The C.L.I.M.B. with Johnny Dwinell and Brent Baxter

Today we talk to #1 hit songwriter Matt Warren. While he was mowing grass and selling Christmas trees to make ends meet, a country star told him, "Don't you dare sign a publishing deal." What's that all about? Listen up to find out!

Connect with Matt Warren Here:

Facebook: @MattWarren

Instagram: @TheMattWarren

The C.L.I.M.B. Show is dedicated to helping singers, songwriters, indie artists and industry pros "Create Leverage In The Music Business." We want you to win!

About the hosts:<...

Climbers, honest question. Do you consider yourself process-oriented or goal-oriented? If you don't have an answer, you'd better get to the bottom of it quickly. If you do have one, choose wisely, Grasshopper. Here's why one of these could hinder your success...

The C.L.I.M.B. Show is dedicated to helping singers, songwriters, indie artists and industry pros "Create Leverage In The Music Business." We want you to win!

About the hosts:

Brent Baxter is an award-winning hit songwriter with cuts by Alan Jackson (“Monday Morning Church”), Randy Trav...

Baxter and Johnny D welcome Aaron Barker to The Challenge, where they create 5-6 different conceptual ideas for a song titled "Show Me Your Hand," sent in by CLIMBer, Mark Lawhorne.

Aaron is a Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame inductee whose songs helped define George Strait's catalog. His credits include " Like Baby Blue," "Love Without End, Amen," "Easy Come, Easy Go," "I'd Like to Have That One Back," " I Know She Still Loves Me," "I Can Still Make Cheyenne," as well as Lonestar's number-one, "What About Now." His songs have also been recorded by Clay Walker, Neal...

Dolly Parton didn't just leave a catalog of legendary songs; she left us a masterclass in songwriting, business courage, and knowing who you are. Today, we're breaking down five things every songwriter and indie artist can learn from the legend. Godspeed, Dolly Parton.💔

The C.L.I.M.B. Show is dedicated to helping singers, songwriters, indie artists and industry pros "Create Leverage In The Music Business." We want you to win!

About the hosts:

Brent Baxter is an award-winning hit songwriter with cuts by Alan Jackson (“Monday Morning Church”), Randy T...

Clayton Toney is an artist manager at Neon Coast and co-manager of country artist Randall King. He's been part of Randall's team for seven years, helping build a career that now includes more than 500 million streams, international touring, and roughly 150 shows per year.

Before joining Neon Coast, he worked in management and A&R at Durango Artist Management, where he worked on projects for both Randall King and Cody Johnson, including Cody's Human, The Double Album, and Leather Deluxe Edition. Clayton helped identify "Till You Can't", which went on to become a massive number-one Grammy winner, CMA...

Brent & Johnny welcome legendary hit songwriter Dave Gibson to The Challenge, and they create 5-6 different conceptual angles for writing a song titled "Pretty Penny". Dave Gibson wrote Alabama's "Jukebox On My Mind", Joe Diffie's "Ships That Don't Come In", Tanya Tucker's "If It Don't Come Easy", Confederate Railroad's "Queen of Memphis", and Pam Tillis' "Do You Know Where Your Man Is?". He also formed the ACM-winning Gibson Miller Band and won multiple ACM and NSAI honors.

Connect with Dave Gibson Here:

Instagram: @DaveGibsonMusic46

Facebook: @DaveGibson

YouTube: @DaveGibsonMusic<...

For 22 years, Scott Sean White has lived in Poetry, Texas, as a professional songwriter. He's been making regular trips to Nashville every two weeks and proving you don't have to be a Nashville resident to grow and succeed as a songwriter and artist. Scott has had his songs cut by Cody Johnson and Bryan Martin. He's also an artist in his own right with 3 album releases under his belt. Today, we discuss how he's succeeded from afar.

Connect with Scott Sean White here:

Facebook: @ScottSeanWhite

Instagram: @ScottSeanWhite

TikTok...

Today's guest, Shelby Kennedy, is a songwriter, music executive, A&R veteran, and lifelong student of the music business. Ray Charles recorded Shelby's first song while he was still in college. He later wrote Reba McEntire's "I'm a Survivor" and has worked on the business side at companies including ASCAP, Lyric Street Records, BMI, TuneCore, and ONErpm. Along the way, he's helped discover, develop, and guide artists and songwriters at virtually every level of the industry. Now he's taken decades of those conversations and lessons and put them into a new book, Gold & Platinum Nuggets of Wisdom: Bite-Sized Perspectives...

Brent & Johnny welcome hit songwriter Rob Hatch to The Challenge, where they cook up 5-6 different conceptual angles for writing a song titled "Curve Baller". Rob's catalog includes number ones like Justin Moore's "If Heaven Wasn't So Far Away", Randy Houser's "Goodnight Kiss", Lee Brice's "I Don't Dance", which won the ACM Award for Single of the Year, and most recently, Megan Maroney's "Six Months Later". He was also named SESAC Songwriter of the Year in 2014, and his cuts include songs recorded by Faith Hill, Luke Bryan, Joe Nichols, Jamie Johnson, Ronnie Dunn, and others. He's also a co-founder...

Today's guest, Missi Gallimore is a veteran A&R executive, artist manager, and founder of Truth or Dare, whose ear has helped shape some of country music's biggest records. Over more than two decades, she's played a role in finding more than 30 number one songs for Tim McGraw, helped to bring songs like Faith Hill's "This Kiss" and "Breathe" to the table, and introduced Keith Urban to "Blue Ain't Your Color".

Today, through Truth or Dare, she works with artists and songwriters in everything from finding the right songs and collaborators to developing careers and creating opportunities. <...

CLIMBers, today we welcome the Nashville Road Coach (and long-time CLIMBer), Paul Secord, and we talk all about what is probably the #1 revenue generator for your band: merch! Paul has spent more than three decades in the music business as an artist, performer, producer, and artist development coach. He has more than 3,000 shows under his belt, and he spent a massive portion of those shows behind the merch table after the show. Learn how to 2X, 3X, 5X, or even 10X your merch with Paul's Merch That Moves course!

Click Here To Access The...

Johnny & Brent welcome hit songwriter Wynn Varble to The Challenge! Together, they craft 5-6 different conceptual angles for writing a song titled "Within Reach" (sent in by CLIMBer, Bobby Davis).

Wynn has written #1 hits like "Have You Forgotten" by Darryl Worley, "Waiting On A Woman" for Brad Paisley, and "I'm A Little More Country Than That" for Easton Corbin. All three of these were nominated for Song Of The Year by either the ACMs and/or CMAs.

Wynn has had songs recorded by Garth Brooks, Cody Johnson, Trace Adkins, Willie Nelson, Mark Chesnutt, Kelly Pickler...

CLIMBer, when you find out who you are, what lane you're supposed to be in, who you are as an artist, and actually bring that into the room - magic happens. It actually gets easier. Fancy that. It's amazing! We get into that and so much more with our guest, Centricity recording artist Rachel Purcell, today. You want to stick around for this one!

The C.L.I.M.B. Show is dedicated to helping singers, songwriters, indie artists and industry pros "Create Leverage In The Music Business." We want you to win!

CLIMBers, if you're interested in achieving financial stability and financial freedom as an indie artist without compromising your artistic integrity, this episode is for you!

Dan Scott is a musician, attorney, advisor, and founder dedicated to helping creatives build good lives where their work, wealth, and purpose align. You can do it all; you just need to have a few tools in the toolbox. After beginning his legal career at Sullivan and Cromwell, he founded Scott Law in 2015 and then launched Spotlight Advisory Group, where he advises artists, entrepreneurs, and creators on ownership, financial freedom, intellectual property...

Brent & Johnny welcome Grammy, CMA, and ACM nominated songwriter, C.J. Field, to The Challenge! Together, they craft 5-6 different conceptual angles for writing a song titled, "Last Minute Roses". C.J. quickly established himself as a sought-after songwriter, working with Ashley McBryde and other notable musicians. He co-wrote the song "Home Sweet Highway" with Ashley and Blue Foley, which was included in Ashley's Grammy, ACM, and CMA-nominated album "Girl Going Nowhere". CJ continues to collaborate with Ashley, Aaron Lewis, D. Vincent Williams, Marla Cannon-Goodman, Trent Tomlinson and more. As an artist, he's shared the stage with musicians like...

CLIMBer, you might have gotten some feedback on your songs, whether privately or in a group setting. But are you getting the most out of that opportunity? We're going to set you up for success today on The CLIMB.

Learn More At SongwritingPro.com

The C.L.I.M.B. Show is dedicated to helping singers, songwriters, indie artists and industry pros "Create Leverage In The Music Business." We want you to win!

About the hosts:

Brent Baxter is an award-winning hit...

CLIMBers, there's more information available to help artists succeed today than ever before. The problem is that most of it is overwhelming and a lot of it is inaccurate because there's far more incentive online to go viral than to be correct. Today, we're discussing the five biggest deal mistakes that artists continue to make and how to avoid them.

The C.L.I.M.B. Show is dedicated to helping singers, songwriters, indie artists and industry pros "Create Leverage In The Music Business." We want you to win!

About the hosts:<...

In this very special Song Title Challenge as Brent and Johnny welcome hit songwriter Terri Jo Box, and they craft 5-6 different conceptual angles to write song entitled "Bottle Blonde". Terri Jo is a longtime friend of Johnny and Brent's, and for the last 10 plus years, the owner and hostess with the Mostest of the Music Row Freak Show, Nashville's most popular curated songwriter showcase. She's written songs on four Grammy-nominated albums, a CMA-nominated album of the year, and her song "Dear Old Sun" was on Miranda Lambert's 2018 ACM album of the year, Weight Of These Wings. She's also...

CLIMBer, smart songwriters know they need to improve, but how do you improve as quickly as possible? Let's talk about it today on the show.

The C.L.I.M.B. Show is dedicated to helping singers, songwriters, indie artists and industry pros "Create Leverage In The Music Business." We want you to win!

About the hosts:

Brent Baxter is an award-winning hit songwriter with cuts by Alan Jackson (“Monday Morning Church”), Randy Travis, Lady A, Joe Nichols, Ray Stevens, Gord Bamford and more.  He helps songwriters turn pro by helpi...

CLIMBers, we have an interview with A-List rock bass player Marco Mendoza (Thin Lizzy, Whitesnake, Blue Murder, Dead Daisies) that was supposed to drop today. Marco was setting out on tour with Adrian Vandenberg (Whitesnake, Vandenberg guitarist) and Vinnie Moore (UFO); unfortunately, Adrian fell ill with a bacterial infection, which forced him to postpone the tour...So we chose to keep the interview in the vault to drop it once the tour gets rebooked. Please pray and send some love to Adrian!

Here's the breakdown of the Classic Episode we're putting out in its...

Johnny & Brent welcome BBR Music Group artist, Mary Kutter, one of country music's most exciting emerging voices. With a sound that blends classic country storytelling with modern energy, she's been building a loyal fan base through authentic songs, powerful performances, and a relentless work ethic in the writing room and on social media. She's earned charting cuts by Bailey Zimmerman, Nate Smith, and Zach John King.

Today, they tackle the title "No Help For That," sent in by CLIMBer, Gordon Donaldson. If you want to write like a pro, you need to think like...

CLIMBer, what if I told you that two pro songwriters gave advice that sounded kind of opposite, and they're probably both right? Stick around because our conversations might completely change how you approach your songwriting CLIMB.

The C.L.I.M.B. Show is dedicated to helping singers, songwriters, indie artists and industry pros "Create Leverage In The Music Business." We want you to win!

About the hosts:

Brent Baxter is an award-winning hit songwriter with cuts by Alan Jackson (“Monday Morning Church”), Randy Travis, Lady A, Joe Nichols, Ray Stev...

CLIMBers, stop focusing on the details when you're trying to figure out how to promote your music. Today, I'm going to hip you to several different artists' social media accounts that are huge or currently blowing up. If your mindset is that you'll see something you can't replicate for one reason or another because you're focusing on the details, then you're right. Don't do it, right? But if you forget the details and focus on the fundamentals of why these accounts are growing, you'll be on the right track to crafting your unique way of growing your own account...

Brent & Johnny welcome After Grace, an Arkansas duo of brothers-in-law, Cody Clark and Jared Moffitt, to The Challenge, where we create 5-6 different conceptual angles for writing a song titled "The Sculptor's Hand".

Connect with After Grace:

Facebook: @AfterGrace

Instagram: @AfterGraceBand

TikTok: @AfterGraceBand

YouTube: @AfterGraceBand

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CLIMBer, you have 365 days to make some serious progress in the music business. What are you doing on day one, and what are you gonna do for the next 365? We're gonna chop it up today with Michael August, who is not only a hit songwriter, friend of the show, and the GM of Demolition Music, but also has an incredible story of how he systematized the first 365 days of his journey into the Nashville music business.

The C.L.I.M.B. Show is dedicated to helping singers, songwriters, indie artists and industry pros "...

This is an excerpt from Songwriting Pro's "J.A.M. Session." (J.A.M. stands for "Just Ask Me," and it's our monthly members-only online Q&A Session.) If you'd like to watch the full J.A.M. Session, just log in to the Songwriting Pro Member Area. If you're not yet a Songwriting Pro member, NOW is a great time to start your 14-day FREE trial at SongwritingPro.com!

The C.L.I.M.B. Show is dedicated to helping singers, songwriters, indie artists and industry pros "Create Leverage In The Music Business." We want you t...

CLIMBers, don't give up on your artist dream just yet! The outlook for your ability to earn more money as an indie artist amid a changing music industry and the rise of AI is improving steadily. That's not just my opinion; today, we welcome two Fox Rothschild music attorneys who are architecting the huge catalog purchases you've been reading about. They just completed the Harry Chapin deal. They do sync licenses, IP opportunities, and more for artists like you. Don't miss this episode!

If You Need A Music Attorney, Contact Cynthia and Heidy Here:<...

Johnny & Brent welcome Brooke Lee, a rising country artist and songwriter who moved to Nashville from Charlotte at the age of 21 to chase country music full-time. She's been building momentum as both an artist and a songwriter, signed with Spirit Music Group for publishing and CAA for representation. She's open for artists like Willie Nelson, Need To Breathe, and Gavin DeGraw, among others. Brooke recently partnered with Chevrolet for a national campaign.

Connect with our guest, Brooke Lee, here:

Facebook: @BrookeLeeMusic

Instagram: @BrookeLeeMusic

TikTok: @BrookeLeeMusic

YouTube...

CLIMBers, today's guest is hit songwriter, JT Harding, who's co-written "Smile" by Uncle Kracker, "Somewhere In My Car" by Keith Urban, "Sangria" by Blake Shelton, "Somewhere With You" and "Bar At The End Of The World" by Kenny Chesney, "Different For Girls" by Dierks Bentley, and many more! JT also has a play called Music City that is currently running a block down the street from Hamilton.

The C.L.I.M.B. Show is dedicated to helping singers, songwriters, indie artists and industry pros "Create Leverage In The Music Business." We want you...

This is an excerpt from Songwriting Pro's "J.A.M. Session." (J.A.M. stands for "Just Ask Me," and it's our monthly members-only online Q&A Session.) If you'd like to watch the full J.A.M. Session, just log in to the Songwriting Pro Member Area. If you're not yet a Songwriting Pro member, NOW is a great time to start your 14-day FREE trial at SongwritingPro.com!

The C.L.I.M.B. Show is dedicated to helping singers, songwriters, indie artists and industry pros "Create Leverage In The Music Business." We want you t...

CLIMBers, a revolution is coming, led by the indie artists, and if you want to be a part of it, you'd better start paying attention to your business model. Do you want to run your business throwing darts in the dark? Can you pay your mortgage, raise your kids, and get your piece of the American dream doing what you were born to do with a business model based on hope and a blindfold? This episode reveals how to fix the biggest mistake the entire music industry is making.

The C.L.I.M.B. Show is...

Johnny & Brent welcome James Otto, a powerhouse vocalist, hit songwriter, and one of the most soulful voices in modern country music, to The Challenge, where they dream up 5-6 different conceptual angles for writing a song titled "Tickled Pink". As an artist, he scored a number one hit with "Just Got Started Loving You", which was the most played country radio song of 2008. As a songwriter, he's had major cuts for artists like Zac Brown Band, Randy Hauser, Chris Jansen, John Anderson, Trace Adkins, and more, including the Grammy-winning song for Jamey Johnson, "In Color", which is an absolute...

Baxter & Johnny welcome legendary Nashville song plugger and publishing executive. Sherrill Blackman - founder of SDB music Group, which has been home to three publishing divisions and a professional song plugging service since launching the company in 1994.

His pitches have secured recordings across country, pop, rock, gospel, bluegrass, jazz, and even polka, resulting in radio hits, gold, platinum, and multi-platinum records, Grammy and IBMA nominations, and a Dove Award winner.

Sherrill built his career through stops at MCA music publishing, NSAI, and Buckhorn Music, where he helped land early recordings for a then-unknown ten-year-old singer...

This is an excerpt from Songwriting Pro's "J.A.M. Session." (J.A.M. stands for "Just Ask Me," and it's our monthly members-only online Q&A Session.) If you'd like to watch the full J.A.M. Session, just log in to the Songwriting Pro Member Area. If you're not yet a Songwriting Pro member, NOW is a great time to start your 14-day FREE trial at SongwritingPro.com!

The C.L.I.M.B. Show is dedicated to helping singers, songwriters, indie artists and industry pros "Create Leverage In The Music Business." We want you t...

CLIMBers, is your career firing on all pistons? Today, we welcome artist manager, Kris Rochester, who's got 40 years in the music industry, including 35-plus years at high-level radio broadcasting. He's currently managing Styles Haury, which is how we got to him. This guy is a veteran, and we get into so much great info that we had to invite him back for part II! There's a lot of really good information in this episode.

The C.L.I.M.B. Show is dedicated to helping singers, songwriters, indie artists and industry pros "Create Leverage...

Baxter & Johnny D welcome hit songwriter, Andy Sheridan, to the Challenge. Andy moved to Nashville to attend Belmont University, but quickly found musical success past the four walls of a classroom. He turned in his college books for a life on the road, touring as a full-time musician and band leader. He's toured with Phil Vassar, Hunter Hayes, and Ben Rector, and has played with countless other artists. He saw his first number one on Sirius XM Radio with "Narcissist" by Avery Anna, and has landed other cuts by Cody Johnson, Warren Zeiders, Chris Janson, Zac Brown Band, Nate...

CLIMBer, AI in the music industry is not going away. So we'd better figure out our relationship to it and how it's going to affect our relationship to each other as creatives. That's what we're talking about today.

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This is an excerpt from Songwriting Pro's "J.A.M. Session." (J.A.M. stands for "Just Ask Me," and it's our monthly members-only online Q&A Session.) If you'd like to watch the full J.A.M. Session, just log in to the Songwriting Pro Member Area. If you're not yet a Songwriting Pro member, NOW is a great time to start your 14-day FREE trial at SongwritingPro.com!

The C.L.I.M.B. Show is dedicated to helping singers, songwriters, indie artists and industry pros "Create Leverage In The Music Business." We want you t...

From a small town in North Carolina to millions of streams, major brand partnerships, and sharing stages with legends like Willie freaking Nelson, today's guest is proving that gritty authenticity still cuts through the noise. Singer, songwriter, and rising country artist, Brooke Lee, joins us today.

Connect with Brooke Lee Here:

Facebook: @BrookeLeeMusic

Instagram: @BrookeLeeMusic

TikTok: @BrookeLeeMusic

YouTube: @BrookeLeeMusic

Spotify: Brooke Lee

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Brent & Johnny welcome Billy Jam Records recording artist, Alex Miller, to the Challenge, where they craft 5-6 different conceptual angles to writing a song titled, "B.C.". He's the real country deal, releasing duets with Tracy Byrd and Emily Ann Roberts. Alex just got nominated for an ACM for his new project, "More Country Than You", which is out now.

Connect With Alex Miller Here:

Facebook: @AMillerMusic

Instagram: @AMillerMusic

YouTube: @AlexMillerCountry

TikTok: @AMillerMusic

Spotify: Alex Miller

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