Nashville’s Songwriter Community Shines During ASCAP Expo

Pictured (L-R): Cassadee Pope and Meghan Trainor attend The 2018 ASCAP “I Create Music” EXPO at Loews Hollywood Hotel on May 9, 2018 in Hollywood, California. Photo: Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images for ASCAP

Members of the Nashville songwriter community have been in California this week to take part in ASCAP’s “I Create Music” EXPO at the Loews Hollywood Hotel in Hollywood, California.

Songwriters Hall of Fame member and Nashville resident Desmond Child (“Livin’ On A Prayer,” “Dude Looks Like A Lady,” “Livin’ la Vida Loca”) used sing-alongs, improv skits, animation and audience participation to take EXPO attendees to “Splitsville USA,” a lively, informative panel on the ins and outs of songwriting splits.

David Garcia, who wrote the chart-topping country song “Meant To Be” by Bebe Rexha and Florida Georgia Line (and who is producing Carrie Underwood’s upcoming album Cry Pretty), appeared on the cross-genre “We Create Music” panel to discuss first breaks, overcoming self-doubt and the art of songwriting with multi-platinum recording artist Jason Mraz, ASCAP Latin Songwriter of the Year Claudia Brant and noted film composer Junkie XL.

Cassadee Pope, the first female winner of The Voice and chart-topping country singer-songwriter, performed as part of the EXPO finale Writers’ Jam. Pope reached the top 10 of the Billboard 200 with her debut album Frame By Frame and had a No. 1 on the Country Airplay charts with her Chris Young collaboration “Think of You.”

A team of Nashville power players from William Morris, Warner/Chappell, Red Light Management and Spotify tackled “Making It In Music City,” in a conversation with No. 1 songwriter Adam Sanders, whose decade-long rise was also used as a case study by the group. Among other insights, Sanders and team discussed how playing a 2:30PM show on a Tuesday and befriending a pre-fame merch salesman named Cole Swindell changed his life forever.

Grammy-winning songwriter Darrell Brown spent more than four hours on Tuesday helping music creators get the best of their song ideas as part of his annual “Multi-Genre Feedback” panel. With No. 1 Billboard hits on the country, dance and pop charts, Brown is uniquely qualified to give hands-on advice to writers in a wide range of genres.

Nashville singer-songwriter Edwin McCain, whose smash hit “I’ll Be” turns 20 this year, shared a star-studded stage with Marc Cohn, Jason Mraz, songwriter Johnta Austin (Mariah Carey, Mary J. Blige) and more at the EXPO’s first night Center Stage concert.

Pictured (L-R): Agent Kevin Meads, Ryan Beuschel (VP, A&R, Warner/Chappell Music) and musician Adam Sanders speak onstage at the ‘It Takes a Village to Raise a Songwriter; Making it in Music City’ panel during The 2018 ASCAP “I Create Music” EXPO at Loews Hollywood Hotel on May 7, 2018 in Hollywood, California. Photo: Maury Phillips/Getty Images for ASCAP

Pictured (L-R): Songwriters Desmond Child and Michelle Lewis and composer Alex Shapiro speak onstage at the ‘Welcome to Splitsville: Where Co-Writers Live in Harmony’ panel during The 2018 ASCAP “I Create Music” EXPO at Loews Hollywood Hotel on May 8, 2018 in Hollywood, California. Photo: Maury Phillips/Getty Images for ASCAP

Pictured (L-R): Singer/songwriter Jason Mraz and songwriter/producer David Garcia speak onstage at the ‘We Create Music’ panel presented by Billboard at The 2018 ASCAP “I Create Music” EXPO at Loews Hollywood Hotel on May 7, 2018 in Hollywood, California. Photo: Lester Cohen/Getty Images for ASCAP

Attendees join Desmond Chld (C) onstage at the ‘Welcome to Splitsville: Where Co-Writers Live in Harmony’ panel during The 2018 ASCAP “I Create Music” EXPO at Loews Hollywood Hotel on May 8, 2018 in Hollywood, California. Photo: Maury Phillips/Getty Images for ASCAP [Click to enlarge]

Edwin McCain performs onstage at the ‘We Create Music Center Stage’ showcase during The 2018 ASCAP “I Create Music” EXPO at Loews Hollywood Hotel on May 7, 2018 in Hollywood, California. Photo: Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images for ASCAP