Do you ever struggle with an artist over their interpretation of one of your songs? Your song , for instance, is about getting punched in the face while on a trip to Europe, but Faith Hill sings it as a love song. Occasionally, there is a struggle, but they have a way of working themselves out.
I’ve had situations where I’ve disagreed with my co-writers and decided to trust their instincts. As a matter of fact, in the Carrie Underwood song Jesus, Take the Wheel ,we had a situation like that. [The song was co-written with Brett James and Hillary Lindsey.
] And now I look back on it and I’m really glad I didn’t push for what I was thinking at the time. Tell me a bit about the tradition of Canadian songwriters in Nashville. A: There has always been some Canadian presence in Nashville.
The town has an insular feel, because the music is not allowed to stretch outside its borders. The music that happens there is in a very small box. By its very nature, Nashville embraces anything new.
Canadians are perfect because we’re different, but we’re also the closest culturally. We understand country music, but we inject something different into it. And for that reason, Canadians are always very well embraced and well represented there.
You’ve been quoted as saying Nashville is going through a renaissance right now. What do you think has fuelled this resurgence of creative energy? There is a whole new generation of people writing there.
It seems there is a lot of youth in the business. I don’t know if it reflects in the sound of country music, but it reflects in the way things are done and the way people sell records. What is the appeal of Nashville for songwriters not in the country music tradition?
I’m thinking of rockers Jon Bon Jovi and Richie Sambora, whom you recently collaborated with. I think for people like Bon Jovi, the world that they’re used to — getting songs on the radio all the time and the pop/rock world — those doors are closing for them. Nashville kind of embraces fresh blood coming to town.
I know Sheryl Crow moved there a couple of years ago, and somebody told me Aerosmith just moved there. You find a lot of people that get to a certain age, their careers are still strong, but they’re just sick of the big machines like [those] in Los Angeles. People flock to Nashville because the lifestyle is more laid back.
Even when you’re in the middle of the city, it still feels like the country, but with a massive music business right in the middle of it. I’ve read there are some unwritten rules for navigating Nashville. For example, despite the commercial atmosphere, southern decorum dictates that you don’t discuss money — you just make it.
What advice do you have for songwriters who want to make the move south of the border? Songwriting is something you just have to do a lot of. You have to be thinking about it everyday.
If you write everyday, it’s only a matter of time before it will happen. You have to really suck not to have it happen, if you have that much discipline. Ernest Hemingway wrote a paragraph a day, whether it took him five minutes or an hour.
You just have to keep it in your stream of consciousness and you have to be serious about it. [Laughs] Imagine me telling someone to be disciplined! The Grammy Awards air Feb.
Do you ever struggle with an artist over their interpretation of one of your songs?
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