Country Music Association

Artist Description

The Country Music Association Songwriter's series continues with Kix Brooks, Bob DiPiero, Brett James, Tim Nichols and Victoria Shaw. Hear the story behind the hit songs and performed in the raw by the original songwriters.

KIX BROOKS - Best known as one-half of the superstar country duo Brooks & Dunn - Kix Brooks is a force in Country Music. Brooks & Dunn have numerous #1 hits on radio – including the recent CMA Award winning Song and Single of the Year "Believe". Beyond Brooks talent as a performer, he is an excellent songwriter. But before Brooks arrived at this point, he made an impression in Nashville as a songwriter. A few of his biggest hits as a songwriter include the Brooks & Dunn recorded songs "Red Dirt Road, "Only in America" and South of Santa Fe".

BOB DIPIERO - Bob DiPiero has created a name for himself around the world as one of the most significant and beloved songwriters today. Among his hits include "If You Ever Stop Loving Me" recorded by Montgomery Gentry, "Take Me As I Am" recorded by Faith Hill, "You Can't Take the Honky Tonk Out of the Girl" recorded by Brooks & Dunn, and "Cowboys Like Us" recorded by George Strait are just a few of the hits Bob has written.

BRETT JAMES - In the past five years, Brett James has had over 150 of his songs recorded by major label artists, including the hit singles "Jesus, Take the Wheel" by Carrie Underwood (#1 for 7 weeks), "Blessed" by Martina McBride (#1 for two 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, Billy Ray Cyrus, Collin Raye, Lonestar, Rascal Flatts, Lee Ann Womack, Phil Vassar, Josh Gracin and many more.

TIM NICHOLS - Tim Nichols has written for the biggest Country Music artists in Nashville. Nichols co-wrote the Tim McGraw smash hit "Live Like You Were Dying," which won the CMA Award in 2005 for Song of the Year. Among the many top tunes Nichols had a hand in writing are Terri Clark's "Girls Lie Too", Alan Jackson's "That'd Be Alright," "Jo Dee Messina's "Heads Carolina, Tails California" and Lee Ann Womack's "I'll Think of a Reason Later."

VICTORIA SHAW - Collectively, Victoria Shaw songs have sold more than 65 million CD's. With top hits such as "The River," recorded by Garth Brooks, "I Love the Way You Love Me" recorded by John Michael Montgomery and "Nobody wants to be Lonely," recorded by Ricky Martin and Christina Aguilera, Shaw is one of the best songwriters in today's music. Other artists who have recorded songs by Shaw included Faith Hill, Reba, Tricia Yearwood, LeAnn Rimes, Billy Ray Cyrus and many more.