Nsai Coffee Break

Laura Veltz was an artist first and found songwriting to be the real enjoyment of her place in the industry. She penned three chart-topping hits: Maren Morris’ “I Could Use A Love Song,” which was also a 2018 NSAI 10 Songs I wish I’d Written, Chris Young’s “Lonely Eyes” and Eli Young Band’s “Drunk Last Night.” She also a writer on the song, “Rich” for Maren Morris which is #2 on the charts and Ryan Hurd’s (“Diamonds or Twine” & “To A T”). Veltz’s extensive catalog includes cuts by Reba McEntire, Little Big Town, Carly Pearce, The Cadillac Three, Cassadee Pope, Devin Dawson, RaeLynn, Lindsey Ell and more. We talk about the stories behind songs she’s written and her love for the great outdoors.

Trent Dabbs has written several songs you know like “Girls Chase Boys” for Ingrid Michaelson, “High Horse,” for Kacey Musgraves’ CMA award winning album, Golden Hour, “Growing Pains” for COIN, “Deep Water,” by American Authors, he even wrote a couple songs for Natalie Hemby’s 2017 album release, "Puxico." He just released his 11th solo album "Positano" which features a collection of songs he’s written throughout his artist career including the ballad “Come Home Safe” released a year ago this weekend. We talk all about the album, his favorite 70s bands, and what it means to make it in this crazy business we call the music industry. He is also one/half of Sugar and the The High Lows with Amy Stroup who has also been on this series before, Episode 13.

Our latest NSAI Coffee Break guest has placed almost every "Artists to Watch" list, made her late-night television debut earlier this year with a performance of “Reasons” on NBC’s Late Night with Seth Meyers. This past fall she released a followup to her 2017 EP release “Side A” with six-track EP, “Side B.” Songwriter/Artist, Jillian Jacqueline is one of those artists that can perform in almost any genre. We talk about her pop and country collaborations (Mat Kearney and Vince Gill to name a few) as well as her experience opening for Ryan Adams. Songwriter Lori McKenna, artist Keith Urban and producer Tofer Brown are among the many that have contributed to "Side A" and "Side B" projects. "Reasons," "God Bless This Mess," "Sad Girls," "Somebody," "If I Were You," are all so well written and true to the unique storyteller herself. Follow Jillian on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter. Visit jillianjacqueline.com for tour dates, news and of course really cool merch.

Our next guest celebrating her first #1 for Break Up In the End for Cole Swindell, written with Jon Nite and Chase McGill. She received a 2017 AIMP Publisher’s Pick Award for penning “Rich” alongside Maren Morris and Laura Veltz and is also celebrating the song reaching the top 10 on the charts. I recently visited Big Machine to chat with songwriter Jessie Jo Dillon about writing retreats, stories behind a few of her cuts, why English class inspired our future creative jobs and so much more. Jessie Jo also earned a GRAMMY® Awards Best Country Song nomination for co-penning George Strait’s “The Breath You Take”. She’s had cuts by Luke Bryan, Jennifer Nettles, Brandy Clark, Chase Rice, Parmalee, Jerrod Niemann, and more.

Today's new episode features songwriter/artist Ryan Hurd! Ryan recently celebrated a #1 with Luke Bryan for “Sunrise, Sunburn, Sunset,” in addition to his first No. 1 single as a songwriter with the GRAMMY & CMA-nominated duet “Lonely Tonight,” recorded by Blake Shelton and Ashley Monroe. He’s written songs for Dierks Bentley, Jake Owen, Brothers Osborne, Tim McGraw, Florida Georgia Line, Rascal Flatts and of course his wife and country star Maren Morris. In this episode he shares the story behind his latest single,“To A T” a preview of his upcoming album! Be sure to visit ryanhurd.com for upcoming tour dates and new music releases.

In this episode we talk songwriting and the production process with cinematic producer, composer and songwriter, Tommee Profitt. Originally from Michigan, Tommee started his music career early on as an artist and came into his own as a producer, gaining several sync placements in shows like the Good Doctor, The Handmaid’s Tale, Quantico, NCIS, as well as several movie trailers, video games and NFL sports advertisements. Tommee made the move to Franklin, TN, with this family a little over a year ago and within that timeframe he has already received a #1 with his friend and hip hop artist, NF. “Let You Down” off of NF’s Perception, topped the Billboard Pop charts in 2017 and is one of the many songs Tommee has been a part of in NF’s career thus far. Tommee also produced a couple songs including the title track for TobyMac’s latest album, “The Elements,” that project was released today and you can go pick up wherever you listen to music. We discuss writing songs with a cinematic feel, working in multiple genre

Songwriter/artist Adam Hambrick has written several songs for recording artists like Miranda Lambert and Eli Young Band. He celebrated two number 1’s in 2017, “How Not To” (Dan & Shay) and “Somebody Else Will” (Justin Moore). He has shared the stage with a diverse group of artists including LANCO, Josh Abbott Band, Steve Moakler, Chris Lane, Carly Pearce and others. Today we’ll be talking about his upcoming solo album set to be released soon. He released a brand new single, “Rockin’ All Night Long,” is the perfect track as we head into the weekend and it’s available now wherever you listen to music. Adam will be his sharing his songwriting process and the early musical influences he was exposed to in his hometown of Conway, Arkansas. Find upcoming tour dates, news and more at adamhambrick.com.

If you’ve ever seen ­­­­shows like Parenthood, This Is Us, and Grey’s Anatomy, you have likely heard music written and performed by our guest today. Songwriter/Recording Artist, Amy Stroup has had several sync placements in TV, film and advertising. Outside her work in sync she is one half of the duo Sugar and the Hi Lows, in which she partners with prolific songwriter Trent Dabbs. Amy’s latest solo project “Helen of Memphis,” is her third studio album inspired by empowerment, confidence and the magic in us all. Helen of Memphis is both a state mind and tribute to her grandmother Jo whom passed away in 2015. In our interview we discuss the album from front to back and the Nashville and LA writers she worked with to make this bright, dreamy and beat driven album come to life. We also chat about Milkglass Creative an indie label she co-operates with business partner and co-writer, Mary Hooper. They designed the visual elements of the album. Be sure to catch her on the road this fall and pick up "Helen of Memphi

Today’s guests are known for their harmony and blend of country and rock influences. Trey Smith and Jennifer Fielder of country duo Smithfield, share their long road to discovering their place in the industry and how that’s influenced the message in their music. They released their single, "Hey Whiskey" this past summer and it has already reached over 1 million digital streams and made it in the top 10 on Sirius XM The Highway’s Weekend Countdown. They share the story behind that one and all the advice they have for writing authentic songs, keeping up their stamina on radio tour and more! But before we get to the interivew, be sure to check out their new single “Our World” released today. You can find out where to listen and more at smithfieldmusic.com. If you’re interested in watching this interview, you can find the link at nashvillesongwriters.com/nsaicoffeebreak as well as an archive of past guests.

Songwriter and recording artist Phil Wickham is our guest on today’s episode. His new album “Living Hope” was just released a week ago and if you have not yet heard it, it's absolutely beautiful! While he was in Nashville we had the pleasure of welcoming him to NSAI to talk about the songwriting process of the new project. Phil co-wrote the title track with Brian Johnson of Bethel Music, and collaborated with Hollyn, Chris Tomlin, Kristian Stanfill and several others for the vision of this project. Be sure to visit www.philwickham.com for tour dates and information on where you can listen to the album. Listen to the video format of this interview here: https://www.nashvillesongwriters.com/nsai-coffee-break-season-2-episode-11-phil-wickham

Today’s guest, songwriter/producer/artist Gavin Slate is with us. Originally from Toronto, he moved to Nashville a few months ago to work closely with the music scene here. Gavin has scored placements on NBC’s Rookie Blue, the 2016 NHL All-Star Game and writes frequently with Donovan Woods, Todd Clark, Adam Hamrick, Emily Reid and others . He has an extensive background in production for his own music as well as that of other artists in the Canadian Country Market including the James Barker Band. Earlier this year they took home a SOCAN Country Music Award for their song “Chills” written by Gavin, James Barker, Travis Wood and Donovan Woods. Gavin has shared the stage with Lindi Ortega, The Strumbellas, Hunter Hayes, Donovan Woods, Shane McAnally, Tony Arata and more. In this episode we chat about the festival circuit and ways songwriters can craft songs that engage fans in this type of concert atmosphere. We also share our individual experiences at the NAMM Conference that took place in Nashville a few wee

The guests in this episode are the writers and performers behind Passion, the worship team that leads Passion Conference. This faith-based event stemmed out of Passion City Church in Atlanta over 20 years ago and has brought together more than 32,000 students from 700 universities and 35 countries. Kristian Stanfill, Melodie Malone and Brett Younker share their perspectives on writing worship music with inspiration from their faith and why business comes second to the mission of creating engaging and honest worship songs. Their newest collection, “Whole Heart,” topped #1 on Billboard’s Top Christian Album’s charts and speaks to the various elements of God’s character and vision for Passion Conference. I loved talking with them about how they came together as a team and the message they hope to bring to listeners and Passion Conference attendees. Visit www.passionmusic.com for news on music, upcoming Passion Worship Nights and conference dates. And of course pick up the latest album Whole Heart. The live reco

Today's guest has spent time curating his songwriting craft from the likes of Country, Blues and Americana influences such as Merle Haggard, Ray Charles and Darrell Scott. Ben Danaher is Texas native and comes from a musical family, specifically his father who spent time touring as a singer/songwriter and greatly impacted Ben’s decision to pursue that same career for himself. We chat about his musical background, moving to Nashville and performing alongside his peers Steve Moakler, Sean McConnell, Ryan Beaver and more. Additionally he shares stories behind his sync cuts for “The Ranch” on Netflix and CMT’s Nashville. His latest single “Hell and High Water” was written with Maren Morris and is a preview of the songs you’ll hear on his full-length album “Still Feel Lucky” set to release this September. Not only is he a very talented songwriter but you will definitely want to check out his performances on the road. He kicks off his first tour in Europe this summer which includes a show at the Black Deer Festival

In this episode you’ll have the pleasure of hearing confessions of serial, #1, award-winning songwriter, Shelly Peiken. She and Meredith Brooks took a risk with their '90s pop anthem “Bitch,” which ended up topping the charts, receiving a Grammy nomination and several tv/film placements. Shelly received her first #1 hit with Christina Aguilera for “What A Girl Wants” followed by “Come On Over Baby.” In our interview we chat about her songwriting career, and her most recent tour series, "Living Room Live" where she shares her journey through monologue and song. The tour is based off her grammy nominated book, “Confessions of a Serial Songwriter,” which we talk about in this interview as well. I had a great time getting to know Shelly during her visit to Nashville for Tin Pan South Songwriting Seminar this past April. She highlights advice for writing pop music and other creative outlets that have inspired and complimented her music career. Visit shellypeiken.com for more information on her book, upcoming even

Our guest today is Nashville native and one of Capitol CMG’s breakthrough artists, Riley Clemmons! Riley quickly climbed the charts with her debut single “Broken Prayers” a song born out of the soulful singer’s journey to finding her own voice. We talk about the gospel and pop influences that have contributed to her writing style as well as the group of industry songwriters she has worked with to produce her upcoming album. For a list of upcoming tour dates and news about her upcoming album, visit rileyclemmons.com. If you’re interested in getting involved with NSAI, check outnashvillesongwriters.com for info on our membership program, premium events and more.

Our guest today is country music up and comer, Jenna Paulette. Jenna’s music is a blend of rooted Texas country and modern big city glam, a style she calls the New West. Jenna first made waves in the country/pop genre with her debut single, “Coolest Girl In The World” co-written with Jordan Reynolds and Sydney Cubit. The single made it in the U.S. Top 100 Charts for iTunes and has been featured on CMT, The boot.com and more. Jenna also wrote and recorded the song “Studio 1A” for the interactive video app, VideoBomb, which was featured on a segment of the Today Show’s Kathie Lee and Hoda. Her latest single ILYSM short for (“I love you so much”) was released in March followed by the recent music video premiere on “Taste of Country.” I had a blast chatting with her about the songwriting process, production influences and artist branding strategy. We even talk about her love for ranching in her hometown outside Dallas, Texas. You can watch video version on our Youtube page and website nashvillesongwriters.com/n

About this episode: Today’s guest is platinum selling country star, RaeLynn! We recently enjoyed coffee at the Kimpton Aertson Hotel to get the backstory on her latest single “Queens Don’t” an empowerment anthem that encourages self-love to anyone and everyone who hears it. Additionally RaeLynn tells us about her songwriting inspirations, creative community and the process of discovering her voice in songs like “Love Triangle,” “Wildhorse” and “Lonely Call.” 

2018 has started off strong for this vibrant entertainer. She was recently nominated for ACM’s Best New Female Vocalist of the Year and became the first country star to represent a TooFaced makeup collection. We chat about the song she wrote for the “Life’s A Festival” makeup line and more here on NSAI Coffee Break. Visit raelynn.com for upcoming tour dates, where you can find her latest music and news on the upcoming album yet to be released. RaeLynn is on the road now sharing her diverse collection of songs, as part of CMT’s Next Women of Country To

About this episode: We’re featuring a Facebook LIVE interview from this past week with country songwriter/artist, Carly Pearce! Since the day she convinced her father to let her quit highschool and pursue a job performing at Dollywood, Carly has paved her own way to becoming the highest charting solo female debut since July 2015. With years of hard work and perseverance she’s taken the world by a storm with her debut album, “Every Little Thing;” The title track, written by Pearce, busbee and Emily Shackleton, makes Carly the only solo female with a charting Country debut single to achieve GOLD certification in 2017. In this episode, the Kentucky native shares how Dolly Parton encouraged her to become the artist she is today and what life experiences fueled an authentic storytelling process for her songwriting. Carly recently received her first ACM nomination for Best New Female Vocalist of the Year among many other accolades in 2017. Rolling Stone Country has called “Every Little Thing” a sturdy, declarative

About this episode: Today’s guest is a Nashville-native and one of the most talented piano musicians of our time. Songwriter/artist Gabe Dixon, began playing music at age 7, with exposure to household names like Elton John, The Allman Brothers and Paul Simon. Natural talent and interest in music, led him to pursue a career writing songs and performing alongside names like: Gavin DeGraw, Alison Krauss and Union Station, OAR, Supertramp and many others. Early in his career he picked up a gig playing keys and vocals on Paul McCartney’s 2001 album “Driving Rain” and shortly after performed with the Beatle’s legend at a fundraiser concert in New York City. I was excited to have him in the studio last week to talk about his evolution from The Gabe Dixon band to going solo, and co-writing hits like “All Will Be Well” and “Find My Way” with songwriter and Semisonic frontman, Dan Wilson. Gabe also expands on the theme and production process for this recent album “Turns To Gold,” and why the uncertainty that comes

About this episode: Award winning Christian Songwriter/Artist Matthew West joins us for Episode 1 of Season 2 to talk about his new album “All In,” which rests on the theme of what it means to fully invest in the most important areas of our lives. He also shares advice about songwriting and producing that he’s learned throughout his career that I think you’ll enjoy. Matthew West has more than 130 songwriting credits to his name, including cuts by Rascal Flatts, Scotty McCreery, Casting Crowns, Michael W. Smith, Amy Grant, Mandisa and more. For a list of tour dates and info on where you can purchase “All In," visit www.matthewwest.com. Video Version of this episode can be found at: http://bit.ly/CBMW_Youtube Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram (@NSAIOfficial) to stay up to date with upcoming events and more. Be sure to check out our website, nashvillesongwriters.com to learn how you can become a member of our organization and elevate your songwriting craft. ABOUT NSAI COFFEE BREAK SERIES: N