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MUSIC CITY HITMAKERS
CLASS ACTS
The Current Singles
Reality - by Kenny Chesney • written by: Brett James, Kenny ChesneyMr. Know It All - by Kelly Clarkson (bullet) written by, Brett James, Ester Dean, Brian Kennedy, Dante Jones
Reality - by Kenny Chesney • written by: Brett James, Kenny Chesney
A Little Bit Stronger - by Sara Evans • written by: Hillary Lindsey, Hillary Scott, Luke Laird
American Honey - by Lady Antebellum • written by: Hillary Lindsey, Cary Barlow, Shane Stevens
Blessed - by Martina McBride • written by: Brett James, Hillary Lindsey, Troy Verges
Cowboy Casanova - by Carrie Underwood • written by: Brett James, Carrie Underwood, Mike ElizondoIt's
America - by Rodney Atkins • written by: Brett James, Angelo
Jesus Take The Wheel - Grammy Award Winning song recorded by Carrie Underwoodwritten by: Brett James, Hillary Lindsey, Gordie Sampson
Just A Dream - by Carrie Underwood • written by: Hillary Lindsey, Gordie Sampson, Steve McEwan
Last Name - by Carrie Underwood • written by: Hillary Lindsey, Carrie Underwood, Luke Laird
Out Last Night - by Kenny Chesney • written by: Brett James, Kenny Chesney
So Small - by Carrie Underwood • written by: Hillary Lindsey, Carrie Underwood, Luke Laird
Summer Nights - by Rascal Flatts • written by: Brett James, Gary Lavox, Busby
The Man I Want To Be - by Chris Young • written by: Brett James, Tim Nichols
The Truth - by Jason Aldean • written by: Brett James, Ashley Monroe
Wasted - by Carrie Underwood • written by: Hillary Lindsey, Troy Verges, Marv Green
When The Sun Goes Down - by Kenny Chesney • written by: Brett James
Who I Am - by Jessica Andrews • written by: Brett James, Troy Verges
The #1's
The Hit Makers
Hillary Lindsey
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5 Carrie Underwood #1 singles
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Oscar and Two Time Golden Globe Nominee
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RIAA Certified 30 million records sold
Grammy winning songstress Hillary Lindsey hails from the small town of Washington, GA and remembers writing songs as early as age 10. In 1994, Hillary entered Belmont University’s esteemed Music Business School. It was there that she discovered her penchant for song and forged the writing
relationships that had her destined for success. Shortly after leaving Belmont, Hillary signed her first publishing deal and had eight songs recorded by major artists in her very first year. In 2002, Hillary enjoyed her first Billboard Country #1 song with ‘Blessed’ recorded by Martina McBride. During the years following this success, Hillary had a streak of top 30 singles with such artists as Terri Clark, Sarah Evans, Carolyn Dawn Johnson and again with Martina McBride, this time cracking the top 5 with ‘This One’s for the Girls.’ Lindsey returned to the top of the chart in January of 2006 with ‘Jesus Take The Wheel’ recorded by 2005 American Idol winner Carrie Underwood. The song spent six weeks atop the Country Hot 100 tying the runner-up record for the longest-running song by a solo female artist. In 2007 ‘Jesus Take The Wheel’ won Hillary, and co-writers Brett James and Gordie Sampson, a Grammy for Best Country Song at the 49th Annual Grammy Awards. The song had already received ACM honors for Single of the Year in the previous year. For Hillary, the Grammy win marked only the beginning of her run with Carrie Underwood adding four more #1’s to her credit; ‘So Small,’ ‘Wasted,’ ‘Last Name,’ and ‘Just A Dream.
Hillary’s songwriting successes extend far beyond the Country genre, to movies and pop charts abroad. Her film credits include the songs ‘Grow Young With You’ performed by Coley McCabe & Andy Griggs in Where The Heart Is starring Natalie Portman, ‘Together’ performed by Michelle Branch in Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2, and ‘Don’t Walk Away’ performed by Miley Cyrus in Hannah Montana The Movie. Her international achievement have been with EMI Belgium artist Sarah who took her song ‘Very Last Moment’ to the top of the pop chart and Warner recording artist Ilse Delange brought ‘I’m Not So Tough’ to the number one position in her native country of Holland. Most recently, Austria’s Star Mania winner Verena recorded Hillary’s song called, ‘Take It.’
BRETT JAMES
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5 Kenny Chesney smash hits
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Two Time ASCAP Songwriter of the Year
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13 #1's, 300+ songs recorded
Over the past decade, Grammy winning songwriter and producer Brett James,has established himself as one of the most prolific and versatile songwriters in Nashville, having had more than two hundred of his songs recorded by major label recording artists.James has become a fixture on the Billboard
Country chart with ten #1 and scores of top 20 singles to his credit. In 2009, Brett achieved the Music Row “Triple Play,” an award for three #1 songs in a single chart year, not once, but twice! These six #1‘s; ‘It’s America,’ Rodney Atkins, ‘Out Last Night,’ Kenny Chesney, ‘Cowboy Cassanova,’ Carrie Underwood, ‘Summer Nights,’ Rascal Flatts, ‘The Truth’ Jason Aldean, and ‘The Man I Want To Be’ Chris Young earned James ASCAP Songwriter of the Year for a second time in October 2010.
A native of Oklahoma City, Brett attended Baylor University where he completed two years of medical school before moving to Nashville to pursue his dream of becoming a country star. In 1995, Brett James was signed to the Arista subsidiary Career Records and subsequently released his self-titled debut album. Career Records was later dissolved in consolidation and with it, James’s recording artist aspirations. Brett persevered as a writer at Patrick Joseph Publishing which fostered the relationships that destined him for success.
In the year 2000, James received his first major album cut with the song ‘Love Is A Sweet Thing,’ recorded by Faith Hill followed by a top 20 single ‘You Won’t Be Lonely Now,’ with Billy Ray Cyrus. It wasn’t long before Brett reached the benchmark that all songwriters and artists alike strive for, the coveted #1 song. In April of 2001, then break out artist Jessica Andrews landed James his first #1 with the song ‘Who I Am.’ He returned to the top of the chart in 2002, this time with country superstar Martina McBride and the song ‘Blessed.’
As his chart success continued, Brett appeared on Billboard Magazine’s top-ten country songwriters list for five consecutive years, the only writer to do so, and in 2006 reached yet another musical milestone winning ASCAP Songwriter of the Year. In 2007, Brett received the music industry’s highest honor winning the Grammy Award for Best Country Song ‘Jesus Take The Wheel,’ recorded by 2005 American Idol Winner Carrie Underwood.
The list of artists that have recorded songs penned by James resembles a who’s who in country music list, but extends beyond the genre line into american and world pop music. Some notable artists that have recorded his songs include Jon Bon Jovi, The Backstreet Boys, Chicago, Leona Lewis and most recently, Brett co-wrote the Daughtry single ‘Life After You.’ He has also had #1 songs in Europe and a worldwide top 5 Latin hit with the song ‘Todo Mi Amor’ recorded by Paulina Rubio.
Outside of the writer’s room, Brett’s talents have earned production credits that include Taylor Swift, Jessica Simpson, Josh Gracin and Kip Moore. James is currently serving his fifth term on the board of directors for the Country Music Association as well as the Nashville Songwriters Association International.
GORDIE SAMPSON
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2 Carrie Underwood #1 songs
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SOCAN and Juno Award-winner
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Canadian artist with 4 commercial releases
Gordie Sampson is a musical whirlwind, perpetually creating – a brilliant writer, an innovative producer, and a dynamic performer. Gordie's musical genius is applauded by audiences and industry players alike. From his national debut in the early 90's to his presence today on the Nashville writing scene where
international recording stars are discovering and recording his material including Faith Hill ‘Paris’ , George Canyon ‘My Name’, Keith Urban covering ‘The Hard Way’ and “ You (or Somebody Like You) and the #1 Billboard single recorded by Carrie Underwood ‘Jesus Take The Wheel’. Gordie has received numerous national and international awards including the prestigious 2007 Grammy Award for "Best Country Song of the Year" and a Juno Award for "Songwriter of the Year" for his co-write, Jesus Take The Wheel. Gordie has recently completed recording his much anticipated third solo project, "for the few and the far between" scheduled for release in August 2008.
Gordie's second solo recording; titled Sunburn is an intelligent, original and compelling hook laden cd. From the weary truth of the title track Sunburn to the aching melancholy of Paris, it has been worth the wait for avid fans of this musical phenomenon. Sunburn, has garnered him a Juno nomination for Songwriter of the Year and numerous East Coast Music Awards.
Sampson’s certainly no stranger to the music scene. As a co-writer, guitarist and singer, Sampson played a key role in the Canadian Top 20 success of pop/rock band Real world in the early 1990s. Gordie then shifted his attention to the more traditional music of his native Cape Breton Island and soon found himself working with the top traditional acts of the day. He continued to expand his horizons by working as musical director for stage and television productions and honing his skills in the studio.
When “Stones” was released to rave reviews, Gordie earned a Juno nomination and half a dozen East Coast Music and Music Industry Association of Nova Scotia Awards. The second single, Sorry, would draw particular attention to Gordie as a songwriter, while touring with The Rankins introduced him to new audiences as a performer, and producing Natalie MacMaster’s 1999 album “In My Hands,” earned Gordie a new level of respect and a pair of national music awards.
TROY VERGES
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Oscar Nominee
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7 Billboard #1 Songs
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Billboard Music Awards Nominee 2013
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BMI Songwriter of the Year
Troy Verges grew up in Louisiana, and when he got his first guitar at age 10, his impulse wasn’t to learn other people’s songs but to make up his own. He played in bands from age 14 and listened to everything from 1960s folk to punk rock to
traditional Cajun music. After high school, he was able to satisfy both his parents and a desire to pursue a music career by aiming for a music business degree. With University and then to Nashville to finish out his degree at Belmont. It was during those college years that Verges first encountered professional songwriters.
The early years weren’t easy, especially for somebody who won his first publishing deal before college graduation, but Verges stuck to his own vision. While paying hard dues, landing only a handful of cuts in his first three years, he’s now as in demand as any writer in Nashville. After he placed “Love Is A Sweet Thing” on Faith Hill’s “Breathe” album, a line formed to be the first to listen to his songs. Verges emerged as one of UMPG Nashville’s greatest success stories.
Within a year of the Faith Hill record, he scored #1 songs on Jessica Andrews’ “Who I Am” and Martina McBride’s “Blessed” from her Greatest Hits collection. In 2002 Verges was named BMI Country Songwriter of the Year and the NSAI Songwriter of the Year. He was also name Music Row magazine’s “Breakthrough Songwriter of the Year.”
In 2012 Verges scored another #1 smash with “Wanted” by Hunter Hayes. More successes include Carrie Underwood’s multi-week #1 hit “Wasted,” Kenny Chesney’s Top 5 smash “You Save Me” and Kellie Pickler’s “Didn’t You Know How Much I Loved You.” In 2011, Verges received both Golden Globe and Academy Award nomination in the Best Original Song category for the Gwyneth Paltrow-sung “Coming Home” from the film Country Strong.
His songs have been cut by Tim McGraw, Rascal Flatts, Faith Hill, Bon Jovi, Taylor Swift, Jason Aldean, Keith Urban, LeAnn Rimes, and many more. Other diverse recordings include such artists as Celine Dion, Il Divo, Backstreet Boys, and Paulina Rubio. Currently climbing the charts are Verges co-written “Too Good To Be True” by Eden’s Edge and “Beer Money” by Kip Moore.
“I love the fact that you can take a song and make it sound so many different ways. It’s really a very simple relationship. I love sound.” And Troy Verges’ successes are evidence of that love.