Songcraft: Spotlight on Songwriters

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.

EPISODE DETAILS: PART ONE Scott and Paul do a little housekeeping, including sharing listener-submitted additions to their "terrible artist mashup" game from last episode, announcing the winner of the signed Lamont Dozier CD contest, and sharing more information about our friends at Pearl Snap Studios.   PART TWO - 6:28 mark Mike stops by Songcraft World Headquarters to talk about the outside-the-box method he used to build an early following among college students; why he devoted himself to learning to play piano and guitar AFTER he'd scored a major hit; the reason he hates having a coffee table in the recording studio; why he originally told Adam Levine that Maroon 5 couldn't have "Sugar;" the surprising ways that Merle Haggard and Hank Williams, Jr. inspired "I Took a Pill in Ibiza;" and the reason Mike's label isn't allowed to hear his albums until they're finished. Plus, Mike performs two songs live and acoustic that will challenge what you think you know about him!  ABOUT MIKE POSNER Singer-songwriter, record producer, and poet Mike Posner emerged from the Detroit music scene to build a grassroots following by releasing mixtapes during his college years. After signing with Clive Davis’ J Records he broke through to national prominence with the double Platinum-selling Top 10 single “Cooler Than Me.” Subsequent hits as a solo artist include the Platinum-selling singles “Please Don’t Go” and “Bow Chicka Wow Wow,” which featured Lil Wayne. Posner is perhaps best known for the worldwide hit “I Took a Pill in Ibiza,” which has been streamed more than two billions times (with a b!), and was the second most-streamed song of 2016. “I Took a Pill in Ibiza” earned Mike a Grammy nomination for Song of the Year and turbocharged his reputation as an in-demand songwriter and collaborator. In addition to his own artist output, Posner is a behind-the-scenes songwriter of “Beneath Your Beautiful,” a #1 UK hit by Labrinth, “Boyfriend,” a multi-Platinum single for Justin Bieber, and “Sugar,” another multi-Platinum chart-topping hit for Maroon 5. Other artists who’ve released songs by Posner include Big Sean, Talib Kweli, Pharrell Williams, 2 Chainz, Wiz Khalifa, Nelly, T.I., Snoop Dogg, Avicii, Iggy Azalea, Nick Jonas, Cher Lloyd, and more. Beyond his solo work and his songwriting and production collaborations with other artists, Posner is also one half of the alternative hip hop duo Mansionz. He has released a book of poetry, Teardrops and Balloons, as well as a poetic spoken word album called I was born in detroit on a very, very, very, very, very, very, very cold day. Mike’s most recent single is “Song About You,” which is a prelude to his forthcoming studio album, which will be released in January on Island Records.

PART ONE Scott and Paul reveal their pick for the "other" greatest songwriter of all time to complete the list of 100 they introduced on the last episode. And they remind listeners how to enter the contest to win an autographed Lamont Dozier CD.  PART TWO - 5:14 mark The guys reveal their new favorite game of combining two artist names to create music you wouldn't want to hear. R. Kelly Clarkson? Jars of Clay Aiken? Days of the New Kids on the Block? Come on, you know you want to go down this rabbit hole with us... PART THREE - 13:45 Want to create professional demos of your original songs? We can help! PART FOUR - 15:23 Scott and Paul call up the always-interesting Kinky Friedman, who reveals the identity of the person he believes deserves credit for starting country music's outlaw movement; what Waylon Jennings said when he saw Kinky walking down the street with his laundry; how he ended up receiving the Male Chauvinist Pig of the Year Award from the National Organization for Women; the way Nelson Mandela embraced one of his songs; the advice Willie Nelson gave him that changed his life; the reason he writes about Jesus so much; and why he says you've got to be miserable to write great songs. ABOUT KINKY FRIEDMAN Always provocative and often insightful, singer, songwriter, novelist, humorist, and politician Kinky Friedman, along with his band the Texas Jewboys, brought the spirit of Lenny Bruce to country music. Called the Frank Zappa of country, Friedman raised eyebrows with politically incorrect fare such as “Get Your Biscuits in the Oven and Your Buns in the Bed,” “Homo Erectus,” “They Ain’t Makin’ Jews Like Jesus Anymore,” and “Asshole From El Paso.” Self-stylized as a profane Will Rogers, Kinky’s persona as a cigar-chomping raconteur often overshadowed his considerable skills as a songwriting craftsman. From the sharp social commentary of “We Reserve the Right to Refuse Service to You” to strictly serious fare such as “Rapid City, South Dakota,” “Dear Abbie,” and “Lady Yesterday,” his knack for keen observation and tightly constructed songs attracted the attention of admirers such as Billy Joe Shaver, Willie Nelson, Eric Clapton, and Bob Dylan, who invited Kinky and the Texas Jewboys to join his legendary Rolling Thunder Review tour. Dylan once said, “I don’t understand music. I understand Lightnin’ Hopkins. I understand Lead Belly, John Lee Hooker, Woody Guthrie and Kinky Friedman.” Friedman eventually set songwriting aside and built a reputation as a celebrated mystery novelist. He went on to become a columnist for publications such as Rolling Stone and Texas Monthly and has published a long list of fiction and non-fiction books. He even ran for Governor of Texas in 2006 under the campaign slogan “Why the hell not,” eventually coming in fourth with nearly a half million votes.  In 2018, Kinky the songwriter returned with his first album of new original material in nearly four decades. Circus of Life spotlights the chops of a master songwriter who never lost his touch.

SUPER-SIZED DELUXE DOUBLE EPISODE DETAILS: PART ONE Scott and Paul celebrate their 100th episode by looking back on the origins of Songcraft and answering Rolling Stone's list of the 100 Greatest Songwriters of All Time by counting down their own list of the 100 OTHER Greatest Songwriters of All Time.  PART TWO - 19:37 mark The guys revisit their love of Pearl Snap Studios in Nashville. PART THREE - 21:44 Scott and Paul chat about the search to find a writer for the 100th episode who's written at least 100 Top 10 hits on the Billboard charts. Plus, find out how to enter to win a signed copy of Lamont Dozier's new CD, Reimagination. PART FOUR - 26:26 Scott and Paul catch up with Lamont and proceed to be blown away by his amazing stories of  punching a time clock as a staff songwriter at Motown; an inside look at the company's weekly "quality control" meetings; the secret behind the unusual percussion on "Nowhere to Run;" what happened when Marvin Gaye forgot to learn "How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You)" before the recording session; why Diana Ross was pissed off when she cut the vocals for "Where Did Our Love Go;" which of Lamont's classics came about as a result of getting caught in a compromising situation at a no-tell motel; the time one of his Four Tops hits knocked one of his Supremes hits out of the #1 spot on the pop chart; the muse who inspired "Bernadette" and "I Hear a Symphony;" and what skills he believes are necessary for a long career as a songwriter. ABOUT LAMONT DOZIER Lamont Dozier, along with brothers Eddie and Brian Holland, wrote and produced more than 20 consecutive singles recorded by the Supremes, including ten #1 pop hits: “Where Did Our Love Go,” “Baby Love,” “Come See About Me,” “Stop! In the Name of Love,” “Back in My Arms Again,” “I Hear a Symphony,” “You Can’t Hurry Love,” “You Keep Me Hangin’ On,” “Love is Here and Now You’re Gone,” and “The Happening.” Other Top 5 singles they wrote for the Supremes include “My World is Empty Without You” and “Reflections.” In addition to their hits with the Supremes, Holland, Dozier, and Holland helped further define the Motown sound by writing major pop and R&B hits such as “Heat Wave,” “Nowhere to Run,” and “Jimmy Mack” for Martha and the Vandellas, “Mickey’s Monkey” for the Miracles, “Can I Get a Witness” and “You’re a Wonderful One” for Marvin Gaye, and “(I’m A) Road Runner” for Junior Walker and the All Stars. The trio found particular success with The Four Tops, who scored hits with their songs “Baby I Need Your Loving,” “I Can’t Help Myself (Sugar Pie Honey Bunch),” “It’s the Same Old Song,” “Reach Out I’ll Be There,” “Standing in the Shadows of Love,” and “Bernadette.” Additional hits include “Crumbs Off the Table” for Glass House, “Give Me Just a Little More Time” for Chairmen of the Board, “Band of Gold” for Freda Payne, and Dozier’s own recording of “Why Can’t We Be Lovers.” Hit cover versions of his songs by rock artists include “Don’t Do It” by the Band, “Take Me in Your Arms (Rock Me a Little While)” by the Doobie Brothers, “How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You)” by James Taylor, and “This Old Heart of Mine” by Rod Stewart. With hits spanning multiple decades, Dozier also co-wrote “Two Hearts” with Phil Collins, earning a #1 pop hit, a Grammy award, a Golden Globe, and an Oscar nomination. Dozier is in the Songwriters Hall of Fame and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. He is the recipient of the prestigious Johnny Mercer Award for songwriting, as well as the BMI Icon award. Lamont Dozier was additionally named among Rolling Stone magazine’s 100 Greatest Songwriters of All Time.

EPISODE DETAILS: PART ONE Scott turns the microphone around to ask Paul about the four songs he co-wrote on the album that just debuted at #3 on the Billboard 200 album charts behind Paul McCartney and Eminem. PART TWO - 6:58 mark Scott and Paul call up Jeff Hanna to get the inside scoop on the early days of the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band when Jackson Browne was playing kazoo; how Jeff first got into writing songs during the era when he was playing in Linda Ronstadt's backup band; why he didn't want his record label to release "Mr. Bojangles" as a single; how "yacht rock" made its way into the Dirt Band; the time Steve Goodman kicked his butt in racquetball with a chemo pump in his arm; how one of their singles flopped but became a hit record 5 years later when they released the exact same record again; the reason he and his wife, Nashville Songwriter's Hall of Famer Matraca Berg, set co-writing aside; and how it's possible that Jeff never met one of his "Bless the Broken Road" co-writers until they showed up at the Grammy awards together. ABOUT JEFF HANNA Jeff Hanna is a founding member of the pioneering country-rock and American roots music institution, The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band. As a vocalist and multi-instrumentalist with the group, Jeff has found success with songs such as “Buy For Me the Rain,” “Mr. Bojangles,” “House at Pooh Corner,” “An American Dream,” and the #1 country singles “Long Hard Road,” “Modern Day Romance,” and “Fishin’ in the Dark.”    As a songwriter, Jeff has written or co-written many of the Dirt Band favorites, including “Bayou Jubilee,” “Make a Little Magic,” “Fire in the Sky,” “Face on the Cutting Room Floor,” “Partners, Brothers, and Friends,” “Baby’s Got a Hold on Me,” “I’ve Been Lookin’,” and “Down That Road Tonight.” Hanna has found songwriting success outside the band with songs such as “High on Love,” which was a Top 20 country hit for Patty Loveless and “Bless the Broken Road,” which Rascal Flatts took to the top of the country chart in 2005. The latter earned Jeff a Grammy nomination for Song of the Year and a Grammy win for Best Country Song. The CMA Album of the Year honoree and four-time Grammy winner saw his band’s legendary Will the Circle Be Unbroken album inducted into the Library of Congress’s National Recording Archive and the Grammy Hall of Fame. He continues to tour with the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, and has been a consistent presence in the group for more than 50 years.  

PART ONE Scott and Paul go down the rabbit hole of why it's just not the same when certain famous musicians aren't accompanied by their indispensable musical compatriots. PART TWO - 8:15 mark Scott and Paul call up Matraca to get the lowdown on why she wanted to marry songwriter Red Lane when she was four years old; how she ended up with her first hit after crashing Bobby Braddock's party and sneaking into his music room; why she begged Deana Carter NOT to release "Strawberry Wine" as her first single; which of her songs she believes was partially inspired by Harlan Howard from beyond the grave; and why she doesn't want to be in the room with the producer or artist the first time she hears their version of one of her songs. ABOUT MATRACA BERG Matraca Berg landed her first #1 country single as a songwriter when she was just 18 years old. She went on to earn well over a dozen more Top 10 hits by artists such as Patty Loveless (who found success with “I’m That Kind of Girl” and “You Can Feel Better”), Trisha Yearwood (who scored with “Wrong Side of Memphis,” “XXX’s and OOO’s,” and “Everybody Knows”), and Deana Carter (who hit #1 with “We Danced Anyway” and “Strawberry Wine,” the latter earning the award for CMA Song of the Year). Other hits from the Matraca Berg songbook include Reba McEntire’s “The Last One to Know,” Martina McBride’s “Wild Angels,” The Dixie Chicks’ “If I Fall You’re Going Down with Me,” and Kenny Chesney and Grace Potter’s hit duet, “You and Tequila.” The list of others who’ve recorded Matraca’s songs includes Linda Ronstadt, Dusty Springfield, Emmylou Harris, Loretta Lynn, Ray Price, and Randy Travis. In addition to her success on the mainstream country charts, Berg is what All Music calls “an unclassifiable but utterly classy singer/songwriter and recording artist.” Her debut album, Lying to the Moon, spawned two Top 40 singles and earned her an ACM nomination for Top New Female Vocalist. Her Sunday Morning to Saturday Night album was named one of the Top 10 albums of the year by Time magazine, Entertainment Weekly, and USA Today, while The Dreaming Fields has earned rave reviews from Rolling Stone, NPR, The New York Times, and others. Berg has received three Grammy nominations for Best Country Song, was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2008, and received the prestigious ACM Poet’s Award in 2017. 

PART ONE Scott and Paul give a shout-out to their latest Patreon supporter before revealing their respective Top 5 favorite live albums of all time - a topic suggested by Songcraft listener Bob Hunt! PART TWO - 15:17 mark Scott and Paul call up Gary (with a slightly wonky phone connection) to get the lowdown on how a chance meeting at a French castle led to writing more than two dozen songs with a Beatle; why he thinks growing up on show tunes made him a better country writer; how attending the Woodstock festival changed his life; the poignant true story of his father's death that unexpectedly became a hit song; how he accidentally got Faith Hill a record deal; the Tim McGraw hit he wrote that got shelved for 7 years because his publisher hated it; why he says all songs are love songs; and how he went from country hitmaker to collaborating with Carole King, Kenny Loggins, Richard Marx, Desmond Child, and the American Idol team. ABOUT GARY BURR Gary Burr first found songwriting success when Juice Newton scored a Top 10 pop hit with “Love’s Been a Little Bit Hard on Me.” The floodgates soon opened on a remarkable string of Top 5 country hits, including “That’s My Job” for Conway Twitty, “Watch Me” for Lorrie Morgan, “Sure Love” for Hal Ketchum, “One Night a Day” for Garth Brooks, “I Try to Think About Elvis” for Patty Loveless, “Till You Love Me” for Reba McEntire, “Can’t Be Really Gone” for Tim McGraw, “To Be Loved By You” for Wynonna, “On the Side of Angels” for LeeAnn Rimes, “Out of My Bones” for Randy Travis, and many others. Burr eventually returned to his early pop success, scoring a hit with “Nobody Wants to Be Lonely,” which Ricky Martin and Christina Aguilera took to the top of the Latin charts. Additionally, he wrote Kelly Clarkson’s first hit, “Before Your Love,” which was the best-selling single the year it was released. He also wrote Clay Aiken’s “This is the Night,” which hit #1 the following year. Burr has collaborated with Carole King, both as a songwriter and as a member of her touring band. Similarly, he has worked as a backing musician with Ringo Starr and has co-written more than two dozen songs with Ringo that have appeared on the former Beatle’s albums in recent years. Burr and his wife, singer/songwriter Georgia Middleman, are currently in a band with Kenny Loggins called Blue Sky Riders. In addition to those mentioned, Burr’s songs have been recorded by Neil Diamond, Billy Ray Cyrus, Don Williams, Ricky Skaggs, Faith Hill, Lisa Loeb, Keith Urban, Kenny Rogers, Night Ranger, George Jones, Joe Cocker, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Lady Antebellum, and others. Gary was twice named Songwriter of the Year by the Nashville Songwriters Association, has been named ASCAP Country Songwriter of the Year, and was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame.