The Writer’s Room: Natalie Hemby

From (L-R): Jeff Skaggs (Creative Nation), Beth Laird (Creative Nation), Natalie Hemby,
Scott Cutler (Pulse), Luke Laird (Creative Nation)

“I’m really drawn to interesting titles,” muses Creative Nation songwriter Natalie Hemby, whose songwriting and Country-rock sensibilities have become an integral factor in the commercial success of artists including Miranda Lambert (“Automatic,” “Only Prettier”) and Little Big Town (“Pontoon,” “Tornado”). “I pride myself on trying to find something a bit out of the ordinary. Trucks and dip have been written about thousands of times. I feel like the culture of Country music is much broader than some of the industry lets it be. Titles are the first thing you see and, if it’s intriguing, you want to hear what it’s about.”

The Creative Nation songwriter has also accumulated cuts by Lady Antebellum, Eli Young Band, Sheryl Crow, Lee Ann Womack, Carrie Underwood, Kelly Clarkson, Amy Grant, Toby Keith, Blake Shelton, Keith Urban and Sunny Sweeney.

“White Liar,” from Lambert’s 2009 Revolution album, notched the first chart-topping song for both co-writers Hemby and Lambert. Hemby also contributed three additional tunes to the star’s breakthrough project, including “Virginia Bluebell,” “Only Prettier,” and “Airstream Song.” Hemby has had cuts on every Lambert album since, including seven of the 16 tracks on Lambert’s 2014 album Platinum, including the title track, and lead chart-topper “Automatic.” “I was very humbled and shocked that the songs made the album. Miranda kept texting me while she was in the studio, saying, ‘We’re cutting this one,’ and ‘We’re cutting that one.’”

Hemby, Lambert, and Nicolle Galyon crafted “Automatic” and “Platinum” during the same writing session at Lambert’s Nashville condo. “If you write with someone like Miranda who is very busy, you come prepared, obviously. Nicolle had the line [in “Platinum”], What doesn’t kill you only makes you blonder, and I loved that. I had an electric guitar and amp, and I mapped out the melody, like I did with ‘Automatic.’ Miranda came up with, My heels and my hotels they just got taller. In ‘Automatic,’ we were talking about the things we miss. Miranda had the line about the three on the tree, and I had never driven a stick shift, so at the time I didn’t know what that meant.”

“Automatic” garnered two recent CMA nominations, for Song of the Year and Single of the Year. “As a writer, I look at what Miranda has done and try to suggest things she hasn’t tried,” Hemby says of the writing process. “The great thing is I don’t have to hold back. I dare to suck, basically, and she either gravitates towards it or doesn’t. I write rock songs and it’s country because she makes it country. Even her phrasing is different than mine. When I sing a song, it sounds rock and when she sings, it sounds country. I think that’s how you can find a great song, when it sounds good no matter who sings it.”

It’s a sound theory, given that talented vocal quartet Little Big Town also has Hemby to thank for two of their signature hit songs, “Pontoon” (co-written with Luke Laird and Barry Dean) and “Tornado” (co-written with Delta Maid). Hemby was a co-writer on both songs from the group’s 2012 album Tornado, as well as “Can’t Go Back,” “Self Made,” and “Night Owl.”

“I knew they were such phenomenal singers so when I crafted that song melodically, I came up with the four-part harmonies, like Everly Brothers stuff,” she says of “Night Owl.” “It’s one of those songs I could never play live, because they sing four-part harmony all the way through.” “Tornado” showcased Karen Fairchild’s gritty, sultry alto lead. “Karen and I literally have the same timbre in our voices,” says Hemby. “That does help when you are thinking about vocal ranges and melodies when you are writing. Maybe that’s the case for someone like Hillary Lindsey and Carrie Underwood. It’s cool to have an artist that you can relate to their voice.

“One time, and I gingerly say this, [Little Big Town member] Kimberly [Schlapman] said ‘Pontoon’ saved their career, but I feel like in a way, it saved my career too,” says Hemby. “When you have a lot of success with a great artist like Miranda, you can begin to think, ‘I don’t know if I can do this again.’ For me, I’m so excited that there’s another artist I can have that kind of songwriting relationship with.”

“It Won’t Happen Overnight”

Hemby’s creative talent, passion for music and ambition runs in the family. Her mother Deanna worked for Amy Grant for years, and her father, guitarist Tom Hemby, performed with artists including Vince Gill, Amy Grant, and numerous others. Still, family connections don’t ensure album deals, publishing deals, or hit songs.

Though she signed her first publishing deal at 19, Hemby was determined to sign a record deal. For 10 years, she gave the artist route her best shot. “I wanted to do a Sheryl Crow-type rock thing, and Jay Joyce was going to produce my first record. That was back when [Patty Griffin’s second album] Flaming Red was out. I almost got a record deal, and had a lot of lost opportunities.”

At one point, Hemby turned to a day job in marketing to make ends meet. “I was glad I did,” Hemby reflects. “I figured out that I loved writing songs, no matter where I’m at. If this all ends tomorrow, I’m not going to quit writing songs.” The struggle was chronicled in the tune “Overnight,” which Grant recorded for her 2010 project Somewhere Down The Road.

Hemby’s grit and determination has paid off handsomely. She went on to sign deals with publishing houses including Carnival Music and EMI Music Publishing Nashville. She most recently signed with co-writing partner Luke Laird and Beth Laird’s boutique powerhouse publishing company Creative Nation. “I watched their relationship with Barry Dean, and they treated him like such a king,” says Hemby. “This is what you dream of as a writer, to work at a place where you love the writers and staff, not that I didn’t love writers and staff at other places. They are just great people to work for and with. We all just cheer each other on, and I get to work with my best friends.”