Songwriter Soup

Maren Morris ("My Church", "The Bones") parks it on the Soup couch this week for a deep dive on some of the most unexplored topics in the music industry. She unpacks the baffling reality of why producers get points but songwriters don't in the streaming age, spills the tea on how country radio works and the conversations artists are afraid of. She also covers a LOT about navigating major label deals, renegotiating contracts, and the crucial importance of creatives supporting creatives. Enjoy guys! See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Deric Ruttan (“What Was I Thinking” Dierks Bentley, “Mine Would Be You” Blake Shelton, “Any Ol’ Barstool” Jason Aldean) joins the trio this week to unlock the secret to staying in this business for a lifetime. He opens up about the emotional toll of the built in rejection part of this gig, the importance of separating work from identity for his own sanity, and how he manages to stay grounded in this topsy turvy industry. We discuss that magic male energy that can handle very strong women in creative spaces (which Deric has mastered in my opinion… oh hey, it’s Laura writing this). We also break down the paradox of a songwriter’s need to stay so so so vulnerable in the writing room, while also being so so so thick skinned the moment the song leaves the writing room…. A really challenging combo! Deric has managed to keep slinging hits for roughly three decades. If you’re one of those people who wants to do this forever and ever, amen, this is the episode for you!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Joybeth Taylor (“Choosin’ Texas” Ella Langley, “I Can’t Love You Anymore” Ella Langley & Morgan Wallen, “Empty Words” Corey Kent) is living through once-in-a-lifetime songwriter success with faith, grace and open hands. JoyBeth’s experience on music row is the quintessential Nashville journey—artist turned songwriter (waiter / nanny / lifeguard / day job / day job / day job…..) to revered addition to the writing room. The moment this story becomes singularly JoyBeth’s is through her long time partnership with record breaking artist, Ella Langley, whom she casually met while fishing. Joybeth is a fantastic example of patience and calm for anyone just starting out in this business, as well as those passing through a moment of success. Keep calm and carry on. She is also Songwriter Soup’s first guest as a non-profit! Welcome to season 5-01c3!!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week, we have Nashville’s most considerate publisher, Creative Nation’s Beth Laird on the podcast. Married to a hit songwriter (Soup season 1 alum, Luke Laird), Beth has a front row seat to the hearts, habits and creature comforts of creative minds. We talk about how Beth and Luke went against the publishing company grain when they started Creative Nation and how those decisions remain the core of the company’s ethos. We cover topics like the evolution of women in Nashville music, the emotional core of nurturing songwriters, the changing landscape of music consumption, and why sometimes, all you need is a good snack strategy to make people feel loved and seen. Beth is one of the good ones. Enjoy this episode!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week’s guest, artist and songwriter, Alana Springsteen (“ghost in my guitar”, “Hot Honey” and her latest album I Hope This Helps), discusses the burn out that comes with starting out in the music business at a young age, and the breaking points that led her back to making music for her own soul. Alana and the trio talk about how difficult it is to maintain a sense of genuine purpose in an industry that often props up the optics of monthly listenership and streams, while disregarding the potential and importance of a smaller, passionate, loyal audience. They discuss the evolving role of songwriters in artists’ lives, how a 'no matter what' mindset can transform your creative process and connect you with fans on a deeper level. Enjoy this episode!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.