Luke Laird has a specific approach to songwriting. “I’m not a big over-thinker or over-analyzer,” he describes. “I’m just chasing a feeling.”
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That model has served Laird well, as his name is behind some of the biggest country hits of the past decade including “Give Me Back My Hometown” by Eric Church, “American Kids” by Kenny Chesney and “Pontoon” by Little Big Town.
On the latest episode of Songwriter Soup, a weekly podcast presented by American Songwriter, Laird sits down with fellow hit songwriter Laura Veltz, financial advisor Tracy Hackney and podcast host and producer Kevin Sokolnicki to discuss his journey to becoming one of Nashville’s most sought-after songwriters. Below, are three takeaways from Laird on making it as a songwriter.
1. First trip to Nashville solidifies songwriting dreams
Luke Laird made his first trip to Nashville with his family when he was a teenager in 1995. The most memorable aspect of the trip was seeing a show at the famous Bluebird Cafe, where he witnessed a songwriter round for the first time. The show solidified his dreams of becoming a songwriter.
The next day when his family went to Opryland amusement park, Laird choose to stay back at the hotel to write songs. Laura Veltz affirmed his story, saying “it’s a bug” the first time a songwriter sees another songwriter perform and the lightbulb clicks that there are people who write songs for a living. “That moment for me was at the Bluebird for sure,” Laird states. “I became a hardcore songwriter fan after I saw that.”
2. “It’s all about people”
An important person in Laird’s songwriting journey happens to be from his small hometown of Hartstown, Pennsylvania. When Laird moved to Nashville in 1997 to attend Middle Tennessee State University’s (MTSU) Recording Industry Management program, his parents connected him with Hartstown native Bill Luther, an established songwriter in town who had cuts by Tim McGraw, Kenny Chesney and others. While Laird’s parents were visiting him at college, Luther invited them to his house when he asked the aspiring songwriting to play him a couple of songs.
“He was very encouraging,” Laird recalls of Luther’s reaction. “A legit songwriter said, ‘I think you have what it takes,’ and I was on cloud nine…This was the first time that somebody who was actually in the music business said ‘I really think you could get a draw somewhere.'”
“Draw” meant he had the potential to be a paid songwriter. That encouragement led to Luther introducing Laird to his publisher, and he soon started playing songwriter rounds around town. “It’s all about people,” Laird says of how important making connections is for songwriters.
3. Brooks & Dunn gives Laird his first industry job
Long before he made it big as a songwriter, Laird got experience on the road working with one of the biggest acts in country music. After graduating from MTSU in 2001, Laird paid his dues by working as an assistant tour manager for Brooks & Dunn. “I did everything,” Laird recalls. “I got to learn a lot. It was awesome.”
Though he was making a salary of $30,000 on tour with the duo, he was presented with an offer he couldn’t refuse. Laird was approached by publishing company BMG Music with what’s known as an 18/18/18 deal, meaning a writer is signed for 18 months for a salary of $18,000 and has to write 18 songs solo.
But he almost didn’t take the deal, until he got connected with a lawyer who convinced him to ask for a better one. Following his advice, Laird signed his first publishing deal in 2002 that lasted for 12 months and paid $24,000. “I was like, ‘I can make that work,'” Laird says. And the rest is history.
Photo Credit: Micah McNair/Courtesy of IVPR
