Award-winning songwriters discuss their craft

Key Takeaways

Three country music songwriters closed out the final general session with local flavor, sharing the career experiences that led them to the Music City. Despite their accomplishments, all flavored their remarks with healthy doses of self-deprecation.

“I’m a 20-year overnight success,” said Natalie Hemby, who retreated from the music business after a performing contract fell through. “God gave me this other thing, songwriting. It’s gotten me through so many things in my life.

“I worked at Comcast,” she said, drawing laughter.

Hemby caught her big break writing songs for singer Miranda Lambert, whose career Hemby’s husband manages.

Some of the most poignant songs come from misfortune, and Tim Nichols owes his big break to being taken. After being scammed by a con man record producer, Nichols was featured on 60 Minutes, which gave him national exposure and attention from more legitimate players in the music industry. Despite his initial difficulty in the business, he knew he had to go to Nashville to pursue his career.

“If you want to hunt tigers you have to go where the tigers are,” he said. “I had to move to Davidson County,” his choice in words specific to strike a chord with county officials. 

Nichols has gained fame as a writer of the Grammy-winning song “Live Like You Were Dying,” which he said has given him some of his greatest satisfaction, but not from its commercial success.

“If you ever have the opportunity to win a Grammy, you should totally do it,” he said, but what tops that is hearing about how his lyrics prompted people to change their lives through kindness and forgiveness.

Tom Douglas stressed the process in songwriting, which was fundamental to writers’ work. The pinnacle of a writer’s career is supported by a wide base made possible by prolific writing. Douglas finishes writing one song every three days, during which he loves the song he’s working on.

 “As soon as you’re done, you move onto the next one,” he said. “Otherwise you get hung up on them.”