Featured Artists
Gary Baker
Gary Baker earned a Grammy for the smash hit I Swear, which he co-wrote with Frank J. Myers. The song was a huge number-one hit on the country charts for John Michael Montgomery and crossed over to the number-one spot on the pop charts for the group All-4-One. Baker co-wrote another crossover hit with I’m Already There, which also hit number one on the country charts for Lonestar before crossing over to the top five on the pop charts.
His first major songwriting success was with the song Once Upon a Lifetime which was performed by the group Alabama and soared to the number one on country charts. Through the years, Gary has penned hit songs for numerous other artists, including the Backstreet Boys, 98 Degrees, and Reba McEntire. His songs have been featured in numerous high-profile television shows and movie soundtracks. He has also produced many records, including the Backstreet Boys’ greatest hits album. He launched his career in Muscle Shoals with the famed LeBlanc Carr Band, performing on their top 10 hit named Falling. He wrote and recorded with several artists ranging from Mac Davis to Marie Osmond before becoming a member of the Shooters, a hit country act from Muscle Shoals.
Troubadour Blue
Troubadour Blue hits you like a shot of backwoods moonshine cut with pure Nashville gold. The band is carving its own path through the heart of American music, where dusty roads meet neon lights and heartbreak ballads collide with barn-burning jams. Songwriters Daniel Kim Ethridge and Brenna Wheeler craft songs that crackle with raw honesty while their voices intertwine like tangled roots to tell stories of love, loss, and longing. These tales come to life through the musicianship of Jonny Therrien (dobro), Rico Wallenda (mandolin), and Wheeler’s lonesome fiddle. Produced by Grammy-winner Tammy Rogers King, Shadow of a Doubt stands as a testament to the band’s raw talent and restless spirit. Recently, they unveiled their latest bonus track, Alabama Angel, featuring the legendary Jerry Douglas—setting the stage for Troubadour Blue to establish themselves as a powerful new force in roots music.
Deanna Bryant
Deanna Bryant is an award-winning hit songwriter. A native Texan, she arrived in Nashville in 1994, and she’s been working for the hits ever since. Stupid Boy by Keith Urban (nominated for Country Music Association’s Song of the Year), Johnny and June by Heidi Newfield (also nominated for the Academy of Country Music’s Song of the Year), Don’t Make Me by Blake Shelton and Reba McEntire’s Forever Love are just a few of the hits Deanna has penned. She’s also had songs recorded by Lee Brice, Randy Travis, Trisha Yearwood, Billy Currington, Willie Nelson, Terri Clark, Deana Carter, and many more.
Deanna currently resides in Nashville, TN, with her dog Nala.
Brad Clawson
Brad Clawson was born and raised in West Texas, where he grew up with a musical background and honed his talent playing drums in several bands. In 2005, he moved to Tennessee, developed a love for songwriting and production, and hit the ground running. He signed a publishing deal with Tape Room Music and Warner Chappell Music and has seen great success with singles such as Happy Does by Kenny Chesney and Up Down by Morgan Wallen featuring Florida Georgia Line. He co-produced on Chris Janson’s recent project, All In, and co-wrote his latest #1 single, All I Need Is You. Clawson’s other recent releases include Keith Whitley by Morgan Wallen, Unhang The Moon and Miss That Girl by ERNEST, Blanco County Rain by Parker McCollum, and more.
Eric Erdman
Eric Erdman is a guitar slinging troubadour. His lyrics paint stories that are introspective and deep, quirky but palatable. His songs have fresh hooks that somehow draw listeners in like old friends. Eric has penned the theme song for Drag Race High on the SPEED channel and he cowrote Stone’s Throw, which is a hit for the Red Clay Strays, featured on their album Live From the Ryman and the video game Country Star. His song Caddo County (with Dave Cobb and The Red Clay Strays) is featured on the 2025 Grammy nominated original motion picture soundtrack for Twisters. He is the 15x (2010-2024) Lagniappe Awards Solo Musician of the Year, 2021 Southland Music Line Musician of the Year, and 4x TRMA Songwriter of the Year. Eric co-wrote the 2021 TRMA Song of the Year, The Wave, and the Single of the Year, Family Tree. His current album, Enough, hit the Top 20 on the iTunes Country album chart.
Mike Geiger & Woody Mullis
Mike Geiger and Woody Mullis were born and raised on Amelia Island, Florida, where they met and began playing music at age ten. The two became fast friends while developing their musical styles through their teens.
After high school, Mike attended Warren Wilson College in Asheville, North Carolina, while Woody toured the United States and Europe with Up With People. After the tour, he rejoined Mike in Asheville, where they met and performed with Billy Edd Wheeler (writer of hits like Jackson and Coward Of The County), Warren Haynes (of Government Mule and The Allman Bros Band), and future Grammy award-winning folk artist and NPR TV personality, David Holt. With encouragement and a few introductions from David and Billy Edd, Mike and Woody moved to Nashville with $200.00, a few guitars, and a Datsun pickup.
Mike and Woody’s songwriting success started when Sawyer Brown recorded This Missin’ You Heart of Mine. That song, along with Darlene (recorded by T. Graham Brown), Burning a Hole In My Heart and Your Memory Wins Again (both by Skip Ewing), went to the top of the charts and netted the duo BMI Songwriter of The Year Award.
Among the artists who have recorded their songs since are George Strait (Adalida), John Michael Montgomery, Gary Allan, Kenny Chesney, Montgomery Gentry (Cold One Comin’ On, Hillbilly Shoes), Rhonda Vincent, Ricky Van Shelton, The Oak Ridge Boys, The Marshall Tucker Band, Brad Martin, Johnny Rodriguez, Michael Bolton, Neal McCoy (The City Put The Country Back In Me), George Jones, and Tracy Lawrence.
Mike has recorded or shared the stage with a diverse array of entertainers, including Skip Ewing, Montgomery Gentry, Dolly Parton, Sylvester Stallone, Tracy Byrd, Blake Shelton, Minnie Pearl, Kip Moore, Otis Blackwell, Stella Parton, Bruce “Hey Baby” Channel, Brad Martin, Whitey Shaffer, Mickey Newberry, and Kix Brooks.
Mike and Woody have also enjoyed a successful career creating jingles, writing, and performing on national campaigns for Mr. Goodwrench, Pepsi, Ford Trucks, and Chevy Trucks. To date, recordings of their songs have sold at least 17 million copies.
Liz Hengber
Brooklyn-born Liz Hengber has been writing hit songs in Nashville for the last thirty years. She has written seven number-1 hits and has had over 80 songs recorded by artists ranging from Reba McEntire to Peter Cetera.
Her career began in 1987 when she got a job waiting tables at the legendary Bluebird Cafe. “I had come to Nashville thinking I’d get a publishing deal in a week. Instead, I got a waitress tray and an education”. Night after night, Liz watched writers like Michael Johnson, Dean Dillion, and Beth Nielsen Chapman perform their hits. The bar was high–and it was gonna take a lot of work to reach it.
Four years and three more waitressing gigs later, Liz finally landed her first publishing deal at Reba McEntire’s publishing company, Starstruck Writers Group. This is where her friendship and partnership with the legendary singer began. In her first year at the publishing company, her song For My Broken Heart went to #1. It was her first cut, her first single, and her first number-one hit.
Liz followed that with three more Reba McEntire-sung hits. It’s Your Call And Still and Forever Love all went to #1. To date, Liz has had 14 songs recorded by Reba. In the year 2000, Liz also wrote hits for Andy Griggs and Clay Davidson. She’s More went to number one, and Unconditional peaked at number three. These back to back hits landed Liz in Billboard Magazine’s top Nashville songwriters for the year 2000.
The year 2011 gave Liz a gospel music award for her song A Father’s Love recorded by both Bucky Covington and by High Valley. In 2016, Liz was able to put a Grammy plaque on her wall when The Steeldrivers The Muscle Shoals Recordings won “Best Bluegrass Album.”
Along with her writing career, Liz is also proud to be teaching lyric writing at Belmont College.
“Teaching is my way of giving back to this amazing community that welcomed a girl from Bensonhurst, Brooklyn, almost 30 years ago.”
Some of the many artists that have recorded Liz’s songs include Reba McEntire, Ronnie Dunn, The Steeldrivers, Trisha Yearwood, Easton Corbin, James Otto, Vince Gill, Trace Adkins, Bucky Covington, Peter Cetera, Julie Roberts, Trick Pony, Lila McCann, Linda Davis, Andy Griggs, Lee Greenwood, Lisa Brokop, Trent Willmon, Clay Davidson, John Rich, John Berry, High Valley, Hayden Haddock, Conway Twitty and many more.
Thomm Jutz
Thomm Jutz is a songwriter, producer, and guitar player who has lived in Nashville since 2003. His solo record To Live in Two Worlds – Vol. 1 was nominated for a Grammy (R) in 2020.
His songs have been recorded by the likes of Billy Strings, Del McCoury, John Prine, The Steeldrivers, Nanci Griffith, Kim Richey, and many bluegrass artists. He has had ten number-one bluegrass hits and won the IBMA’s (International Bluegrass Music Association) “Songwriter of the Year” award in 2021.
In 2022, he was featured in the Country Music Hall of Fame’s “American Currents” exhibit.
He has produced records for Bill Anderson, Nanci Griffith, Todd Snider, Otis Gibbs, and many other roots music artists.
His work as a media music composer has resulted in over 300 TV and film placements worldwide (CNN, BBC, NBC, PBS, Al Jazeera, Disney, Discovery, and many more).
Austin Moody
Even though Austin Moody was writing songs at 15, the musician from East Tennessee never thought he’d make his living chasing that dream. Already enrolled in the JROTC with a private pilot’s license under his belt, the young man who grew up on a family farm with his head in the clouds believed his future was in the Air Force. After trips to Nashville to write songs and music, the Air Force career was put on hold indefinitely to create music.
Legendary producer Keith Stegall was attracted to the roots of Moody’s writing, and iconic songwriter (and multiple-time CMA Musician of the Year) Mac McAnally responded to the honesty of the young 20-something’s raw lyrics and skill that belied his years. Together, the pair agreed to go to Muscle Shoals to record with the core of Moody’s road band, plus Highway 101 lynchpin Cactus Moser on drums and session vet/Jeff King in the band. His latest project featured his hit, Ride Like Hank.
Leslie Satcher
One of Nashville’s most respected and most revered performing female singer-songwriters is Leslie Satcher. At the age of 26, the native Texan made the move to Nashville in pursuit of a singing career and was quickly recognized for her gift with lyrics and melody. After being mentored at a smaller publisher by many of the music industry’s legendary songwriters, she made the move to Sony Music Publishing, where she would stay for nearly 15 years. During this time, she was also signed as an artist at Warner Brothers. While recording her critically acclaimed debut album, Love Letters, her songs were growing in demand.
Though Leslie is primarily known as a country singer and songwriter, her talents cross all genres. She has written or co-written songs that have been recorded by stars such as Willie Nelson, Jason Aldean, Vince Gill, Sheila E., George Strait, Sheryl Crow, Martina McBride, Keb’Mo, Blake Shelton, Bonnie Raitt and many, many more. She has received multiple BMI “Million-Air” awards recognizing a song’s one-millionth airplay, and her incomparable vocals contribute to an astounding number of Grammy, CMA & ACM award-winning projects.
Leslie’s next two albums, Creation and Gypsy Boots, were recorded independently and truly exhibit the diversity of her Texas roots and Delta soul. They are available on iTunes, CDBaby and every other major digital distributor.
She was signed to a 2015 publishing deal with London powerhouse Notting Hill Music and a recording contract with NHM’s Los Angeles-based innovator of digital distribution, Notting Hill Music Masters (NHMM) label. Her debut NHMM release, 2 Days In Muscle Shoals, features her All-Star band “The Electric Honey Badgers” and includes vocals by Vince Gill, Sheryl Crow, Trisha Yearwood, and more. This amazing project landed her on the First-Round GRAMMY ballot in multiple categories for the 2018 & 2019 awards seasons.
Recently, Leslie has seen her songs recorded by the likes of Reba McEntire, Sheryl Crow, Maren Morris, Stevie Nicks, Joe Walsh, Cody Johnson, and many, many more. Among an absolutely stellar group of peers, on June 30th, 2023, Leslie was nominated to the Nashville Songwriters’ Hall of Fame. She will also be a part of the 2025 class inducted to the Texas Songwriters’ Hall of Fame.
Aside from writing hit songs for some of music’s most iconic artists, Leslie is in high demand as a performer known for her angelic voice, funny stories, the unique playing style and sound of her guitar, but mostly, her uncanny ability to connect with audiences of any size or demographic. Her typical year will include more than 150 songwriting sessions and 65 live performances all over the U.S., U.K., and Canada.
Learn more about Leslie Satcher here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=xt29f-Fxg6g
Thom Schuyler
Thom Schuyler has written of trains, cars, houses, and love, both beautiful and busted. He also wrote a Top 10 country hit that became an anthem for the music industry, a song about life along Music Row called 16th Avenue. The street is still one-way and lives are still changed there, and Schuyler’s depiction of the understated romance of a songwriter’s life still rings true. Schuyler was writing what he knew, having scuffled for years in various non-romantic positions (framer, busboy, carpenter, etc.) before signing a publishing contract in 1981 with Debdave/Briarpatch Music Publishing. He’d come to the awareness of that publisher’s staff when he did remodeling work on their 16th Avenue building.
In the year after signing his first publishing deal, Schuyler scored major hits with Kenny Rogers’ Love Will Turn You Around — a top-charting country and adult contemporary hit and ASCAP’s Song of the Year — and with Eddie Rabbitt’s I Don’t Know Where to Start and Dalton’s 16th Avenue. He scored numerous hits in the 1980s, including #1 hits like I Fell in Love Again Last Night (Forester Sisters), Love Out Loud (Earl Thomas Conley), and Long Line of Love (Michael Martin Murphey).
On March 29, 1985, Schuyler joined with Fred Knobloch, Don Schlitz, and Paul Overstreet at the Bluebird for what is credited as the first Nashville “in-the-round,” a format in which songwriters share songs and banter. In today’s Nashville, in-the-rounds are held each night all across the city. Schuyler, Knobloch, and Overstreet developed a trio called S-K-O, charting three country hits. Later, Schuyler joined with Knobloch and Craig Bickhardt to form another major country trio, S-K-B.In the early 1990s, Schuyler’s Point of Light was a hit for Randy Travis that doubled as the theme song of President George H. W. Bush’s volunteerism campaign. Schuyler remained active as a songwriter but also worked as an executive at RCA Records and Ronder/Almo-Irving Music and as a choir director at Woodmont Christian Church. Asked by American Songwriter magazine about advice for young songwriters, Schuyler advised “Be alive and pay attention.”
Rachel Thibodeau
Rachel Thibodeau had her first taste of success when Billy Currington recorded Good Directions, a song she penned with friend and co-writer Luke Bryan. It soared to the top of the Billboard country singles chart and spent three weeks at #1. Rachel took home ASCAP’s Song of the Year, and she was honored with the NSAI’s prestigious “One Of The Ten Songs I Wish I’d Written” award. Her catalog spans over 100 cuts recorded by top artists Luke Bryan, Reba McEntire, Martina McBride, Tim McGraw, Josh Kelley, Parmalee, and Katharine McPhee. She has reached international chart-topping success in Country and Pop with two Platinum #1’s –Thank You for Cheating On Me (Country Music Single Of The Year and Most Played Country Song of the Year) & Then There’s Me by Australian artist Diana Corcoran. She’s also had Gold and Platinum success with Norway and The X Factor’s Tommy Fredvang and Sweden’s Jill Johnson. Rachel’s songwriting journey keeps evolving as she continues to craft songs that connect with listeners across genres and across the world.
Find Rachel on Instagram: @RachelThibodeauMusic for current news and show dates.