2019 Hall of Fame Songwriter Jack Tempchin is recognized as an architect of the Southern California Sound, an amalgamation of rock, country, folk and blues. His breakout song “Peaceful Easy Feeling" was The Eagles first single and was quickly followed by “Already Gone” and both appear on EAGLES Their Greatest Hits: 1971-1975 which is the Best Selling U.S. Album of the 20th Century. His co-writes with Glenn Frey produced a non-stop string of hit songs in the 1980s and Jack continues to write and release great songs. On this episode of Backstory Song, Jack discusses “Peaceful Easy Feeling,” “Already Gone,” “Slow Dancing (Swaying To The Music),” “The One You Love,” “True Love,” “You Belong To The City,” “Never Had A Chance To Say Goodbye,” “White Shoes,” “Your Tattoo,” “Fifteen Days Under The Hood,” and “One More Time With Feeling.”

Robert Landau grew up in Montreal, Canada and has lived in the Northern Canadian Mining towns, the deep south of panhandle Florida, and western states including Portland, Oregon where he currently lives. With four released albums of solo acoustic guitar driven songs, he has led the troubadour’s life playing in crowded saloons, vibrant music festivals, honky tonks and coffee houses across North America for over 20 years. On this episode, Robert shares his backstory on “Montreal Tonight,” “Tallahassee",” “Landmark Saloon,” “I Don’t Know You Yet",” “Sunday Morning," “Shelter In Place” and “The Flu: A Folk Song.”

Allen Reynolds has had a legendary career as a performer, songwriter, and producer of songs over six decades. A member of the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame, Allen began his career in the legendary Sun Studios of Sam Phillips in Memphis where he and Dickey Lee wrote Memphis Beat for Jerry Lee Lewis. He went on to write 17 Top 40 hits. His collaborations as both writer and producer of Don Williams and Crystal Gayle transformed their careers and catapulted them to stardom. His magic in the production room led to him becoming the go to producer for Garth Brooks, Emmy Lou Harris, Kathy Mattea, Chris LeDoux, Hal Ketchum and many others. Allen Reynolds artistic contributions to the American musical lexicon are vast and expansive and it is a thrill to have him on Backstory Song.

Nashville Songwriter Hall of Famer and three time BMI Songwriter of the Year, Kye Fleming has written 42 BMI Award winning songs including seven #1 songs. She later teamed with legendary songwriter Janis Ian and crossed over to more mainstream pop songs recorded by legends like Tina Turner, Bette Midler and Willie Nelson. In this episode, Kye discusses her songs “Falling Galling Gone” which played on the Sonny & Cher show in 1972, “Sleeping Single In A Double Bed,” “Crackers,” “Years,” “The Prayers of My Grandmother” (unreleased), “Missin’ You,” “Roll On Mississippi,” “Nobody,” “Smokey Mountain Rain,” “I Wouldn’t Have Missed It For The World,” “Cross My Broken Heart,” “Some People’s Lives,” “Give Me Wings,” and “Sometimes She Remembers” (unreleased)

Rob Duquette is a multi-instrumentalist singer songwriter and head of the eponymously named band Duquette. A long time sideman during the 1990s on drums, xylophone, guitar and vocals for Jonathan Edwards of the Lovin Spoonful’s touring band, and one half of the critically acclaimed jazz folk pop duo Cactus Highway during the 2000s, Rob discusses his songs “Movin On,” “See Me,” “You Be The Tree,” “Light House” and “Trying Hard.”

Brennen Leigh is an American triple threat songwriter, guitar and mandolin player, and singer. She has just released her sixth solo album Prairie Love Letter produced by Grammy nominated Robbie Fulks and is an ode to her birthplace on the state line between Minnesota and North Dakota. Brennen began touring around the United States at the age of fourteen with her brother Seth Hulbert and is the two-time Texas Music Awards Best Female Vocalist and the 2018 Ameripolitan Music Honky Tonk Award winner.  Twenty years later, Prairie Love Letter, reflects an immense evolution as an artist.  On this episode, Brennen discusses “Prairie Funeral,” “North Dakota Cowboy,” “The John Deere H,” “Outside The Jurisdiction of Man,” and “Billy & Beau.”

Elizabeth Elkins and Vanessa Oliverez are the lead songwriters of the alternative country rock band Granville Automatic. They bring incredible pedigree to their partnership. Prior to teaming up, Elizabeth was the Grand Prize winner of the Yoko Ono sponsored international John Lennon Songwriting Contest and Vanessa made it to the Final 12 on the second season of American Idol. On this episode, Elizabeth and Vanessa discuss “Tiny Televisions,” “Ice Cream,” “Hell’s Half Acre,” “Monsters In The Stars,” “Goodnight House” and “You Can Go To Hell, I’m Going To Texas.”

Mike McClure has just released his tenth album entitled Looking Up. Mike got his start in Stillwater, Oklahoma at the notorious “Farm” where he became a founding member of The Great Divide and a producer of the Oklahama Red Dirt music scene favorites Cross Canadian Ragweed, Turnpike Troubadours and others. His song "I’d Rather Have Nothing" was recorded by Garth Brooks and released on The Lost Sessions and has sold over 2 million copies. He joins us on Backstory Song to talk about those experiences and songs from his new album, Looking Up.

Stephanie Lambring began performing as a teenager and released her first record when she was 22. She soon signed to a music publishing contract with BMG Chrysalis and later Carnival Music and spent 5 years on Music Row writing songs. After a long break, Stephanie rediscovered her songwriting muse again, this time on her own terms, and has released a critically acclaimed album, Autonomy. Her new album features songs with serious themes that force the listener to confront “uncomfortable truths.” She shares the backstory of this album and its songs with us including “Daddy’s Disappointment,” “Mr. Wonderful,” “Joy of Jesus,” “Pretty,” “Birdsong Hollow” and “Fine.”

China and Seth Kent are the wife and husband who lead the band Alright Alright out of Denver, Colorado. Their marriage has produced a unique musical alchemy. China plays keys and Seth plays guitar and they are complemented by lush instrumental arrangements created by China. They share songwriting duties and write songs both individually and collaboratively. On their new album, Crucible, produced by Ben Wysocki drummer for the band The Fray, they write very personal songs inspired by autobiographical episodes.

Buzz Cason has led an incredibly storied musical life. A Rockabilly Hall of Fame Member from his 1950s work with the Casuals, Buzz has written hits for Jan and Dean and others in the 60s and then formed the first recording studio in the Berry Hill Nashville neighborhood where he continued to write and record music. He helped start and co-write the songs on Jimmy Buffett’s first two albums there. Buzz shares the story of his musical life with the songs “My Love Song For You,” “Tennessee,” “Popsicle,” “Everlasting Love,” “Soldier Of Love,” “Love’s The Only House,” “Timeless And True Love,” “A Million Old Goodbyes,” “High Cumberland Jubilee,” “Montana,” and “Why.”

Abby Brown’s songs generated a strong following on Spotify and combined with her compelling live performances, they attracted the attention of label A&R and she signed to the Pure Music Nashville Label. Abby began performing live at seven years old and has sung the National Anthem for major league games at Fenway Park and Coors Field. She shares the back story from songs her first and second albums Gypsy Soul and Heart on Fire including the songs “Gypsy Soul,” “Everyday Of My Life,” “Perfect Vision,” “Love Release Me,” and “Blue.”

Phil Barker is the lead songwriter and mandolin player for the bluegrass band, Town Mountain. The band formed out of the top bluegrass jammers in the legendary Asheville, North Carolina scene. Town Mountain combines a raw soulfulness with plenty of swagger to create a completely unique, contemporary modern sound rooted in bluegrass traditions. Their music has garnered over 6 million Spotify streams and lead to steady bills on the top tour festivals. Phil shares the back story on “Law Dog,” “Diggin On The Mountain Side,” “Ruination Line,” “North of Cheyenne,” “You Can’t Win Em All,” and “Daydream Quarantina.”

John Bauman is a guitar playing singer songwriter Texas Troubadour from San Antonio. A member of Texas all star band, The Panhandlers, his newest solo album, Country Shade, deals with the changing state of rural America, the passage of time and how it affects our relationships. Country Shade is John’s third solo album and the songwriting reflects a maturation as a songwriter that the Back Story Song listeners are hopefully going to enjoy. In this episode, John discusses "This Country Doesn't Sound The Same," "Fool's Crusade," "Midland" and "Homesick For The Heartland."

Hall of Fame Songwriter Even Stevens gives the back story on selected hits including Eddie Rabbitt’s Drivin’ My Life Away, I Love A Rainy Night, Drinkin’ My Baby (Off My Mind), and Kenny Rogers’ Love Will Turn You Around, Dr. Hook’s When You’re In Love With A Beautiful Woman, Bobby Bare’s Too Many Nights Alone and Billy Walker’s Fine As Wine. PATREON BONUS SONGS

Nashville Hall of Fame Songwriter Roger Murrah, writer of 10 #1 hit songs, discusses High Cotton and I’m In A Hurry And Don’t Know Why by Alabama, Were In This Love Together by Al Jarreau, Life’s Highway by Steve Wariner, Don’t Rock The Jukebox by Alan Jackson, If I Could Make A Living by Clay Walker, Goodbye Time by Blake Shelton, and Ozark Mountain Jubilee by The Oak Ridge Boys.

Hall of Famer Kent Blazy talks about his #1 hit song collaborations with Garth Brooks on If Tomorrow Never Comes and Ain’t Goin Down (Til The Sun Comes Up ) and with Chris Young on Getting You Home.

Hall of Famer Steve Seskin tells the back story on Grown Men Don’t Cry by Tim McGraw, All I Need To Know by Kenny Chesney, Don’t Laugh At Me by Mark Wills, and No Doubt About It by Neal McCoy.

Nashville Songwriter Hall of Famer Layng Martine discusses his memior, Permission To Fly, and the songs Rub It In by Billy "Crash" Craddock, Way Down by Elvis Presley, I Wanna Go To Far by Trisha Yearwood, and Should I Do It by The Pointer Sisters.

Hall of Famer Jim McBride reveals the back story on his hit songs A Bridge That Just Won’t Burn by Conway Twitty, Dixie Boy by Alabama, Chasin’ That Neon Rainbow and Chattahoochee by Alan Jackson, and Rose In Paradise by Waylon Jennings.