Songwriter Soup

You might recognize today's Songwriter Soup guest's name and voice—Rob Ragosta (“Need A Favor” & “Winning Streak” Jelly Roll) is the brother of previous SS guest, Joe Ragosta! On this episode the group talks about family, community and how important the maintenance of both can help keep your head on straight through the ups, downs, highs and lows of the songwriter grind. It also covers the delicate balance of ego and humility and the wisdom of not looking down at anyone, or looking too far up at anyone either. The road is long, friends you never can tell where everyone ends up! Best to be a kind person to everyone. Enjoy this episode of The Soup! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week on Songwriter Soup, the trio is joined by Nashville producer and songwriter, Trent Willmon. This episode covers a wealth of information about production, vocals, and why Trent is open (and even excited!) to record outside songs with his frequent collaborator, Cody Johnson. For those of you who don't know, an outside song is a song that an artist cuts without being on the copyright. There are a thousand reasons why that is going out of style and a thousand reasons why it shouldn't. The discussion also meanders around studio etiquette, covering the subtle art of working with artists in the vocal booth and how incredible Nashville's studio cats are. Enjoy!  Trent Willmon: The Songwriters Playlist on Apple Music Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, the Songwriter Soup trio is joined by the incredible Connie Harrington (“I Drive Your Truck” Lee Brice, “Mine Would Be You” Blake Shelton, “No Caller ID” & “Bless Your Heart” Megan Moroney). No shortage of wisdom, truth bombs and tears on this episode, y'all. Connie has seen it all and managed to stay, not just relevant, but bar-setting

The Songwriter Soup crew sits down with FBMM's own, Erica Rosa, lovingly and accurately known as the “royalty guru", to explore how money flows through the music industry. While originally set to focus on publishing royalties (this is a songwriter podcast after all), things naturally veered right to the actual beginning. How does music make money from the tippy top down? Erica offers a clear breakdown, from streaming and physical sales to touring and bundling strategies. Y'all should get a clear picture of the financial pressures on both artists and labels, and perhaps an explanation of the ongoing tension between fair compensation and business sustainability in the music industry. The episode also navigates the intricacies of artist-label relationships, producer deals, and the often-misunderstood world of points, net receipts, and profit splits.  Songwriters, this one is a must listen. If we are ever going to fix it, we have to understand it. Start here!  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Seth Ennis (“The Boys Back Home” Dylan Marlowe & Dylan Scott, “She Drives Away” Jon Pardi, “Hooked” Dylan Scott, “Tough To Tie Down” Jordan Davis) joins The Soup gang to discuss the challenges of going from an artist who writes great songs to a full time hit songwriter and the importance of friendship as you make your way up the ranks. Seth and Laura clear up an adorable ten year old work snafu, and coo over how amazing this songwriting community is. This episode is full of warm feelings and goodness while the four discuss work/life balance, reinventing yourself, and rising with the crew you came in with.  Seth Ennis: The Songwriters Playlist on Apple Music Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

To celebrate Kelly Archer's recent two-week country number one, “I'm Gonna Love You” (Cody Johnson & Carrie Underwood), we thought we'd re-release our interview with our girl, Kelly! Enjoy one of our favorite episodes of Songwriter Soup.  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. The Songwriters: Kelly Archer Playlist on Apple Music Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Steph Jones (“Espresso” & “Nonsense” Sabrina Carpenter, “hole in the bottle” Kelsea Ballerini, “People You Know” Selena Gomez) might actually be the songwriting community's most easiest to love songwriter. The Soup Crew learns all about Steph's interest in scents and how it finds it's way into her songwriting career, and the path she took through the praise and worship world that led her to a hits in pop and country. Steph definitely has wisdom to share. Her work ethic, combined with a “maybe yes maybe no” philosophy, establishes a buoyant energy in the writing room, and lets the universe take it from there. This episode also touches on songwriter rights and how we should ALL (gently) be asking for more. Enjoy this one! Listen to Steph Jones: The Songwriters playlist on Apple Music. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Replay, baby! Nashville's on Spring Break this week, so enjoy this oldie-but-goodie. It's full of great nuggets. We'll see you next week with a new episode! 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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Devin Dawson (“God's Country” Blake Shelton, “The Difference” Tyler Rich, “All On Me” Devin Dawson) is our second songwriter artist guest on Songwriter Soup. Devin walks the crew through how cockiness (hmmm..confidence) helped him boldly switch lifestyles throughout his music career, jumping from garage death metal band to Belmont University student to country artist and hit songwriter. He unpacks the challenge and beauty of his experience with a spasmodic dysphonia diagnosis that forced him to pivot once again, away from his artist career. The Soup also gets a little song nerdy discussing craft and form (

Insurance is about the most boring topic on the planet. But! It's also crucial that small business owners understand how it works, and how to make it work for you as you barrel into the future. In this episode, Tracy finishes out his financial planning strategy by putting a solid floor under those buckets with various types of insurance. The crew also discusses Music Health Alliance, an incredible resource for music people, and some other juicy insurance life hacks, like how to save money and get better care when your health insurance sucks. Between the buckets episode and this one, you should sleep soundly at night knowing your future is as secure as it can be! Music Health Alliance Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Driver Williams (“Smoke A Little Smoke” Eric Church, “Days That End In Why” Morgan Wallen, “Back 40 Back” Luke Combs), son of publisher & former head of BMI, Jody Williams, has always known exactly what a songwriter is. This week on Songwriter Soup, the trio talks to Driver about what it was like to grow up in the thick of the Nashville songwriter scene, leaving it to follow his love of heavy metal, how that love somehow led him to Eric Church, and the breadcrumb trail that brought him back home. What a wild story! Enjoy. Driver Williams: The Songwriters Playlist on Apple Music Laura Veltz: The Songwriters Playlist on Apple Music Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This episode is undoubtedly one of the pillars of Songwriter Soup so, please do not miss it. Tracy takes the wheel this week as he explains the system through which he organizes, manages and grows other people's wealth. The trio discusses Tracy's famous buckets (short, mid and long term savings), as well as conventional wisdom most people use that, turns out, might be a less effective strategy for growing wealth. This episode also covers the sometimes inaccurate, and often damaging, use of the word “retirement”, particularly in creative jobs like songwriting. As heady and nerdy as this all sounds, it's actually dripping in psychology so buckle up (bucket up?

Trio de Songwriter Soup delve into art/business relationships and more on today's episode. When it comes to a songwriter's relationship with an artist, what is loyalty exactly? Is it a good thing? Is it a bad thing? Man, it sure can get tricky as people come and go (and come and go again). Holding too tightly and/or getting one's feelings hurt can do damage, internally and externally. Let's talk about it! But wait, are we even talking about songwriting? Totally. Are we talking about EVERYTHING? Perhaps? Either way, hope it helps! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Songwriter and producer, Andrew DeRoberts (“Somebody To Love” One Republic, “All Night” Brothers Osborne, “The Weekend” Brantley Gilbert) joins the trio to share his signature brand of calm with us all. This episode deep dives into staying comfortable in the uncomfortable moments in a writing room, which everyday parts of this weird job are actually the most fulfilling, how delayed gratification serves you, and when not to sell a catalog. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Soup Trio has a special guest on today—Dr. Death himself, and one of Nashville's most esteemed estate planning gurus, Jeff Mobley. Why so morbid, you ask? Well, people with intellectual property (songwriters and art makers) should have a particular interest in making sure all of your creations, and the income they generate or could generate one day, ends up in the right hands. Nobody wants to talk about this stuff. To Jeff's point though, the moment you have a kid, you absolutely should be thinking about this stuff, no matter what you do for a living. We have a feeling you'll be glad you listened to this one, even if you think you're too young to talk about it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Josh Osborne (“Sand In My Boots” Morgan Wallen, “Body Like A Back Road” Sam Hunt, “Merry Go Round” Kacey Musgraves) joins the Songwriter Soup crew this week reminding us all of how to keep it stellar as a writer and keep it simple as a human. This episode was recorded the day and maybe even the moment he was nominated for yet another Grammy for “The Architect” by Kacey Musgraves. He walks us through the many failed publishing deals it took to get him to his first hit, how doing the math from the very beginning is still benefiting his life and how laughter is the best thing in the world. This man is so freakin' funny. Ok, enjoy! Listen to Josh's songwriter playlist on Apple Music: Josh Osborne: The Songwriters Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tom Douglas is back! The trio is thrilled to have Tom on Songwriter Soup for a second time. As if the world's problems weren't solved on part 1, the crew manages to cover some new concepts that with undoubtedly assist the new and established songwriter in their journey through this privileged world of songwriting. What does the mountain top look like from both sides? Did the team get you there or what is just you? How do you keep your equilibrium before and after success? Those are just some of the topics covered this week on the soup. Enjoy!  Listen to Tom's songwriter playlist on Apple Music: Tom Douglas: The Songwriters Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tracy is absent today, but Laura and Kevin are soupin' it, chatting with hit songwriter Trannie Anderson (“Heart Like A Truck”, “Wildflowers and Wild Horses” & “Whirlwind” Lainey Wilson, “3 Feet Tall” Cole Swindell). The three talk first publishing deals, the importance of mentors, and balancing hobbies with work. They also delve into some insights into the dynamics and challenges for female songwriters in country music, and how we might be seeing some signs that things are changing! Hallafreakinlujah! Listen to Trannie's songwriter playlist on Apple Music: Trannie Anderson: The Songwriters Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The trio delves into a few songwriting practices that can help you feel your feelings and unlock your creativity. Tracy also helps unpack why he doesn't get investment antsy during big shifts like elections, and how you too can stay chill about your investments no matter what is going on in the world.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tom Douglas (“The House That Built Me” Miranda Lambert, “Meanwhile Back At Mamas” Tim McGraw, “I Run To You” Lady A) does what he does best on Songwriter Soup. With his signature eloquence and vulnerability, the patriarch of music row explains what held him back from pursuing his natural calling until his forties. We talk about the powerful effect of our parents voices in our heads, the role of pain as a songwriter's most effective tool, and how many songs it takes to turn this creative pursuit into a business. Tom's songwriter Playlist on Apple Music: The Songwriters: Tom Douglas Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The trio is joined this week by hit songwriter, Brett James (“Jesus Take The Wheel” Carrie Underwood, “Mr. Know It All” Kelly Clarkson, “Out Last Night” Kenny Chesney). Brett takes us through his on again, off again relationship with medical school interwoven between record deals and publishing deals, culminating in a surprise season of hits. The crew discusses how to manage your expectations through seasons of ups and downs, enjoying the mentor position in a room with younger writers, and the future of superstardom in the streaming era. Listen to Brett James' songwriter playlist on Apple Music: Brett James: The Songwriters Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, Laura, Tracy & Kevin are joined by Laura's songwriter manager, Hannah Babitt on Songwriter Soup. The crew attempts to breakdown the multitude of ways that the industry at large might consider compensating songwriters in the streaming era. They delve into the contrasts between Nashville and LA systems, the significance of transparent communication, when and when not to put your foot down, and the delicate balance of maintaining relationships while fostering industry-wide change. This episode is a candid look at the real-time shifts and the thoughtful minds spearheading these transformations. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, hit songwriter Amy Wadge (“Thinking Out Loud” Ed Sheeran, “Consequences”Camila Cabello, “Wonder Woman” Kacey Musgraves) brought her signature eloquence and lovable nature to the Soup. She shares her perspectives on being a woman in the songwriting world, how important it is to have people around you who believe in you, and her long distance relationship with her career in songwriting, which for her, involves regular travel overseas. We cover the harrowing chapter of her life during which she and Ed Sheeran were involved in a high profile copyright lawsuit for “Thinking Out Loud”, and we talk thru a few measures songwriters can take to prevent some of these lawsuits from happening in the first place. Amy Wadge: The Songwriters Playlist on Apple Music Follow Amy Wadge on Instagram Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We're back! After taking the summer off, Laura, Tracy and Kevin are getting back in the saddle with an episode dedicated to you, the listener, answering questions straight out of Laura's DMs. We're talking pay-to-play publishing, coveting that perfect song idea, and whether or not Nashville is the right place for your songs. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

One of Music City's matriarchs, Liz Rose (“You Belong With Me” Taylor Swift, “Girl Crush” Little Big Town, “Burn It Down” Parker McCullum) is here for the long haul. Her tips and tricks for how to hang in there and focus on the love of the job are evergreen, just like her hits. Liz's Songwriter Playlist on Apple Music Written By Liz Rose Playlist on Spotify The Love Junkies Songbook on Apple Music Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Chris DeStefano brings a rare set of skills to the writer's room. Trained in film scoring at Berklee, Chris's knowledge of musical mechanics allows him to break out of ruts in writing sessions and infuse his songs with depth and gravitas. From singing in a boys choir in Austria, to session work in LA, to playing in a Salsa band in Las Vegas, to writing hits for Luke Bryan and Carrie Underwood, Chris's story proves of one of our favorite themes on this podcast: no matter where your songwriting journey takes you, nothing is wasted. Chris's Songwriter Playlist on Apple Music Written By Chris DeStefano on Spotify Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Are you still with us? If you've made it this far into our Catalog Sale deep dive, congratulations, you're a superstar. In the third installment of this series, Tracy's back to give his take on Mike Molinar's master class, we dig further into multiples and admin rights, and wax poetic on the game of commodifying art. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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The catalog sale saga continues! This week we're joined by Mike Molinar (Big Machine Music president and Laura's publisher) to give a publisher's perspective on catalog sales in 2024. Mike walks us through the terminology used in these negotiations and shares insights into some of the stress-inducing misinformation that permeates songwriter circles. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Songwriter, multi-instrumentalist & producer, Daniel Tashian (Kacey Musgraves Albums Golden Hour, Star Crossed & Deeper Well) took the long way around to massive success. Like many of us, his musicality was simply way ahead of its time. On purpose or by accident, Daniel managed to stick it out long enough to witness his own Golden Hour and we are all better for it. Daniel's Songwriter Playlist on Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/us/playlist/daniel-tashian-the-songwriters/pl.ec6a5197166b4843b60c23882049dd5d Written By Daniel Tashian Playlist on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/37i9dQZF1EFRijbNtegdy8 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Strap in, y'all. We're diving into the intricate world of the Catalog Sale. While it's tempting to dream about cashing out and buying an island at 27, it's really important to know how these agreements happen, how much they're worth and when you may *actually* be ready for one in the first place. In the first part of our Catalog Sale mini-series, Laura details her experience selling her first catalog including timing, finding the right buyer and the importance of financial independence in the negotiating process. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Songwriter, multi-instrumentalist & producer, Daniel Tashian (Kacey Musgraves Albums Golden Hour, Star Crossed & Deeper Well) took the long way around to massive success. Like many of us, his musicality was simply way ahead of its time. On purpose or by accident, Daniel managed to stick it out long enough to witness his own Golden Hour and we are all better for it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Songwriter & lead singer of The Cadillac Three, Jaren Johnston ("5 Foot 9" Tyler Hubbard, "Raise Em Up" Keith Urban feat. Eric Church, "Meanwhile Back At Mama's" Tim McGraw) knows how to pull a heartstring but can not help but put his southern rock energy into his songs. With a rock essence you can clearly sense from his contribution to the country genre, Jaren helps pull our platform somewhere new AND classic at the the same time. This episode covers subjects like how to exude confidence without being an asshole, how to make your demos distinguishable from the many many others that publishers and artists receive, and learning from and emulating the greats. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Songwriter, producer, and multi-instrumentalist, Mike Elizondo ("In da Club" 50 Cent, "The Real Slim Shady" Eminem, "Cowboy Casanova" Carrie Underwood, The Encanto Soundtrack with Lin-Manuel Miranda) is simply synonymous with modern music. The trio sits down with Mike to discuss his studio environment and energy, and how it puts his co-creators at ease, and at what points in his career he had to stand up for his value. This episode also goes into detail about the difference between a track guy and a writer-producer, and how Mike's desire for a better work/life balance, along with a curiosity for expanding his understanding of songwriting, led him to move to Nashville. https://music.apple.com/us/playlist/mike-elizondo-the-producers/pl.a56f1838e5c34595abb9dc416ecf0a38 https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1qjLC064PnRWeyvOAPJH6R?si=8SkL_uGKTsmqhK7TiONR8w&pi=u-xFlICarcRx20 Instagram: @mikeelizondojr Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices