Tin Pan South 2019 Launches With Music From Nicolle Galyon, Luke Laird, Lori McKenna, Josh Osborne And More

Parker Welling, Nicolle Galyon, Emily Weisband perform at the Listening Room Cafè. Photo: Tin Pan South.

The Tin Pan South Songwriters Festival kicked off its 27th year Tuesday night (March 26) in bars and listening rooms across Nashville. With three new venues to hold rounds during the week—Analog at Hutton Hotel, the Lounge at City Winery and TRUE Music Room & Bar—this year’s Tin Pan South includes nearly 400 songwriters in a variety of genres performing in over 90 rounds.

Pictured (Top row, L-R): Creative Nation’s Barry Dean, Steve Moakler, Alec Bailey, Luke Laird, Kassi Ashton, Christina Wighton, Shaina Botwin, Casey Brown; (L-R, bottom row): Jeff Skaggs, Rachel Burleson, Kelsey Granda, Lori McKenna, Beth Laird. Photo: Tin Pan South.

During the 6 p.m. show slot, 3rd & Lindsley was the hot ticket with award-winning Creative Nation songwriters Lori McKenna, Barry Dean and Luke Laird sharing their hits and inviting special guests up to perform, benefitting the W.O. Smith Music School.

McKenna played her Grammy-winning Best Country Song titles, “Girl Crush” (Little Big Town) and “Humble and Kind” (Tim McGraw), as well as her poignant stunner “People Get Old” from her 2018 album The Tree. Laird played his recent Grammy-winner, “Space Cowboy” (Kacey Musgraves) as well as “Down To The Honky Tonk” (Jake Owen)–with a bit of help from the charming Kassi Ashton in the audience who yelled “when I’m gone!” when Laird prompted her. Ashton later joined the stage to share her moving new single, “Pretty Shiny Things.”

Dean’s always enjoyable voice shared his tunes “Diamond Rings and Old Barstools” (Tim McGraw) and “Somebody’s Daughter” (Tenille Townes); he was joined by co-writers McKenna and Laird for their new George Strait cut, “God And Country Music.”

Creative Nation’s Casey Brown (“Blue Tacoma,” “Yours”), Steve Moakler (“Suitcase,” “Riser”) and newcomer Alec Bailey all appeared as guests at the show.

Creative Nation at 3rd & Lindsley. Photo: Tin Pan South

SMACKSongs hosted a round at Douglas Corner featuring rising talents Ryan Beaver, Aaron Eshuis, Matt McGinn and Teddy Robb. Beaver played his witty HARDY tune “4X4,” as well as some moody songs like “I Wish You Were Here” and “Rhinestoned.” Eshuis played his first No. 1, Scotty McCreery’s “This Is It,” as well as “Michigan For The Winter” (Ryan Hurd) and a hilarious tune about missing his significant other’s birthday.

McGinn played one of his many Kane Brown cuts, “Heaven,” as well as “I’m Gonna Miss You” (Michael Ray) and “Wasn’t That Drunk” (Josh Abbott Band). Robb played his debut single “Lead Me On,” and his impressively tender “Tell Me How.”

Pictured: Brett James, Lee Thomas Miller, Wendell Mobley at 3rd & Lindsley. Photo: Tin Pan South

The 9 p.m. show slot had a variety of great options, like Brett James, Lee Thomas Miller, Wendell Mobley at 3rd & Lindsley, or Nicolle Galyon, Emily Weisband, Parker Welling and guests at the Listening Room Café.

Sony/ATV’s round at the TRUE Music Room & Bar at the Cambria Hotel lent to a hilarious night with Jon Nite, Jaren Johnston, Ross Copperman and new Sony/ATV writer, Josh Osborne. Dubbed the “You ‘SONY’d’ To See This!” round, the show featured entertaining performances of great songs, and even more entertaining banter between country rocker Johnston and hit-maker Osborne.

Seemingly wary of the new kid at Sony/ATV, Johnston tested him with teasing comments about Osborne’s commercial success. MusicRow‘s Top Songwriter of 2018 retaliated with jokes about Johnston’s band, The Cadillac Three. All in good fun, the two were keeping the crowd laughing.

Nite kicked the round off with his Keith Urban and Miranda Lambert duet “We Were Us,” and talked about the unfortunate placement of the tattoo he was forced into after he and his co-writers promised they would get one if the song went to No. 1. He also played his touching “Boy” (Lee Brice) and “Break Up In The End” (Cole Swindell), and his fun “Beachin'” (Jake Owen). After hearing from Osborne that his wife liked Nite’s singing voice, Nite hilariously played his Luke Bryan hit “Strip It Down.”

Johnston, with his father Jerry Ray Johnston supplying the percussion, played his cuts “Sunshine & Whiskey” (Frankie Ballard), “Raise ‘Em Up” (Keith Urban with Eric Church), “Meanwhile Back At Mama’s” (Tim McGraw) and Billy Currington’s “Don’t It”—or as his co-writer Copperman would say, “Donut.” He ended with the anthemic love song penned for his wife, ASCAP exec Evyn Mustoe, that The Cadillac Three recorded, “White Lightning.”

Copperman—who sat between the beefing Johnston and Osborne—kept up with Kenny Chesney hits “Get Along” and “Setting the World on Fire,” Keith Urban smashes “John Cougar, John Deere, John 3:16” and “Break On Me” and a Dierks Bentley No. 1 “Woman, Amen.”

Osborne, when he wasn’t telling jokes, played a wide sampling of hits, including “All the Pretty Girls” (Kenny Chesney), “Drinkin’ Problem” (Midland), ”One That Got Away” (Michael Ray), “Hotel Key” (Old Dominion), and “Body Like A Back Road” (Sam Hunt).

The foursome talked about how important Tin Pan South is to songwriters. In the next breath they encouraged all the songwriters in the room to go talk to the Sony/ATV execs who were at the round (like Josh Van Valkenburg and Duff Berschback) and added that all the songwriters should ask them for deals.

“We may all be looking for a place to write tomorrow,” Osborne joked as they closed the show.

BMI Presents: Nicolle Galyon, Emily Weisband, Parker Welling, Plus Their Girls Club. Photo: Tin Pan South

Brett James. Photo: Tin Pan South

Brett James, Lee Thomas Miller, Wendell Mobley. Photo: Tin Pan South

Parker Welling. Photo: Tin Pan South

Barry Dean, Lori McKenna, Steve Moakler. Photo: Tin Pan South

Kassi Ashton. Photo: Tin Pan South

Rodney Atkins. Photo: Tin Pan South

Casey Brown. Photo: Tin Pan South

Nicolle Galyon. Photo: Tin Pan South

BMI’s Jody Williams, BMI songwriters Madison Kozak and Parker Welling, BMI’s Leslie Roberts and BMI songwriter Nicolle Galyon gather backstage at the Listening Room. Photo: Steve Lowry