Songcraft: Spotlight on Songwriters

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 Hollies, the Four Seasons, and Jackson Browne. The Zodiacs’ original version became well-known to a new generation with the release of the multi-million selling soundtrack to the film Dirty Dancing in 1987. Following the success of “Stay,” Williams continued to perform with the Zodiacs, scoring charting pop singles such as the self-penned titles, “I Remember” and “Come Along.” His “May I” became a million-selling record for the Zodiacs and a Top 40 single for Bill Deal and the Rhondels in 1969. Williams continues to perform and record, and has been inducted into the Carolina Beach Music Hall of Fame, the Vocal Group Hall of Fame, the North Carolina Music Hall of Fame, and the South Carolina Music and Entertainment Hall of Fame.

Pioneering female artist and celebrated Queen of Rockabilly, Wanda Jackson, landed more than 30 songs on the Billboard charts between 1954 and 1974. These include the self-penned singles "Right or Wrong" and "In the Middle of a Heartache," two Top 10 hits which proved to be Jackson’s most successful records as a solo artist. Beginning her career as a pure country singer, Wanda’s debut single was a duet with Billy Gray called “You Can’t Have My Love.” Released on Decca Records, the song hit #8 on the country chart in 1954. She later switched to the Capitol label where she was encouraged by then-boyfriend and tour mate Elvis Presley to embrace rockabilly. Facing a lack of female-oriented material in the genre, Wanda penned her own songs, including the rockabilly standards "Mean Mean Man," "Rock Your Baby," "Cool Love" and "Baby Loves Him," each of which was released as a single on Capitol Records and later appeared on her classic Rockin' with Wanda LP. Additionally, she penned Top 10 hits for other artists, including Bobby Lord's "Without Your Love" in 1956, Buck Owens's "Kickin' Our Hearts Around" in 1962, and Ronnie Dove's revival of "Right or Wrong" in 1964. Jackson is a BMI Performance Award winner, multiple Grammy nominee, and a member of the International Rockabilly Hall of Fame. She was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2009. "I love her, she's so brilliant. I don't think 'Rollin' in the Deep' would exist if it wasn't for Wanda Jackson." - Adele "Wanda Jackson, an atomic fireball of a lady, could have a smash hit with just about anything." - Bob Dylan "Look around today and you can hear lots of rocking girl singers who owe an unconscious debt to the mere idea of a woman like Wanda. She was standing up on stage with a guitar in her hands and making a sound that was as wild and raw as any rocker, man or woman, while other gals were still asking, 'How much is that doggy in the window?'" - Elvis Costello "In his London office, [Paul] McCartney is surrounded by his roots and history - there is Beatles and Wings memorabilia, and a vintage jukebox loaded with 78s by Fats Domino, Wanda Jackson and Elvis Presley." - Rolling Stone magazine "There's an authenticity in her voice that conjures up a world and a very distinct and particular place in time." - Bruce Springsteen

Gordon Kennedy is a Nashville-based songwriter, producer, and guitarist best known for co-writing “Change the World,” which Eric Clapton took to the top of the charts and kept in the Top 20 on Billboard’s Adult Contemporary rankings for an unprecedented 81 weeks. That success won Kennedy a Grammy Award for Song of the Year and turbocharged his commercial songwriting career. After scoring a #3 Billboard country hit with “You Move Me” in 1998, Garth Brooks went on to release 10 more Kennedy-penned songs on his 1999 Chris Gaines album. These included the Top 5 pop hit “Lost in You” and “It Don’t Matter to the Sun,” which fell just shy of the Top 20 on the country chart. Kennedy has enjoyed additional charting singles, such as Faith Hill’s “It Will Be Me;” the Clark Family Experience’s “Meanwhile Back at the Ranch;” Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood’s “Love Will Always Win;” Carrie Underwood’s “The More Boys I Meet;” and Bonnie Raitt’s “I Can’t Help You Now,” “I Will Not Be Broken,” and “Gypsy in Me.” Other artists who’ve recorded Gordon’s songs include Tim McGraw, George Strait, Alison Krauss, Nickel Creek, Joan Osborne, Bruce Hornsby, Wynonna, Jerry Reed, Martina McBride, Kristin Chenoweth, and more. He has worked extensively with Ricky Skaggs and Peter Frampton, earning two Grammy nominations for his work on Skaggs’ Mosaic album and winning a Grammy for producing Frampton’s 2006 album, Fingerprints. His most recent project is called Heel, a celebrated reunion album with his mid-1990s band Dogs of Peace.

Mississippi native Trent Dabbs relocated to Nashville in the early 2000s, where he’s carved out a niche on the local indie rock and Americana scene. Over the last twelve years, he’s released ten solo albums, a collaborative EP with edgy country sensation Ashley Monroe, and two retro R&B inspired projects with fellow singer/songwriter Amy Stroup under the name Sugar + The Hi-Lows. Earning significant critical acclaim, All Music predicted that Sugar + The Hi-Lows “just might be the next breakout band to capture the nation’s imagination.” Dabbs is a co-founder of the Ten out of Tenn artist collective, and has collaborated with high-profile songwriters, including Lori McKenna, Gabe Dixon, Joy Williams of the Civil Wars, and Kacey Musgraves, with whom he penned the Top 40 country single “Undermine” from the hit TV show Nashville. Other songs from the Trent Dabbs catalog that have appeared on the series include “World on Time,” “I’m Coming Over,” “Shine,” and “Don’t Put Dirt on My Grave Just Yet,” which became a Top 40 hit for series regular Hayden Panettiere in 2014. Many of the songs from Dabbs’ solo projects have landed on high profile TV shows such as The O.C., The Hills, Grey’s Anatomy, One Tree Hill, So You Think You Can Dance, The Vampire Diaries, Pretty Little Liars, Hawaii-Five-O, NCIS, and others. Dabbs contributed six songs to Ingrid Michaelson’s 2014 album Lights Out, including “Girls Chase Boys,” a Top 10 single on both Billboard’s Hot Rock Songs and Adult Top 40 chart. His latest album as a solo artist is called The Optimist.   

Between 1961 and 1970 Steve Cropper was a fixture at Memphis’ legendary Stax Records and studio, where he worked as a producer, guitarist, engineer, artist, A&R man, and songwriter. During that era he penned over a dozen songs that reached the Top 10 on Billboard's R&B and Pop charts, including Otis Redding’s “Mr. Pitiful" and “(Sittin’ On) The Dock of the Bay;" Wilson Pickett’s “In the Midnight Hour,” “Don’t Fight It,” and “634-5789;” Eddie Floyd’s “Knock on Wood;” as well as “See Saw,” which was a hit for both Don Covay and Aretha Franklin. Additionally, his band Booker T. & the MG’s scored with several of Cropper’s co-written instrumental singles, such as “Green Onions,” “Hip Hug-Her,” “Soul-Limbo,” and “Time is Tight.” In the 1970s Steve joined the original incarnation of the Blues Brothers Band and appeared prominently in the film. Additionally, he produced memorable albums such as Tower of Power’s We Came to Play and Jon Cougar's Nothing Matters and What If It Did. Cropper issued a pair of solo albums in the 1980s and went on to release more recent albums in collaboration with former Rascals leader – and previous Songcraft guest – Felix Cavaliere. The multiple Grammy winner was named by Rolling Stone magazine as one of the Top 100 Guitar Players of All Time, while Mojo magazine named him the second greatest guitarist, after Jimi Hendrix. His reputation has earned him the opportunity to work with Big Star, John Lennon, Levon Helm, Bob Dylan, Eric Clapton, George Harrison, Tom Petty, Johnny Cash, Neil Young, Stevie Wonder, Peter Frampton, Jeff Beck, Paul Simon, Buddy Guy, Elton John, Joe Louis Walker, and many others. In the 1990s he was inducted into the Rhythm and Blues Hall of Fame, the Musicians Hall of Fame, and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Cropper received Tennessee's Arts and Humanities Lifetime Achievement Award in 2004, and was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2005.   The long list of artists who've covered Steve Cropper's songs includes The Bar-Kays, George Benson, The Blues Brothers, Michael Bolton, David Bowie, Glen Campbell, Clarence Carter, Cher, Eric Clapton, Color Me Badd, Ry Cooder, The Count Basie Orchestra, Creedence Clearwater Revival, King Curtis, Ella Fitzgerald, Free, Eddie Floyd, The Flying Burrito Brothers, The Grateful Dead, Buddy Guy, Sammy Hagar, Etta James, Al Jarreau, Waylon Jennings & Willie Nelson, Tom Jones, Janis Joplin, Albert King, B.B. King, Peggy Lee, Taj Mahal, Sergio Mendes, Buddy Miles, Aaron Neville, New York Dolls, The Ohio Players, Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers Esther Phillips, Wilson Pickett, Billy Preston, Lou Rawls, Otis Redding, Martha Reeves, The Righteous Brothers, Johnny Rivers, Roxy Music, Sam & Dave, Seal, Percy Sledge, Joe Simon, Bruce Springsteen, The Staple Singers, Steppenwolf, Rod Stewart, The Sweet Inspirations, T. Rex, James Taylor, Carla Thomas, Tina Turner, The Ventures, Mary Wells, Jackie Wilson, and The Young Rascals.

After Linda Ronstadt scored a Top 10 hit with Billy Steinberg’s “How Do I Make You” in 1980, he went on to score a series of chart-topping singles co-written with Tom Kelly, including “Like a Virgin” by Madonna, “True Colors” by Cyndi Lauper, “Alone” by Heart, "So Emotional" by Whitney Houston, and “Eternal Flame” by the Bangles. Additional Top 10 hits from the Steinberg/Kelly songbook include “In Your Room” by the Bangles, “I Touch Myself” by Divinyls, “I’ll Stand By You” by The Pretenders, and “I Drove All Night,” which was a major international hit three different times, first by Cyndi Lauper, then by Roy Orbison, and, finally, by Celine Dion. After Tom Kelly retired from the music business, Steinberg partnered with Rick Nowels, with whom he won a Grammy for their work on the title track to Celine Dion’s multiplatinum Falling Into You album in 1996. Since the mid-2000s, Billy has written extensively with Josh Alexander, with whom he penned JoJo's Top 5 pop hit "Too Little Too Late" and Demi Lovato’s “Give Your Heart a Break." Additionally, the pair partnered with songwriter/producer – and previous Songcraft guest - Toby Gad for Nicole Scherzinger's #1 UK chart-topper "Don't Hold Your Breath.” Other artists who’ve contributed to Steinberg’s long list of Billboard charting singles include Pat Benatar, Tina Turner, Susanna Hoffs, Chicago, Bette Midler, Ace of Base, Phil Collins, Katharine McPhee, Carrie Underwood, and many others. Tom Kelly and Billy Steinberg were inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2011.

Jamie Floyd is a West Palm Beach, Florida native who grew up in a musical family where she had the opportunity to perform as an opening act for Rascal Flatts, James Taylor, and others. By the age of 11 she’d signed her first production and publishing deals, eventually relocating to Nashville where she found success writing for other artists. She’s best known as the co-writer of “the Blade,” which became the title track to Ashley Monroe’s 2015 album and was named one of the top songs of the year by NPR Music. Co-produced by Vince Gill and featuring a guest appearance by Miranda Lambert, the song became the album’s centerpiece and helped earn the project a Grammy nomination for Best Country Album of the Year. Others who’ve recorded Floyd’s songs include former Brooks & Dunn front man Ronnie Dunn, who featured the song “Once” on his debut solo album, which went to the #1 spot on the Billboard country chart in 2011. Jamie’s song “Trouble Get Me Off Your Mind” was performed by R&B powerhouse Brian McKnight in Dolly Parton’s 2013 TV film A Country Christmas Story, while Hayden Panettiere’s character, Juliette Barnes, performed Jamie’s “Mississippi Flood” on the hit ABC television series Nashville. Floyd’s songs have also been heard on MTV’s Finding Carter, Lifetime’s The Client List, the CW Network’s Beauty & the Beast, and the Lifetime original movie, Manson’s Lost Girls. The SESAC honoree has enjoyed her cross-genre success by writing songs by day and waiting tables by night. The hard-working dual-career up-and-comer is a model for what it takes to carve out a space in Nashville’s increasingly competitive musical landscape. With her recent Sunshine & Rainbows EP attracting new fans and increased industry attention, Jamie Floyd is one to watch!

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’ On,” which was a hit on Billboard’s Mainstream Rock chart. Additionally, he wrote the title track for their 2011 album World Gone Crazy. In 2014, the band released the album Southbound, featuring duets with well-known country performers Blake Shelton, Hunter Hayes, Toby Keith, Chris Young, Brad Paisley, and others. Johnston continues to front the Grammy-winning Doobie Brothers alongside fellow founder, guitarist and songwriter Patrick Simmons. The band has sold more than 48 million albums, including The Best of the Doobies, which is among the 100 top-selling albums of all time. 

The legendary songwriting team of Tommy Boyce and Bobby Hart found early success with songs such as “Lazy Elsie Molly,” which was a Top 10 R&B hit for Chubby Checker, “Come a Little Bit Closer,” which was a Top 5 pop hit for Jay & The Americans, and the instrumental theme song for the long-running soap opera, Days of Our Lives. The pair are best known, however, for writing and producing more than 20 songs for The Monkees, including “Last Train to Clarksville,” “(Theme From) The Monkees,” “I Wanna Be Free,” “(I’m Not Your) Steppin’ Stone,” “She,” “Words,” and “Valleri.” As artists, the Grammy nominated duo found success in the late 1960s with the self-penned Top 40 hits “Out & About,” “I Wonder What She’s Doing Tonight,” and “Alice Long (You’re Still My Favorite Girlfriend).” Bobby Hart wrote a number of hit singles apart from Tommy Boyce, including “Hurt So Bad,” which was a hit for Little Anthony & The Imperials in 1965 before finding subsequent chart success with the Letterman, Jackie DeShannon, and Linda Ronstadt, who made it a Top 10 pop hit in 1980. He also wrote Helen Reddy’s #1 single “Keep on Singing,” as well as Lane Brody’s #15 country hit “Over You,” which was included in the film Tender Mercies and earned Bobby Golden Globe and Academy Award nominations in 1983. He continued to score on the R&B and pop charts into the 1980s with New Edition’s “My Secret” and Robbie Nevil’s “Dominoes.” Most recently, the Monkees recorded Boyce & Hart’s “Whatever’s Right” on their critically acclaimed 2016 comeback album, Good Times. In 2015 Bobby published his autobiography, Psychedelic Bubble Gum: Boyce & Hart, The Monkees, and Turning Mayhem into Miracles.   

Still in his 20s, Seth Mosley has emerged as one of the most sought-after and influential creators in the Christian music genre. Beginning as the founder, lead singer, guitarist, and songwriter of the band Me in Motion, Seth went on to become the go-to producer for major artists such as Newsboys, Michael W. Smith, Audio Adrenaline, and Toby Mac. In 2015 alone he scored a staggering eight #1 hits, including for KING & COUNTRY's "Fix My Eyes," Francesca Battistelli's "He Knows My Name," Mat Kearney’s “Air I Breathe,” and Jeremy Camps' "He Knows." In total, Seth has written nearly thirty charting radio singles. He was named Billboard Christian Producer of the Year for 2013; was awarded a Grammy for his production work on the Best Contemporary Christian Music album of 2014; was named SESAC Christian Songwriter of the Year in 2015; and took home four Dove Awards that same year, including both Producer and Songwriter of the Year.