Seattle and Sacramento and a key partner in our Golf & Guitars Children's Charity Music Festival, a little event in our twelfth year that has raised well north of a million bucks for kids and individuals with disabilities. It highlights the songwriters in our industry and is entitled Write You a Song. 

 It's his hope that this podcast will shine a little overdue spotlight on the talented men and women who, mostly behind the scenes, write the songs that become part of our lives. You know their words and music, but maybe not their names: Write You a Song will feature some of country music’s biggest songwriters--like Jeffrey Steele, Brett Warren, Ashley McBryde, Tim Nichols and more.

The goal of most performers is to be so good, their audience is captivated. A captive audience. But ...what if your audience has no choice because they're literally captive? 

This episode’s guest isn’t really Country. He’s more folk, or Americana, or whatever you want to call it. I just think he's amazingly talented, with a fascinating story to tell.

I heard about Matt Butler one morning when I heard an interview with him on – full credit here – NPR. They were talking to him about his music, and also his one man show, Reckless Son, which is based on his experiences performing to the incarcerated, first in upstate New York and now, at prisons all over the country. His story drew me in. His songwriting and singing hooked me. His catalogue isn’t large. He’s never had a "hit" record. But his story is unique and perfectly illustrates the power that music, and art, can have when used for something more than just putting gold records on a wall.  

Not that there’s anything wrong with that! But that’s not what matt chooses to chase. He is one of those artists who is inspired by something else, something deeper and seemingly less tangible. and I was curious to find out why. And how.  

I hope you are too. 

Write You A Song Podcast - An Interview With Ray Fulcher

This morning we share another new podcast from host Tom Mailey from Bonneville radio station New Country 105.1 KNCI in Sacramento. Tom is a country radio veteran with over 30 years of experience in Seattle and Sacramento and a key partner in our Golf & Guitars Children's Charity Music Festival, a little event in our twelfth year that has raised well north of a million bucks for kids and individuals with disabilities. It highlights the songwriters in our industry and is entitled Write You a Song.

It's his hope that this podcast will shine a little overdue spotlight on the talented men and women who, mostly behind the scenes, write the songs that become part of our lives. You know their words and music, but maybe not their names: Write You a Song will feature some of country music’s biggest songwriters--like Jeffrey Steele, Brett Warren, Ashley McBryde, Tim Nichols and more.

Ray Fulcher had no plans on ever becoming a songwriter or a singer. Teaching and coaching. THOSE were his plan. But they got set aside one fateful night Ray went to a club in his college town and saw a young country artist named Eric Church. Seeing and hearing Eric lyrics lit something inside Ray, and that flame was helped along by a second incident of fate the day he met a fellow couch surfer in a friend's Nashville house named Luke Combs. It’s one of the more improbable songwriter success stories we’ve had on this podcast which makes it all the more relatable. Who hasn’t had the notion to put everything aside and bet on yourself? Ray’s bet paid off. And it still is.

Write You A Song Podcast - An Interview With Jordan Fletcher

We share another new podcast from host Tom Mailey from Bonneville radio station New Country 105.1 KNCI in Sacramento. Tom is a country radio veteran with over 30 years of experience in Seattle and Sacramento and a key partner in our Golf & Guitars Children's Charity Music Festival, a little event in our twelfth year that has raised well north of a million and a half bucks for kids and individuals with disabilities. It highlights the songwriters in our industry and is entitled Write You a Song. 

It's his hope that this podcast will shine a little overdue spotlight on the talented men and women who, mostly behind the scenes, write the songs that become part of our lives. You know their words and music, but maybe not their names: Write You a Song will feature some of country music’s biggest songwriters--like Jeffrey Steele, Brett Warren, Ashley McBryde, Tim Nichols and more.

Florida native Jordan Fletcher was a drummer. Is a drummer. Still. But his hands are usually busy with an acoustic guitar these days. 

Jordan came to Nashville to play drums but somewhere along the way, he discovered he was pretty good at writing songs. And singing them. And thanks to what he calls some “stupid optimism”, he decided to go all in as a singer/songwriter. 

Nashville though can be a brutal place, even for the talented. And without much happening, Jordan was just about ready to put an end to his music dreams and figure out a new way to support his wife and new child. But then the pandemic hit...and things changed for Jordan and his career. For the better.

His career is still very much in the "just getting started" phase, but thanks to a bit of pandemic-inspired inspiration that ended up at cut on a Riley Green album, and a critically acclaimed EP released last year, Jordan can stay all in on following his Nashville dream.

Write You A Song Podcast - An Interview With Songwriter & Green River Ordinance's Josh Jenkins

This morning we share another new podcast from host Tom Mailey from Bonneville radio station New Country 105.1 KNCI in Sacramento. Tom is a country radio veteran with over 30 years of experience in Seattle and Sacramento and a key partner in our Golf & Guitars Children's Charity Music Festival, a little event in our twelfth year that has raised well north of a million bucks for kids and individuals with disabilities. It highlights the songwriters in our industry and is entitled Write You a Song. 

It's his hope that this podcast will shine a little overdue spotlight on the talented men and women who, mostly behind the scenes, write the songs that become part of our lives. You know their words and music, but maybe not their names: Write You a Song will feature some of country music’s biggest songwriters--like Jeffrey Steele, Brett Warren, Ashley McBryde, Tim Nichols and more.

If you’re at all familiar with the ocean, you’ll know that while most swells on a given day will be roughly the same size, every once in a while, that pattern gets upset when, out of nowhere, a wave twice the size of the others, or even greater, suddenly appears. They’re called rogue waves and while they don’t happen very often, and they can’t be predicted, they cannot be ignored. Our guest this month? He helped write the musical equivalent of a rogue wave last year.

Josh Jenkins is relatively new to mainstream country, but he isn’t new to music. Since they first formed around 2003 in Ft Worth Texas, Josh and his band, Green River Ordinance, has carved out a critically acclaimed spot for themselves in pop-rock and Americana- even touring with big rock acts like Collective Soul, Train and the Goo Goo Dolls. In 2016, they became among the first artists to release an album fully funded by loyal fans, via Kickstarter. 

But while he and his bandmates still very much get together to perform, Josh has taken his passion for songcraft and settled into the Nashville songwriting community, where just this last year, he finally scored his first two hit singles. One went #1 the last week of January 2022 and the other was a musical rogue wave. 

Write You A Song Podcast - An Interview With Jimmie Allen

This morning we share another new podcast from host Tom Mailey from Bonneville radio station New Country 105.1 KNCI in Sacramento. Tom is a country radio veteran with over 30 years of experience in Seattle and Sacramento and a key partner in our Golf & Guitars Children's Charity Music Festival, a little event in our fourteenth year that has raised well north of a million bucks for kids and individuals with disabilities. It highlights the songwriters in our industry and is entitled Write You a Song. 

It's his hope that this podcast will shine a little overdue spotlight on the talented men and women who, mostly behind the scenes, write the songs that become part of our lives. You know their words and music, but maybe not their names: Write You a Song will feature some of country music’s biggest songwriters--like Jeffrey Steele, Brett Warren, Ashley McBryde, Tim Nichols and more.

This month’s guest has wasted little time making the most of his growing career. It hasn’t been that long since he was literally living out of his car on the streets of Nashville. His debut single shot to #1 in November 2018. His 2nd single also went to number 1 and as I put together this podcast, his 3rd single has cracked the top 10. He’s also won awards (2021 CMA New Male Artist). Done TV shows (Dancing With The Stars). Written a children’s book (My Voice Is a Trumpet). Had a couple kids (Naomi and Aayden). Sang with Elton John (The Lockdown Sessions). Started a production company (JAB Entertainment). All while reminding anyone who brings it up that country music isn’t, never has been nor ever should be a space reserved for white artists only.

The lengths it took to set up this interview is a good way to introduce you to Jimmie Allen. It took almost six months before we were able to connect. Once, I managed to pin him down while he was en route to a concert right the day after one of his appearances on Dancing With The Stars. And it was going great until he hit a bad cell service area, and our next chance didn’t come along for another month. That he never gave up on doing this interview- which is such a minor thing in his life – says a lot about who he is. 

And that drive, that thing that keeps him daring to dream some really big, challenging dreams while still making sure to connect with some schlep DJ with a podcast...?  I think it can all be traced back to challenges he first had to face as a young kid, and the people who helped him overcome them. You put that kind experience together with real talent as a singer and a songwriter, and you’ve got something special. 

Write You A Song Podcast - An Interview With Songwriting Hall of Famer Steve Dorff

This morning we share another new podcast from host Tom Mailey from Bonneville radio station New Country 105.1 KNCI in Sacramento. Tom is a country radio veteran with over 30 years of experience in Seattle and Sacramento and a key partner in our Golf & Guitars Children's Charity Music Festival, a little event in our twelfth year that has raised well north of a million bucks for kids and individuals with disabilities. It highlights the songwriters in our industry and is entitled Write You a Song. 

It's his hope that this podcast will shine a little overdue spotlight on the talented men and women who, mostly behind the scenes, write the songs that become part of our lives. You know their words and music, but maybe not their names: Write You a Song will feature some of country music’s biggest songwriters--like Jeffrey Steele, Brett Warren, Ashley McBryde, Tim Nichols and more.

This month's guest didn't set out to write some of country music's most romantic ballads. But then...Clint Eastwood called. 

There is no doubt Steve Dorff is talented beyond measure. But how he found country music - or rather, how country music found him- is a tale all to itself. 

One of the most successful songwriters and composers of the last 25 years, Steve Dorff has penned over 20 Top 10 hits for pop and country artists around the world, including Barbra Streisand, Celine Dion, Blake Shelton, Smokey Robinson, Kenny Rogers, Ray Charles, Anne Murray, Whitney Houston, George Strait, Dolly Parton, Judy Collins, Cher, Dusty Springfield, Ringo Starr, and Garth Brooks. 

Sit back and enjoy the incredible story of an incredible artist: composer, arranger, director, lyricist...he can-and has- done it all.

And that's not even counting the theme song to "Growing Pains."

Write You A Song Podcast - An Interview With Songwriter Ashley Gorley

This morning we share another new podcast from host Tom Mailey from Bonneville radio station New Country 105.1 KNCI in Sacramento. Tom is a country radio veteran with over 30 years of experience in Seattle and Sacramento and a key partner in our Golf & Guitars Children's Charity Music Festival, a little event in our twelfth year that has raised well north of a million bucks for kids and individuals with disabilities. It highlights the songwriters in our industry and is entitled Write You a Song. 

It's his hope that this podcast will shine a little overdue spotlight on the talented men and women who, mostly behind the scenes, write the songs that become part of our lives. You know their words and music, but maybe not their names: Write You a Song will feature some of country music’s biggest songwriters--like Jeffrey Steele, Brett Warren, Ashley McBryde, Tim Nichols and more.

If you were to take just the number 1 country songs Ashley Gorley has written and, supposing their average length is, say, 3:30... played them back to back to back... you’re gonna be listening for just over 3 hours. 

With his current tally of #1 songs at a ridiculous 51, Gorley seems to have a gear nobody else has. The awards he’s won and honors he’s received alone take up 16 lines on his Wikipedia page. 

Even more remarkable, Ashley didn’t really grow up singing or even playing instruments much. He’s never been in a band. He never sought stardom as an artist. He WAS into music though- MTV, DJ-ing, and studying how songs, melodies and beats are put together. And maybe even more remarkable than all of that..? He’s still humble- still quick to deflect credit to co-writers and artists. And he still loves what he does. 

Write You A Song Podcast - An Interview With Singer-Songwriter Matraca Berg

This morning we share another new podcast from host Tom Mailey from Bonneville radio station New Country 105.1 KNCI in Sacramento. Tom is a country radio veteran with over 30 years of experience in Seattle and Sacramento and a key partner in our Golf & Guitars Children's Charity Music Festival, a little event in our twelfth year that has raised well north of a million bucks for kids and individuals with disabilities. It highlights the songwriters in our industry and is entitled Write You a Song.

It's his hope that this podcast will shine a little overdue spotlight on the talented men and women who, mostly behind the scenes, write the songs that become part of our lives. You know their words and music, but maybe not their names: Write You a Song will feature some of country music’s biggest songwriters--like Jeffrey Steele, Brett Warren, Ashley McBryde, Tim Nichols and more.

This month’s guest, Matraca Berg, grew up in a musical family. Her mother Icee Berg (yep, real name!) was a songwriter and session singer who at first wasn't crazy that her daughter wanted a career in country music but later became her best teacher. Her stepfather, Dave Kirby, was a songwriter whose credits include the Gene Watson classic I’ve Got Memories to Burn and Charlie Pride’s Is Anybody Goin to San Antone. The family lived in Nashville and often hosted parties featuring writers and singers. So, it stands to reason that being around that kind of environment would kind of rub off on a person. But in Matraca’s case, it was more than just a smudge; she was gifted the talent- and the drive- to have over 50 of her songs recorded, including several that helped female artists to dominate country music in the 1990s like they have never before... or since. She is a CMA and ACM-winning 2008 Nashville Songwriting Hall of Fame inductee who’s quick to give credit to her co-writers, she’s married to Jeff Hanna of the legendary Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, and she’s a pretty great solo artist too.

Write You A Song Podcast - An Interview With Songwriter Tommy Lee James

We share another new podcast from host Tom Mailey from Bonneville radio station New Country 105.1 KNCI in Sacramento. Tom is a country radio veteran with over 30 years of experience in Seattle and Sacramento and a key partner in our Golf & Guitars Children's Charity Music Festival, a little event in our twelfth year that has raised well north of a million bucks for kids and individuals with disabilities. It highlights the songwriters in our industry and is entitled Write You a Song. 

It's his hope that this podcast will shine a little overdue spotlight on the talented men and women who, mostly behind the scenes, write the songs that become part of our lives. You know their words and music, but maybe not their names: Write You a Song will feature some of country music’s biggest songwriters--like Jeffrey Steele, Brett Warren, Ashley McBryde, Tim Nichols and more.

Over 30 years in ANY business is impressive but in the world of songwriting, it's especially notable....even more so when that writer is still very much at the top of their game.

Tommy Lee James was the "bigshot songwriter" our last guest, Ross Copperman, talked about. Ross grew up in the same town as Tommy Lee, and drew inspiration from his success as Ross embarked on his own music career.

 

But where Ross's country songwriting career has been largely over the last 8 years or so, Tommy Lee's got started back in the late 1980s. And since then, he's written hits for the likes of Brooks and Dunn, Reba,  Tim McGraw, and (*checks notes*) One Direction? Yep. He's not only consistent, he's versatile- not at all just staying in a country music lane. And he's got one of 5 new cuts on the latest Taylor Swift album- a song that was lost for 16 years.

In this episode, Tommy Lee James gives a master class in not just achieving, but sustaining success... as well as the importance of proper song labeling when writing with future superstars.

Write You A Song Podcast - An Interview With Nicolle Galyon

Today we share another new podcast from host Tom Mailey from Bonneville radio station New Country 105.1 KNCI in Sacramento. Tom is a country radio veteran with over 30 years of experience in Seattle and Sacramento and a key partner in our Golf & Guitars Children's Charity Music Festival, a little event in our twelfth year that has raised well north of a million bucks for kids and individuals with disabilities. It highlights the songwriters in our industry and is entitled Write You a Song.

It's his hope that this podcast will shine a little overdue spotlight on the talented men and women who, mostly behind the scenes, write the songs that become part of our lives. You know their words and music, but maybe not their names: Write You a Song will feature some of country music’s biggest songwriters--like Jeffrey Steele, Brett Warren, Ashley McBryde, Tim Nichols and more.

Sometimes in life, you have to find out what you don’t want to do, before you figure out what you do wanna do. And that’s definitely part Nicolle Galyon's story.

Originally planning for a career in artist management, Galyon moved to Nashville to attend Belmont University. But, she took an interest in the artist/creative side after attending a few songwriter open mic nights, which led to an eventual appearance on NBC’s The Voice in 2012, where she was selected for Adam Levine's team. And during that stint, she says she realized that she didn’t really like being onstage. A lover of writing from early on, The Voice helped her realize that her creative focus should locked in totally and completely on songwriting. It also introduced her to an artist named Miranda Lambert, with whom she would form a friendship and working relationship with. From there, Nicolle Galyon knew what she wanted to do.

She has written songs for Lady A, Miranda Lambert, Keith Urban, Kenny Chesney, Florida Georgia Line, and many others. Galyon has written six No. 1 hits including “Automatic,” Miranda Lambert’s chart-topping lead single from her critically album Platinum, which debuted at No.1 on the Billboard Hot 200 chart and featured five songs by Galyon.  

Write You A Song Podcast - An Interview With James T Slater

This morning we share another new podcast from host Tom Mailey from Bonneville radio station New Country 105.1 KNCI in Sacramento. Tom is a country radio veteran with over 30 years of experience in Seattle and Sacramento and a key partner in our Golf & Guitars Children's Charity Music Festival, a little event in our twelfth year that has raised well north of a million bucks for kids and individuals with disabilities. It highlights the songwriters in our industry and is entitled Write You a Song.

 
It's his hope that this podcast will shine a little overdue spotlight on the talented men and women who, mostly behind the scenes, write the songs that become part of our lives. You know their words and music, but maybe not their names: Write You a Song will feature some of country music’s biggest songwriters--like Jeffrey Steele, Brett Warren, Ashley McBryde, Tim Nichols and more.

"There's nothing like this town. Songs are in the air". That's how James T Slater sums up Nashville, where he's made his home and his living for past 15+ years. Before that though, he lived and worked in a lot of places- and not necessarily places you'd consider "country": Panama. L.A. Switzerland. He wrote a hit song for a European group and played piano standards at a bar owned by Carroll "Archie Bunker" O'Conner. He wrote and sang a Christmas song that became a smash in the city of Atlanta, and nowhere else, and another one of his songs is the "official song" of Key West. And girlfriend of his once thought the guy he was writing with looked "dangerous"...but he and Jamey Johnson managed to write an honest, uncompromising country classic anyway. 

During his time in Nashville, his songs have been recorded by country superstars like Tim McGraw, Kenny Chesney, Martina McBride, Rodney Atkins, John Michael Montgomery, Lorrie Morgan, Jessica Andrews, and Mark Wills, among others. Songwriter JT Harding helped arrange this interview and said we would love talking with James. He was right, we did. And you'll love listening to him, too. 

Write You A Song Podcast - Interviewing Singer/Songwriter/Author Aimee Mayo

This morning we share another new podcast from host Tom Mailey from Bonneville radio station New Country 105.1 KNCI in Sacramento. Tom is a country radio veteran with over 30 years of experience in Seattle and Sacramento and a key partner in our Golf & Guitars Children's Charity Music Festival, a little event in our twelfth year that has raised well north of a million bucks for kids and individuals with disabilities. It highlights the songwriters in our industry and is entitled Write You a Song. 

It's his hope that this podcast will shine a little overdue spotlight on the talented men and women who, mostly behind the scenes, write the songs that become part of our lives. You know their words and music, but maybe not their names: Write You a Song will feature some of country music’s biggest songwriters--like Jeffrey Steele, Brett Warren, Ashley McBryde, Tim Nichols and more.

If Aimee Mayo had never become a successful Nashville songwriter, her story would still be worth telling. 

Growing up in a dysfunctional family in Gadsden, Alabama, Aimee dreamed of a life beyond constant personal chaos and somehow, against all odds, she achieved it. Her book recounting that journey, "Talking To The Sky: A memoir about living your best life in a sh*t show" is available now and is an engrossing study in human resilience. It's also really, really well-written. That Aimee is here at all is a testament to her spirit, her talent, and her unwavering faith in a better life than the one she lived growing up.

A successful songwriter of hits for artists like Blake Shelton (Every Time I Hear That Song), Tim McGraw (You're My Best Friend), Kenny Chesney (Who You'd Be Today), Martina McBride (This One's For The Girls), Kelli Pickler (Red High Heels), she is probably best known for co-writing the multi-genre smash, "Amazed" for Lonestar along with now-husband Chris Lindsay and Marv Green. That year Aimee ALSO won the BMI country songwriter of the year award – becoming one of only a handful of female writers to win both- putting her in the company of ladies like Dolly, Loretta and Taylor. Not bad for someone who doesn’t play an instrument and who, for a long time, could only dream of a different life far away from the life she knew growing up.

Write You A Song Podcast - An Interview With Granger Smith

This morning we share another new podcast from host Tom Mailey from Bonneville radio station New Country 105.1 KNCI in Sacramento. Tom is a country radio veteran with over 30 years of experience in Seattle and Sacramento and a key partner in our Golf & Guitars Children's Charity Music Festival, a little event in our thirteenth year that has raised well north of a million bucks for kids and individuals with disabilities. It highlights the songwriters in our industry and is entitled Write You a Song. 

It's his hope that this podcast will shine a little overdue spotlight on the talented men and women who, mostly behind the scenes, write the songs that become part of our lives. You know their words and music, but maybe not their names: Write You a Song will feature some of country music’s biggest songwriters--like Jeffrey Steele, Brett Warren, Ashley McBryde, Tim Nichols and more.

This is the first extra Write You a Song podcast that is actually a full interview. Granger Smith's image is that of a good ol' country boy- he's got songs galore about pickups and dirt roads. And, of course, he's got his comic alter-ego, Earl Dibbles Jr. 

But Granger is a lot more than that. He's a bright, creative, enterprising (Yee Yee Apparel) and above all honest: honest about himself, and about the music business. He's an extremely interesting guy and so, spend a half hour with Granger, and you'll come away with a new appreciation for his music, and even more so for the man.

Write You A Song Podcast - An Interview With Legendary Songwriter Terry McBride

Today, we share another new podcast from host Tom Mailey from Bonneville radio station New Country 105.1 KNCI in Sacramento. Tom is a country radio veteran with over 30 years of experience in Seattle and Sacramento and a key partner in our Golf & Guitars Children's Charity Music Festival, a little event in our thirteenth year that has raised well north of a million bucks for kids and individuals with disabilities. It highlights the songwriters in our industry and is entitled Write You a Song. 

It's his hope that this podcast will shine a little overdue spotlight on the talented men and women who, mostly behind the scenes, write the songs that become part of our lives. You know their words and music, but maybe not their names: Write You a Song will feature some of country music’s biggest songwriters--like Jeffrey Steele, Brett Warren, Ashley McBryde, Tim Nichols and more. 

In the 1990s and early 2000s, no other songwriter collaborated with Brooks and Dunn more than Terry McBride. He even became Ronnie Dunn's travel pal, riding from gig to gig on various tours on Ronnie's bus. Together, they came up more than 20 songs, some of which became stone-cold classics, including Play Somethin' Country and Cowgirls Don't Cry. And if that's all McBride was known for, that'd be just fine. But he's a lot more than that: he's fronted his own successful band (McBride and The Ride), he's just released his first solo material in 20 years, and the biggest hit he's ever written isn't even country....although that's how it started. 

Write You A Song Podcast - An Interview With Tia Sillers and Shannon LaBrie

This morning we share another new podcast from host Tom Mailey from Bonneville radio station New Country 105.1 KNCI in Sacramento. Tom is a country radio veteran with over 30 years of experience in Seattle and Sacramento and a key partner in our Golf & Guitars Children's Charity Music Festival, a little event in our thirteenth year that has raised well north of a million bucks for kids and individuals with disabilities. It highlights the songwriters in our industry and is entitled Write You a Song. 

It's his hope that this podcast will shine a little overdue spotlight on the talented men and women who, mostly behind the scenes, write the songs that become part of our lives. You know their words and music, but maybe not their names: Write You a Song will feature some of country music’s biggest songwriters--like Jeffrey Steele, Brett Warren, Ashley McBryde, Tim Nichols and more.

Little different episode this month. For the first time, there are two guests. One is a recently-nominated Nashville Songwriting Hall of Fame candidate who wrote one of the most inspiring songs ever recorded, Tia Sillers. Her "I Hope You Dance" by Lee Ann Womack is iconic. She's also the pen behind such songs as the Dixie Chicks' "There's Your Trouble," "Heaven, Heartache & the Power of Love" by Trisha Yearwood and "That'll Be Alright" by Alan Jackson. And the last 15 minutes or so, we welcome a young singer-songwriter named Shannon LaBrie, with whom Tia collaborated on a new album called "Building", which is out now. The songs Shannon and Tia wrote are bold and creative, and you'll love Shannon's voice. 

Write You a Song Podcast - An Interview With Songwriter and Country Artist Devin Dawson

We share another new podcast from host Tom Mailey from Bonneville radio station New Country 105.1 KNCI in Sacramento. Tom is a country radio veteran with over 30 years of experience in Seattle and Sacramento and a key partner in our Golf & Guitars Children's Charity Music Festival, a little event in our twelfth year that has raised well north of a million bucks for kids and individuals with disabilities. It highlights the songwriters in our industry and is entitled Write You a Song. 

It's his hope that this podcast will shine a little overdue spotlight on the talented men and women who, mostly behind the scenes, write the songs that become part of our lives. You know their words and music, but maybe not their names: Write You a Song will feature some of country music’s biggest songwriters--like Jeffrey Steele, Brett Warren, Ashley McBryde, Tim Nichols and more.

Singer/Songwriter Devin Dawson's debut album, "Dark Horse", was one of the most critically acclaimed country albums when it was released in 2018. Although it yielded only one top ten hit, "Put It All On Me", the album's daring mixture of country, rock, Americana and even 70s songwriter pop was something different- and introduced a new, gutsy songwriter not afraid to address the vulnerabilities and challenges of being someone off to the side...the Dark Horse. Since then, Devin has toured with Tim McGraw, helped co-write one of 2019's biggest hits, Blake Shelton's "God's Country," and along with fellow young songwriters like Hardy and Mitchell Tenpenny, is on the forefront of a new generation of country singer/songwriters who are poised to shift Nashville in a new direction, while still respecting its longstanding traditions.

Write You A Song Podcast - An Interview With Rodney Clawson

We share another new podcast from host Tom Mailey from Bonneville radio station New Country 105.1 KNCI in Sacramento. Tom is a country radio veteran with over 30 years of experience in Seattle and Sacramento and a key partner in our Golf & Guitars Children's Charity Music Festival, a little event in our twelfth year that has raised well north of a million bucks for kids and individuals with disabilities. It highlights the songwriters in our industry and is entitled Write You a Song. 

It's his hope that this podcast will shine a little overdue spotlight on the talented men and women who, mostly behind the scenes, write the songs that become part of our lives. You know their words and music, but maybe not their names: Write You a Song will feature some of country music’s biggest songwriters--like Jeffrey Steele, Brett Warren, Ashley McBryde, Tim Nichols and more.

Rodney Clawson is one of the most unusual country songwriters to guest on Write You a Song. He's also one of the most successful. A farmer in Texas most of his life, songwriting was never even a consideration until one day he got a call from a friend who'd moved to Nashville. Annually, he writes about 160 songs but claims he only gets "10-12 good ideas a year". Among those good ideas: songs that have gone on to become massive hits, like "May We All" for Florida Georgia Line and Tim McGraw, Jason Aldean's "Burnin' It Down" and "Amarillo Sky", Kenny Chesney's "American Kids," Luke Bryan's "Drunk On You" and "Bartender" for Lady A. And that's just skimming the surface.

His is one of the most unlikely songwriting success stories you'll ever hear...and that's not even counting that when he was in colleged he coached a kid named John Rich on a high school basketball team. Give it a listen and see why he says if you want to be good, sometimes you have to "dare to suck".

Write You A Song Podcast - An Interview With Brett Eldredge

This morning we share another new podcast from host Tom Mailey from Bonneville radio station New Country 105.1 KNCI in Sacramento. Tom is a country radio veteran with over 30 years of experience in Seattle and Sacramento and a key partner in our Golf & Guitars Children's Charity Music Festival, a little event in our twelfth year that has raised well north of a million bucks for kids and individuals with disabilities. It highlights the songwriters in our industry and is entitled Write You a Song. 

It's his hope that this podcast will shine a little overdue spotlight on the talented men and women who, mostly behind the scenes, write the songs that become part of our lives. You know their words and music, but maybe not their names: Write You a Song will feature some of country music’s biggest songwriters--like Jeffrey Steele, Brett Warren, Ashley McBryde, Tim Nichols and more.

In 2017 Singer/songwriter Brett Eldredge was at the top of his game. 5 #1 songs, several more in the top 10, a massive and entertaining presence on social media, TV appearances, Christmas albums and then .... he shut it all down. For 3 years he worked on refocusing his life and somewhere during that process, a new album started to come together, one that Brett hoped would showcase more than any other who he is and where he's from. The album is called Sunday Drive and it's out this month and on this episode of Write You a Song, Brett talks about the journey he took to make it, both figuratively and literally. (Editor's note- the album is fantastic.) 

There's a quote from this month's guest that was first recorded quite a few years ago, when his career was just getting started. After the initial success of a song called "Raymond." Brett Eldredge had to wait a bit before really being able to show what he could do was a singer and a songwriter. It was just after that period that he said, "the biggest challenge for any new artist is I think, patience." And even though he's a new artist, no longer with a string of number one songs and a new album out this month, Brett Eldredge is still grappling with patience. We talked with him about that and a lot more on this month's Write You a Song.