Backyards of Key West Podcast with Mark Baratto 105: An exclusive sit down with famed songwriters Craig Wiseman & Lee Thomas Miller

In this episode, Mark Baratto sits down with two of the most well-known songwriters in Nashville; Craig Wisman and Lee Thomas Miller.

If you are an aspiring songwriter or musician, this episode is filled with so much wisdom, that it’s a can’t miss.

We discuss their writing process and how they pump out over 100 songs per year… year after year.

Between them, they have 33 # 1 songs, winning a number of industry awards, and have written songs for some of country music’s top artists like Tim McGraw, Kenny Chesney, Dolly Parton, Blake Shelton, Luke Bryan, Dierks Bentley, Carrie Underwood, Jason Aldean, Florida Georgia Line, Brian Kelley, Brad Paisley, Trace Adkins, Terri Clark, Jamey Johnson, Chris Stapleton… the list goes on and on!

Be on the listen for a little jam session by Craig Wiseman on the guitar after the closing music… ENJOY!

Reach out to Craig here:

Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/thebigloud

Big Loud Publishing

Website: http://bigloudpublishing.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bigloud

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bigloud

Twitter: https://twitter.com/bigloud

Reach out to Lee here:

Website: http://www.leethomasmiller.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leethomasmiller

More on Craig Wiseman

Craig Wiseman is one of country music’s most renowned, talented and distinguished writers. From his early days of writing and drumming in Hattiesburg, Mississippi to being crowned Songwriter of the Century by ASCAP, he has indeed created for himself a monumental platform in the history of country music. As the writer of songs including Brooks and Dunn’s “Believe” to Blake Shelton’s “Boys ‘Round Here”, Wiseman has amassed over 350 cuts, 125 singles, and 27 #1’s.

After moving to Nashville in 1985 to pursue a career in songwriting, he received his first chart success after having co-written “The Only One” from Roy Orbison’s album, Mystery Girl. In 1990, Wiseman signed his first publishing deal with Almo/Irving Music, and ten years later, he signed with BMG Music Publishing. In 2003, Wiseman opened his own publishing company, and within the first year of the independent company’s operation, Wiseman experienced the first single of the catalog; “Live Like You Were Dying” by Tim McGraw not only peaked at the top of the charts for ten weeks, but it also was named NSAI Song of the Year, CMA Song of the Year, ACM Song of the Year and won the Grammy Award for Best Country Song. In 2012, Wiseman co-founded Big Loud’s management division, the launchpad of Florida Georgia Line, followed by Big Loud Records in 2015.

Wiseman’s success has continued to escalate at exponential levels throughout the years. He was proclaimed ASCAP’s “Songwriter of the Year” in 2003, 2005, and 2007 in addition to being named “Writer of the Year” by NSAI and Music Row in 1997. In 2009, he received the impressive honor of NSAI’s “Songwriter of the Decade” and won the 2014 Heritage Award from ASCAP as the most performed country songwriter of the century. Following those years of success, hard work & accomplishments, Wiseman was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame in October of 2015. In 2017, Wiseman was honored with a CMA Triple Play Award for FGL’s “Anything Goes” & Blake Shelton’s “Gonna” & “Came Here To Forget.”

Although his accomplishments are nothing less than extraordinary, Wiseman’s talents and endeavors extend far beyond the field of songwriting. As a complement to Tim McGraw’s “Live Like You Were Dying”, Wiseman co-wrote a book with the same title, which topped the New York Times Best Seller list in 2004. Additionally, he co-wrote the book A Baby Changes Everything in 2008, in conjunction with Faith Hill’s #1 single. The following year, Wiseman starred in a reality TV show, The Hitmen of Music Row, which aired on GAC.

For the past 15 years, Wiseman has hosted The Stars of Second Harvest Show at the Ryman, showing his philanthropic heart and giving all proceeds to the Second Harvest Food Bank Of Middle Tennessee. To date, this musical event has raised more than $1.5 million for the food bank.

Craig’s Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/thebigloud

Big Loud Publishing

Website: http://bigloudpublishing.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bigloud

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bigloud

Twitter: https://twitter.com/bigloud

More on Lee Thomas Miller

FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE NASHVILLE SONGWRITER’S ASSOCIATION (NSAI)

3 Time Grammy Award Nominee:

2003 Grammy nomination:

“The Impossible” (Joe Nichols) Country Song of the Year:

2009 Double Grammy nomination:

“You’re Gonna Miss This”(Trace Adkins)-  Country Song of the Year

“In Color” (Jamey Johnson)- Country Song of the Year

Music Row Magazine: Breakthrough Songwriter of the year 2003

Awarded one of NSAI’s  ‘Ten Songs I Wish I Had Written’ 2003: “The Impossible”

Awarded one of NSAI’s  ‘Ten Songs I Wish I Had Written’ 2008: “You’re Gonna Miss This”

Won Song of the Year at the 2008 NSAI awards for “You’re Gonna Miss This”

Nominated for Song of the Year at 2008 CMA awards for “You’re Gonna Miss This”

2009 Double ACM Nominee: “You’re Gonna Miss This” and “In Color” for Song of the Year.

Won Song of the Year at the 2009 ACM awards for “In Color”

Won Music Row Magazine’s 2009 Song of the Year  for  “In Color”

Awarded one of NSAI’s  ‘Ten Songs I Wish I Had Written’ 2009: “In Color”

Won Song of the Year at the 2009 CMA awards for “In Color”

Awarded BMI’s inaugural “Champion’s Award” 2015

Nominated for Song of the Year at the 2018 ACM awards for “Whiskey and You” #1 Country Singles:

“The Impossible” (Joe Nichols)** “I Just Wanna Be Mad” (Terri Clark)** “The World” (Brad Paisley)** “You’re Gonna Miss This” (Trace Adkins)*“I’m Still A Guy” (Brad Paisley)“Southern Girl” (Tim McGraw) “Perfect Storm” (Brad Paisley)

(*received BMI Million Play Award) (**received BMI 2 Million Play Award)                                 Other top 10 singles: “It Aint My Fault” (Brothers Osborne) #9 “Crushin’ It” (Brad Paisley) #7 “In Color”  (Jamey Johnson) #7 “Nothing To Die For” (Tim McGraw)  #5 “Jesus In Disguise” (Brandon Heath)  #8 “Just A Girl” (Brandon Heath) #8

Other top 20 singles: “Something To Do With My Hands” (Thomas Rhett) #15 “Crying On A Suitcase” (Casey James) #14 “Leaving Eden” (Brandon Heath) #17

Cuts include:

Tim McGraw, Rascal Flatts, Dierks Bentley, Josh Turner, Brad Paisley, Joe Nichols, Terri Clark, John Michael Montgomery, Sammy Kershaw, Andy Griggs, Tracy Byrd, Tracy Lawrence, Randy Travis, Rhett Akins, Blue County, Billy Currington, Craig Morgan, The Wreckers, Chris Young, Blackhawk, Mark Wills

Production credits include  Curb recording artist Steve Holy including the 2006 #1 single: “Brand New Girlfriend” and 2010 top 20 single “Love Don’t Run”

Website: http://www.leethomasmiller.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leethomasmiller