Stories Behind the Songs

We’ve got a TLR favorite on this week’s episode of Stories Behind the Songs - Adam Craig!

Adam has so many impressive cuts like “Church Pew or Bar Stool” by Jason Aldean, “Close Your Eyes” by Parmalee, and George Strait’s 2024 single from his upcoming album, “MIA Down In MIA”. 

We dive into those songs as well as the story behind his unreleased Cody Johnson cut written with Jordan Walker and Matt Rogers that will be on Cody’s next album. 

Adam also talks about his past publishing and record deals, moving to Nashville to be an artist, playing the Opry stage, writing for a “viral moment”, and trying to impress the songwriting icon, Dean Dillon.

We also get a verse/chorus of “Church Pew and Barstool” and “MIA Down In MIA”. 

Adam is a good friend of mine and a regular on our stage, and I’m so glad we got the opportunity to dig deeper into his story and career and, of course, his songs!

SHOW NOTES:

Keep up with Adam Craig ⁠⁠- @adamcraigofficial

Stay up to date with fresh podcast episodes and Listening Room show dates:

Listen/Subscribe/Follow - ⁠⁠https://linktr.ee/sbtsongs

SBTSongs TikTok - @SBTSongs  

SBTSongs Instagram - @SBTSongs  

SBTSongs YouTube - @SBTSongs  

Chris Blair's Instagram - @ChrisBlairMusic  

Chris Blair's Website - ChrisBlair.com  

The Listening Room's Website - ListeningRoomCafe.com  

TLR's Instagram - @ListeningRoomCafe  

TLR’s TikTok - @TheListeningRoomCafe  

A special shout out to our sponsors:

Sennheiser

Imperfect Aesthetician

Alclair In-Ear Monitors

Cody Hibbard joins us for this week’s new episode of Stories Behind the Songs!

Cody is an artist and songwriter to watch here in Music City. Just a month ago, he released his second full length album, Long Ride in a Short Bed, featuring songs like “Rollin’” and “Set In My Ruts”. 

We dive into the title track, “Long Ride in a Short Bed” as well as “Had It Been A Boy”, and Cody plays a verse/chorus of both of those incredibly moving songs.

In this episode, we also talk about solo-writing versus co-writing, learning to play on a pawn shop guitar, finding the right group of people here in Nashville who push him as a songwriter, landing a deal with Sony, and being proud of who he is and where he comes from.

So good to dig a bit deeper into Cody’s story - make sure to give a listen to his recent album release and come see him play live here at The Listening Room!

SHOW NOTES:

Keep up with Cody Hibbard ⁠⁠- @codyhibbard_

Stay up to date with fresh podcast episodes and Listening Room show dates:

Listen/Subscribe/Follow - ⁠⁠https://linktr.ee/sbtsongs

SBTSongs TikTok - @SBTSongs  

SBTSongs Instagram - @SBTSongs  

SBTSongs YouTube - @SBTSongs  

Chris Blair's Instagram - @ChrisBlairMusic  

Chris Blair's Website - ChrisBlair.com  

The Listening Room's Website - ListeningRoomCafe.com  

TLR's Instagram - @ListeningRoomCafe  

TLR’s TikTok - @TheListeningRoomCafe  

*A special shout out to our sponsors*

Sennheiser

Imperfect Aesthetician

Alclair In-Ear Monitors

Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/sbtsongs/support

Craig Campbell joins us this week on Stories Behind the Songs! 

Like most of our guests, Craig grew up in a musical family, but he started his career as a correctional officer. He knew music was his passion so he spent a lot of his time playing in bars and bands on Broadway. It’s a good thing he did because he was discovered while playing “The Stage” on Broadway and landed his very first record deal. He shares his journey from performing there to writing his debut single, "Family Man," while starting his own family, and how early hits like "Family Man" and "Fish" shaped his career. He also tells the story of how he wrote "Outskirts of Heaven" with Dave Turnbull in just two hours. 

Craig's music has touched many lives, and today he's re-releasing some of his greatest hits in a new project titled “Almost Greatest Hits,” featuring re-records and a few new songs. We also discuss his experience writing for other artists, like Garth Brooks and Trace Adkins.

This week - you’ll get to hear Craig play an unreleased track, discuss the upcoming projects and writes he is working on, and the next steps in his entrepreneurial journey with his restaurant, Grindstone Cowboy.

Make sure to check out Craig’s newest project and keep an eye out for more new releases coming out throughout the fall!

And follow us, Stories Behind the Songs, here:

Listen/Subscribe/Follow - HERE  

SBTSongs TikTok - @SBTSongs  

SBTSongs Instagram - @SBTSongs  

SBTSongs YouTube - @SBTSongs  

Chris Blair's Instagram - @ChrisBlairMusic  

Chris Blair's Website - ChrisBlair.com  

The Listening Room's Website - ListeningRoomCafe.com  

TLR's Instagram - @ListeningRoomCafe  

TLR’s TikTok - @TheListeningRoomCafe  

Shoutout to our sponsors:

Sennheiser

Imperfect Aesthetician

Alclair In-Ear Monitors

This week, Danny Myrick and I sit down in the beautiful Coeur D'Alene, Idaho. We're here for our very first TLR on the Road show and I just had to get some time with Danny to dive into the stories behind some iconic songs he has written..

Danny has some classic cuts like ⁠“International Harvester” by Craig Morgan⁠ and ⁠“She’s Country” by Jason Aldean⁠, and we dive into both stories on this week’s episode. 

We also talk about his friendship and collaboration with the late, great ⁠Leslie Jordan⁠, and how, together, they were able to get ⁠Dolly Parton⁠,  ⁠Tanya Tucker⁠,  ⁠Eddie Vedder⁠,  ⁠Brandi Carlile⁠, and ⁠Chris Stapleton⁠ on the same album - ⁠Company’s Comin’. ⁠

Through this project, Danny also developed a friendship with Eddie Vedder (no big deal), and he shares how he unintentionally convinced Eddie that “Maybe there is a God?”

In this episode, Danny also shares what he’s got going on right now - writing with some exciting up-and-comers and bigger artists, and we talk about the changing landscape of the industry, coming up with original guitar licks, and how his great success has come since being 40. 

So good to catch up with Danny here in Coeur D’Alene… Let's get into it!

SHOW NOTES:

Keep up with Danny Myrick ⁠HERE⁠

Stay up to date with fresh podcast episodes and Listening Room show dates -

Listen/Subscribe/Follow - ⁠HERE⁠

SBTSongs TikTok - ⁠@SBTSongs⁠

SBTSongs Instagram - ⁠@SBTSongs ⁠

SBTSongs YouTube - ⁠@SBTSongs ⁠

Chris Blair's Instagram - ⁠@ChrisBlairMusic ⁠

Chris Blair's Website - ⁠HERE⁠

The Listening Room's Website - ⁠HERE ⁠

TLR's Instagram - ⁠@ListeningRoomCafe⁠

TLR’s TikTok - ⁠@TheListeningRoomCafe⁠

*A special shout out to our sponsors*

⁠Sennheiser⁠

⁠Imperfect Aesthetician⁠

⁠Alclair In-Ear Monitors⁠

Rebecca Lynn Howard is today’s guest on Stories Behind the Songs!

Rebecca is an artist and songwriter who has cuts with artists like Martina McBride, Trisha Yearwood, and John Michael Montgomery. Her 2002 single, Forgive, is a crowd-favorite here at The Listening Room, so we dive into the story behind that song – including how Faith Hill almost cut it until Rebecca played it for her own A&R guy and knew it was meant for her. 

In this episode, we also discuss her clever 2024 single, "Hoedown” written with Nathan and Stephanie Chapman, her longtime friendship and collaborative relationship with Lee Brice, being influenced by all-time great vocalist, Trisha Yearwood, and playing bass in her band, The Loving Mary Band, which was featured on Steven Tyler’s 2016 country album, We’re All Somebody From Somewhere.

Rebecca also performs a killer verse/chorus of “Forgive” and “Hoedown”. 

With an album coming out in the next year and continuing to tour on-and-off with Lee Brice, make sure to stay tuned with all that Rebecca has going on!

Podcast Show Notes:

Rebecca's Instagram: @RebeccaLynnHoward

Rebecca Lynn Howard on Spotify: HERE

The Loving Mary Band's Instagram: @LovingMaryBand

The Loving Mary Band on Spotify: HERE

And follow us, Stories Behind the Songs, here:

Listen/Subscribe/Follow: HERE

SBTSongs TikTok: @SBTSongs

SBTSongs Instagram: @SBTSongs

SBTSongs YouTube: @SBTSongs

Chris Blair's Instagram: @ChrisBlairMusic

Chris Blair's website: ChrisBlair.com

TLR's Instagram: @ListeningRoomCafe

TLR's TikTok: @ListeningRoomCafe

TLR's website: ListeningRoomCafe.com

#SBTSongs

And thanks, as always, to our sponsors! We appreciate the support from Sennheiser, Imperfect Aesthetician & Alclair In-Ear Monitors

Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/sbtsongs/support

Faren Rachels joins us for this week’s new episode of Stories Behind the Songs!

Faren has been a longtime friend and co-writer of Lainey Wilson and has several cuts with her including “Weak-End” and “This One’s Gonna Cost Me” off of her 2022 breakout album, Bell Bottom Country. 

In this week's episode, Faren also talks about some of the songs that she’s released herself like her powerful 2023 single, “The Rug” written with Austin Goodloe and Lydia Vaughan. She shares about not wanting to be a part of the “artist rat race”, getting a FaceTime call from Lainey right after winning a Grammy while sitting on the sofa in a facemask, going on tour with Luke Combs where she played with Brantley Gilbert and Willie Nelson, playing arena shows in a writers’ round format, and developing her very own Nashville songwriters’ girls club. 

Don’t miss Faren’s upcoming September shows at The Listening Room Cafe in Nashville, TN to hear her amazing songs like “The Rug” and the stories behind them.

Podcast Show Notes:

Faren's TikTok - @FarenRachels

Faren's Intagram - @FarenRachels

Faren's YouTube - @FarenRachels

Faren's music on Spotify - here

And follow us, Stories Behind the Songs, here:

Listen/Subscribe/Follow - HERE  

SBTSongs TikTok - @SBTSongs  

SBTSongs Instagram - @SBTSongs  

SBTSongs YouTube - @SBTSongs  

Chris Blair's Instagram - @ChrisBlairMusic  

Chris Blair's Website - ChrisBlair.com  

The Listening Room's Website - ListeningRoomCafe.com  

TLR's Instagram - @ListeningRoomCafe  

TLR’s TikTok - @ListeningRoomCafe  

#SBTSongs

And thanks, as always, to our sponsors! We appreciate the support from Sennheiser, Imperfect Aesthetician & Alclair In-Ear Monitors

We’ve got Sammy Arriaga on this week’s brand new episode of Stories Behind the Songs! I’ve known Sammy for over 10 years, and it was such a good time to catch up with him today. 

Sammy and I talk about his 2021 album release, Boots x Beats, which features songs like “COUNTRY SIDE” and “take my phone.” Sammy goes into how the Miami music scene he was raised in with heavy R&B and EDM influences meshed with the storytelling of country music to create the unique sound he has today. 

We dive into his recent single, “The Boat”, which he shares the story behind and plays a verse/ chorus of. Sammy plays several other songs including “COUNTRY SIDE,” one of his popular Spanish covers, and a fan-favorite unreleased track. 

In this week’s episode, we also discuss 615 House, his recent tour of the U.K. with fellow rising country artist, Gareth, how to maintain artistic integrity while also writing for sound bites and short attention spans (using the example of Ella Langley and Riley Green’s smash hit, “you look like you love me”), how the title of his 2016 EP, Banjos ‘n’ Bongos, doubles as his motto as an artist, and the amazing advice he would give to his younger self - to lead with humanity over ambition as a songwriter.

If you enjoyed this week’s episode, make sure to share it with your friends and give us a follow. It’s our passion to share the Stories Behind the Songs, and it’s because of listeners like you that we are able to continue doing it.

It was great sitting down with Sammy - enjoy!

Podcast Show Notes:

Sammy's TikTok - @SammyArriaga

Sammy's Instagram - @SammyArriaga

Sammy's YouTube - @SammyArriaga

Sammy's Website - SammyArriaga.com

And follow us, Stories Behind the Songs, here:

Listen/Subscribe/Follow - HERE  

SBTSongs TikTok - @SBTSongs   ⁠

SBTSongs Instagram - @SBTSongs   ⁠

SBTSongs YouTube - @SBTSongs   ⁠

Chris Blair's Instagram - @ChrisBlairMusic  

Chris Blair's Website - ⁠ChrisBlair.com⁠   ⁠

The Listening Room's Website - ⁠ListeningRoomCafe.com⁠  

TLR's Instagram - @ListeningRoomCafe   ⁠

TLR’s TikTok - @ListeningRoomCafe   ⁠

And thanks to our sponsors!

Sennheiser - ⁠https://www.sennheiser.com/en-us⁠

Imperfect Aesthetician - ⁠https://www.instagram.com/imperfectaesthetician/⁠

Alclair In-Ear Monitors - ⁠https://alclair.com/⁠

#SBTSongs

Today marks exactly 1-1/2 years since we re-launched the Stories Behind the Songs Podcast. So, we thought we'd take you back to our very first episode with the amazing and beautiful Carly Pearce!

Carly has been a very good friend for many years and when I originally had this idea to do this podcast, Carly was my very first guest and she had just put her first single out to radio. This was February of 2017! It’s funny to see how far we have come with video quality since then and I had a lot less gray hair (haha) but since we have been doing this for 78 weeks in a row now, I thought I would dive into the archives and share this beautiful story from Carly.

She talks about how she got started from being listed in Rolling Stone as a top 10 artist to watch, her first single with the Josh Abbot Band “wasn’t that drunk” and when we recorded this episode it was a week after her debut single Every Little Thing.

Since then she has obviously come so far and I feel like I’m constantly sending her texts about how proud I am of her. I hope you enjoy this special throwback episode, hearing more of Carly’s story from the beginning, hearing her talk about Busbee who was her producer and just an industry icon that unfortunately passed away back in September 2019, and the story behind every little thing and more.

Carly, I’m so proud of you and you’re absolutely crushing it. I hope everyone out there loves this and continues to support us here on the podcast, share it with all of your friends and make sure to go see Carly in concert and support her incredible career! And maybe we will get her in here again soon to talk about everything going on now and how the last 7 years has been. Here is my dear friend on this special throwback episode, Carly Pearce.

Podcast Show Notes:

Carly's website - CarlyPearce.com

Carly's Instagram - @CarlyPearce

Carly's TikTok - @CarlyPearce

Carly's YouTube - @CarlyPearce

And follow us, Stories Behind the Songs, here:

Listen/Subscribe/Follow - HERE  

SBTSongs TikTok - @SBTSongs  

SBTSongs Instagram - @SBTSongs  

SBTSongs YouTube - @SBTSongs  

Chris Blair's Instagram - @ChrisBlairMusic  

Chris Blair's Website - ChrisBlair.com  

The Listening Room's Website - ListeningRoomCafe.com  

TLR's Instagram - @ListeningRoomCafe  

TLR’s TikTok - @ListeningRoomCafe  

And thanks to our amazing sponsors!

Sennheiser - https://www.sennheiser.com/en-us

Imperfect Aesthetician - https://www.instagram.com/imperfectaesthetician/

Alclair In-Ear Monitors - https://alclair.com/

Jenna LaMaster is a talented up-and-coming singer-songwriter here in Nashville and if you haven’t heard of her yet, you definitely will soon. We loved having her on as this week's guest on Stories Behind the Songs Podcast! She started out in Nashville working 14 hour days at a ranch outside of town before signing a publishing deal at Shelter Music - which she signed mid-pandemic!

She has several cuts with Ashland Craft including “Your Momma Still Does”, written with Jonathan Singleton and released by Ashland back in 2021. Jenna also shares the story behind her own 2023 release, “Drunk Thoughts” which was written with Lee Star and Whitney Duncan. 

In this episode, we also talk about growing up in a competing rodeo family in Northern California, building her camp here in Music City with other female writers like Lainey Wilson and Faren Rachels, and learning how to decide which songs to keep for herself and which to offer up to other artists. Jenna also plays a verse/chorus of “Your Momma Still Does” and “Drunk Thoughts”.

If you enjoyed this episode, share it with your friends and give us a follow.  It’s our passion to share the Stories Behind the Songs, and it’s because of listeners like YOU that we are able to continue doing it.

I loved getting to hear a bit more of Jenna’s story and can’t wait for y’all to hear it as well!

Podcast Show Notes:

Jenna's TikTok - @HeyItsJennaLaMaster

Jenna's Instagram - @JennaLaMaster

Jenna's Website - JennaLaMaster.com

Drunk Thoughts on Spotify, Apple Music & More

And follow us, Stories Behind the Songs, here:

Listen/Subscribe/Follow - HERE  

SBTSongs TikTok - @SBTSongs  

SBTSongs Instagram - @SBTSongs  

SBTSongs YouTube - @SBTSongs  

Chris Blair's Instagram - @ChrisBlairMusic  

Chris Blair's Website - ChrisBlair.com  

The Listening Room's Website - ListeningRoomCafe.com  

TLR's Instagram - @ListeningRoomCafe  

TLR’s TikTok - @ListeningRoomCafe  

#SBTSongs

And thanks to our sponsors! Sennheiser Microphones, Alclair In-Ear monitors and Imperfect Aesthetician - we appreciate all of the support!

Rachel Thibodeau is this week’s guest on Stories Behind the Songs!

Rachel has not only written for some of the biggest names in country music but is also working with some of the most exciting up-and-coming talent in Nashville.

You may know her from her long-time collaborative relationship with Luke Bryan with whom she wrote Billy Currington’s massive hit, “Good Directions” on his 2005 album, Doin’ Somethin’ Right.

She also has several cuts with Martina McBride and is working to develop the incredible new artist, Styles Haury.

Rachel plays a verse/chorus of “Good Directions” and a sneak peak of Styles’ unreleased next single.

In this episode, we also talk about the one-on-one co-writing process with Luke Bryan, starting a publishing company with John and Martina McBride (just because she had the guts to ask!), recording at the legendary Blackbird Studios, mentoring young, female writers, and seeing her first #1 sign on Music Row for “Good Directions”.

If you enjoyed this week’s episode, make sure to share it with your friends and give us a follow. It’s because of listeners like you that we are able to continue sharing the Stories Behind the Songs.

We hope you enjoy this episode and follow Rachel Thibodeau!

Podcast Show Notes:

Rachel's Instagram - @RachelThibodeauMusic

Rachel's Website - Here

Rachel's LinkTree - Here

And follow us, Stories Behind the Songs, here:

Listen/Subscribe/Follow - HERE  

SBTSongs TikTok - @SBTSongs  

SBTSongs Instagram - @SBTSongs  

SBTSongs YouTube - @SBTSongs  

Chris Blair's Instagram - @ChrisBlairMusic  

Chris Blair's Website - ChrisBlair.com  

The Listening Room's Website - ListeningRoomCafe.com  

TLR's Instagram - @ListeningRoomCafe  

TLR’s TikTok - @ListeningRoomCafe  

And thanks to our sponsors!

Sennheiser - https://www.sennheiser.com/en-us

Imperfect Aesthetician - https://www.instagram.com/imperfectaesthetician/

Alclair In-Ear Monitors - https://alclair.com/