Some songwriters would kill for the chance to work with just one multi-platinum artist. Songwriter Brent Baxter has worked with a handful of them. One of his songs even made it onto Rolling Stone‘s list of the 40 Saddest Country Songs of All Time. How does a songwriter get to write for multi-platinum artists, and what’s it like writing songs for Alan Jackson, Lady Antebellum and Randy Travis? I brought Brent on the podcast to find out.

You want to make friends you can rise with not friends you have to rise above.” – Brent Baxter

Some of the things that we discuss include

• How to write songs for superstars
• Songs Brent admires for their craftsmanship
• How songwriters are like Special Forces
• Practical tips for moving to an industry hub like Nashville and getting connected with the community there
• The business side of being a songwriter and some challenges involved
• Why being a successful artist is all about being in the service industry
• Why sync licensing can be more profitable for songwriters
• When does it make sense to sign a publishing deal
• How to prepare for a collaboration with a big name
• What a well-written song involves

We also discuss these songs that Brent wrote: “Monday Morning Church” (Alan Jackson), “When Your Lips Are so Close” (Gord Bamford), “A Woman Scorned” & “Last Night Last” (Lady Antebellum), and “Every Head Bowed” (Randy Travis). At the end of the episode, you can hear a demo of a song Brent co-wrote with WILKES, who is currently featured on NBC’s The Voice.

Want to hear an interview with someone who was featured on NBC’s The Voice? Then check out this interview I did with bluesy rocker Lane Mack, who was a contestant on the show in 2016.

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