Stories Behind the Songs

Adam Hambrick joins us this week on the Stories Behind the Songs podcast! Adam has several huge artist cuts along with a successful artist career of his own. Some of my favorite cuts of his that we’ll talk more about in this week’s episode are “How Not To” released by Dan + Shay (which was actually almost cut by Rascal Flatts) and “Somebody Else Will” by Justin Moore (which was ALSO almost cut by Rascal Flatts). He also recently put out his debut full-length solo album, “Free Country” back in 2023 and has racked up several million streams on his 2018 single “Rockin’ All Night Long.” Make sure to stay in the loop with what Adam’s got going on - he has an unreleased song, “Oxford” that will be coming out soon that has been a HUGE hit and fan favorite on The Listening Room stage when he’s played it here. In this episode, Adam also talks about being asked to get up on stage with Justin Moore to sing “Small Town USA,” learning to discern between a hit and just another song, the realities of record and publishing deals in Nashville, the story behind his song - “Oxford” as well as an awesome full-performance of the song, and going hard at Tin Roof after getting a song cut. If you enjoyed this episode, make sure to share it with your friends and give us a follow. Sharing all the Stories Behind the Songs is our #1 priority, and it’s because of listeners like YOU that we are able to continue doing it. I had such a good time catching up with Adam and hope you enjoy the episode as much as we did! Podcast Show Notes: Adam's Website - AdamHambrick.com Adam's Instagram - @AdamHambrick Adam's TikTok - @AdamHambrick Adam's YouTube - @AdamHambrick And follow us, Stories Behind the Songs, here: Listen/Subscribe/Follow - HERE   SBTSongs TikTok - @SBTSongs   SBTSongs Instagram - @SBTSongs   SBTSongs YouTube - @SBTSongs   Chris Blair's Instagram - @ChrisBlairMusic   Chris Blair's Website - ChrisBlair.com   The Listening Room's Website - ListeningRoomCafe.com   TLR's Instagram - @ListeningRoomCafe   TLR’s TikTok - @ListeningRoomCafe   And as always, a huge thank you to our sponsors: Sennheiser - https://www.sennheiser.com/en-us Imperfect Aesthetician - https://www.instagram.com/imperfectaesthetician/ Alclair In-Ear Monitors - https://alclair.com/ --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/sbtsongs/support

I’m so excited to have my good buddy Brian White on this week’s episode of the Stories Behind the Songs podcast! Brian White’s career in music has spanned over many decades and many genres - he got his start in Christian and gospel music and toured for about 15 years doing that. He eventually fell in love with the storytelling of country music and has become a true legend here in Music City. Brian not only has plenty of hits to his name, but he’s written more than a few country classics as well. Some of my personal favorite cuts of his that we cover in this episode are “Watching You” released by Rodney Atkins, “Blame It On You” by Jason Aldean and “Roll On Mississippi” by Charley Pride. He also has cuts with Rascal Flatts, Trace Adkins, and Gary Allan and Christian cuts like “Holding Out Hope To You” released by Michael English and “The Promise” by The Martins. In this episode, Brian and I also talk about the difference between CCM and country songwriting, starting out as a youth pastor following God’s calling for his life, and, as usual, the stories behind the songs! I’ve wanted to have Brian on the podcast for a longtime - in a lot of ways, he is a big reason that The Listening Room is where it is today. He was the one who organized the fundraiser in the early days when we were struggling that was a turning point for us and in turn also played a role in inspiring our "Sound Good. Do Good." program that gives back to non-profits every month. If you enjoyed this episode, make sure to share it with your friends and give us a follow. It’s our mission to share the Stories Behind the Songs and highlight the songwriters behind the stories, and it’s because of listeners like YOU that we are able to do it. Alright, here’s my good friend, Brian White! Podcast Show Notes: Brian's Website - HERE Brian's NSAI page - HERE Brian's Instagram - @BWTunes And follow us, Stories Behind the Songs, here: Listen/Subscribe/Follow - HERE   SBTSongs TikTok - @SBTSongs   SBTSongs Instagram - @SBTSongs   SBTSongs YouTube - @SBTSongs   Chris Blair's Instagram - @ChrisBlairMusic   Chris Blair's Website - ChrisBlair.com   The Listening Room's Website - ListeningRoomCafe.com   TLR's Instagram - @ListeningRoomCafe   TLR’s TikTok - @ListeningRoomCafe   And thanks to our sponsors! Sennheiser - https://www.sennheiser.com/en-us Imperfect Aesthetician - https://www.instagram.com/imperfectaesthetician/ Alclair In-Ear Monitors - https://alclair.com/ --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/sbtsongs/support

We’ve got Rocky Block with us for this week’s new episode of Stories Behind the Songs! I have known Rocky for years because I was close friends with his father and it’s been so cool to watch his career take off, from playing bass on a cruise line to having several top 40 hits, all within just a few years. It seems like Rocky has a writing credit on every hit single and #1 album lately. He’s collaborated with some of the biggest names in country music and has too many great cuts to list, but a few highlights include: “Can’t Help Myself” by Dean Brody, “Man Made a Bar” by Morgan Wallen and Eric Church, “Cowgirls” by Morgan Wallen and Ernest, “Broadway Girls” by Morgan and Lil Durk, “Whiskey Bent” by Cody Johnson and Jelly Roll and other cuts such as “Hammer to the Heart” with Teddy Swims who he says is not only a “generational talent” but also just a super nice guy. In this episode, we also cover his collaborations with Larry Fleet and Ashley Gorley, signing with Big Loud Publishing, writing “Jupiter” with Georgia Webster, being a fan of the artists he’s in the writer’s rooms with, and finding inspiration with new co-writers. He also gives us a quick performance of “Cowgirls”, and as always, we get to hear the story behind it - the idea for this one came from the TV show, Yellowstone! If you enjoyed this episode, make sure to share it with your friends and give us a follow. We are passionate about sharing the Stories Behind the Songs and getting to know the songwriters behind the stories, and it’s because of listeners like YOU that we are able to continue doing it. And thanks to our sponsors for all that you do for us! We appreciate you! More on our sponsors and other links below... Podcast Show Notes: Rocky's Instagram - @RockyBlock Rocky's Apple Music Playlist - click here And follow us, Stories Behind the Songs, here: Listen/Subscribe/Follow - HERE   SBTSongs TikTok - @SBTSongs   SBTSongs Instagram - @SBTSongs   SBTSongs YouTube - @SBTSongs   Chris Blair's Instagram - @ChrisBlairMusic   Chris Blair's Website - ChrisBlair.com   The Listening Room's Website - ListeningRoomCafe.com   TLR's Instagram - @ListeningRoomCafe   TLR’s TikTok - @ListeningRoomCafe   Our Sponsors: Sennheiser - https://www.sennheiser.com/en-us Imperfect Aesthetician - https://www.instagram.com/imperfectaesthetician/ Alclair In-Ear Monitors - https://alclair.com/ --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/sbtsongs/support

Jordan Feliz, GMA Dove Awards Winner and Platinum selling Christian artist, joins us for this week’s Stories Behind the Songs! Jordan has definitely come a long way in the industry. He started his career in Nashville working as a valet to make ends meet and living paycheck to paycheck. We actually met for the first time while he was doing the valet here at The Listening Room. Jordan talks about how this exposed him to meeting so many other talented musicians that worked here and played the stage. Jordan’s first ever release, “The River,” was also his first #1 song - crazy! He’s gonna talk about how the song idea came from a verse-of-the-day notification on his Bible app and how he wrote it with Colby Wedgeworth, Jeff Pardo, and Joe Silverberg. In the co-write, they talked about the Bible verse for hours but once they started writing, the song came together in just 45 minutes. “The River” spent 15 weeks at #1 on Christian charts which is so impressive and very difficult to pull off - especially in Christian music - and this just goes to show what a great song it is and how much it speaks to its listeners. In this episode, we also cover Jordan’s calling to Christian music, starting out leading worship at youth group, the complexities of Christian radio, writing a song for The Chosen Christmas movie, life on the road as an artist, having features with legendary Christian artists like Lecrae and Toby Mac, and his upcoming single “Praise God for That.” Which is coming out In just a couple weeks on June 21! If you enjoyed this episode, make sure to share it with your friends and give us a follow. It’s because of listeners like YOU that we are able to continue bringing the Stories Behind the Songs from legends in the industry. Quick shoutout to Sennheiser, Imperfect Aesthetician and Alclair In Ears for sponsoring us. We appreciate your love and support! It was so good to have him here - he’s a favorite in my family so I’m extra excited to share this one with y’all - here’s my friend, Jordan Feliz. Podcast Show Notes: Jordan's Facebook - @JordanFelizMusic Jordan's Instagram - @JordanFeliz Jordan's Website - JordanFeliz.com Jordan's Music on Spotify - here Jordan's Music on Apple - here And follow us, Stories Behind the Songs, here: Listen/Subscribe/Follow - HERE   SBTSongs TikTok - @SBTSongs   SBTSongs Instagram - @SBTSongs   SBTSongs YouTube - @SBTSongs   Chris Blair's Instagram - @ChrisBlairMusic   Chris Blair's Website - ChrisBlair.com   The Listening Room's Website - ListeningRoomCafe.com   TLR's Instagram - @ListeningRoomCafe   TLR’s TikTok - @ListeningRoomCafe   #SBTSongs --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/sbtsongs/support

Singer/Songwriter Brian Fuller joins us on Stories Behind the Songs this week! Brian moved to Nashville young and hungry in 2021 and has been all over town since then. He was one of Chris Blair's Unsigned Artist of the Month back in October 2023 and since then has landed a major cut with “I Could Be That Rain” for Randall King and a pub deal with Sony Music Publishing. Side note, if you haven't heard the behind the scenes from a publisher's input, check out our episode we did with Rusty Gaston, President/CEO of Sony Music Publishing. Brian recently released the song “Blue Skies Beautiful,” written with Brandon Kinney, and he just released a song on May 24th that he wrote with Joey Hyde and Justin Wilson called “That Girl Can Drive.” Definitely give that song a listen anywhere you find your music - it's a great one… At The Listening Room, we’re all about supporting the songwriters behind the songs our favorite artists are putting out, but it’s always fun talking to someone like Brian who is killing it at both songwriting AND artistry. In this episode, we’ll also take a dive into Brian’s favorite lyrics from his song - “Blue Skies Beautiful,” his love/ hate relationship with the “oversaturated” music industry, and figuring out how to say something that’s been said a thousand times in a new way when he's writing a song. As usual, we also get to hear Brian play some of “I Could Be That Rain” and “Blue Skies Beautiful.” Make sure to check out Brian’s single that just came out, and if you enjoyed this episode, share it with your friends, give us a follow, and check out our SBTS Spotify playlist - highlighting the songs written by our podcast guests. We are passionate about sharing the stories behind the songs and highlighting the writers with those stories, and we need your support to keep going! A big shout out to our sponsors as well! Sennheiser Microphones, Bose, Imperfect Aesthetician & Alclair In Ears - we appreciate your support! Make sure to use our code SBTSongs for 10% off at checkout! Let’s get to it - this is Brian Fuller. Podcast Show Notes: Brian's Instagram - @BrianFullerMusic Brian's TikTok - @BrianFullerMusic Brian's New Single "That Girl Can Drive" - Available HERE And follow us, Stories Behind the Songs, here: Listen/Subscribe/Follow - HERE   SBTSongs TikTok - @SBTSongs   SBTSongs Instagram - @SBTSongs   SBTSongs YouTube - @SBTSongs   Chris Blair's Instagram - @ChrisBlairMusic   Chris Blair's Website - ChrisBlair.com   The Listening Room's Website - ListeningRoomCafe.com   TLR's Instagram - @ListeningRoomCafe   TLR’s TikTok - @ListeningRoomCafe   #SBTSongs --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/sbtsongs/support

Emily Landis is here with us this week on Stories Behind the Songs! It was so good to have her onstage with us. Emily is killing it right now after being in Nashville for 12 years - she has recent cuts with artists like Tiera Kennedy, Dylan Scott and Gabby Barrett. She got her first #1 hit with Gabby Barrett’s “The Good Ones” written back in 2018 which ended up getting multiple CMA noms for Song and Single of the Year. You’ll hear how this song started with just a title and was almost trashed - we’re very glad she didn't do that! We also go over “Stuck In My Ways” - one she wrote for Lauren Watkins who is the current opener for Morgan Wallen. This song’s writing process began similarly to “The Good Ones” and has an awesome story behind it. While sitting together this week, we also discussed Emily losing her first pub deal with Big Machine which motivated her to make more contacts, play more rounds and get her name around Music Row. We cover the story behind “Chasin’ Tornados” - written with Jamie Moore and Lainey Wilson, and Emily answered the question - melody or lyric first when she's writing songs? And, as always, Emily performs a couple of her songs for us - “The Good Ones” and “Chasin’ Tornados.” If you enjoyed this episode, make sure to share it with your friends and give us a follow. It is our mission to bring you the Stories Behind the Songs from the songwriters themselves and it's because of YOU that we get to keep going. Let’s jump in - here’s Emily Landis. Podcast Show Notes: Emily's TikTok - @emily_landis Emily's Instagram - @emily_landis Emily's Apple Music Playlist - here And follow us, Stories Behind the Songs, here: Listen/Subscribe/Follow - HERE   SBTSongs TikTok - @SBTSongs   SBTSongs Instagram - @SBTSongs   SBTSongs YouTube - @SBTSongs   Chris Blair's Instagram - @ChrisBlairMusic   Chris Blair's Website - ChrisBlair.com   The Listening Room's Website - ListeningRoomCafe.com   TLR's Instagram - @ListeningRoomCafe   TLR’s TikTok - @ListeningRoomCafe   And thanks to our sponsors! We couldn't do it without the support of Sennheiser, Imperfect Aesthetician & Alclair In-Ear Monitors --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/sbtsongs/support

We’ve got Brice Long with us on the podcast this week. Brice has enjoyed a successful 25+ year music career. As a songwriter he has had over 100 of his songs cut with artists such as Garth Brooks, George Strait, Chris Stapleton, Hank Williams Jr, Randy Houser, Josh Turner, Reba McEntire, Gary Allan, Cody Johnson, Chris Young, Jon Pardi, Easton Corbin, Lainey Wilson, Casey James, Darryl Worley, Randy Travis, Gretchen Wilson, John Michael Montgomery, Porter Wagoner and many more. Brice has tons of wisdom to share when it comes to getting a start in music city. This is a guy who started off struggling to pay his bills and has come full circle with several hits for major artists and his own foundation which he created to give back to the community. This week, we focus on the stories behind "Nothing On But the Radio" by Gary Allan, "Heartache on the Dance Floor" by Jon Pardi, and "Like A Cowboy" by Randy Houser.  Brice had a record deal with RCA and got dropped, but secured a #1 with Gary Allen that same year. He talks about his collaboration with Jon Pardi on several songs, emphasizing hard work and the importance of jumping on a good opportunity. On this episode, we also cover his work with Randy Houser, including the CMA-nominated "Like A Cowboy," opening many doors and his foundation, "Back to Back," helping over 150 families in the community. Brice is extremely humble and throughout the episode, consistently credits God mixed with hard work for his success. If you enjoyed this episode, give us a follow and check out our Stories Behind the Songs playlist to hear more of the songs Brice has written throughout his career.  We also want to shout-out our sponsors Sennhesier, Imperfect Aesthetician, and Alclair In Ears – if you’re looking for a good set of in-ear monitor make sure to take advantage of 10% off by placing an order at alclair.com/sbtsongs! Alright, let’s get to it - here is Brice Long.  Podcast Show Notes: Brice's Instagram - @BriceLongSongs Brice's Website - BriceLongMusic.com And follow us, Stories Behind the Songs, here: Listen/Subscribe/Follow - HERE   SBTSongs TikTok - @SBTSongs   SBTSongs Instagram - @SBTSongs   SBTSongs YouTube - @SBTSongs   Chris Blair's Instagram - @ChrisBlairMusic   Chris Blair's Website - ChrisBlair.com   The Listening Room's Website - ListeningRoomCafe.com   TLR's Instagram - @ListeningRoomCafe   TLR’s TikTok - @ListeningRoomCafe   --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/sbtsongs/support

Davis Loose joins us today and man I have loved getting to know him these past couple years. I met Davis when he was just 16 at the St Augustine’s songwriter’s festival. I host this festival every year out in Florida and the year I met Davis I was genuinely surprised by how talented he was. He is a fantastic songwriter and performer so when I heard he was thinking about making the move to Nashville, I told him he'd have a job at the Listening Room. Davis has been in town for just 2 years now and during that time he has - grown his network to writing with guys like Mark Irwin, went from serving tables here at the Listening Room to playing our main stage, writing a song that made its way to American Idol, and puts in the work writing 5 days a week. Davis has one single out so far titled - John Deere Tractor Beer and tells the story behind this one and plays a piece of it for us. Davis is young and fresh in Music City and has a lot of great work left to do. Right now, he has the opening slot on Randy Houser’s upcoming tour, is continuing to play songwriters festivals, and continues to write and build his camp with some iconic songwriters here in town. We had a lot of fun during this one and are so excited to introduce you to one of Nashville’s up-and-comers. You can find Davis on Instagram @davisloose and be sure to check out his recent release “John Deere Tractor Beer” anywhere you get your music. It's a great one. If you enjoyed this episode, give us a follow and click that notification button to stay up to date when new episodes are released. We also want to shout-out our sponsors Sennheiser, Imperfect Aesthetician, and Alclair In Ears – if you’re looking for a good set of in-ear monitor make sure to take advantage of 10% off by placing an order at alclair.com/sbtsongs! Alright, let’s go - here is Davis Loose! Podcast Show Notes: Davis' Instagram - @DavisLoose Davis' YouTube - @davisloose And follow us, Stories Behind the Songs, here: Listen/Subscribe/Follow - HERE SBTSongs TikTok - @SBTSongs SBTSongs Instagram - @SBTSongs SBTSongs YouTube - @SBTSongs Chris Blair's Instagram - @ChrisBlairMusic Chris Blair's Website - ChrisBlair.com The Listening Room's Website - ListeningRoomCafe.com TLR's Instagram - @ListeningRoomCafe TLR’s TikTok - @ListeningRoomCafe #SBTSongs --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/sbtsongs/support

Well this week took a turn! As I was sitting down ready to interview Davis Loose (who I did end up interviewing and his episode comes out next week!) my staff had tricked me and he took over the interview! It was a surprise and I wasn't sure how it would go, but we had a lot of fun. So on this episode, you get to hear more about me...Chris Blair. You'll hear how I got into music, what moved me to Nashville and how I ended up starting The Listening Room. You'll hear the struggles I went through in the beginning and what I did to overcome those. It's a little of the story behind me and TLR - so I hope you enjoy it! As always, a big shoutout to our sponsors: Sennheiser Microphones, Imperfect Aesthetician and Alclair In-ears. We have a new discount for Alclair, so if you need a great set of in-ear monitors check out Alclair.com/sbtsongs. And follow us (and me), here: Listen/Subscribe/Follow - HERE SBTSongs TikTok - @SBTSongs SBTSongs Instagram - @SBTSongs SBTSongs YouTube - @SBTSongs Chris Blair's Instagram - @ChrisBlairMusic Chris Blair's Website - ChrisBlair.com The Listening Room's Website - ListeningRoomCafe.com TLR's Instagram - @ListeningRoomCafe TLR’s TikTok - @ListeningRoomCafe #sbtsongs --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/sbtsongs/support

Jordan Dozzi joins us this week on Stories Behind the Songs! Jordan landed his very first number one on the charts ~ just this week actually ~ with Morgan Wallen! “Man Made A Bar” - written by Jordan Dozzi, Larry Fleet, Rocky Block, and Brett Tyler - was originally meant to be released by Larry Fleet. In this episode, we learn how Morgan heard it, loved it, and RELEASED it himself - sending it up the charts to number 1. Jordan’s catalog of songs includes - “Things I Take For Granted” for Larry Fleet, “Get The Girl” for Seaforth, “Fine By Me” for Chase Matthews, “It Don't, He Won't, You Do” for Jake Owen, and a song for Nelly - which was his very first cut ever - CRAZY! We take a look at the stories behind all of these songs and as always - we get to hear Jordan play a couple of them.  Also discussed in this episode: Jordan’s upbringing in Australia, the logistics of pursuing music as an Australian citizen in the US, making music signed under Big Loud and the type of community that comes with that, and he came in with Ernests’s guitar because his girlfriend stole his. It was a Cole Clark and I definitely had to give it a play before he left… If you liked this episode, make sure to share it with your friends and give us a follow. It is our mission to bring you the Stories Behind the Songs from the songwriters themselves and it's because of YOU that we get to keep going. Let’s get to it - this is Jordan Dozzi. Podcast Show Notes: Jordan's Apple Playlist - here Jordan's Instagram - @JordanDozzi And follow us, Stories Behind the Songs, here: Listen/Subscribe/Follow - HERE   SBTSongs TikTok - @SBTSongs   SBTSongs Instagram - @SBTSongs   SBTSongs YouTube - @SBTSongs   Chris Blair's Instagram - @ChrisBlairMusic   Chris Blair's Website - ChrisBlair.com   The Listening Room's Website - ListeningRoomCafe.com   TLR's Instagram - @ListeningRoomCafe   TLR’s TikTok - @ListeningRoomCafe   #SBTSongs And thanks to our sponsors! Sennheiser Microphones, Imperfect Aesthetician & Alclair In-Ear Monitors! Check out Alclair.com/SBTSongs to get 10% off your order! --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/sbtsongs/support

Jenn Schott joins us today on the Listening Room stage for this week's episode of Stories Behind the Songs! Jenn is a true TLR OG, she's been playing our stage since the Franklin and 2nd Avenue days.  She’s a seasoned songwriter here in Nashville, and it was so cool to hear more about her journey to where she is now and her many incredible accomplishments - cuts with Tim McGraw and Mickey Guyton, playing the Ryman stage, and a placement on NSAI’s “Top 10 Songs I Wish I’d Written” list, to name a few. She recently got a cut on Rascal Flatts’ most recent album release, How They Remember You, with “Feel It In The Morning.”  It was awesome to hear how Jenn went from handing out resumes on Music Row to being the VP on the board of NSAI. In this episode, she offers up some excellent advice for aspiring songwriters that was passed down from one of her journalism professors at Mizzou. Here’s the takeaway - don’t wait to make the move to Nashville; follow your gut and do it now.  If you enjoyed this episode, give us a follow and check out Jenn’s socials to keep up with what she’s got going on.   We also want to shout-out our sponsors Sennhesier, Imperfect Aesthetician, and Alclair In Ears – if you’re looking for a good set of in-ear monitor make sure to take advantage of 10% off by placing an order at alclair.com/sbtsongs! Alright, let’s go - here’s Jenn Schott.  Podcast Show Notes: Jenn's Instagram - @JennSchott Jenn's Website - JennSchott.com And follow us, Stories Behind the Songs, here: Listen/Subscribe/Follow - HERE   SBTSongs TikTok - @SBTSongs   SBTSongs Instagram - @SBTSongs   SBTSongs YouTube - @SBTSongs   Chris Blair's Instagram - @ChrisBlairMusic   Chris Blair's Website - ChrisBlair.com   The Listening Room's Website - ListeningRoomCafe.com   TLR's Instagram - @ListeningRoomCafe   TLR’s TikTok - @ListeningRoomCafe   #SBTSongs --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/sbtsongs/support

Justin Ebach is this week’s guest on Stories Behind the Songs. Justin has done so much so far in his songwriting career – he was named SESAC songwriter of the year TWICE and won the CMA Triple Play Award in 2019. If you’re not sure what that is, a CMA Triple Play Award is given to songwriters who have secured three #1 hits within a 12-month period. This is insanely impressive and not easy to accomplish. We are going to dive into those three number ones and more on this week’s episode! Justin has so many cuts and a good handful of those made it to number one – a few of his number one hits include “Here Tonight” by Brett Young, “Down to One” by Luke Bryan, “Good Girl” by Dustin Lynch, “Singles You Up” by Jordan Davis, and “When I Pray For You” by Dan and Shay.  Justin takes us behind the scenes of so many cool stories in this episode and we can’t wait for you to hear them. Give us a follow to stay up to date when new episodes drop with some of Nashville’s greatest and let us know what you think! If there are any specific stories, artists, or songwriters you’d like to hear – shoot us a DM! We love connecting you with the Stories Behind the Songs. We also want to give a special shout-out to our sponsors Sennhesier, Imperfect Aesthetician, and Alciar In Ears – if you’re looking for a good set of in-ear monitor make sure to take advantage of our code “SBTSONGS” at checkout for 10% off!   Alright – let's get into it... This is Justin Ebach! Podcast Show Notes: Justin's Instagram - @EbachMusic And follow us, Stories Behind the Songs, here: Listen/Subscribe/Follow - HERE   SBTSongs TikTok - @SBTSongs   SBTSongs Instagram - @SBTSongs   SBTSongs YouTube - @SBTSongs   Chris Blair's Instagram - @ChrisBlairMusic   Chris Blair's Website - ChrisBlair.com   The Listening Room's Website - ListeningRoomCafe.com   TLR's Instagram - @ListeningRoomCafe   TLR’s TikTok - @ListeningRoomCafe   #SBTSongs --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/sbtsongs/support

This week we’ve got Michael Lotten with us on Stories Behind the Songs. Michael moved to Nashville when he was around 22 from Missouri and started off working in restaurants and playing in cover bands. He’s going to talk about the song that got him his first publishing deal in town “Alcohol You Later” by Mitchel Tenpenny, writing with Tenpenny before either of them had deals, and the many cuts that followed. You’ll hear the stories behind “Mommas House” for Dustin Lynch, “Money on Me” and “Last Drive Down Main” for Morgan Wallen, and “Mistake” for Chris Lane. We dig into the meaning behind Mistake and look closer at the lyrics – this one was so cool to take apart and dissect. Michael also talks about his most recent cut which was just released on March 1. We take a deep dive into this one too looking at some of the lyrics that took this song from the writer’s room to Keith Urban... Check out Michael Lotten in the liner notes below and give us a follow if you enjoyed this episode and tell your friends! It’s because of your support that we are able to sit down on the Listening Room stage and dive deeper into the stories that make up some of country music’s best songs. We also want to give a special shout-out to our sponsors Sennhesier, Imperfect Aesthetician, and Alclair In Ears – if you’re looking for a good set of in-ear monitor make sure to take advantage of our code “SBTSONGS” at checkout for 10% off! Let’s get to it – this is Michael Lotten. Podcast Show Notes: Michael's Intagram - @MichaelLotten And follow us, Stories Behind the Songs, here: Listen/Subscribe/Follow - HERE   SBTSongs TikTok - @SBTSongs   SBTSongs Instagram - @SBTSongs   SBTSongs YouTube - @SBTSongs   Chris Blair's Instagram - @ChrisBlairMusic   Chris Blair's Website - ChrisBlair.com   The Listening Room's Website - ListeningRoomCafe.com   TLR's Instagram - @ListeningRoomCafe   TLR’s TikTok - @ListeningRoomCafe   #SBTSongs --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/sbtsongs/support

We’ve got UK artist Twinnie with us this week on the podcast! Twinnie is from England and made the move to Nashville just last year to pursue a career in country music. She comes from a long background of performing from growing up on stages in musical theatre to acting in movies and backup dancing for iconic artists like Robin Thicke and Pharell Williams.   Twinnie is going to dive into how she started her career in Nashville, making connections wherever she could – Jamey Johnson being one of those connections – and takes us into the stories behind her songs, The Way I Loved You, her EP Just Like Earle (based off of Goodbye Earle by the Chicks), and her most recent release Take a Break. We talk about the importance of relationships and how they have formed her into who she is today... Twinnie was also just named 2024 Next Women of Country – she takes us to the moment when she found out about it, how she thought she was being asked to just play a show, but was pleasantly surprised that it would be much more than that... If you’re not sure what it is, CMT’s Next Women of Country highlights a lineup of women who are making great music and accomplishing awesome things in the industry. They highlight women across all of the CMT screens, providing them with several other opportunities throughout the year... Twinnie is more than deserving of this honor – keep an eye out for her! Apart from touring and writing music, Twinnie has started her own non-profit called “I Know A Woman” designed to connect female artists to opportunities in the industry. It was a joy sitting down with Twinnie and we can’t wait to see what she has coming up next. Make sure to stream Twinnie wherever you find your music and give us a follow if you enjoyed this episode. We want to know your feedback! If there are any stories, questions, or artists you’d like to see on the podcast, let us know! Shoot us a DM on instagram or tik tok @sbtsongs and we will do our best to incorporate your suggestions! We also want to give a special shout-out to our sponsors Sennhesier, Imperfect Aesthetician, and Alciar In Ears – if you’re looking for a good set of in-ear monitor make sure to take advantage of our code “SBTSONGS” at checkout for 10% off!    Let’s get to it – this is Twinnie! Show Notes: Twinnie's TikTok - @TwinnieOfficial Twinnie's Instagram - @TwinnieOfficial Twinnie's Other Links - Here! And follow us, Stories Behind the Songs, here: Listen/Subscribe/Follow - HERE   SBTSongs TikTok - @SBTSongs   SBTSongs Instagram - @SBTSongs   SBTSongs YouTube - @SBTSongs   Chris Blair's Instagram - @ChrisBlairMusic   Chris Blair's Website - ChrisBlair.com   The Listening Room's Website - ListeningRoomCafe.com   TLR's Instagram - @ListeningRoomCafe   TLR’s TikTok - @ListeningRoomCafe   #SBTSongs --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/sbtsongs/support

We’ve got Josh Phililips with us on the Listening Room stage for this week’s brand new episode of Stories Behind the Songs. Josh's journey began listening to the artists that he now has regular cuts with including Jason Aldean and Brantley Gilbert. His career began singing at biker bars in North Carolina until he landed a spot playing local gigs with Luke Combs. What would soon become a collaborative duo, Josh and Luke started taking monthly trips to Nashville where they frequently played at some of Nashville’s bars like Winners and Losers. Josh talks about how outside of Winner's bar Luke said to him, “Man, our angels are working overtime.” Co-written by Josh Phillips, Luke Combs, and Josh Thompson, “Angels Workin’ Overtime” now has over 35 million streams on Spotify. Josh and I talk about this song in our conversation, as well as how this was a pivotal moment in his career. After flipping an early 20th century farmhouse with his wife, Josh wrote “Dirt Cheap,” and we discuss how this song went from a frustrating indefinite hold to becoming a Cody Johnson (and TLR!) favorite. (If you love “Dirt Cheap,” thank Josh’s wife, Jordan - it was her idea to send the song to Cody in the first place!) In this episode, Josh and I also go through the exciting process of his first publishing deal at Warner/Chappell Music, co-signed with Brantley Gilbert. We wrap it up with some hard-earned advice from Josh to aspiring writers - keep doing what you’re doing - and to himself - keep playing that guitar. If you enjoyed this episode, give us a follow and check out Josh’s socials to stay current with what he’s got in the works. We also want to shout-out our sponsors Sennhesier, Imperfect Aesthetician, and Alclair In Ears – if you’re looking for a good set of in-ear monitor make sure to take advantage of our code “SBTSONGS” at checkout for 10% off! Show Notes: Josh's Instagram - @imjoshphillips Josh's Spotify Link - here And follow us, Stories Behind the Songs, here: Listen/Subscribe/Follow - HERE   https://linktr.ee/sbtsongs SBTSongs TikTok - @SBTSongs   https://www.tiktok.com/@sbtsongs SBTSongs Instagram - @SBTSongs   https://www.instagram.com/sbtsongs/ SBTSongs YouTube - @SBTSongs   https://www.youtube.com/@SBTSongs Chris Blair's Instagram - @ChrisBlairMusic   https://www.instagram.com/chrisblairmusic/ Chris Blair's Website - ChrisBlair.com   https://www.chrisblair.com/ The Listening Room's Website - ListeningRoomCafe.com   https://www.listeningroomcafe.com/ TLR's Instagram - @ListeningRoomCafe   https://www.instagram.com/listeningroomcafe/ TLR’s TikTok - @ListeningRoomCafe   https://www.tiktok.com/@listeningroomcafe #SBTSongs --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/sbtsongs/support

Hey friends! We are back with another episode of Stories Behind the Songs and this week we sit down with Chris DeStefano! Chris has written songs for so many amazing artists like Luke Bryan, Chase Rice, Dan and Shay, Carrie Underwood, Chris Young, Morgan Evans, Miranda Lambert, Jason Aldean, Rascal Flatts, Jake Owen, Thomas Rhett, Jason Mraz – JUST to name a few... I mean the list goes on and on. Chris is not only an incredible writer, but he is an amazing guitar player and has a great voice... If you’ve never seen him live or play at the Listening Room, you are going to hear exactly what I mean later in this episode when he plays a couple of his songs... Chris came to Nashville from New Jersey back in 2013 and started to hit the ground running with his first write in town turning into a cut for Eli Young Band. Chris has been dedicated to his music since the beginning spending 10 – 12 hours a day learning guitar and traveling with his choir group growing up... Moving to Nashville was a no brainer for him. We cover topics like the difference between the songwriting community in Nashville and LA, a deep dive into several of his cuts including “Something in the Water” and “Good Girl” for Carrie Underwood, “I Feel Like Dancing” for Jason Mraz, “Rewind” for Rascal Flatts, and his cut for Chris Young - “End of a Bar”. Chris takes us into the writer’s room with Carrie Underwood and Chris Young – you’re going to feel like you were there with them that day – these are incredible stories. We also touch on his publishing company “Winsongs” and Chris discusses how he started it and how it has taken off since, with writers like Emily Shackleton, Jason Duke, and Eric Van Houten on the roster – and all of them have found their way on this podcast. Give Chris a follow in the liner notes below to stay up to date and give us a follow if you enjoyed the episode – we are able to sit down with amazing songwriters and artists thanks to your support! We also want to give a special shout-out to our sponsors Sennhesier, Imperfect Aesthetician, and Alclair In Ears – if you’re looking for a good set of in-ear monitor make sure to take advantage of our code “SBTSONGS” at checkout for 10% off! Alright lets get to it – here is my buddy Chris DeStefano! SHOW NOTES: Chris' #1 songs include Carrie Underwood ("Good Girl”, “Little Toy Guns”, “Smoke Break”, “Something in the Water”, Super Bowl LII and 2018 Olympic Games Theme Song “The Champion"), Dan + Shay (“From the Ground Up”, “Nothin’ Like You"), Jason Aldean (“Just Gettin’ Started”), Billy Currington (“Hey Girl”), Brett Eldredge (“Don’t Ya”), Luke Bryan (“That’s My Kind of Night”, “Kick the Dust Up"), Miranda Lambert (“Somethin’ Bad” [w-Carrie Underwood]), Chris Young (“Losing Sleep”, "At the End of a Bar" feat. Mitchell Tenpenny), Morgan Evans (“Kiss Somebody”) and Rascal Flatts (“Rewind”), Tyler Rich “Leave Her Wild” (XM The Highway #1) and Chase Rice ("Eyes On You"), “I Feel Like Dancing” (Jason Mraz) Some of Chris' Awards include 2022 ACM Album of the Year Nominee - Chris Young (Famous Friends) Producer, 3x CMA Triple Play Award winner, 3x Grammy Award Winning - Carrie Underwood - “Something in the Water”, “Somethin’ Bad”(w/Miranda Lambert) and Kelly Clarkson’s “Stronger” Album, FBI Citizens Academy Graduate 2018, MCEF (Marine Corpse Executive Forum) Graduate 2021, Depart of Defense JCOC (Joint Civilian Orientation Conference) Graduate 2022 and has been an active Emergency Backup Goaltender for the National Hockey League - Nashville Predators! Follow Chris on Instagram - @ChrisDeStefano And follow us, Stories Behind the Songs, here: Listen/Subscribe/Follow - HERE   SBTSongs TikTok - @SBTSongs   SBTSongs Instagram - @SBTSongs   SBTSongs YouTube - @SBTSongs   Chris Blair's Instagram - @ChrisBlairMusic   Chris Blair's Website - ChrisBlair.com   The Listening Room's Website - ListeningRoomCafe.com   TLR's Instagram - @ListeningRoomCafe   TLR’s TikTok - @ListeningRoomCafe   #SBTSongs --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/sbtsongs/support

Here we are with another episode of Stories Behind the Songs and we are sitting down with my good buddy Josh Melton this week! Josh has an incredible story that is extremely inspiring. If you are an aspiring musician or songwriter thinking about moving to Nashville, this episode is for you. He shares some truly wild stories about his initial arrival in Nashville and all the hardships he had to through chasing the dream. Originally from Ohio, Josh takes us through the many ups and downs he experienced when he first moved to Nashville, how he got his first publishing deal, met his wife playing bars on Broadway, and everything else that led to his first number 1 with Dylan Scott’s “Can’t Have Mine”. He’s going to take us into the writer’s room with this one and discusses what it was like hearing that song go number one while on Thanksgiving with his family – this was such a cool story. Apart from being a songwriter, Josh releases music of his own and plays a portion of his song “Empty Bottles” for us. I remember being at The Listening Room the first time he played that - or at least the first time I heard it - and as a dad myself I just loved the song immediately. Josh has more music coming out in the coming months, with plans to tour at festivals all through the summer. Josh has an incredible voice and tells stories through his songs in a really unique way – give him a listen anywhere you stream music and check him out! You can also find all his information in the liner notes below to stay up to date with his new projects. We also want to give a special shout-out to our sponsors Sennhesier, Imperfect Aesthetician, and Alclair In Ears – if you’re looking for a good set of in-ear monitor make sure to take advantage of our code “SBTSONGS” at checkout for 10% off! Lets get to it – this is Josh Melton. Show Notes: Josh's TikTok - Josh's Instagram - @JoshMeltonMusic Josh's YouTube - @JoshMeltonMusic And follow us, Stories Behind the Songs, here: Listen/Subscribe/Follow - HERE   SBTSongs TikTok - @SBTSongs   SBTSongs Instagram - @SBTSongs   SBTSongs YouTube - @SBTSongs   Chris Blair's Instagram - @ChrisBlairMusic   Chris Blair's Website - ChrisBlair.com   The Listening Room's Website - ListeningRoomCafe.com   TLR's Instagram - @ListeningRoomCafe   TLR’s TikTok - @ListeningRoomCafe   #SBTSongs --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/sbtsongs/support

This week we have Gina Venier with us! Gina is actually our January 2024 Listening Room Unsigned Artist of the Month and we are so excited we get to spotlight her this week and dive deeper into her career and stories. Gina moved to Nashville about 10 years ago and from the start has been putting in the work networking, co-writing, and building her community. You’re going to hear the story behind her most recent release “Nora Jane” as we break down some of the lyrics. She’s also going to play a portion of it – if you enjoyed it, give it a stream. It’s a good one and her ability to tell her own story with this one is just incredible. Gina also talks what it was like being invited by ASCAP to play a writer’s round and having tons of people resonate with her story, playing pride fest in Nashville, an Alicia Keys cover she recently released, and some new music she has coming out in March... You also may hear a sneak peak of “Don’t Come To My Show”, an unreleased song that will be coming out very soon. Gina’s music has that country sound, but with more of an upbeat pop twist to it. She’s got several great songs already out including “50 Bucks” and “Good For You” available to stream anywhere you find your music! We had a blast sitting down with Gina this week – if you enjoyed what you heard – give Gina a follow or check her out during a show at the Listening Room! We also want to give a special shout-out to our sponsors Sennhesier, Imperfect Aesthetician, and Alclair In Ears – if you’re looking for a great set of in-ear monitor make sure to take advantage of our code “SBTSONGS” at checkout for 10% off! Alright lets do it! This is Gina Venier Show Notes: Gina's Instagram - @GinaVenier Gina's TikTok - @GinaVenier Gina's Spotify Page - @GinaVenier And follow us, Stories Behind the Songs, here: Listen/Subscribe/Follow - HERE   SBTSongs TikTok - @SBTSongs   SBTSongs Instagram - @SBTSongs   SBTSongs YouTube - @SBTSongs   Chris Blair's Instagram - @ChrisBlairMusic   Chris Blair's Website - ChrisBlair.com   The Listening Room's Website - ListeningRoomCafe.com TLR's Instagram - @ListeningRoomCafe   TLR’s TikTok - @ListeningRoomCafe   #SBTSongs --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/sbtsongs/support

Hey Guys - Chris Blair here and I am SO excited for this episode because today marks one year of Stories Behind the Songs! We have loved getting to sit down with so many incredible songwriters, artists, and industry icons. We can't wait to see what this next year holds... Today, to help celebrate our 1 year anniversary, we’ve got Hannah Ellis with us! Hannah started songwriting after she listened to Taylor Swift, looked up the song credits, and learned that she writes her own music. Inspired to pick up the pen herself, Hannah quickly found out that she had that passion for songwriting and eventually made the move to Nashville from Campbellsville, Kentucky. Hannah’s first big cut was “Would You Love Me” on Russell Dickerson’s 2017 record, Yours. Since this cut, Hannah has toured with Carly Pearce, Gavin DeGraw, and Brett Young, performed at the Opry 8 times, and achieved her first top 50 single in 2023 with “Wine Country.” That Girl, Hannah’s 2024 release through Curb Records, is her first full-length album, and it has already racked up millions of Spotify streams. She talks about how playing on The Listening Room stage (which she first visited back in her college days) helped her choose the songs for that very album. Her hope for this record is that it introduces listeners to the authentic Hannah Ellis and that they walk away feeling like old friends. It has been such a joy to witness the growth of Hannah’s career here on the TLR stage, and it is even more fitting that she is the guest on our one year anniversary release! If you enjoyed this episode, give us a follow and check out Hannah’s socials to see what she’s got coming up and stream "That Girl" anywhere you find your music. We also want to shout-out our sponsors Sennhesier, Imperfect Aesthetician, and Alciar In Ears – if you’re looking for a good set of in-ear monitor make sure to take advantage of our code “SBTSONGS” at checkout for 10% off! Let's get to it, here is Hannah Ellis! Podcast Show Notes: Hannah's Website - HannahEllisMusic.com Hannah's TikTok - @HannahGreyEllis Hannah's Instagram - @HannahGreyEllis Hannah's YouTube - @HannahGreyEllis Hannah's Upcoming Shows - here And follow us, Stories Behind the Songs, here: Listen/Subscribe/Follow - HERE   SBTSongs TikTok - @SBTSongs   SBTSongs Instagram - @SBTSongs   SBTSongs YouTube - @SBTSongs   Chris Blair's Instagram - @ChrisBlairMusic   Chris Blair's Website - ChrisBlair.com   The Listening Room's Website - ListeningRoomCafe.com   TLR's Instagram - @ListeningRoomCafe   TLR’s TikTok - @ListeningRoomCafe   #SBTSongs --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/sbtsongs/support

Alright everyone, here's another episode of Stories Behind the Songs and this week Chris Blair sits down with singer/songwriter Ben Williams! Ben has played at The Listening Room in Nashville, TN quite a bit in the last couple months where he has shared some of the stories behind his songs, but today we are going to dive even deeper into those stories – taking a look at some of his hits for Megan Moroney and Avery Anna. Ben started out in Nashville 7 years ago attending Belmont, before landing co-writes with smaller up-and-coming artist, Avery Anna. They ended up writing “Narcissist” which was his first cut AND first song to go to radio. Ben tells the story behind this one as well as how he met Megan Moroney... You’ll hear the story behind his first co-write with Megan and the many writes that followed. Ben has 7 cuts off of Megan’s debut album which went #1 on Rolling Stone... He takes us into the writer’s room when they wrote “Tennessee Orange” and “I’m Not Pretty”. Ben also walks us through “Tennessee Orange” going #1 and the buzz that came from that – winning several awards, a CMA nomination, and how the song was going viral before it even came out – this was a very cool story to hear. Ben also plays an unreleased track for us that he usually plays during his shows here at the listening room – this one is so good and has still not been cut yet – let us know what you thought in the comments and keep an eye out for Ben during a show here at the Listening Room. If you enjoyed this episode, give us a follow and click the notification bell so you can stay up to date when we sit down with new songwriters! We also want to give a special shout-out to our sponsors Sennhesier, Imperfect Aesthetician, and Alclair In Ears – if you’re looking for a good set of in-ear monitor make sure to take advantage of our code “SBTSONGS” at checkout for 10% off! Let’s get into it – this is Ben Williams. SHOW NOTES: Ben's Instagram - @Ben.Williams.Music Ben's TikTok - @Ben.Williams.Music Ben's Publisher - Major Bob And follow us, Stories Behind the Songs, here: Listen/Subscribe/Follow - HERE   SBTSongs TikTok - @SBTSongs   SBTSongs Instagram - @SBTSongs   SBTSongs YouTube - @SBTSongs   Chris Blair's Instagram - @ChrisBlairMusic   Chris Blair's Website - ChrisBlair.com   The Listening Room's Website - ListeningRoomCafe.com   TLR's Instagram - @ListeningRoomCafe   TLR’s TikTok - @ListeningRoomCafe   #SBTSongs --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/sbtsongs/support