The first installment showcased the incredible talents of Phil Vassar, Craig Wiseman and Brett James, who together have over 200 singles and dozens of #1 hits. The show debuted on XM’s Highway 16 channel March 14 at 11 am CT
with encore shows on March 16 at 5 pm CT and March 18 at 8 am CT.
Phil Vassar’s written hits for some of Nashville’s top concert headliners -- including himself. He’s been named country songwriter of the year by ASCAP -- twice -- and welcomed into stardom with a "Top New Male Vocalist" award from the Academy of Country Music. In 1996, Engelbert Humperdinck recorded "Once in a While," which Phil had written with a fellow bartender. Other artists quickly lined up to record more of his songs: Collin Raye ("Little Red Rodeo"), Alan Jackson ("Right on the Money"), Tim McGraw ("For a Little While"), Jo Dee Messina ("Bye Bye" and "I'm Alright") and BlackHawk ("Postmarked Birmingham"). Almost overnight, Phil's stock as a songwriter skyrocketed in Music City, but his greatest ambition -- to launch his own performing career -- proved more elusive. Arista Nashville released his debut, Phil Vassar, in 2000; four tracks from that album broke into the Top Ten as singles: "Just Another Day in Paradise," peaked at #1 while "Carlene" hit #5, "Six-Pack Summer" went to #9 and "That's When I Love You" reached #3. (A few weeks after "Just Another Day in Paradise," Tim McGraw nudged it out of the top spot with his recording of "My Next Thirty Years" -- another Vassar composition.) Two years after that, Phil's sophomore release, American Child, climbed to #4 on the Billboard country charts and fired two hit singles -- the title track and “This Is God." Phil is currently finishing up his fourth Arista album, set for release in May.
Craig Wiseman had his first success as a writer at age 24, with a song on Roy Orbison's Mystery Girl album, entitled "The Only One". He signed his first publishing deal with Almo/Irving Music Publishing in 1990, and during the next decade enjoyed over 200 cuts and 40 singles. In 1997 he was honored as Songwriter of the Year by both Music Row magazine and the Nashville Songwriters Association International (NSAI).
From 2000-2003, Craig was signed to BMG Music Publishing, accruing more than 60 cuts and 22 singles. Among his many achievements: 2002 Billboard #2 country songwriter and 2003 ASCAP Country Songwriter of the Year; his song, “The Good Stuff," won top prizes from Billboard in 2002 and ASCAP in 2003.
Craig’s songs have been recorded by many of country's biggest acts such as Faith Hill, Brooks & Dunn, LeAnn Rimes, Buddy Jewell, Randy Travis, Aaron Tippin, and Trisha Yearwood. He has penned 90 charting singles and 13 #1 country singles, including “Just Another Day In Paradise" (Phil Vassar); “The Good Stuff" (Kenny Chesney); “Tell Her" (Lonestar); "Walkin' Away" (Diamond Rio); "A Little Bit Of You" (Lee Roy Parnell); "If the Good Die Young" (Tracy Lawrence); “The Cowboy In Me, “Where the Green Grass Grows" and “Live Like You Were Dying" (Tim McGraw). A career achievement for Craig and co-writer Tim Nichols, as well as for Tim McGraw, “Live Like You Were Dying" spent a record-setting 10 consecutive weeks at #1 on the Radio and Records country singles chart. In addition to breaking the 30-year-old R&R mark, “Live Like You Were Dying" won 2004 Song of the Year honors from the Nashville Songwriters Association International, the Country Music Association, the Academy of Country Music and Billboard, as well as the 2005 Grammy for Best Country Song and song of the year recognition from performance rights organizations ASCAP and BMI. Tim and Craig also enjoyed the distinction of being New York Times best-selling authors, courtesy of their companion gift book by the same title, published by Rutledge Hill Press. In October 2003 Craig launched his own independent publishing company, Big Loud Shirt Industries. He was named ASCAP’s Country Songwriter of the Year for a second time at their October 2005 ceremonies.
In the past five years, Brett James has had over 150 of his songs recorded by major label artists, including the hit singles “Blessed" by Martina McBride (#1 for two weeks), “Who I Am" by Jessica Andrews (#1 for four weeks), and “When the Sun Goes Down" by Kenny Chesney and Uncle Kracker (#1 for six weeks). Among the dozens of artists who’ve cut his songs are Faith Hill, Tim McGraw, Jo Dee Messina, Carrie Underwood, Billy Ray Cyrus, Collin Raye, Lonestar, Rascal Flatts, Lee Ann Womack, Phil Vassar, Josh Gracin, Chicago, and Engelbert Humperdinck. He’s also posted two #1 pop songs in Europe and the Top 5 international pop hit “Todo Mi Amor," recorded by Latin superstar Paulina Rubio. Upon completing the first two years of medical school in his home state of Oklahoma, Brett moved to Nashville to pursue a recording contract. Seven years later, after recording two albums for Arista Records, he found himself again without a record deal. When Brett allowed his love of music to take a back seat to his desire to support a growing family, in a twist of irony his songwriting career took off.
In 1999, Brett returned to the University of Oklahoma medical school. In the nine months that he was back studying medicine, he saw 28 of his songs recorded in Nashville and was offered another recording contract from Arista. Brett finished a third year of school and then dropped out again, this time for good. His songwriting career has kept up that pace ever since.
