Songcraft: Spotlight On Songwriters

We're celebrating our 10th anniversary all year by digging in the vaults to re-present classic episodes with fresh commentary. Today, we're revisiting our 2017 conversation with Vince Gill. ABOUT VINCE GILLMulti-instrumentalist, singer, and songwriter Vince Gill launched his solo career in the mid-1980s, hitting the Top 10 on Billboard’s country singles chart a remarkable 25 times. All but one of those hits was written or co-written by Gill, and a dozen of his compositions have been nominated for either CMA Song of the Year, ACM Song of the Year, or the Best Country Song Grammy. These include “When I Call Your Name,” “Look At Us,” “Pocket Full of Gold,” “When Love Finds You,” “High Lonesome Sound,” “If You Have Forever in Mind,” “Feels Like Love,” and “Threaten Me With Heaven.” “Go Rest High on That Mountain” won both the CMA Song of the Year and the Best Country Song Grammy, while “I Still Believe in You” won the Best Country Song Grammy, as well as both the CMA and the ACM’s Song of the Year awards. Though

The All-American Rejects frontman discusses the evolution of his songwriting process and what it means for him to embrace his art.  PART ONEPaul and Scott talk about their upcoming music-themed road trip.PART TWOOur in-depth interview with Tyson Ritter of The All-American RejectsABOUT TYSON RITTERTyson Ritter is best known as the lead vocalist, bassist, and primary lyricist of The All-American Rejects. Formed in Stillwater, Oklahoma, in 1999, the band quickly rose to prominence in the early 2000s with their infectious blend of pop-punk and emo rock. Their self-titled debut album, released in 2002, featured the hit single "Swing, Swing," which propelled them into the mainstream. It was followed by the 2005 album Move Along, which achieved three chart-topping singles - "Dirty Little Secret," "Move Along," and "It Ends Tonight." In 2007 the group earned the ASCAP Vanguard Award. The following year saw the release of the When the World Comes Down album, featuring the smash hit "Gives You Hell” - the band’s most s

We're celebrating our 10th anniversary all year by digging in the vaults to re-present classic episodes with fresh commentary. Today, we're revisiting our 2019 conversation with Valerie Simpson of Ashford & Simpson. ABOUT VALERIE SIMPSONSix-time Grammy nominee Valerie Simpson is best known as one half of the songwriting, production and performing duo of Ashford and Simpson, which she formed with musical partner and eventual husband Nick Ashford after they met at a church in Harlem, New York, in the early 1960s.  After early successes with Aretha Franklin’s recording of “Cry Like a Baby” and Ray Charles’ recordings of “Let’s Go Get Stoned” and “I Don’t Need No Doctor,” Nick and Valerie signed with Motown Records, first as songwriters, where their early successes included the hit singles “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough” and “Your Precious Love,” recorded by Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell. They soon began both writing and producing for the duo, with hits such as “Ain’t Nothing Like the Real Thing,” “You’re All

Two-time Grammy winner and songwriting superhero Patty Griffin joins us for a wide-ranging discussion about her craftPART ONEReflecting on the lives of recently-departed songwriters Alan Bergman and Ozzy Osbourne, which might be the only time those two were discussed in the same conversation! PART TWOOur in-depth conversation with Patty GriffinABOUT PATTY GRIFFINPatty Griffin is a singer’s singer and a songwriter’s songwriter. With a catalog of finely-crafted selections that includes “Let Him Fly,” “One Big Love,” “Top of the World,” “Rain,” “Long Ride Home,” “Heavenly Day,” “Up to the Mountain,” “Ohio,” and many others, she has carved out a space as one the most respected artists and songwriters of the last 30 years. The seven-time Grammy nominee and two-time winner blends folk, blues, and other roots music traditions into her own unique style. Patty has received the Americana Music Association’s Lifetime Achievement Award for Songwriting, and her songs have been covered by a long list of artists that includ

We're celebrating our 10th anniversary all year by digging in the vaults to re-present classic episodes with fresh commentary. Today, we're revisiting our 2023 conversation with Robert De Leo of Stone Temple Pilots. ABOUT ROBERT DE LEORobert De Leo is best known for his work in Stone Temple Pilots. Collaborating with lyricist and vocalist Scott Weiland, Robert wrote or co-wrote the music for many of the group’s classic songs, including “Plush,” “Creep,” “Wicked Garden,” “Vaseline,” “Interstate Love Song,” “Big Bang Baby,” “Down,” “Hollywood Bitch,” and “Between the Lines.” Outside of their music in Stone Temple Pilots, Robert and his brother Dean have also written and recorded songs for their band Talk Show, as well as Army of Anyone, which is a collaboration with Filter frontman Richard Patrick. Since the death of Weiland and subsequent lead singer Chester Bennington, the De Leo brothers and drummer Eric Kretz continue to make music as Stone Temple Pilots with current vocalist Jeff Gutt. At the time of our c

Rock & Roll Hall of Famer Dave Mason chats about his early days in Traffic, writing the classic "Feelin' Alright?", working with Delaney & Bonnie, and so much more. PART ONEScott and Paul chat about Dave Mason's unique role in the rock & roll pantheon.PART TWOOur in-depth conversation with Dave Mason.ABOUT DAVE MASONAfter recording background vocals with The Spencer Davis Group on such hits as "Gimme Some Lovin'" and "I'm a Man," Dave Mason became a founding member of the British rock group Traffic alongside Steve Winwood, Jim Capaldi, and Chris Wood. He wrote some of the band’s best-known songs, including “Hole in My Shoe” and “Feelin’ Alright?” which went on to be covered in a memorable version by Joe Cocker. After touring and recording with Delaney & Bonnie (who recorded Dave’s song “Only You Know and I Know”), he joined an early version of Eric Clapton’s Derek & The Dominos. Dave soon left to pursue a solo career, beginning with the Alone Together album. He has released three Gold-cert

We're celebrating our 10th anniversary all year by digging in the vaults to re-present classic episodes with fresh commentary. Today, we're revisiting our 2016 conversation with Mike Stoller. ABOUT MIKE STOLLERMike Stoller has written more than 60 songs that have appeared on the Billboard charts, including the #1 hits “Hound Dog,” “Kansas City,” “Yakety Yak,”  “Searchin’,” “Jailhouse Rock,” “Poison Ivy,” “Stand By Me,” “Young Blood,” “Don’t,” and “Ruby, Baby." After Stoller and songwriting partner Jerry Leiber found early R&B success with recordings by Little Esther, Charles Brown, Ray Charles, and Big Mama Thornton, Elvis Presley turned their song "Hound Dog" into a #1 single on the pop, R&B, and country charts in 1956. Elvis went on to record more than 20 Leiber and Stoller titles, including the hits "Love Me," "Loving You," "Jailhouse Rock," "Treat Me Nice," "She's Not You," and "Bossa Nova Baby." Mike and Jerry signed an independent production deal with Atlantic Records in the mid-1950s, where the

Norman Greenbaum gave the world "Spirit in the Sky," one of the greatest records ever made. He chats with us about his iconic classic, as well as other musical adventures and misadventures over the last few decades. PART ONE: Paul and Scott chat about Instagram, artist accessibility, and what the heck Norman Greenbaum looks like. PART TWO:Our in-depth conversation with Norman GreenbaumABOUT NORMAN GREENBAUMNorman Greenbaum might be known as a one hit wonder, but that one hit is one of the most wonderous records to ever hit the airwaves. With its infectious groove and unparalleled fuzz tone guitar, “Spirit in the Sky” was recorded in San Francisco in 1969 and quickly climbed to the Top 5 in the US and number 1 in a half dozen countries around the world. It has been certified double platinum for sales of over 2 million, and is among Rolling Stone magazine’s “500 Greatest Songs of All Time.” It has reached #1 in the UK in three different decades by three different artists and has been covered by everyone from El

We're celebrating our 10th anniversary all year by digging in the vaults to re-present classic episodes with fresh commentary. Today, we're revisiting our 2021 conversation with Ani DiFranco. ABOUT ANI DIFRANCOSinger, songwriter, musician, producer, poet, author, spoken-word artist, activist and entrepreneur Ani DiFranco has released more than 20 independent studio albums on her own label, Righteous Babe Records. Though often classified as “alternative folk,” DiFranco’s musical influences span a range of genres. After relentless touring, she reached a wide commercial audience in the late 1990s and early 2000s with albums such as Little Plastic Castle, Up Up Up Up Up Up, Revelling/Reckoning, Evolve, Educated Guess, and the gold-certified live album Living in Clip. The Grammy winner and nine-time nominee achieved her sole Top 40 hit as a songwriter when Alana Davis covered the DiFranco classic “32 Flavors” in 1997. The prolific and critically-acclaimed performer developed her own uniquely percussive guitar styl

Lumineers front man and two-time Grammy nominee Wesley Schultz goes deep on his passion for songwriting. PART ONE:Paul and Scott tell the harrowing tale of the Wesley Schultz interview that almost didn't happen. Plus, do you have a question for Patty Griffin, Dave Mason, or Mary Chapin Carpenter? Share it with us and you just might hear your name on an upcoming episode! PART TWO:Our in-depth conversation with Wesley Schultz. ABOUT WESLEY SCHULTZWesley Schultz is best known as the co-founder, lead singer, and guitarist for The Lumineers. Founded in 2005, their blend of alternative rock, Americana, and electrifying live performances has earned them a dedicated following. Over the course of five studio albums, the band has achieved 24 #1 hits across multiple radio formats, earned over 6 billion streams, sold more than 1.5 million albums in the US, and built a Spotify following of 22 million monthly listeners. Their accolades include two GRAMMY® nominations, five Billboard Music Awards nods, an American Music Awa

We're celebrating our 10th anniversary all year by digging in the vaults to re-present classic episodes with fresh commentary. Today, we're revisiting our 2017 conversation with Jimmy Webb. ABOUT JIMMY WEBBJimmy Webb emerged as a superstar songwriter and arranger in 1967 when two of his songs – The 5th Dimension’s “Up, Up and Away” and Glen Campbell’s “By the Time I Get to Phoenix” - were among the five nominees for the Grammy’s Song of the Year award. He went on to write a string of major hits for Campbell, including “Wichita Lineman,” “Galveston,” "Where’s the Playground Susie,” “Honey Come Back,” and many others. Additionally, he penned “MacArthur Park,” which was a hit for a diverse range of artists, including Richard Harris, Waylon Jennings, Tony Bennett, Andy Williams, and Donna Summer; “The Worst That Could Happen,” which was a Top 5 hit for The Brooklyn Bridge; “Didn’t We,” which was recorded by Thelma Houston, Frank Sinatra, Diana Ross, and Barbra Streisand; “All I Know,” which became a Top 10 hit fo

Grammy-winning songwriter and Soul Asylum frontman Dave Pirner chats about his process, from the earliest days of the band to to the most recent album, Slowly But Shirley PART ONE:Paul and Scott talk about movie soundtracks, music discovery, and how technology changes but the power of music endures.PART TWO:Our in-depth conversation with Dave Pirner of Soul Asylum.ABOUT DAVE PIRNERDave Pirner is best known as the lead singer, frontman, and primary songwriter for the Grammy-winning alternative rock band Soul Asylum. Formed in Minneapolis in the early 1980s, the group has blended punk, roots music, power pop and other influences to create its own unique sound. After a series of indie releases and two albums for A&M, the band’s widespread commercial breakthrough came with Columbia Records’ release of the Grave Dancer’s Union album in 1992. “Black Gold” and “Somebody to Shove” were hits on Billboard’s Alternative Rock chart, with the latter reaching #1. “Runaway Train” was a top-5 pop single and earned Pirner

We're celebrating our 10th anniversary all year by digging in the vaults to re-present classic episodes with fresh commentary. Today, we're revisiting our 2021 conversation with Steve Perry. ABOUT STEVE PERRYOne of the most iconic voices in rock music history, Steve Perry is best known as the lead singer of the band Journey during the group’s most successful period. His first Top 20 pop hit as either a performer or songwriter was the solo-written “Lovin’, Touchin’, Squeezin’,” which became a hit for the band in 1979. In the following decade he co-wrote an unbelievable streak of classic songs with Neil Shon and Jonathan Cain, including “Any Way You Want It,” “Who’s Crying Now,” “Open Arms,” “Separate Ways,” ”Send Her My Love,” and “Don’t Stop Believin',” a single that’s been certified five times platinum. His 1984 debut solo album Street Talk produced the classic singles “Oh Sherrie” and “Foolish Heart.” After penning additional Journey hits “Be Good to Yourself,” “Girl Can’t Help It,” and “I’ll be Alright Wit

GRAMMY winner Suzanne Vega talks "Luka," "Tom's Diner," her first studio album in more than a decade, and much more! PART ONEPaul and Scott talk about the pop culture museum in Seattle, as well as Nirvana, Soundgarden, the diner in Seinfeld, canned green beans, and other important stuff. PART TWOScott's in-depth conversation with Suzanne VegaABOUT SUZANNE VEGAGRAMMY winner Suzanne Vega is best known for “Luka,” which was a top 5 pop hit in 1987. In 1990 DNA reworked and remixed her song “Tom’s Diner,” giving her another top 5 pop hit. In total, Vega has released ten studio albums, four acoustic collections, and eight live albums, earning five GRAMMY nominations in the process. A wide-ranging songwriter, Suzanne has earned accolades for “Book of Dreams,” “Blood Makes Noise,” and “Caramel,” three sonically distinct compositions that reflect the breadth of the musical ground she covers. In 2004 she won a Peabody award for entertainment. Suzanne’s most recent album, Flying with Angels, is her first new studio rec

We're celebrating our 10th anniversary all year by digging in the vaults to re-present classic episodes with fresh commentary. Today, we're revisiting our 2021 conversation with Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis. ABOUT JIMMY JAM & TERRY LEWISWith 26 Billboard #1 R&B hits and 16 Billboard #1 pop hits to their credit, Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis are perhaps the most influential and successful songwriting and production duo in modern music history. With a total of 41 Top 10 hits in the US, Jimmy and Terry were named ASCAP Songwriters of the Year a record-breaking nine times. They are perhaps best known for their work with Janet Jackson, beginning with the Control album, which earned the duo a Grammy for Producer of the Year. Between 1986 and 1994 they scored thirteen #1 songs with Janet on either the R&B or pop chart, including “What Have You Done For Me Lately,” “Nasty,” “When I Think of You,” “Control,” “Let’s Wait Awhile,” “Miss You Much,” “Rhythm Nation,” “Escapade” “Love Will Never Do (Without You),” “T

Counting Crows frontman Adam Duritz explains how his songwriting process has changed over the years, and offers insights into some of his songs, from early classics to recent compositions. PART ONE:Paul and Scott discuss judging a book by its cover and their possible status as idiots. PART TWO:Our in-depth conversation with Adam DuritzABOUT ADAM DURITZ:Songwriter Adam Duritz is best known as the lead singer of Counting Crows, which formed in 1991 in the San Francisco Bay area. Their 1993 debut album, August and Everything After, which was produced by T. Bone Burnett, attracted attention for songs such as “Mr. Jones,” “Round Here,” and “Rain King.” The album earned the group two Grammy nominations and was certified seven-times platinum. The double platinum follow-up album, Recovering the Satellites, reached number one and produced the top 10 pop single “A Long December.” Subsequent #1 singles on Billboard’s AAA chart include “American Girls” with Sheryl Crow, “She Don’t Want Nobody Near,” “Accidentally in Love

We're celebrating our 10th anniversary all year by digging in the vaults to re-present classic episodes with fresh commentary. Today, we're revisiting our 2020 conversation with Peter Frampton. ABOUT THIS BONUS EPISODEThe exceedingly generous and gentlemanly Peter Frampton talks about David Bowie giving him his very first job; Bill Wyman of the Rolling Stones getting him into a recording studio for the first time; stumbling into session work thanks to George Harrison; writing two massive hits in the same day; how the loneliness of stratospheric success impacted his songwriting; and the inside stories of classics such as "Baby, I Love Your Way," "Show Me the Way," "Do You Feel Like We Do," "I'm in You," and many more.    

Drive-By Truckers co-founder Patterson Hood chats about his band, the evolution of his songwriting process, and his most recent solo album.PART ONEWater. Bed. Rock!!!PART TWOOur in-depth conversation with Patterson HoodABOUT PATTERSON HOODMuscle Shoals, Alabama, native Patterson Hood is best known, along with Mike Cooley, as the co-founder of the band Drive-By Truckers. Drawing from a range of rock and country influences, the group emerged from the Athens, Georgia, music scene in the mid-1990s, releasing their debut album, Gangstabilly, in 1988. Following the success of their third album, Southern Rock Opera, Drive-By Truckers were named Band of the Year by No Depression magazine in 2002. Jason Isbell joined the group for the acclaimed albums Decoration Day, The Dirty South, and A Blessing and a Curse. Following Isbell’s departure, the album Brighter Than Creation’s Dark became Drive-By Truckers’ first album to reach the Top 40 on the Billboard 200 chart. Subsequent albums The Big To-Do, Go-Go Boots, English

We're celebrating our 10th anniversary all year by digging in the vaults to re-present classic episodes with fresh commentary. Today, we're revisiting our 2015 conversation with Swamp Dogg.  ABOUT SWAMP DOGGR&B cult favorite Jerry “Swamp Dogg” Williams is best known as the co-writer, with Gary U.S. Bonds, of the cross-genre classic, “She’s All I Got,” which became a Top 10 R&B single for Freddie North and a #2 country hit for Johnny Paycheck in 1971. Tracy Byrd recorded it in 1996, hitting #4 on Billboard’s Country rankings and introducing the song to a new generation of fans. Williams’ career began in 1954 when, at the age of 12, he made his first record, “HTD Blues.” He found success in the 1960s, recording the Top 40 R&B hit “Baby You’re My Everything” under the name Little Jerry Williams, and writing songs for other artists, including Gene Pitney’s Top 20 Pop single, “She’s a Heartbreaker.” He became Atlantic Records’ first African American staff producer in 1968, but left the following year t

Six-time Grammy winner and Toto co-founder David Paich joins us to talk about his life as a hit songwriter for his own band and others.PART ONE:Scott and Paul talk about their visit with David Paich and other bits of tomfoolery.PART TWO: Our in-depth conversation with David PaichABOUT DAVID PAICH:David Paich is best known as one of the founding members of Toto, and the writer of some the group’s classic hits such as “Africa,” “Rosanna,” “Hold the Line,” “Georgy Porgy,” “99,” and “Pamela.” In addition to his success with the band, David collaborated with Boz Scaggs on the multi-million-selling Silk Degrees album, including the hits “Lowdown” and “Lido Shuffle,” and he co-wrote and produced the Cheryl Lynn hit “Got to Be Real.” Additionally, David composed much of the score for the David Lynch film Dune as well as the theme music for the 2008 summer Olympics. He is a six-time Grammy winner—including for Album of the Year, Record of the Year, and Producer of the Year—and he won an Emmy Award for Best Song or The