Songcraft: Spotlight on Songwriters

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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