Ep. 52 - Songcraft Sampler (2nd Anniversary Highlights)

FromSongcraft: Spotlight on Songwriters

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Ep. 52 - Songcraft Sampler (2nd Anniversary Highlights)

FromSongcraft: Spotlight on Songwriters

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Length:

63 minutes

Released:

Dec 27, 2016

Format:

Podcast episode

Description

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.

Released:

Dec 27, 2016

Format:

Podcast episode

Titles in the series (100)

Part of the American Songwriter Podcast Network, Songcraft is a bi-weekly show that brings you in-depth conversations with and about the creators of lyrics and music that stand the test of time. You probably know their names, and you definitely know their songs. We bring you their stories.

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Ep. 8B - SWAMP DOGG ("She's All I Got") - 2 of 2: PART 2 OF 2: R&B cult favorite Jerry “Swamp Dogg” Williams is best known as the co-writer, with Gary U.S. Bonds, of the cross-genre classic, “She’s All I Got,” which became a Top 10 R&B single for Freddie North and a #2 country hit for Johnny Paycheck in 1971. Tracy Byrd recorded it in 1996, hitting #4 on Billboard’s Country rankings and introducing the song to a new generation of fans. Williams’ career began in 1954 when, at the age of 12, he made his first record, “HTD Blues.” He found success in the 1960s, recording the Top 40 R&B hit “Baby You’re My Everything” under the name Little Jerry Williams, and writing songs for other artists, including Gene Pitney’s Top 20 Pop single, “She’s a Heartbreaker.” He became Atlantic Records’ first African American staff producer in 1968, but left the following year to pursue independent projects in Muscle Shoals, Alabama. By the 1970s he was an in-demand producer and songwriter, penning Top 40 R& by Songcraft: Spotlight on Songwriters
45 min listen
Ep. 4 - SPOONER OLDHAM ("I'm Your Puppet"): Legendary keyboardist Spooner Oldham was inducted into the Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame for his work as a sideman on classic Muscle Shoals recordings, including "Mustang Sally," "When a Man Loves a Woman," and Aretha Franklin's "I Never Loved a Man (The Way I Love You)." As a songwriter, however, Spooner landed 25 different titles on Billboard's R&B, Pop, and Country charts, including many co-writes with partner Dan Penn, such as the Top 10 classic "I'm Your Puppet" by James and Bobby Purify, "It Tears Me Up" by Percy Sledge, and "Cry Like a Baby" which the Box Tops took to #2 on the Pop chart in 1968. The pair additionally scored with Bobby Bare's Top 40 country hit, "In the Same Old Way," and R&B hits such as Solomon Burke's "Take Me (Just As I Am)," Percy Sledge's "Out of Left Field," and Laura Lee's "Up Tight, Good Man." They also continued to find pop success with "I Met Her in Church" by The Box Tops and "Sweet Inspiration" by The Sweet I by Songcraft: Spotlight on Songwriters
49 min listen
Ep. 30 - BILLY MANN ("Stupid Girls"): Two-time Grammy nominee Billy Mann released a couple of solo albums as an artist via A&M Records in the mid-1990s before finding success as a songwriter in the European market. He eventually returned to the US and began getting his songs recorded by artists such as Celine Dion, Dakota Moon, and Daryl Hall & Joan Oates, who made “Do It For Love” Billy’s first #1 Billboard single as a songwriter in 2002. Other artists who charted with Billy’s songs in this era include Michael Bolton, Art Garfunkel, and Jim Brickman. He soon began finding hits with a new wave of pop stars, beginning with Jessica Simpson’s Top 20 single, “With You.” Around the same time he became a frequent collaborator with Pink, who has included many of Billy’s compositions on her albums, including “God is a DJ,” “Stupid Girls,” "Dear Mr. President," "I'm Not Dead," "Glitter in the Air.,” and "The Truth About Love." Additionally, Mann co-wrote and produced Teddy Geiger’s platinum sel by Songcraft: Spotlight on Songwriters
60 min listen
Ep. 6 - MELISSA MANCHESTER ("Midnight Blue"): Grammy winner Melissa Manchester signed her first publishing deal at the age of 17, before going on to work as a backup singer for Bette Midler. She first came to prominence as an artist with the 1975 single “Midnight Blue,” which climbed to #6 on Billboard’s Pop chart and hit the #1 spot on the Adult Contemporary rankings. Co-written with Carole Bayer Sager, it was the first of nine Manchester-penned compositions to hit the Top 40. Of those, a half dozen reached the Top 10 on the Adult Contemporary chart. In addition to writing her own hits as a performer - including “Just Too Many People” and “Just You And I” - she also found success writing for other artists, including the Top 10 hit “Come In From the Rain” for Captain & Tennille and “Whenever I Call You Friend,” which was a Top 5 Pop hit for Kenny Loggins and Stevie Nicks in 1978. Her songs have been recorded by Roberta Flack, Dusty Springfield, Alison Krauss, and Barbra Streisand. by Songcraft: Spotlight on Songwriters
60 min listen
Ep. 5 - JEFF SILBAR ("Wind Beneath My Wings"): Though best known as the Grammy-winning co-writer of the contemporary standard “Wind Beneath My Wings,” Jeff Silbar has appeared in the Top 40 on Billboard’s Pop, Country, and Adult Contemporary charts a total of 28 times. With deep roots as both a songwriter and a music publisher in Nashville and Los Angeles, his songs have been recorded by a diverse range of artists, including John Cougar Mellencamp, Fleetwood Mac, Kenny Rogers, Alabama, Dolly Parton, Gregg Allman, Leon Russell, Lou Rawls, Reba McEntire, Willie Nelson, and many others. In addition to winning Song of the Year awards from the Academy of Country Music, the Country Music Association, and the Recording Academy, he has received more than thirty ASCAP performance awards. by Songcraft: Spotlight on Songwriters
45 min listen
Ep. 2 - BRANDY CLARK ("Follow Your Arrow"): Singer-songwriter Brandy Clark’s 2013 debut album 12 Stories landed on the year end “best of” lists ofRolling Stone, NPR, American Songwriter, and New York magazine before earning her a nomination for Best Country Album and Best New Artist (in any genre) at the 2015 Grammy awards. Clark’s meticulously crafted “drinking and thinking” songs, as she described them to “All Things Considered,” reflect a new brand of progressively-minded traditional country that has been enthusiastically embraced by both the honky-tonk crowd and public radio audiences. Before stepping into the spotlight as an artist, however, Clark put in more than a decade as a hard-working Nashville-based tunesmith whose songs were recorded by Toby Keith, Reba McEntire, LeAnn Rimes, Darius Rucker, Gretchen Wilson, Keith Urban, and Sheryl Crow. She co-wrote the Band Perry’s “Better Dig Two,” which hit #1 in early 2013. That same year, she was nominated for a CMA, AMA, and Grammy a by Songcraft: Spotlight on Songwriters
54 min listen
Ep. 18A - MAC DAVIS ("In the Ghetto") - 1 of 2: Part 1 of 2: Hailing from Lubbock, Texas, Mac Davis began his music career working for Vee Jay Records and Liberty Records in Atlanta. Relocating to Los Angeles in the late 1960s, he became a staff songwriter for Nancy Sinatra’s music publishing company. His early songwriting success came when Elvis Presley recorded several of his songs, including “A Little Less Conversation,” “Memories,” “Clean Up Your Own Backyard,” “Don’t Cry Daddy,” and “In the Ghetto.” Soon his songs were being recorded by O.C. Smith, Kenny Rogers and the First Edition, Glen Campbell, Ray Price, and Bobby Goldsboro, who enjoyed a major hit with Mac’s “Watching Scotty Grow” in 1971. Thanks to his success as a songwriter, Davis signed an artist deal with Columbia Records, and later Casablanca Records, scoring thirty-three charting singles between 1970 and 1986. Most of those hits were written by Davis himself, including “I Believe in Music,” “One Hell of a Woman,” “Sto by Songcraft: Spotlight on Songwriters
49 min listen
Ep. 46 - MAURICE WILLIAMS of the Zodiacs ("Stay"): A multiple BMI award-winning songwriter, Maurice Williams is best known for penning two R&B classics, “Stay,” and “Little Darlin’.” The latter song first appeared on the Excello label in 1957 as recorded by Williams’ own group, The Gladiolas. It was soon covered by The Diamonds, who made it a national #2 hit on both the Billboard pop and R&B charts. Elvis Presley’s “All Shook Up” kept the song from the top spot, though Elvis himself would later record “Little Darlin’” for his 1977 Moody Blue album. Williams’ Gladiolas eventually morphed into Maurice Williams and the Zodiacs, who topped the charts with “Stay” in 1960. Though the song is only 97 seconds long, its infectious falsetto harmony hook, “Oh won’t you stay just a little bit longer,” made it an instant doo-wop classic and the record holder for the shortest song to ever hit #1 on the Billboard pop chart. Other artists have charted with their own Top 20 hit versions, including the by Songcraft: Spotlight on Songwriters
33 min listen
Ep. 21 - CHIP TAYLOR ("Wild Thing"): Though a prolific singer/songwriter in his own right, Chip Taylor’s music has been covered by a wide range of artists, including Fats Domino, Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Johnny Cash, George Strait, Nina Simone, Emmylou Harris, Linda Ronstadt, Bonnie Raitt, The Pretenders, Jackie DeShannon, Ronnie Spector, Cheap Trick, and many others. He has written 39 songs that have appeared on Billboard’s pop, R&B, country, or adult contemporary charts, with many of them appearing on multiple charts simultaneously. Chip was born James Wesley Voight in Yonkers, New York, He joined a country band in high school, started writing songs, and signed a contract with King Records while still a teenager. As a songwriter he began finding success in the early 1960s with recordings by Johnny Tillotson, Aretha Franklin, and Willie Nelson. In 1966 The Troggs took Taylor’s “Wild Thing” to the #1 spot, which caught the attention of Jimi Hendrix, who covered it the following year by Songcraft: Spotlight on Songwriters
60 min listen
Ep. 7 - JOHN OATES ("I Can't Go For That"): Rock and Roll Hall of Famer John Oates is one half of the team that both Billboard magazine and the RIAA (Recording Industry Association of America) dubbed the most successful duo in rock history. Oates and longtime collaborator Daryl Hall signed with Atlantic Records in 1972, but didn’t break through with a major hit single until they moved to RCA and scored a Top 5 Pop hit with “Sara Smile” in 1974. Penned by Hall and Oates, it was the beginning of a long string of Top 40 hits. As a songwriter, John Oates is best known for co-writing classic titles including “She’s Gone,” “You Make My Dreams,” “I Can’t Go For That (No Can Do),” “Maneater,” “Adult Education,” and “Out of Touch.” He is also the co-writer of “Electric Blue,” a 1988 Top 10 hit by Icehouse. Additionally, his songs have been covered by Nancy Wilson, Brian McKnight, Boyz II Men, Shirley Manson, Nelly Furtado, The Bird and the Bee, Rumer, and many others. Daryl Hall and John Oates by Songcraft: Spotlight on Songwriters
60 min listen
Ep. 24 - RANDY GOODRUM ("Foolish Heart"): Arkansas native spent his formative years playing in a jazz band with future President Bill Clinton, before going on to write a ton of #1 pop and adult contemporary hits, including Michael Johnson’s “Bluer Than Blue,” Steve Perry’s “Foolish Heart,” Toto’s “I’ll Be Over You,” El DeBarge’s “Who’s Holdin’ Donna Now,” and Anne Murray’s “You Needed Me,” which earned Goodrum a Grammy nomination and became the ACM Song of the Year. Additionally, he wrote Chicago’s “If She Would Have Been Faithful,” Steve Perry’s “Oh Sherrie,” and “A Lesson in Leavin’,” which was a #1 country hit for both Dottie West and Jo Dee Messina. In 1981 Randy won six ASCAP awards in a single year and was named ASCAP country songwriter of the year. His music has been recorded by Gladys Knight, Reba McEntire, Ray Charles, Michael McDonald, Al Jarreau, Chet Atkins, Natalie Cole, The Commodores, Kansas, Dusty Springfield, Vince Gill, Trisha Yearwood, Michael Bolton, Isaac Hayes, by Songcraft: Spotlight on Songwriters
59 min listen
Ep. 1 - JIM PETERIK ("Eye of the Tiger"): 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 BillboardPop 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 by Songcraft: Spotlight on Songwriters
60 min listen
Ep. 14 - FELIX CAVALIERE ("A Beautiful Morning"): Felix Cavaliere began his music career playing with Joey Dee and the Starliters (of “Peppermint Twist” fame), before forming the Rascals in early 1965. They signed with Atlantic Records and were redubbed the Young Rascals, scoring their first major hit with the #1 single “Good Lovin’.” Beginning in the summer of 1966, the band released a string of fourteen consecutive Billboard charting singles written or co-written by Cavaliere, including the hits “You Better Run,” “I’ve Been Lonely Too Long,” “Groovin’,” “A Girl Like You,” and “How Can I Be Sure.” Changing their name back to the Rascals in late 1967, the group’s unbroken streak of Cavaliere-penned hits continued with “A Beautiful Morning,” “People Got to be Free,” “A Ray of Hope,” and more. By the mid-1970s, Felix teamed up with Todd Rundgren who produced a couple of his solo albums, including the Top 40 pop hit, “Only a Lonely Heart Sees.” In recent years he has collaborated with leg by Songcraft: Spotlight on Songwriters
52 min listen
Ep. 9 - BILL GAITHER ("Because He Lives"): Gospel music legend Bill Gaither is best known to general audiences for penning “He Touched Me,” which earned Elvis Presley a Grammy for Best Inspirational Performance in 1972. Gaither and his wife Gloria virtually pioneered the “Inspirational” genre by applying traditional theological themes to the struggles and realities of everyday life. The pair was jointly honored with the Christian “Songwriter of the Century” award by the American Society of Composers and Publishers (ASCAP) in 2000. Additionally, Gaither has received a half dozen Grammy awards, and more than thirty Gospel Music Association “Dove” Awards, including the “Songwriter of the Year” honor for 1969, 1970, and every year from 1972 through 1977. Many Gaither songs are staples of church hymnals, including “Because He Lives,” “There’s Something About That Name,” “Gentle Shepherd,” “Get All Excited,” “Jesus, We Just Want to Thank You,” and “The Family of God.” Gaither’s songs have be by Songcraft: Spotlight on Songwriters
58 min listen
Ep. 20 - JOHN SEBASTIAN ("Do You Believe in Magic?") by Songcraft: Spotlight on Songwriters
59 min listen
Ep. 16 - BILL WITHERS ("Lean on Me"): Pop and R&B legend Bill Withers released nine albums between 1971 and 1985 that included such classic songs as “Lean on Me,” “Ain’t No Sunshine,” “Grandma’s Hands,” “Use Me,” “Lovely Day,” and “Just the Two of Us.” Though he stepped away from the limelight in the mid-1980s, his songs have become classics that have withstood the test of time and been covered by iconic artists including Aretha Franklin, Michael Jackson, Gladys Knight, Garth Brooks, Willie Nelson, Paul McCartney, Ike & Tina Turner, Smokey Robinson, Al Green, The Staple Singers, Diana Ross, Neil Diamond, Sting, Linda Ronstadt, Roberta Flack, Buddy Guy, Barbra Streisand, and George Benson. Additionally, his music has been sampled by Jay-Z, Dr. Dre, L.L. Cool J, Tupac Shakur, R. Kelly, and Kanye West. Withers was in the inaugural class of the West Virginia Music Hall of Fame, and is a nine-time Grammy nominee. He won three Grammy awards for Best R&B song for “Ain’t No Sunshine” in 1971, by Songcraft: Spotlight on Songwriters
60 min listen
Ep. 39 - TOM JOHNSTON of the Doobie Brothers ("Listen to the Music"): Doobie Brothers lead singer, guitarist, and founding member Tom Johnston wrote 9 of the first 13 singles issued by the band between 1971 and 1975. These include the hits “Listen to the Music,” “Long Train Runnin’,” “China Grove,” and the classic rock radio staple “Rockin’ Down the Highway.” His voice can be heard on additional Doobies hits, including “Jesus is Just Alright” and “Take Me in Your Arms (Rock Me).” After being sidelined by health issues, Michael McDonald replaced Johnston in the band, with Tom eventually going on to a solo career. He released two albums for Warner Bros., scored a Top 40 single with the self-penned “Savannah Nights,” and performed the song “Where Are You Tonight” for the Dirty Dancing soundtrack, which sold over 11 million albums in the US alone. He returned to the Doobie Brothers in the late 1980s, writing the Top 10 single “The Doctor,” and going on to pen such songs as 1991’s “Rollin’ by Songcraft: Spotlight on Songwriters
53 min listen
Ep. 13 - JACK TEMPCHIN ("Peaceful Easy Feeling"): Best known as the writer of classic Eagles hit such as “Peaceful Easy Feeling” and “Already Gone,” Jack Tempchin is a prolific Southern California troubadour. Emerging from the San Diego folk scene, Tempchin became a fixture in L.A.’s Laurel Canyon music community in the late 60s and early 70s where he formed personal and musical alliances with Jackson Brown, J.D. Souther, Glenn Fry, and others. Following his songwriting success with the Eagles, Jack’s band The Funky Kings scored with “Slow Dancing” a Tempchin-penned composition that went on to become a Top 10 pop single for Johnny Rivers and a Top 10 country hit for Johnny Duncan. In the 1980s he and former Eagle Glenn Frey collaborated frequently, co-writing Glenn’s hits “I Found Somebody,” “The One You Love,” “Smugglers Blues,” "You Belong to the City," and more. In the 1990s he found success in the country field when his songs were recorded by artists such as George Jones, Sammy Ker by Songcraft: Spotlight on Songwriters
60 min listen
Ep. 8A - SWAMP DOGG ("She's All I Got") - 1 of 2: PART 1 OF 2: R&B cult favorite Jerry “Swamp Dogg” Williams is best known as the co-writer, with Gary U.S. Bonds, of the cross-genre classic, “She’s All I Got,” which became a Top 10 R&B single for Freddie North and a #2 country hit for Johnny Paycheck in 1971. Tracy Byrd recorded it in 1996, hitting #4 on Billboard’s Country rankings and introducing the song to a new generation of fans. Williams’ career began in 1954 when, at the age of 12, he made his first record, “HTD Blues.” He found success in the 1960s, recording the Top 40 R&B hit “Baby You’re My Everything” under the name Little Jerry Williams, and writing songs for other artists, including Gene Pitney’s Top 20 Pop single, “She’s a Heartbreaker.” He became Atlantic Records’ first African American staff producer in 1968, but left the following year to pursue independent projects in Muscle Shoals, Alabama. By the 1970s he was an in-demand producer and songwriter, penning Top 40 R& by Songcraft: Spotlight on Songwriters
43 min listen
Ep. 10 - HOLLY KNIGHT ("Love is a Battlefield"): Holly Knight’s songs have earned three Grammy awards and garnered more than a dozen ASCAP performance awards. She is the writer or co-writer of a seemingly endless list of hits, including “Love is a Battlefield” and “Invincible” for Pat Benetar, “Better Be Good to Me” and “Simply the Best” for Tina Turner, “The Warrior” for Scandal, “Obsession” for Animotion, “Rag Doll” with Aerosmith, “Just Between You and Me” with Lou Gramm, and many more. Additionally, her songs have been recorded by artists as diverse as Bon Jovi, Chaka Khan, Hall & Oates, KISS, Bonnie Tyler, Heart, Ozzy Osbourne, John Waite, Aaron Neville, Dusty Springfield, and the list goes on and on. In 2013, her remarkable songwriting accomplishments earned Knight a well-deserved induction to the prestigious Songwriters Hall of Fame. by Songcraft: Spotlight on Songwriters
60 min listen
Ep. 3 - DALLAS FRAZIER ("Elvira"): Dallas Frazier first appeared as a recording artist on Capitol Records in 1954. He moved from California to Nashville in 1963, eventually placing 42 songs in the Top 20 on Billboard’s country singles chart. Ten of those songs climbed to the #1 position. His music has been recorded by George Jones, Willie Nelson, Merle Haggard, Johnny Cash, Loretta Lynn, Emmylou Harris, Charley Pride, Ferlin Husky, Dolly Parton, Randy Travis, Ricky Skaggs, Patty Loveless, and countless others. He wrote "There Goes My Everything," the Country Music Association single of the year in 1967, and was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1976. But there was more to Dallas Frazier than country music. His first hit was the #1 pop smash “Alley-Oop” in 1960, and he appeared on the Billboard country, pop, and R&B charts an astounding 152 times. In addition to his country recordings, Dallas’ songs have been covered by Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis, the Beach Boy by Songcraft: Spotlight on Songwriters
60 min listen
Ep. 92 - DENNIS MATKOSKY ("Maniac"): 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 G by Songcraft: Spotlight on Songwriters
50 min listen
Ep. 17 - DESMOND CHILD ("Livin' on a Prayer"): One of the most successful and prolific writers and producers of all time, Desmond Child’s songs have resulted in nearly six dozen Top 40 singles on Billboard’s pop, rock, country, and R&B charts. His band Desmond Child & Rouge attracted the attention of Paul Stanley. He partnered with Child to write “I Was Made For Loving You,” which became a major hit for KISS in 1979. Desmond first collaborated with Jon Bon Jovi and Richie Sambora for Bon Jovi’s 1986 album, Slippery When Wet. That partnership resulted in the #1 hits, “You Give Love a Bad Name” and “Livin’ on a Prayer.” Desmond has appeared as a co-writer on every Bon Jovi album since, co-writing additional hits such as “Bad Medicine,” “Born To Be My Baby,” “This Ain’t a Love Song,” and “(You Want To) Make a Memory.” He formed a similar alliance with Aerosmith, with whom he wrote the hits “Dude (Looks Like a Lady),” “Angel,” “What It Takes,” and “Crazy.” He co-wrote Joan Jett’s “I Hate M by Songcraft: Spotlight on Songwriters
60 min listen
Ep. 29 - RANDY AND MAIA SHARP ("A Home"): Though the father/daughter songwriting duo of Randy and Maia Sharp found their greatest collaborative success with the Dixie Chicks' recording of "Home" in 2002, they've enjoyed diverse songwriting careers, working both together and separately. Randy released his first independent album as a singer/songwriter in 1973, eventually finding chart success as a writer for other artists, including Jennifer Warnes, Marty Robbins, and Glen Campbell. Thirteen of his songs have reached Billboard’s Top 40 country chart, a half dozen of which hit the Top 10. He wrote the #1 hits “(Why Does It Have to Be) Wrong or Right” and “Tender Lie” for Restless Heart, as well as a string of hits for Exile, including “Nobody’s Talkin’” and “Yet.” He continued to write hit songs in the mid to late 1990s, such as “You Will” for Patty Loveless, “The Cheap Seats” for Alabama, and “Then What” for Clay Walker. In 2005 Emmylou Harris won a Grammy for Best Female Country Vocal by Songcraft: Spotlight on Songwriters
59 min listen
Ep. 12 - BOBBY BRADDOCK ("He Stopped Loving Her Today"): Bobby Braddock has written more than a dozen #1 country hits, including standards such as Tammy Wynette’s “D-I-V-O-R-C-E” and George Jones’ “He Stopped Loving Her Today,” which is frequently ranked as the greatest country song of all time. George Jones began finding success with Braddock’s songs in the 1970s with hits such as “Nothing Ever Hurt Me (Half As Bad As Losing You)” and “Her Name Is…” Jones and his then-wife, Tammy Wynette, also scored with Bobby’s “We’re Not the Jet Set” and “Golden Ring,” while Tammy found solo success with “Womanhood” and “They Call It Making Love.” Other Braddock-penned hits from the 1970s include “I Believe the South is Gonna Rise Again,” which Tanya Tucker took to the Top 20, “Something to Brag About,” which Mary Kay Place and Willie Nelson took to the Top 10, and “Come On In,” which was a hit for Jerry Lee Lewis in 1978. Bobby continued to reach the #1 position in the 1980s (“I Feel Like Loving Y by Songcraft: Spotlight on Songwriters
60 min listen
Ep. 25 - JIM LAUDERDALE ("King of Broken Hearts"): Known as a respected “songwriter’s songwriter,” Jim Lauderdale is a versatile and highly prolific artist who is equally comfortable writing country, bluegrass, soul, or pop. His 1991 debut, Planet of Love, was packed with original songs that went on to be covered by George Strait, The Dixie Chicks, Gary Allan, Lucinda Williams, Mandy Barnett, and others. Since then, Lauderdale has recorded nearly thirty albums, including the Grammy winning releases Lost in the Lonesome Pines and The Bluegrass Diaries. Patty Loveless has recorded five of his songs, including the Top 10 single “Halfway Down” and her hit duet with George Jones, “You Don’t Seem to Miss Me.” Likewise, George Strait has covered well over a dozen Jim Lauderdale compositions, including the Top 5 hits “We Really Shouldn’t Be Doing This,” “What Do You Say to That,” and “I Gotta Get to You.” Others who have recorded Jim’s songs include Elvis Costello, Dave Edmunds, Tracy Nelson, by Songcraft: Spotlight on Songwriters
60 min listen
Ep. 23 - LORI MCKENNA ("Girl Crush") by Songcraft: Spotlight on Songwriters
58 min listen
Ep. 19 - JOHN MAYALL ("Find a Way to Care"): Find a Way to Care is John Mayall’s 64th official album, and the most recent release from the 81-year-old singer, keyboardist, guitarist, harmonica player, and composer who’s been dubbed the “Godfather of British Blues.” The Grammy-nominated Mayall is a renowned band leader, with several veterans of his group, the Bluesbreakers, going on to find success in their own right. A short list of those who passed through his band includes Eric Clapton and Jack Bruce, who went on to form Cream; Peter Green, John McVie, and Mick Fleetwood, who later formed Fleetwood Mac; Andy Fraser, who formed Free; and Mick Taylor, who went on to join the Rolling Stones. Other notable guitarists who’ve spent time in Mayall’s band include Walter Trout, Coco Montoya, Sonny Landreth, Buddy Whittington, and former Canned Heat member Harvey Mandel. Between 1966 and 1971 Mayall released eleven albums that hit the Top 40 on the UK chart, three of which also reached the Top by Songcraft: Spotlight on Songwriters
56 min listen
Ep. 15 - JAREN JOHNSTON ("Raise 'Em Up"): Nashville native Jaren Johnston co-founded the rock band American Bang which released one album for Warner Bros. He went on to form the Cadillac Three, a Southern rock-infused trio that was named one of the “10 New Artists You Need to Know” by Rolling Stone Country in 2014. While finding success with his own self-described “country fuzz” sound, Johnston forged a second career as a behind-the-scenes songwriter for top country artists. Since 2012, he has seen more than a half dozen of his songs hit the country Top 10, four of which have climbed to the #1 position. He has co-written the songs “You Gonna Fly” and “Raise ‘Em Up” for Keith Urban, “Southern Girl” and “Meanwhile Back at "Mama’s” for Tim McGraw, “Days of Gold” and “Beachin’” for Jake Owen, “Sunshine and Whiskey” for Frankie Ballard, “Don’t It” for Billy Currington, and “The South,” a Top 40 hit for his own band, which featured guest appearances by Florida Georgia Line, Dierks Bentley, a by Songcraft: Spotlight on Songwriters
54 min listen
Ep. 18B - MAC DAVIS ("In the Ghetto") - 2 of 2: Part 2 of 2: Hailing from Lubbock, Texas, Mac Davis began his music career working for Vee Jay Records and Liberty Records in Atlanta. Relocating to Los Angeles in the late 1960s, he became a staff songwriter for Nancy Sinatra’s music publishing company. His early songwriting success came when Elvis Presley recorded several of his songs, including “A Little Less Conversation,” “Memories,” “Clean Up Your Own Backyard,” “Don’t Cry Daddy,” and “In the Ghetto.” Soon his songs were being recorded by O.C. Smith, Kenny Rogers and the First Edition, Glen Campbell, Ray Price, and Bobby Goldsboro, who enjoyed a major hit with Mac’s “Watching Scotty Grow” in 1971. Thanks to his success as a songwriter, Davis signed an artist deal with Columbia Records, and later Casablanca Records, scoring thirty-three charting singles between 1970 and 1986. Most of those hits were written by Davis himself, including “I Believe in Music,” “One Hell of a Woman,” “Sto by Songcraft: Spotlight on Songwriters
51 min listen

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Ep. 228 - NICKEL CREEK ("Celebrants"): 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. by Songcraft: Spotlight on Songwriters
71 min listen
Ep. 227 - ALAN BERGMAN ("The Way We Were"): 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. by Songcraft: Spotlight on Songwriters
73 min listen
Ep. 226 - NORAH JONES ("Come Away with Me") + profile on Tish Melton: 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. by Songcraft: Spotlight on Songwriters
91 min listen
Ep. 225 - CHARLIE STARR of Blackberry Smoke ("Dig a Hole"): Blackberry Smoke frontman and primary songwriter Charlie Starr goes deep on his music's Southern roots and wide-ranging appeal. by Songcraft: Spotlight on Songwriters
79 min listen
E, 224 - BOBBY RUSH ("Chicken Heads"): 90-year-old blues legend Bobby Rush joins us for a wide-ranging and revealing conversation about songwriting, music, life, and so much more! by Songcraft: Spotlight on Songwriters
82 min listen
Ep. 223 - DUFF McKAGAN ("Civil War"): 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. by Songcraft: Spotlight on Songwriters
80 min listen
Ep. 222 - AUDLEY FREED ("Peace Pipe"): 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. by Songcraft: Spotlight on Songwriters
92 min listen
Ep. 221 - JD SOUTHER ("The Best of My Love"): Songwriters Hall of Famer JD Souther joins Scott and Paul for an in-depth interview to kick off the New Year! by Songcraft: Spotlight on Songwriters
100 min listen
Ep. 220 - STAX CHRISTMAS with Deanie Parker, William Bell, and Carla Thomas: 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. by Songcraft: Spotlight on Songwriters
72 min listen
Ep. 219 - PETER CASE ("A Million Miles Away"): Two-time Grammy nominee and acclaimed singer-songwriter Peter Case joins Songcraft to talk about his wide-ranging career. by Songcraft: Spotlight on Songwriters
73 min listen
Ep. 218 - GAVIN ROSSDALE of Bush ("Glycerine"): 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. by Songcraft: Spotlight on Songwriters
84 min listen
Ep. 217 - DAVE BARNES ("God Gave Me You"): 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 by Songcraft: Spotlight on Songwriters
84 min listen
Ep. 216 - NATALIE MERCHANT ("Kind & Generous"): Celebrated songwriter Natalie Merchant chats about her songwriting, from her days fronting 10,000 Maniacs up to her most recent album, Keep Your Courage. by Songcraft: Spotlight on Songwriters
76 min listen
Ep. 215 - JOSH RITTER ("Getting Ready to Get Down"): 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. by Songcraft: Spotlight on Songwriters
85 min listen
Ep. 214 - PAUL STANLEY of KISS ("Rock and Roll All Nite"): 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. by Songcraft: Spotlight on Songwriters
71 min listen
Ep. 213 - DEANIE PARKER ("Ain't That a Lot of Love"): 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. by Songcraft: Spotlight on Songwriters
89 min listen
Ep. 212 - ZACH WILLIAMS of The Lone Bellow: Zach Williams of The Lone Bellow chats about his songwriting development and the band's latest album, Love Songs for Losers by Songcraft: Spotlight on Songwriters
77 min listen
Ep. 211 - RACHAEL & VILRAY ("Do Friends in Fall in Love?"): 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. by Songcraft: Spotlight on Songwriters
79 min listen
Ep. 210 - ASHLEY GORLEY ("Last Night"): We chat with Ashley Gorley who, with more #1 singles than any writer in any genre, is the reigning king of country music songwriters. by Songcraft: Spotlight on Songwriters
80 min listen
Ep. 209 - KEVIN CRONIN of REO Speedwagon ("Can't Fight This Feeling"): 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," "Can't Fight This Feeling," and more! by Songcraft: Spotlight on Songwriters
113 min listen
Ep. 208 - DAVID SHAW of The Revivalists ("Wish I Knew You"): 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. by Songcraft: Spotlight on Songwriters
59 min listen
Ep. 207 - GRAHAM NASH ("Our House"): Rock & Roll Hall of Famer Graham Nash joins us to talk about CSN, his solo career, and his most recent album. by Songcraft: Spotlight on Songwriters
66 min listen
Ep. 206 - MATT MAHER ("Lord, I Need You"): 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. by Songcraft: Spotlight on Songwriters
73 min listen
Ep. 205 - DUSTY SLAY ("We're Havin' a Good Time!"): Why the heck are we having a comedian on Songcraft? by Songcraft: Spotlight on Songwriters
70 min listen
Ep. 204 - DAR WILLIAMS ("The Beauty of the Rain"): 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. by Songcraft: Spotlight on Songwriters
85 min listen

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Ep. 52 - Songcraft Sampler (2nd Anniversary Highlights)

Ep. 52 - Songcraft Sampler (2nd Anniversary Highlights)

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