MusicRow Challenge Coin: Luke Laird

Pictured (L-R): MusicRow Chart Director Troy Stephenson, Luke Laird, and MusicRow Owner/Publisher Sherod Robertson. Photo: Kelsey Grady

Creative Nation’s Luke Laird was recently honored by MusicRow with MusicRow Challenge Coins for his work on chart-topping songs “American Kids” (recorded by Kenny Chesney) and “Give Me Back My Hometown” (co-written and recorded by Eric Church). Over the years, challenge coins have marked significant occasions and commemorated outstanding individuals. Continuing this tradition, MusicRow distributes its No. 1 Challenge Coin to the artists and songwriters who have achieved a No. 1 hit on the MusicRow CountryBreakout Chart.

“American Kids,” an ode an all-American childhood, backed by an irresistible groove, topped the MusicRow CountryBreakout chart on Aug. 14, 2014. “I started playing a different groove and building a little track with drums, and we just started it from the first verse, talking about where we all grew up, similarities,” Laird said of penning “American Kids” with Shane McAnally and Rodney Clawson. “I remember Shane starting that post-chorus about growing up in little pink houses and we were all throwing lyrics out about childhood things we can all relate to. When we finished, we felt like we had something special.”

“I think as songwriters, you hope to always write those kinds of songs, and it doesn’t always happen,” he continues. “My favorite kinds of songs are the ones that say something, but also feel good, and those can be hard to write. You can always come up with a cool melody, but you want to have great lyrics, with a great singable melody, and when you get that marriage, it’s really special.”

“Give Me Back My Hometown” embodies a different take on childhood reminiscence, and topped the MusicRow CountryBreakout chart for two weeks on March 13-20, 2014.

“Eric is one of the best songwriters,” Laird says. “Even if he wasn’t an artist, he would be here on Music Row getting cuts on other artists, because he’s one of the best songwriters I’ve been around. He had that idea of ‘Give Me Back My Hometown,’ and it was his idea to make the chorus just those two lines. You wouldn’t think right away that it would be a hit song to just say those two lines in the chorus, but the melody and the set up to it so emotional. It’s a case of less is more, and Eric is great at that.”

As with “American Kids,” Laird drew upon his childhood experiences to help craft the song. “You think about your hometown experiences in high school, girls you dated in high school. I had some good experiences in high school, and every now and then you miss that time of freedom, and thinking about the future. It’s not about any one relationship, but it’s just nostalgic, looking back at that time in your life. All that said, I don’t want to go back to high school,” he said, laughing. “I just had a fondness for where I grew up.”

Though Laird says he felt they had a solid song after the co-write, there was no guarantee it would make Church’s final album. “I wasn’t sure Eric would cut that one. There have been other songs where I’ve felt more sure that artists would record them, but with Eric, he writes hundreds of songs and I’m sure they are all great. When I found out it would be a single, I was excited. Sometimes songs that they decide to make singles are not always maybe the ones you are most proud of. I’m excited to get anything recorded, but it’s impressive to get a song you are real proud of lyrically and have it out on radio.”

Luke Laird in one of Creative Nation’s writer’s rooms. Photo: Kelsey Grady