Songcraft: Spotlight on Songwriters

Kendell Marvel built his career as a behind-the-scenes songwriter for Gary Allan, Chris Stapleton, Jake Owen, Lee Ann Womack, Blake Shelton, and George Strait before reinventing himself as a gritty Southern troubadour and making an album with The Black Keys' Dan Auerbach. EPISODE DETAILS: PART ONE Scott and Paul chat about a wild news story from this past week involving a previous Songcraft guest and recognize another recent Songcraft guest for achieving an amazing milestone. PART TWO - 10:05 mark The guys call up Kendell Marvel in Nashville to find out how he got his start in honky tonk bars at the age of ten; the childhood hero who ended up recording one of Kendell's songs; the Top 5 hit that he wrote on his very first day in Nashville; who he says is the closest thing we have to Willie Nelson today; the song that he was the most excited to find out had been recorded; the country star he refers to as Eeyore; why he thinks women are making the best music in Nashville today (even though they're not recording his songs); and how making a new record with Dan Auerbach was a life-changing experience. ABOUT KENDELL MARVEL The son of a coal miner, Kendell Marvel was raised in southern Illinois, where his father encouraged his love of country music and took him to play in the local honky tonks starting at the age of ten. He moved to Nashville as a young adult to pursue a career as a country artist, but ended up taking a nearly two-decade detour as a successful songwriter for other artists. Kendell’s breakthrough came with Gary Allan’s Top 5 country hit “Right Where I Need to Be.” He went on to write additional hit singles such as “Tougher Than Nails” by Joe Diffie, “Startin’ with Me” and “Don’t Think I Can’t Love You” for Jake Owen, “Twang” for George Strait, “That Lonesome Song” with Jamey Johnson, and “Either Way,” which was recorded by both Lee Ann Womack and Kendell’s co-writer, Chris Stapleton. Other artists who’ve recorded Kendell’s songs include Tracy Lawrence, Trace Adkins, Blake Shelton, Josh Turner, Randy Houser, Darius Rucker, Cody Johnson, Jim Lauderdale, Aaron Watson, Hank Williams, Jr., and Brothers Osborne. As an artist, Marvel has recorded two albums, Lowdown and Lonesome, and the forthcoming Solid Gold Sounds, which was produced by and mostly co-written with Dan Auerbach of The Black Keys. Kendell currently tours with Chris Stapleton and Brothers Osborne, introducing his unique take on Southern rock-influenced country to new audiences who’ve known his songs but are just getting to know his voice.

American Songwriter Podcast Network

The three-time Grammy winner, two-time ACM Songwriter of the Year, and star of NBC's Songland joins us to talk about a few of his 40 #1 hits, including "Mama's Broken Heart," "American Kids," "Vice," "Body Like a Back Road," and more. EPISODE DETAILS: PART ONE Scott and Paul put in a plug for Pearl Snap Studios! PART TWO - 3:02 mark The guys have a conversation about some of the worst cover songs of all time. PART THREE - 12:06 mark Paul and Scott head over to Shane's Los Angeles home to get his thoughts on being in a band with LeAnn Rimes when they were little kids; why he used to pray that God would give him another dream other than songwriting; how he had to wrestle with questions of authenticity and sexual identity to discover his artistic voice; the way that Kenny Chesney anointed him that opened the floodgates of commercial success; who he calls his favorite singer of all time; which of his hits he was most shocked was released as a single; what he thinks of the critics who say “Body Like a Back Road” drifted too far from country’s traditions; which of his songs he suspects other songwriters don’t like; the reason The Book of Mormon musical had a huge influence on him; and why joining the cast of NBC's Songland was so fulfilling. ABOUT SHANE MCANALLY With 40 #1 singles to his credit in the last decade, Shane McAnally is already one of the most successful country songwriters and producers of all time. After a brief career as an artist he reinvented himself as a behind-the-scenes hitmaker when Lee Ann Womack found success with his song “Last Call.” The floodgates soon opened with a steady stream of #1 hits, including “Somewhere with You” and “Come Over” for Kenny Chesney, “Alone with You” for Jake Owen, “Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye” for Luke Bryan, The Band Perry’s “Better Dig Two,” and “Downtown” by Lady Antebellum. Industry and critical recognition quickly followed Shane’s commercial success when Miranda Lambert’s recording of “Mama’s Broken Heart” and Kacey Musgraves’ “Merry Go ‘Round” were concurrently nominated for a Best Country Song Grammy, as well as for CMA Song of the Year. “Merry Go ‘Round” won the category and Shane was named the ACM Songwriter of the Year. Many of his songs have gone on to be recognized by the ACM, CMA, and Grammy awards, including “American Kids” by Kenny Chesney, “Take Your Time” by Sam Hunt, “Vice” by Miranda Lambert, “Drinkin’ Problem” by Midland, “Female” by Keith Urban, “Follow Your Arrow” and “Space Cowboy” by Kacey Musgraves, and Sam Hunt’s “Body Like a Back Road,” which set a new record by spending 34 weeks at number one on the Billboard country chart and was nominated by the CMA for Song of the Year two years in a row. Other highlights from Shane’s extensive song catalog include “Say You Do” and “Different for Girls” for Dierks Bentley; “Gonna Wanna Tonight” for Chase Rice; “Young & Crazy” for Frankie Ballard; “Stay a Little Longer” for Brothers Osborne; “Wild Child” for Kenny Chesney; “John Cougar, John Deere, John 3:16” for Keith Urban; “I Met a Girl” for William Michael Morgan; “T-Shirt,” “Unforgettable,” and “Marry Me” for Thomas Rett; “If I Told You” for Darius Rucker; “Written in the Sand” and “Make it Sweet” for Old Dominion; “Burn Out” for Midland, “Love Ain’t” for the Eli Young Band; and “Down to the Honkytonk” for Jake Owen. The list of additional artists who’ve recorded his songs includes Reba McEntire, Florida Georgia Line, Ashley Monroe, Kelly Clarkson, Sheryl Crow, Hunter Hayes, Tim McGraw, Sara Evans, Little Big Town, Blake Shelton, Carrie Underwood, Maren Morris, Trace Adkins, Tracy Lawrence, Kelsea Ballerini, and George Strait. Shane has been nominated for the ACM Songwriter of the Year award six out of the last seven years, and has won the honor twice. He’s a three-time Grammy winner and currently stars as a mentor on the NBC television show Songland, where he works with up-and-coming writers to craft material for artists like John Legend, will.i.am, The Jonas Brothers, Meghan Trainor, and Aloe Blacc.

American Songwriter Podcast Network

Matthew Sweet joins us to unpack his process of writing power pop gems like "Girlfriend," "The Ugly Truth," "Sick of Myself" and many others. EPISODE DETAILS: PART ONE Scott and Paul analyze mix tapes, cool bands, and "older brother rock." PART TWO - 5:29 mark Paul and Scott jump on the phone with Matthew Sweet, one of the nicest rock stars on the planet, to get the lowdown on how a postcard from Michael Stipe altered his musical future; why he says being a solo artist is lonely; the reason he describes the drums on "Girlfriend" as "odd." why a paralyzing fear of flying kept him off airplanes for nearly a decade; what he really thinks of being labeled "power pop;" why he was conflicted about making The Thorns album; what happened when he suggested that he and Susanna Hoffs write an album together; and the song he collaborated on with a Saturday Night Live legend that led to another SNL legend covering one of his very earliest recordings. ABOUT MATTHEW SWEET Best known for hits such as “Girlfriend” and “Sick of Myself,” Matthew Sweet is a melodically-oriented rock tunesmith who was at the center of the 1990s power pop revival. After befriending R.E.M., the native Nebraskan relocated to Georgia, where he joined Michael Stipe’s sister Lynda’s band, Oh-OK and launched his own group Buzz of Delight. Sweet eventually launched his solo career from New York and then Los Angeles, earning gold certification for his albums Girlfriend and 100% Fun. The latter was named one of the year’s best by Entertainment Weekly, and he has gone on to release a dozen more critically-acclaimed solo albums. Additionally, he has collaborated on a series of cover song projects with Susana Hoffs, as well as on an album of original material in collaboration with Shawn Mullins and Pete Droge under the name The Thorns. As a songwriter, Matthew has collaborated with The Jayhawks, Hanson, Michael Stipe, Chris Stamey, and Jules Shear, with whom he wrote the title track for ‘Til Tuesday’s album Everything’s Different Now. His most recent album is titled Wicked System of Things.

American Songwriter Podcast Network

Frequent Willie Nelson collaborator, award-winning producer, and co-writer of the CMA and ACM Song of the Year "Give It Away" Buddy Cannon joins us for an in-depth conversation. EPISODE DETAILS: PART ONE Scott and Paul talk about their friends at Pearl Snap Studios and share a listener-submitted clip highlighting what Pearl Snap can do for you, too! PART TWO - 3:47 mark Paul shares a recent eye-opening musical experience. PART THREE - 8:47 mark Scott calls up Buddy Cannon to learn about how he went from growing up in a family so poor they didn't have a car to becoming a legendary Nashville songwriter and record producer; how he started writing songs out of boredom, the circumstances of getting his first four cuts in two days (all by the CMA's Entertainer of the Year); how his first charting single became a #1 hit; the experience of writing his first song after getting sober; why he had to tell Kenny Chesney he couldn't produce his early albums; the real-life conversation that became his biggest hit; the time he freaked out when his musical hero called him on the phone; and how he and Willie Nelson only co-write via text message. ABOUT BUDDY CANNON Though widely recognized as a respected Nashville record producer, Buddy Cannon initially made his mark in the music business as a songwriter. His first charting single came with Mel Tillis’ recording of “I Believe in You,” which reached #1 on the Billboard country rankings in 1978. He went on to write several Vern Gosdin hits, including the #1 singles “Set ‘Em Up Joe” and “I’m Still Crazy.” George Straight took his “I’ve Come to Expect it from You” to #1, but his greatest success with Straight came in 2006 when “Give It Away” hit the top spot on the charts and went on to be named Song of the Year by both the Country Music Association and the Academy of Country Music. Additionally, Buddy’s songs have been recorded by Hank Snow, Loretta Lynn, David Allan Coe, Billy Ray Cyrus, George Jones, Gene Watson, Alabama, Bill Anderson, Don Williams, Tracy Byrd, and others. As a producer he’s worked on projects for Sammy Kershaw, Sara Evans, Chely Wright, Craig Morgan, John Michael Montgomery, Reba McEntire, Joe Diffie, Joe Nichols, Jamey Johnson, Randy Travis, Lionel Richie, Eric Clapton, Rhonda Vincent, Dolly Parton, and Merle Haggard. He has produced most of Willie Nelson’s recent albums, and has produced every Kenny Chesney album since 1997. His work with Chesney includes nearly two dozen #1 singles. A multiple Grammy winner, Cannon has also won a CMA and three ACM awards for his production work, including the ACM’s Producer of the Year honor in 2005.

Three-time Grammy nominee and pop songwriting powerhouse Justin Tranter joins us to talk about his process and his remarkable lists of hits for Chappell Roan, Fall Out Boy, Imagine Dragons, Selena Gomez, Justin Bieber, and many others.
PART ONE:
Scott and Paul nerd out on this year's Grammy nominations
PART TWO:
Our in-depth interview with Justin Tranter
ABOUT JUSTIN TRANTER:
Nominated for Songwriter of the Year at the Grammy Awards in 2024, Justin Tranter is one of the most successful writers in pop music. The recognition capped off a ten year streak of success that includes hits such as “Centuries” by Fall Out Boy, the Selena Gomez hits “Good for You,” “Hands to Myself,” and “Lose You to Love Me,” DNCE’s “Cake By the Ocean,” “Sorry” by Justin Bieber, “Close” by Nick Jonas, “Issues” by Julia Michaels, the Imagine Dragons singles “Believer,” “Natural,” and “Enemy,” Maroon 5’s “Cold,” “Bad at Love” by Halsey, and “Good Luck, Babe!” by Chappell Roan, which is nominated for Song of the Year at the upcoming Grammy Awards in 2025.
Tranter has additionally contributed to singles by artists such as Gwen Stefani, Britney Spears, Linkin Park, 5 Seconds of Summer, Bebe Rexha, Dua Lipa, Ariana Grande, Lady Gaga, and Miley Cyrus. Others who’ve drawn from the Justin Tranter songbook include Kelly Clarkson, Kacey Musgraves, John Legend, Shakira, Kesha, Christina Aguilera, Tori Kelly, Meghan Trainor, Tom Morello, The Chicks, Billy Porter, and Demi Lovato. In addition to a close songwriting partnership with Julia Michaels, Tranter’s regular collaborators include some of the biggest names in music, such as Cardi B, Sam Smith, Janelle Monae, Leon Bridges, and others.
Justin’s impressive list of accolades includes multiple GRAMMY and Golden Globe nominations, 16 BMI pop awards, including two consecutive BMI Songwriter of the Year awards, and being named a U.S. Global Music Ambassador as part of the U.S. Department of State and YouTube’s Global Music Partnership alongside Chuck D, Grace Bowers, Kane Brown, Herbie Hancock, Jelly Roll and others.