Songs of Nashville - by Jake Brown (Hardcover)

Book Synopsis

"Jake Brown puts the songwriter in the spotlight."
--Billboard Country

Here are the untold stories behind country's most influential songs from the tunesmiths themselves--featuring interviews with Jelly Roll, Taylor Swift cowriters Liz Rose and Lori McKenna, Luke Combs cowriter Drew Parker, Morgan Wallen hit writer Josh Thompson, chart-toppers Clint Black and Vince Gill, legends and trendsetters like the late Merle Haggard and Kinky Friedman, Americana troubadour Jim Lauderdale, and song crafters with scores in film and television like A Star Is Born Oscar nominees Hillary Lindsey and Natalie Hemby and Songland judge Shane McAnally.

Songs of Nashville is a look inside the lives and work of the artists who've shaped Nashville and the sound of country. It reveals the emotional fuel, melodic and lyrical science, and pure magic of the Music Row hitmaking machine.

Through in-depth profiles and conversations, country artists reveal the birth stories of the songs you know and love--and some you may not, but you definitely should!--from spontaneous moments of inspiration to the chemistry of collaboration.

Songs of Nashville is a must-read to discover the secrets of the creative process and the enduring power of storytelling that makes country music timeless.

Review Quotes

"[Brown] counts his latest work, Songs of Nashville, among his proudest due to its focus both on the unsung heroes behind many of Country music's best-selling, most enduring hits, as well as the Nashville songwriters he has profiled chapter-by-chapter for over 10 years--47 of whom are featured in his latest work."
-USA Today

"An unembellished behind-the-scenes look at the songwriting process . . . Brown effortlessly covers over 60 years of country music in this breezy read that will satisfy enthusiasts of the genre seeking to expand their playlists with more titles."
-Library Journal

"Although Brown began interviewing many of these songwriters for his Nashville Songwriter book series over 10 years ago, he says it all culminates in Songs of Nashville, which features the first-hand stories of 47 songwriters detailing the creation of over 300 hit songs. He hopes aspiring songwriters will learn much from the book's interviews."
-The Village Voice

"The first of its kind book series offers songwriters the opportunity to step into the spotlight and share their back stories, struggles, stumbles and successes."
-Nashville Music Guide

"Chronicles the stories behind many of Country's top songs!"
-Music Row Magazine

"You know the words, but do you know the story behind them? In a new book, Nashville Songwriter, music biographer Jake Brown interviews elite country songwriters...to get the true stories behind country music's biggest and most enduring hits."
-Parade Magazine

"Veteran music journalist Jake Brown spoke to a wide variety of the top songwriters in Nashville for his new book, taking a look at the writing process behind some of the most popular songs in classic and contemporary country."
-TheBoot.com

"A new Jake Brown book...goes deep."
-Country Music Television

"Puts songwriters in the spotlight!"
-Billboard Country

About the Author

Award-winning biographer and music writer Jake Brown has authored sixty books since 2001, published in eleven countries. His subjects and collaborators include Heart, Joe Satriani, Merle Haggard, Tupac Shakur, Teddy Riley, and Motörhead. Brown is also the creator and host of About the Authors TV, airing on Tubi TV. His television work includes series like Music's Greatest Mysteries on AXS TV and Breaking the Band on Reelz. He is a recipient of the ARSC Award for Excellence in Historical Recorded Sound Research, and he lives in Nashville, Tennessee.