Songwriter Soup

What’s blocking you? This week, the trio discusses this ironic possibility: it might be that you’re taking this dream job a little too seriously. We all do it! At all stages, in fact. Take breaks, change the subject, nerd out on other people’s hits, or do songwriter exercises— Laura discussed many of her favorite ways to shake her brain loose. This episode also covers whether you need to suffer for your art— many people believe they do. Listen for our take on that and other tips on feeling like a success even when you’re blocked.

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On this week’s episode, Laura, Tracy & Kevin sit down with one of Laura’s best friends, critically acclaimed hit songwriter, Jessie Jo Dillon (“10,000 Hours” Dan & Shay, Justin Beiber, “Halfway To Hell” Jelly Roll, “Lies, Lies, Lies” Morgan Wallen). The group gets candid about shaking off the resistance to following in her legendary dad’s songwriter footsteps, the dangers of not being happy for your peers, and the difference between fomo and jealousy. Jessie Jo is an incredible resource when it comes to knowing what the view looks like from the top, and gracefully finding your way back into the joy of the daily songwriter grind.

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/37i9dQZF1EFENnraVV8K2W?si=43f2856f40c64a59

Instagram: @jessiejodillon

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Songwriters always blame themselves (or the song) when something stops the process of it becoming a hit. But does it have anything to do with the song? Most of the time, IT DOES NOT. On this week’s episode, the trio discusses how many people and entities cause those interruptions and all of the millions of ways a perfect song can end up in a proverbial trash can. It feels like injustice! It feels like agony! But in the end, it’s just a part of the songwriter business. This is an important listen for anyone who hates rejection (um…. all of us).

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Laura’s sister and fellow hit songwriter, Allison Veltz Cruz (“Prayed For You” Matt Stell, “Somebody Like That” Tenille Arts, “Let Your Boys Be Country” Jason Aldean) joins the trio for a candid conversation about the sisters’ unique childhood and what lead them to songwriting after their family band broke up. They discuss Allison’s particular brand of hustle, how her personality informed her initial money management style, and what drew her to Nashville.

Listen to Allison’s music on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/37i9dQZF1EFSoEuClhQZiW?si=d06a01d209724317

Listen to Allison’s music on Apple: https://music.apple.com/us/playlist/allison-veltz-cruz-the-songwriters/pl.6748139a1ef0436a893fada8acf0d4cf

Instagram: @allisonveltzcruz

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Kevin, Laura and Tracy delve into the initial humility that it takes to learn the craft of commercial songwriting by unlearning how you did it before. Ouch! It takes a minute and it feels weird for a bit, but it gets better! After the craft settles in, your uniqueness returns to you and THAT is when the magic happens. The trio discuss the intricate art of communicating to a larger audience, the joy of being behind the scenes, and remaining a student as music evolves.

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Ashley Gorley has a literal bajillion hits. He’s also got a thriving publishing company in Tape Room Music. With so much success it’s easy to overlook the fact that it took Ashley eleven years to score his first hit. But thanks to his deep connection to the community and the key investment from mentors, Ashley was prepared to ride it out. It also helped that his early measures of success consisted of little more than writing “songwriter” on his tax forms and having working air conditioning.

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What is stealing anyway? In the songwriting world, there are a million ways it can happen. Sometimes (but rarely) it’s quite blatant, and sometimes it’s as innocent as forgetting you wrote the same concept in a different room two years ago. The fact is, it happens. There can be big consequences that can tank your reputation and your finances, but all of it is pretty much avoidable if handled right. This week, Laura lays down a few simple rules to keep you out of proverbial songwriter jail and maybe prevent or soften the blow of a costly lawsuit.

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Emily Weisband (“Thy Will” Hillary Scott, “Boy With Luv” BTS, “Can’t Break Up Now” Old Dominion & Megan Moroney) is one of those people who just billows talent. Even though she moved to Nashville to become a songwriter, it didn’t take any time at all before people started trying to convince her that she should do “the artist thing.” This episode covers a topic that plagues so many of us and Emily articulates beautifully how tricky it is to navigate. If you’re a songwriter out there wondering if being an artist is for you, take a listen.

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So, you just scored your first hit song! Time to buy a boat, a big house and that Rolex you’ve been eyeing, right? Not so fast. You can still have fun, but it might be a minute before the next big one comes around so let’s breathe and do some future planning. This week the gang breaks down what a “hit” actually means, how much it might be worth and how to manage the money it makes you properly.

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Joe Ragosta scored his first big hit (“Need A Favor” Jellyroll) just a few weeks before this episode was recorded. Joe brings big energy to the writing room and any other room he walks into. It’s that energy that has propelled Joe through years of slogging it out on the road with bands, commuting to Nashville from Long Island, and securing writes with one of the best bluffs we’ve ever heard. Strap in y'all, this is a fun one.

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Laura, Tracy and Kevin expand on the idea that even if you have a publishing deal, you're still very much the sole proprietor of your own business. Tracy gives a tutorial on how to divide up your income so that when tax day comes, you have all your bases covered. He also lays out some best practices for avoiding debt, systematic saving and maintaining a realistic viewpoint of your financial progress. Laura gives a play by play on how all this money stuff feels in real time from songwriter’s perspective, and how these financial choices can affect your creativity in the short and long run.

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Kelly Archer (“Sleep Without You” Brett Young, “Wild As Her” Corey Kent, “Somebody Else Will” Justin Moore) explains what it’s like to write songs in Nashville before and after becoming a U.S. Citizen. Tricky! Kelly's story is a wild one with high stakes and time limits, making her one of Nashville’s most steadfast and determined songwriters. This episode covers writing songs on work visas and how that intertwines with being signed to publishing deals. Kelly sets a shining example for songwriters to know their own worth, negotiate accordingly, while riding the ups and downs of this fickle career path.

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This episode highlights one of the easiest ways to ruin what could otherwise be a really fun and fulfilling career choice: expectations. The trio talk awards and the impact they can have on your career, finances and mental health.

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Jordan Schmidt ("wait in the truck" HARDY & Lainey Wilson, "God's Country" Blake Shelton, "What Ifs” Kane Brown) talks to Laura and Tracy about his journey from producing rock bands in Minnesota, to getting in on the ground floor of Florida Georgia Line’s publishing company, Tree Vibez Music, all the way to writing smashes for Jason Aldean, Blake Shelton and Kane Brown. This candid conversation covers a few particular challenges that a lot of professional songwriters deal with; i.e. being bad with money, struggling to break into the scene, and the pressure to repeat success once you find it.

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Laura, Tracy and Kevin kick off Season 2 by diving head first where we left off in season one: publishing deals. Specifically, the gang gets into what a publishing deal actually is and the relationship between publisher and songwriter. They break down why a draw feels like a salary (but isn't!), the subtle art of calendar management, and how money flows once a song gets out there in the world.

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Lori McKenna became a songwriter almost by accident. In this episode she joins Laura and Tracy to talk about her super unusual entrance into the Nashville music scene. Lori details how Faith Hill heard and recorded several of her songs before she had a publishing deal, how she balances living in Boston and working in Nashville, and why no expectations are the best expectations.

Over the last three decades, as she became a wife and mother of five, Lori McKenna has also emerged as one of the most respected, prolific singer-songwriters in popular music. On her latest release, The Balladeer, Lori McKenna is offering her most uplifting and up-tempo album in a catalog that spans 20 years. Produced by GRAMMY award winning Dave Cobb and recorded in Nashville’s historic Studio A, The Balladeer follows an incredible stretch of career momentum, including two consecutive Grammy wins as a songwriter for Best Country Song – Little Big Town’s “Girl Crush” and Tim McGraw’s “Humble and Kind.” She has been nominated for the award four other times, most recently with Taylor Swift’s “I Bet You Think About Me,” which features Chris Stapleton and was released in 2021 on her re-recorded album, Red (Taylor’s Version).

In 2016, she made history by becoming the Academy of Country Music’s first female Songwriter of the year and in 2017, she became the first female ever to win the Country Music Association’s Song of the Year award two years in a row. Yet her success doesn’t stop there. McKenna co-wrote Lady Gaga’s “Always Remember Us This Way,” which was featured in the Academy Award-winning 2018 film, A Star Is Born, and was also nominated for Grammy Song of the Year in 2020. She has written songs for a multitude of other award-winning artists including Miranda Lambert, Carrie Underwood, Sara Bareilles, Faith Hill, Hunter Hayes, Reba McEntire, and more.

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Big Machine Music general manager (and Laura’s publisher) Mike Molinar joins the podcast to talk about his philosophy on songwriter-publisher relationships. Mike shares his advice to young songwriters, the nitty-gritty of publishing deals, and how understanding the structure of those deals is the vital to your success.

Mike Molinar brings over twenty-five years of experience as a music publisher and advocate for creatives to lead the publishing vertical of HYBE America and the sister company of the Big Machine Label Group.

Molinar, who was named one of Billboard’s Country Power Players each of the last three years (‘20-‘22), oversees all aspects of BMM which was named 2021 Publisher of the Year by the Association of Independent Music Publishers Nashville. BMM has been ranked as a Billboard Top 10 Hot Country Publishing Corp for six years running.

With offices in Nashville and Santa Monica, BMM’s roster includes the 2023 nominee for the inaugural Grammy Songwriter of the Year (non-classical) Laura Veltz, as well as hitmakers Jessie Jo Dillon, Geoff Warburton, Ryan Hurd, Matt Dragstrem, Sara Davis, Eric Paslay, Brett Young and Maddie & Tae, among others. The catalog features such global hits as “abcdefu”, “The Bones”, “10,000 Hours,” “In Case You Didn’t Know” and 11 #1 hits co-written and recorded by Luke Combs.

Molinar was named one of the 2021 Nashville cohorts for Harvard Business School’s Young American Leaders Program. He is currently serving his 2nd term on the board of the National Music Publisher Association as well as a member of the Mechanical Licensing Collective (MLC) board. He also serves as a board member for the Academy of Country Music, Music Health Alliance and sits the Country Music Hall Of Fame Education Council. Molinar was named a Rider Scholar while attending Westminster Choir College in Princeton, N.J. He graduated from Middle Tennessee State University in 1998 where he was inducted into the College of Media and Entertainment’s Wall of Fame in 2021. He is a graduate of Leadership Music (2015) and a member of the CMA, ACM, AIMP and Recording Academy.

Born and raised in El Paso, Texas, Molinar is a second generation immigrant of Mexican descent. He and his wife, Amanda, are proud parents of two young boys.

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Luke Dick joins Laura and Tracy for a candid and sprawling look at money, songwriting, creativity and family. Luke’s winding path has led him through academics, warehouse jobs, an artist deal, songwriting, producing, and movie-making. Ultimately he’s emerged as one of the most unique and sought-after songwriter/producers in Nashville. His approach to money puts creativity front and center. His humor and vulnerability make him one of the most engaging guests on the show so far. 

Luke Dick was raised in a topless bar and grew up to be a philosophy professor; now he's a songwriter, filmmaker, producer, and new wave bandleader, in no particular order. He has been profiled in Rolling Stone and written chart-topping and award-winning hits such as Miranda Lambert's "Bluebird”, Dierks Bentley’s “Burning Man”, and Eric Church’s “Kill A Word”, among many others. He also spent some time in NYC writing jingles for HBO’s Boardwalk Empire and Hilton hotels. He now lives in Nashville with his two kids, and recently sent another off to college. He enjoys long walks from his backdoor to his garage and has an extensive record and beef jerky collection.

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Break-ups are never easy, especially when it comes to co-writing. This week, our hosts examine the reasons it may be necessary to say goodbye to a collaborator and how to do it with care. The trio also talks about the virtues of Nashville’s even split policy, writing non-exclusionary lyrics, and what to do when you feel like your songs are getting worse.

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This week, Laura and Tracy are joined by songwriter Andy Albert. He details his humble beginnings in Nashville living with multiple roommates in a run-down house, struggling to get a publishing deal and nearly throwing in the towel. Spoiler alert: he sticks it out eventually scores a bunch of hits. Though his success is inspiring on its own, his openness about the difficult times makes this one of the most relatable interviews yet.

Andy Albert is a Nashville-based singer/songwriter originally from Roswell, Georgia. Since moving to town in 2011 he has co-written 150+ songs for various Country, rock, and pop artists. Notable cuts include Dustin Lynch “Thinking ‘Bout You” (6-week #1 and Billboard’s longest running top-10 in Country Airplay chart history) and “Good Girl”, Blake Shelton “She’s Got A Way With Words”, Dan+Shay’ “Steal My Love”, Mitchell Tenpenny “Anything She Says” and current single “We Got History”, Hardy “Rednecker”. He has also written songs for Tim McGraw, Kid Rock, Carrie Underwood, LANY, and many others. 

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This in this episode, Laura, Tracy and Kevin continue down the path of the new-to-town songwriter. The trio digs into the importance of giving and receiving criticism, the beauty of an imperfect writers round performance and the many virtues of cowriting. Tracy shares how his gig at a bike shop lead to joining the band Bare Jr. and Laura tells the story of the time a publisher calling her “chicken sh*t” saved her from pursuing the wrong career in the music business.

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In this episode, Laura and Tracy sit down with songwriter, producer and publisher Luke Laird. Luke talks the magic of writers’ rounds, being reluctant to ask for help, letting go of jealousy and the nitty gritty details of his early publishing deals. Laura also shares the story of a pivotal moment that lead to her being a songwriter.

Ferocious talent, wit, and sincere humility rarely come together like they do in Grammy winner Luke Laird. Since moving to Nashville from a small farming town in Pennsylvania, Laird has become one of country and pop’s top songwriters and producers. The numbers are staggering: 52 radio singles –– 24 of which were Billboard No. 1 hits and 5 of which were in the Top 5 –– 2 Billboard No. 1 singles as a producer, and more than 125 released cuts fill his catalog. In four separate years, every single released that Laird wrote peaked at No. 1 on the Billboard charts. He earned ACM Songwriter of the Year honors in 2015, and was named BMI Songwriter of the Year in 2012.

As a producer, Laird has helped shape some of music’s most critically acclaimed projects of the last decade. He co-produced Kacey Musgraves’ 2013 debut, Same Trailer, Different Park, which garnered Grammy honors for Best Country Album and an ACM Album of the Year win. In 2015, he returned to the studio with Musgraves to co-produce her triumphant sophomore release, Pageant Material. Laird earned his second Grammy for Best Country Song with Musgraves’ “Space Cowboy” in 2019. He also has producer credits on Thomas Rhett, Ingrid Michaelson, Brett Eldredge, Steve Moakler, Everette, Kassi Ashton, Anna Vaus and more.

A slew of Grammy, ACM, CMA, and other nominations line Laird’s resume, which also includes six CMA Triple Play Awards, four NSAI “Songs I Wish I’d Written” Awards, the 2012 BMI Country Song of the Year trophy for Rodney Atkins’ “Take a Back Road,” and more. His list of No. 1 singles reads like a carefully curated playlist of soulful contemporary country: “Hard To Forget” (Sam Hunt); “Fast” and “I See You” (Luke Bryan); “Head Over Boots” (Jon Pardi); “T-Shirt” (Thomas Rhett); “Gonna” and “Hillbilly Bone” (Blake Shelton); “Talladega,” “Give Me Back My Hometown,” and “Drink In My Hand” (Eric Church); “American Kids” (Kenny Chesney); “Sunshine & Whiskey” (Frankie Ballard); “One of Those Nights” (Tim McGraw); “Downtown” (Lady Antebellum); “Somebody’s Heartbreak” (Hunter Hayes); “Beat This Summer” (Brad Paisley); “Pontoon” (Little Big Town); “You” (Chris Young); “A Little Bit Stronger” (Sara Evans); “Take A Back Road” (Rodney Atkins); and “Temporary Home,” “Undo It,” “So Small,” and “Last Name” (Carrie Underwood).

Other artists who have recorded Laird-penned songs represent a jaw-dropping grab bag of genres: George Strait, Maren Morris, Dierks Bentley, Miranda Lambert, Brandy Clark, Toby Keith, Jake Owen, Steve Moakler, Sister Hazel, Ingrid Michaelson, Ashley Monroe, Sam Hunt, Angaleena Presley, Nikki Lane, Darius Rucker, Jason Aldean, Sheryl Crow, Brett Eldredge, Florida Georgia Line, Ne-Yo, Neal McCoy, Amy Grant, and many more.

Laird recently released his own record, Music Row, that offers an intimate look into his journey from Hartstown to Nashville. The first-ever record from one of music’s most trusted creators and collaborators, Music Row is a songwriter’s story, traversing childhood, grief, addiction, family, and the community he loves. The songs are deeply personal and sometimes raw, all delivered by the songwriter himself.

Today, Laird writes for and co-owns Nashville-based publishing and management company Creative Nation with his wife, Beth.  

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In this episode, Laura, Tracy and Kevin dive deep into the first chapter of a songwriter’s career. They discuss the no-no’s that tempt young songwriters like sliding into hit songwriters’ DMs, meeting with a publisher before they’re ready and spending money they don’t have. Laura also breaks down the dangers of having a hit too early, protecting your self esteem, and how faking it until you make it is not the move. 

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Jimmy Robbins’ career in music has been a winding road. From getting signed to a record deal at 17, to making jingles to afford Christmas gifts, to scoring five #1 hits in 18 months, to becoming a publisher, his path has been anything but typical. In this episode, he sits down with Laura and Tracy to talk bad deals, imposter syndrome, misconceptions about writing up, and why he’s more than a “track guy.”

Jimmy Robbins is a CMA + ACM Award winning, Grammy nominated Nashville-based songwriter, producer, and publisher who has penned over 200 cuts in multiple genres. He has earned 13 Top 10 hits including 10 #1 songs as a writer: "half of my hometown" (Kelsea Ballerini & Kenny Chesney), "The Bones" + "I Could Use A Love Song" (Maren Morris), "It Goes Like This" (Thomas Rhett), “Sure Be Cool If You Did" (Blake Shelton), “We Were Us" (Keith Urban & Miranda Lambert), “Whatever She’s Got” (David Nail), "Beachin'" (Jake Owen), “Lights Come On” (Jason Aldean), and “Think A Little Less" (Michael Ray). Jimmy's current singles include “A Special Place” (Danielle Bradbery), "As Far As You Could" (Charles Kelley), "Prayin' In A Deer Stand" (Luke Bryan), and "You Didn't" (Brett Young). Jimmy is a CMA Triple Play Award winner + won ASCAP Song Of The Year for Thomas Rhett's "It Goes Like This.” Jimmy also received a 2021 ASCAP Pop Award for "The Bones.” Jimmy has produced several #1 songs including "Die From A Broken Heart” (Maddie & Tae), “Love You Like That” (Canaan Smith) + a Billboard #1 album, Wildhorse (RaeLynn).

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The path of the songwriter is full of uncertainty. It comes with highs and lows creatively, socially, and financially. That kind of shaky ground can lead to all kinds of anxiety and decisions that leave you questioning everything. This podcast is made for songwriters or those on a creative journey who might need a little encouragement and sound financial advice.

In the first episode, you’ll meet our hosts: veteran songwriter Laura Veltz, financial advisor Tracy Hackney, and producer Kevin Sokolnicki. Together they’ll walk through what songwriters, experienced and new, need to know about navigating the various stages of the career, why the music business can be so confusing, and how properly managing your money can lead to better creative output.

Four-time GRAMMY®-nominated songwriter @lauraveltz has worked with some of the biggest names in music including Demi Lovato, Maren Morris and Idina Menzel, among others. Named Billboard’s 2022 Songwriter of the Year, Laura took home both the 2020 Academy of Country Music and Country Music Association awards for Song of the Year + 2021 BMI Pop Song of the Year for co-penning chart-topping smash “The Bones.” With deep ties in the music world, Laura brings her 15+ years of experience as a songwriter to the Songwriter Soup podcast.

Tracy Hackney has worked with dozens of songwriters throughout his more than two decades in the music industry. Not only is he a financial advisor for singers, writers and music business executives across the country, he’s also seen the highs and lows of the business first hand as a touring artist.

Every podcast needs a host. Someone to guide the conversation and ask the right questions to make sure you, the listener, understands what’s happening. That’s where Kevin comes in. But he’s not just a host, Kevin has well over a decade of his own experience as an audio  engineer and has worked with artists such as Randy Travis, Kenny Rogers and Lynda Carter to name just a few. You’ll hear him on each episode of Songwriter Soup.

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Songwriter Soup, brought to you by American Songwriter, healthy recipes for not losing your mind and your money in the songwriting business.

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