Songcraft: Spotlight on Songwriters

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

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

The San Francisco folkie who became a Nashville hitmaker with "Life's a Dance," "Don't Laugh at Me," "I Think About You," Grown Men Don't Cry" and more!  IN THIS EPISODE: PART ONE The guys discuss Paul's 2019 Grammy experience and Scott's recent revelation about the importance of Steve Seskin. PART TWO -   9:08 mark Steve Seskin sits down with Scott to talk about the lessons he learned busking on the streets of San Francisco and how they’ve informed his songwriting instincts; the way he learned to write songs he was proud of but didn’t want to sing; the way he managed to avoid burnout as a songwriter; how Morgan Freeman inspired one of his biggest hits; the reason his future was altered when his publishing company ran out of coffee cups; what every writer should do to prepare for a co-writing session; which of his songs made him feel creepy when he first started singing it, and song he wrote that changed the course of his life more than any other. ABOUT STEVE SESKIN One of the most successful Nashville songwriters who never actually moved to Nashville, Steve Seskin has written songs for a long list of artists that includes Kenny Chesney, Toby Keith, Peter Frampton, Waylon Jennings, Alabama, Ricky Skaggs, Peter Paul and Mary, and others. He has written seven #1 hits, including the Grammy-nominated “Grown Men Don’t Cry” by Tim McGraw; the John Michael Montgomery hits “Life’s a Dance,” “If You’ve Got Love,” and “No Man’s Land;” The Neal McCoy singles “No Doubt About It” and “For a Change;” as well as “I Think About You,” which earned Collin Raye an Academy of Country award for Video of the Year. Seskin’s song “Don’t Laugh at Me” was named the NSAI Song of the Year after it was recorded by Mark Wills. The anti-bullying anthem became a children’s book and was the impetus for the Operation Respect/Don’t Laugh at Me project, a curriculum designed to teach tolerance in schools. Through the program, Steve regularly performs in school assemblies and has launched related programs that help teach kids how to write songs of their own. Working from his home base in the San Francisco Bay area, Steve is additionally an active keynote speaker and songwriting instructor for the West Coast Songwriters Association, the Nashville Songwriters Association International, the Kerrville Folk Festival, and other organizations. Though best known for writing hit songs for others, he is also a successful performer and recording artist who has released more than 20 albums of his own material. Perhaps the best way to experience a Steve Seskin song is by hearing it performed by the man himself.   

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

With over a dozen Top 5 singles on the Billboard country chart, Nashville Songwriters Hall of Famer Tim Nichols has been a hit machine for years with songs such as “Heads Carolina, Tails California,” “The Man I Want to Be,” and "Live Like You Were Dying." EPISODE DETAILS: PART ONE Scott and Paul talk about their earliest concert experiences. PART TWO -  8:09 mark Scott and Paul get on the phone with Tim to find out how he went to a bunch of free country shows when he was a kid; why he says the story of his career is a cross between Forest Gump and Lemony Snicket; how Mike Wallace and 60 Minutes led to his big break; why he had to wear a Daniel Boone cap on his way to becoming a successful songwriter; what he was feeling when his first hit came from a non-living artist; how an audiobook gave him the idea for one of his biggest hits; and how he looks back now on the day that he wrote THAT classic song. ABOUT TIM NICHOLS Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame inductee Tim Nichols has written more than a dozen Top 5 country hits, including “I’m Over You” by Keith Whitley, “Heads Carolina, Tails California” by Jo Dee Messina, “(This Ain’t) No Thinkin’ Thing” by Trace Adkins, “I’d Rather Ride Around with You” by Reba McEntire, “I’ll Think of a Reason Later” by Lee Ann Womack,” “That’d Be Alright” by Alan Jackson, “Girls Lie Too” by Terri Clark, “I Still Miss You” by Keith Anderson, “The Man I Want to Be” by Chris Young, and “Cowboys and Angels” by Dustin Lynch.    Nichols is perhaps best known as the co-writer of Tim McGraw’s “Live Like You Were Dying,” which stayed at #1 for seven weeks, won a Grammy for Best Country Song, and was named Song of the Year by the Country Music Association, the Academy of Country Music, BMI, ASCAP, Billboard magazine, and the Nashville Songwriters Association International. It remains the only song to have won every major song award presented for country music.   The list of other artists who’ve recorded Nichols’ songs includes Blake Shelton, Faith Hill, Jason Aldean, Patty Loveless, Vince Gill, Montgomery Gentry, Kenny Chesney, Lonestar, Rascal Flats, Brad Paisley, Kenny Rogers, Tracy Byrd, Gretchen Wilson, Ronnie Milsap, and many more.  

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

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

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

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

EPISODE DETAILS: PART ONE Scott and Paul chat about why interviewing Chris Barron is a particularly significant milestone for them. PART TWO - 5:18 mark Chris Barron stops by Songcraft World Headquarters to chat about why he calls his musical background a “dog’s breakfast;” what his music teacher told him that blew his mind about songwriting; the reason he doesn’t like Eddie Vedder’s voice; what happened creatively when vocal cord paralysis kept him from being able to sing for many months; what he really thinks about playing “Two Princes” every night; and why, when he was talking to us, he really wanted to be standing on the arm of the couch howling and waving his underwear over his head. Plus, Chris performs two songs live and acoustic! ABOUT CHRIS BARRON Chris Barron is best known as the lead singer of the Spin Doctors whose major label debut album, Pocketful of Kryptonite, spawned the hit singles “Little Miss Can’t Be Wrong,” “Two Princes,” “Jimmy Olsen’s Blues,” “What Time is It?” and “How Could You Want Him (When You Know You Could Have Me)?” The album was certified five times platinum and earned the band an American Music Award nomination for Favorite Pop/Rock Album, as well as a Grammy nomination for Best Rock Performance. The Spin Doctors built a loyal fanbase through relentless touring, including a key stint as members of the H.O.R.D.E. festival alongside Widespread Panic, Blues Traveler, and Phish. Three additional albums followed, including Turn it Upside Down, another platinum release that spawned the charting singles “Cleopatra’s Cat” and “You Let Your Heart Go Too Fast.” The band eventually broke up after Barron experienced vocal cord paralysis and was told he may never sing again.  When his voice returned Barron embarked on what he has called "a journeyman songwriting experience," branching out to compose lyrics and music that draw from a variety of genres and influences. He returned to music with his debut solo album, Shag. His most recent release, Angels and One-Armed Jugglers, emerged after yet another struggle with vocal cord paralysis. The album has earned enthusiastic critical reviews and has given Chris an opportunity to pursue a solo career while continuing to perform with a reunited Spin Doctors. The band recently celebrated the 30th anniversary of its formation.