Over the past seven years hit tunesmith, Brett James, has had over 130 songs recorded by major record label artists and has had multiple chart-topping singles. Songs including “Jesus, Take the Wheel” by American Idol winner, Carrie Underwood (#1 for 6 weeks), “Who I Am” by Jessica Andrews (#1 for 3 weeks), “Blessed” by Martina McBride (#1 for 3 weeks), “When The Sun Goes Down” Kenny Chesney with Uncle Kracker (#1 for 6 weeks), Kenny Chesney’s current Top 5 single, “You Save Me,” two #1 international pop songs in Europe, a Top-5 international Latin pop hit, “Todo Mi Amor,” recorded by Paulina Rubio, and a Top 5 country single for Idol finalist, Josh Gracin, to name a few.

Success did not come overnight for this native Oklahoman and father of four, however. Upon completing the first two years of medical school in his home state, Brett moved to Music City 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 his 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 had 28 of his songs recorded in Nashville and was offered another recording contract from Arista Records. Brett finished a third year of school and dropped out again, this time for good. His songwriting career has kept up that pace ever since.

Just a few of the artists who have recorded Brett’s songs include:

Bon Jovi, Backstreet Boys, Kenny Chesney, Lee Ann Womack, Carrie Underwood, Kellie Pickler, Lorrie Morgan, Chicago, Martina McBride, Pam Tillis, Faith Hill, Paulina Rubio, Phil Vassar, Rascal Flatts, Sara Evans, Josh Gracin, Tim McGraw, Wynonna and Lonestar.

Tim Nichols

“If you’re going to hunt tigers, you have to go where the tigers are.” It was that bit of advice from music publisher Si Siman that convinced Tim Nichols to leave Springfield, Missouri for Nashville, Tennessee to pursue a music career. Once in Nashville, Tim discovered that songwriting was one of the keys that could unlock the doors to the major record labels.

In 1986, Ronnie Milsap recorded a Nichols composition that led to his first publishing deal with Milsap-Galbraith Music Group. Other hits soon followed. Keith Whitley recorded “ I’m Over You” and “ Brotherly Love,” both reaching #1 on the charts. Milsap scored a Top 5 hit with “ All Is Fair In Love And War.”

“That’d Be Alright” was recorded by 2002 CMA Male Vocalist and Entertainer of the Year, Alan Jackson, from the multi-platinum, 2002 CMA Album of the Year, “DRIVE.“

In 2004, Nichols co-wrote Tim McGraw’s “Live Like You Were Dying” with Craig Wiseman, which set a new record of 10 consecutive weeks at #1 on the Radio and Records chart. In addition to breaking the 30-year-old R&R record, “Live Like You Were Dying” won the Best Country Song Grammy award in 2005 and was nominated for the Grammy Song of the Year. It also won the Song of the Year award from the Country Music Association, Academy of Country Music, BMI Country Awards, ASCAP Country Awards, and the Nashville Songwriters Association International. It is the only song to ever have won every major song award that is presented for country music.

In addition, Terri Clark scored a #1with “Girls Lie Too” from her Greatest Hits Collection and a top 5 hit with “I Wanna Do It All.” For one week in 2004, Nichols had two songs at #1 at the same time; McGraw’s "Live Like You Were Dying" on the Radio & Records Country chart and Terri Clark’s "Girls Lie Too" on the Billboard Country chart.

Other Nichols tunes include the Jo Dee Messina debut smash, “ Heads Carolina, Tails California,” as well as the followup, “ You’re Not In Kansas Anymore.” Trace Adkins scored his first #1 with “(This Ain’t) No Thinkin’ Thing.” Tim co-wrote the #1 Lee Ann Womack song, “ I’ll Think Of A Reason Later,” as well as the Patty Loveless hit, “ That’s The Kind Of Mood I’m In,“ and the Alan Jackson Christmas favorite, “ I Only Want You For Christmas.” In addition, he has collaborated on such chart-toppers as " I'd Rather Ride Around With You" (Reba McEntire), " Vidalia" (Sammy Kershaw) and “ I Love My Life” (Jamie O’Neal).

Other artists to record Nichols songs are Kenny Chesney, Gretchen Wilson, Brad Paisley, Buddy Jewell, Travis Tritt, SheDaisy, Tracy Byrd, Aaron Tippin, Ty Herndon, Collin Raye, Chely Wright and Clay Walker.

Rivers Rutherford

Born and raised in Memphis, Tennessee, Rivers Rutherford began his musical education at the age of seven, when he took up the piano and guitar. His father, who also played the piano and toured with the Apollo Boy’s Choir, was his biggest influence. They spent many evenings in the family kitchen playing tunes from what Rivers remembers as the “big orange Elvis songbook.”

Rutherford’s professional career began at the age of 15, when he was hired to play piano on the Memphis Queen riverboat. He later graduated to playing clubs on Beale Street throughout his high school years. A piano scholarship enabled Rutherford to attend Ole Miss, where he majored in English and music.

Rutherford’s father spotted a newspaper ad for a songwriting workshop which led to Rivers’ meeting with Chips Moman, producer of Elvis’ “Suspicious Minds,” Willie Nelson’s “Always on My Mind” and author/producer of “Luckenbach Texas.” Moman was so impressed with a partially finished song that Rutherford played at the workshop that he signed Rutherford to a publishing and production contract. This venture led to Rutherford’s first recording “American Remains,” by The Highwaymen. In addition, Rutherford played guitar and sang background vocals on the album.

In 1993, spurred by the positive direction his musical career was moving, Rutherford moved to Nashville. There he began working with a local commercial production company. During this period, he wrote and performed on several award-winning compositions for TV and film, including a rendition of “Wordless Prayer” for Ken Burns’ Florentine Films.

In 1996, Rutherford signed an exclusive publishing deal with Universal Music Publishing Group. He enjoyed immediate success penning Chely Wright’s breakthrough single “Shut Up and Drive.” Rutherford received ASCAP's Song of the Year in 2002 for "Ain't Nothin' 'Bout You" recorded by Brooks & Dunn. Rutherford's songs have been recorded by Gretchen Wilson, Gary Allan, Faith Hill, LeAnn Rimes, Keith Urban, Trick Pony, Blake Shelton, Deana Carter, Rodney Atkins, Tim McGraw, Brad Paisley and Montgomery Gentry just to name a few. He has accumulated 31 Top 40 songs, eight of which were #1 hits.

Carolyn Dawn Johnson

Most people have probably considered, even in passing, what it would be like to go back to the beginning and do it all over again armed with the knowledge they currently possess. Few realize they have the ability to do just that, and even fewer actually take that chance. Carolyn Dawn Johnson knows why, because that's exactly what she's done with her third album, Love & Negotiation.

Written, produced and financed by Johnson herself, the release punctuates a difficult decision to leave her first record label and strike out in search of the inspiration that brought her to Nashville in the first place. What she found was that seizing that elusive fresh start meant making a clean break with hindsight and stepping away from the comforting structures we all build for ourselves.

Change doesn't necessarily come as easily especially for someone on the kind of high-climbing career track she has enjoyed thus far. The fresh-faced songwriter who drove 60 hours from her then home, Vancouver, BC, Canada to build a career in Nashville seemingly never looked back. Arriving in 1995, Johnson developed her skill and reputation as a songwriter while working odd jobs to pay the bills. A publishing deal led to cuts by artists including Jo Dee Messina, Patty Loveless, Kathy Mattea and more. Her first #1 as a writer came in 1999 with Chely Wright's "Single White Female."

The milestones came quickly. She was named Music Row magazine's Breakthrough Songwriter of the Year in 2000, she toured behind Martina McBride for a year, and eventually signed a recording contract with powerhouse Arista/Nashville. Her first album, Room With A View, bowed in 2001 and launched her first hits as an artist including "Georgia," "I Don't Want You To Go" and the Top 5 smash "Complicated." Critical acclaim and the approval of her peers poured in, and Johnson was honored as the Academy of Country Music's Top New Female Vocalist in 2002. The American Music Awards hailed her as Favorite New Country Artist the following year.

High profile tours with Reba McEntire, Alan Jackson, Kenny Chesney and Keith Urban had her poised for a major breakthrough with her second album, 2004's Dress Rehearsal. But it never materialized. She had a Top 15 hit with the first single, "Simple Life," but she was beginning to realize she'd lost her way. She asked for her release from Arista in 2005.

Johnson realized she needed to reclaim the magic she'd felt when she first arrived in Nashville. Immersing herself in Music City's inimitable creative community – for the second time – brought all those feelings back.

Energized and at the same time benefiting from the incredible education of making her first two albums, Johnson took the wildly ambitious step of deciding to make an album without a label deal in place. She wrote or co-wrote all 12 songs, produced eight of them and co-produced the other four with legendary musician and producer Dann Huff.

Early reaction has been overwhelmingly positive, and Carolyn Dawn is intensely proud of the project. Regardless of its ultimate level of success, and despite all her trepidation, Love & Negotiation seems destined to be regarded as a triumph.