Out now via Creative Nation;
Stay tuned for Volume 2 later this month
Nashville, TN – A simple idea that started as a group text thread between now-legendary songwriters Luke Laird, Lori McKenna, and Barry Dean has recently blossomed into an all-new collection of their works, together and apart. Today, the first of three volumes of Laird, McKenna, and Dean’s The Songwriter Tapes Vol. 1 was released by CN Records. The idea behind The Songwriter Tapes was to reimagine some of the songs that changed the lives and careers of these three decorated writers as well as shedding light on a few of their songs that never made it onto the country airwaves. The first of these three volumes includes two tunes made famous by Tim McGraw, a big Kenny Chesney hit, and a new song penned by all three writers that McKenna says is “about living and learning and how us late bloomers need more time with the learning part.”
Fans can stream or purchase The Songwriter Tapes Vol. 1 today at this link and stay tuned to creativenationmusic.com for information on upcoming volumes.
The Songwriter Tapes Vol. 1 In The News:
American Songwriter previewed The Songwriter Tapes Vol. 1 release.
Music Row shared the exciting news about The Songwriter Tapes Vol. 1 on their site.
Entertainment Focus covered the first single off the project,“Diamond Rings and Old Barstools.”
The Songwriter Tapes Vol. 1 Tracklist:
“Diamond Rings and Old Barstools” performed by Barry Dean (recorded by Tim McGraw, 2014)
(Barry Dean, Luke Laird, Jonathan Singleton)
“Humble & Kind” performed by Lori McKenna (recorded by Tim McGraw, 2015)
(Lori McKenna)
“American Kids” performed by Luke Laird (recorded by Kenny Chesney, 2014)
(Luke Laird, Rodney Clawson, Shane McAnally)
“Settling In” performed by Lori McKenna
(Lori McKenna, Barry Dean, Luke Laird)
More About Laird, McKenna, and Dean: Laird, who moved to Nashville more than 25 years ago, has racked up the kind of numbers that are hard to comprehend: 52 radio singles, 24 No. 1 hits, and more than 125 cuts to his name. He was the ACM’s songwriter of the year in 2015, and BMI’s songwriter of the year in 2012. His first cut by a country artist was Lee Ann Womack’s “Painless,” from her 2005 album, not too long after he’d graduated from college.
McKenna’s story started almost 20 years ago when Faith Hill discovered her music and decided to put a couple of the singer-songwriter’s songs on her 2005 Fireflies album. McKenna has since become the go-to songwriter, known for her penchant for honest and epic themes. She won two consecutive Grammys—for “Girl Crush” and “Humble and Kind”—and she made history in 2016 when she was crowned the first female songwriter of the year at the Academy of Country Music Awards.
Dean has been hard at work in Nashville after pivoting from his official 9-to-5 day job to songwriting full-time in his mid-30s. Almost instantly, he had his name in parentheses next to Martina McBride’s on “God’s Will” and Reba McEntire’s on “Moving Oleta.” Now, after 20 years, he has over 100 cuts from artists like Alison Krauss, Maren Morris, Thomas Rhett, Meatloaf, and Eric Church. Dean’s No. 1 songs include Jon Pardi’s “Heartache Medication”, Michael Ray’s “Think A Little Less” and Little Big Town’s Grammy-winning “Pontoon.” He also received a BMI Pop award for Ingrid Michaelson’s “Girls Chase Boys.”