CMA-nominated Nashville, Tennessee, native Ernest is one of Music City’s most prolific songwriters. This fall, he released his first country single to radio.
“Would If I Could” is on stations now. However, even though Ernest has written songs, including the CMA-nominated Post Malone/Morgan Wallen smash “I Had Some Help,” he didn’t write “Would If I Could.” That accolade goes to songwriting giants Dean Dillon and Skip Ewing.
“Would If I Could” is from Ernest‘s album NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE, which is out now.
“I’ve always really prided myself in writing all the songs on my project,” Ernest said. “But with this album, I wanted to wear the artist cap even more as far as being a steward of songs and songs that I like.”
Ernest recorded some songs he didn’t write for NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE, and “Would If I Could” is his favorite. Ernest has written with Dillon a few times, and Dillon’s daughter Jessie Jo sent him the song. Ernest fell in love immediately. “Would If I Could” made a more significant impression on him than it did on Dillon.
“I couldn’t believe somebody hadn’t cut it,” Ernest said, explaining he recorded a voice memo of himself singing the song and sent it to Dillon. “I learned it and texted it to Dean and was like, ‘Yo, I think I’m going to cut this song.’ His response was, ‘Damn son if you’re writing him like that, what do you need me for?’”
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Ernest: “I Couldn’t Believe Someone Hadn’t Cut It”
Ernest said he had to jar Dillon’s memory that he was the person who wrote it. Come to find out, “Would If I Could” is the only song he and Ewing wrote together.
He said Dillon’s response was “the best text message ever.”
“I died laughing, and I halfway think he was kidding,” Ernest said. “It’s just such an automatic earworm. I was like, ‘Oh my gosh, no brainer.’ I immediately wanted to cut it before I finished listening to it the first time.”
While it’s hard to believe the song is Ernest’s first solo effort at country radio, it’s true. His debut song was “Flower Shops,” a collaboration with his friend Morgan Wallen. He never intended “Flower Shops” to go to country radio, but a moment for the song unfolded, and it happened. He also collaborated with Wallen on “Cowgirls,” too.
“I think this song’s special, and I think that I’ve developed enough as an artist where I am totally confident standing alone on my own song and getting up there and singing and going around the country with just a guitar and playing and singing at the radio stations,” Ernest said. “Whatever I got to do, I’m ready for it.”
Ernest said he’s very blessed and very lucky that his country music career has organically fallen into place.
Ernest Surrounded Himself with Role Models
“I’ve been surrounded by the all-stars in every category, from label to writers to just friends and helping me get through this business, other artists and whatnot,” he said. “It makes it easy when all the examples around me are just so dialed in. I’ve gotten to see the inside out of maybe how not to go about some things. I’m just navigating and learning on the fly, and I’m excited. I think it feels like the time is now for me to go sing my songs.”
Photo by Delaney Royer
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