Songwriter Soup

Maren Morris ("My Church", "The Bones") parks it on the Soup couch this week for a deep dive on some of the most unexplored topics in the music industry. She unpacks the baffling reality of why producers get points but songwriters don't in the streaming age, spills the tea on how country radio works and the conversations artists are afraid of. She also covers a LOT about navigating major label deals, renegotiating contracts, and the crucial importance of creatives supporting creatives. Enjoy guys!

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Deric Ruttan (“What Was I Thinking” Dierks Bentley, “Mine Would Be You” Blake Shelton, “Any Ol’ Barstool” Jason Aldean) joins the trio this week to unlock the secret to staying in this business for a lifetime. He opens up about the emotional toll of the built in rejection part of this gig, the importance of separating work from identity for his own sanity, and how he manages to stay grounded in this topsy turvy industry. We discuss that magic male energy that can handle very strong women in creative spaces (which Deric has mastered in my opinion… oh hey, it’s Laura writing this). We also break down the paradox of a songwriter’s need to stay so so so vulnerable in the writing room, while also being so so so thick skinned the moment the song leaves the writing room…. A really challenging combo! Deric has managed to keep slinging hits for roughly three decades. If you’re one of those people who wants to do this forever and ever, amen, this is the episode for you!

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Joybeth Taylor (“Choosin’ Texas” Ella Langley, “I Can’t Love You Anymore” Ella Langley & Morgan Wallen, “Empty Words” Corey Kent) is living through once-in-a-lifetime songwriter success with faith, grace and open hands. JoyBeth’s experience on music row is the quintessential Nashville journey—artist turned songwriter (waiter / nanny / lifeguard / day job / day job / day job…..) to revered addition to the writing room. The moment this story becomes singularly JoyBeth’s is through her long time partnership with record breaking artist, Ella Langley, whom she casually met while fishing. Joybeth is a fantastic example of patience and calm for anyone just starting out in this business, as well as those passing through a moment of success. Keep calm and carry on. 

She is also Songwriter Soup’s first guest as a non-profit! Welcome to season 5-01c3!!

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This week, we have Nashville’s most considerate publisher, Creative Nation’s Beth Laird on the podcast. Married to a hit songwriter (Soup season 1 alum, Luke Laird), Beth has a front row seat to the hearts, habits and creature comforts of creative minds. We talk about how Beth and Luke went against the publishing company grain when they started Creative Nation and how those decisions remain the core of the company’s ethos. We cover topics like the evolution of women in Nashville music, the emotional core of nurturing songwriters, the changing landscape of music consumption, and why sometimes, all you need is a good snack strategy to make people feel loved and seen. Beth is one of the good ones. Enjoy this episode!

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This week’s guest, artist and songwriter, Alana Springsteen (“ghost in my guitar”, “Hot Honey” and her latest album I Hope This Helps), discusses the burn out that comes with starting out in the music business at a young age, and the breaking points that led her back to making music for her own soul. Alana and the trio talk about how difficult it is to maintain a sense of genuine purpose in an industry that often props up the optics of monthly listenership and streams, while disregarding the potential and importance of a smaller, passionate, loyal audience. They discuss the evolving role of songwriters in artists’ lives, how a 'no matter what' mindset can transform your creative process and connect you with fans on a deeper level. Enjoy this episode!

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In this deeply honest and illuminating episode of Songwriter Soup, Nashville songwriter Nell Maynard (“Opti-MYSTIC” Abbie Callahan, “Blueneck” Chris Housman, “Like A Boy” LEW) joins us for a wide-ranging conversation that challenges traditional music industry norms. 

From securing a highly unusual publishing deal that grants her 100% ownership of her writing and publishing with zero advance, to opening up about asking her parents for a "values-aligned investment" to replace her $14/hour side jobs, Nell offers a masterclass in transparency.

The episode explores the stigma around financial privilege, why historical patronage of the arts is essential when DSPs underpay creators, how to stop over-booking writing calendars out of insecurity and the mindset of "Fear vs. Love.” Nell is full of wisdom and I’ll bet songwriters of all stages have something to learn from her. Enjoy this episode!

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Blake Pendergrass (“Just In Case” Morgan Wallen, “Brunette” Tucker Wetmore, “ROCKSTAR” Hardy) is on the Songwriter Soup couch this week breaking down his bizarre entrance into the music industry-an emphatic push from his lawyer parents to skip normal people school and pursue music.

Blake walks us thru the typical ten year town songwriter experience of waiting tables, finding community & cowriters doing the same thing, and that first song that gets the ball rolling. We talk “outside” songs (when artists cut songs they didn’t write), and Morgan Wallen, who cuts outside songs while a lot of artists won’t.

How many songs does it takes to land one of those? Hint: it’s a lot!! We also break down toxic frugality, the fear that the money you finally made will disappear for no reason and with no explanation. Blake is a fabulous guest we hope you’ll enjoy this episode! 

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Hit Songwriter, founder of Hope On The Row, and overall angel, Ava Suppelsa (“Better Me For You (Brown Eyes)” Max McKnown, “Critic” Avery Anna, “Salt, Lime & Tequila” Ryan Griffin) joins the trio on the couch this week.

Ava is one of those people that knows how to human. From quitting a cushy record label job to clean up bachelorette confetti in order to pursue her songwriter dream, to her first huge hit with Max McKnown, she approaches her journey with a sense of gratitude, humor and confidence that is simply inspiring.

She is also the founder of Hope On The Row, a weekly outreach non-profit that feeds Nashville’s unhoused community, which has also become a place where songwriters can connect with each other while doing something good for humanity. What a bad b*tch! We love Ava and this episode.

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Mags Duval (“Ordinary” Alex Warren, “To Love Someone” Benson Boone, “Flame” Teddy Swims) has one of the most interesting songwriter stories we’ve ever heard on the podcast.

Born with singular voice and style, she was meant for this from a very early age. In fact, her one and only song, managed to wow Nick Cannon, and jump start her career at thirteen years old (13!). But with all the luck and talent in the world, as it often does, it still took forever to hit.

Mags describes the risks and pay offs of staying authentic to her own art making, the toggles between LA and Nashville and how to squeeze the most juice out of both, as well as a quick lesson in recoupment publishing deals (yikes), writing camps, pandemic delays and The Girls Of Nashville.

She also walks us through what it’s like to have your first hit literally shift the earth’s crust under your feet (ever heard of a little song called “Ordinary”)? Songwriting is nuts, and this story is sure to give you hope, determination and renew your vows to staying true to yourself. Enjoy!

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Artist and genuine songwriter advocate, Ashley McBryde (“Girl Goin Nowhere”, “Martha Divine,” “Bible and a .44”) pulls up some couch this week to bring a massive, unfiltered perspective to the pod.

We go everywhere in this one—from Ashley's early days running loss prevention at Guitar Center and getting paid in chicken strips for writers' rounds. We discuss the difference between an artist and a star, as well as the multifaceted experience that comes with pandering to the radio... or not. 

But the real crux of this conversation is a heavy, unprotected look at the business side of the artist-writer relationship. The crew breaks down the critical necessity for new artists to negotiate earmarked master points for their songwriters before signing a major label deal (or any deal really!

Indie deals, management deals, etc), and why having the humility to admit you don't actually know your own contract's point structure is (or how it works) might be the vital first step to fixing a broken ecosystem. Listen, learn, change it. IF THERE WERE MORE ASHLEY’s IN THE ARTIST WORLD, this could change EVERYTHING for us. 

This is a must listen for anyone in the music industry - artists, songwriters, label people, publishers, managers. We have to change the way we think about a song and its value or songwriters will not be able to afford to be where they belong—-in songwriter rooms. 

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