Johnny & Brent welcome LeAnn Phelan, a 25-year veteran music industry executive who was Senior Director of A&R at Sony Nashville, VP of Combustion Music, former preliminary judge for American Idol seasons 6-9, and currently runs a multifaceted LP, Creative Management, a management and publishing company. Tons of value bombs in this episode, so list…

Johnny & Brent welcome LEGENDARY hitmaker, Tom Douglas, to the pod ("House That Built Me", "Southern Voice", "Little Rock", "The Gift", "Meanwhile Back At Mamas") where they work out 5-6 different conceptual angles to write a song titled, "Sweet Southern Promise". Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices…

CLIMBer, "If you're in a band..." this episode is a must-listen! Mark Maxwell of the legendary Louisville band, The Crashers, reveals game-changing advice for anyone who wants to start a band or take their existing band to the next level. We're sharing Mark's wisdom because we want you to win. So listen up! Follow Maxwell's House Of Music to see al…

Brent sits down with legendary country/Christian/bluegrass songwriter/producer, Jerry Salley, to discuss his cuts... and bruises! This is an excerpt from "The Hang." If you'd like to watch the full episode, 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 trail…

CLIMBer, are you a song nerd like I am? Of course, you are. Do you love geeking out about songs as much as I do? Of course, you do. Do you want to listen to today's episode as Johnny and I geek out on the stories behind some of your favorite songs with NSAI's Executive Director, Bart Herbison? Of course, you do. Here's the link to Bart's interview …

Brent & Johnny welcome huge hit songwriter, D. Vincent Williams ("I'm Movin' On", "Just Got Started Lovin' You") to the Challenge where they hash out 5-6 different conceptual approaches to writing a song titled, "Pump It," sent in by CLIMBer, Jessie St Christopher! Connect with D. Vincent Williams: Facebook Instagram Website The C.L.I.M.B. Show is …

CLIMBers, for plenty of music's most compelling artists, going independent doesn't mean going small. It means reaping the myriad of benefits by avoiding the major label route, and we're gonna hear from these artists on this episode, so stick around. The C.L.I.M.B. Show is dedicated to helping singers, songwriters, indie artists and industry pros "C…

Brent sits down with songwriter/artist, Rob Mills of hit Christian group, The Sound, to discuss his cuts... and bruises! This is an excerpt from "The Hang." If you'd like to watch the full episode, 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 trail at Songw…

CLIMBer, ever had an "almost" win? It can leave you pretty frustrated and defeated, but today a hit songwriter has a different way of looking at it, a different way of looking at your almost wins. If you could use some encouragement, listen up, this episode is for you! The C.L.I.M.B. Show is dedicated to helping singers, songwriters, indie artists …

Jeff Giles is the latest deal professional to run out of excuses and end up in the MMM studio. He is Executive Vice President for Corporate Development at Core & Main, a St. Louis-based publicly traded specialty distributor focused on water, wastewater, storm drainage and fire protection. Andy and Charlie join Jeff in recounting his days as a priva…

Johnny & Brent welcome hitmaker (Josh Turner, Lee Brice, Hootie & The Blowfish, Kellie Pickler, Craig Morgan), Phillip Lammonds, to the Challenge where they cook up 5-6 different conceptual ideas for writing a song titled, "Better About It," sent in by CLIMBers, Kay Mott & Jennifer Ferguson. Connect with Phillip Lammonds here: Instagram: @PhillipLa…

CLIMBers! What does the movie industry have to do with whether or not you should be a niche artist or have more of a broad appeal? What does that have to do with ANYTHING?!?! Find out in today's episode! 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…

Brent sits down with legendary hit CCM and Southern Gospel songwriter, Tony Wood, to discuss his cuts... and bruises. This is an excerpt from "The Hang." If you'd like to watch the full episode, 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 trail at Songwrit…

CLIMBers! I have a confession to make. I've been neglecting my songwriting superpower...and it's been costing me opportunities. What am I going to do about it? Listen up to find out and to find out how this process can help YOU, too! The C.L.I.M.B. Show is dedicated to helping singers, songwriters, indie artists and industry pros "Create Leverage I…

Brent & Johnny welcome pro songwriter, Producer/Engineer (Rascal Flatts, Russell Dickerson, Crowder, Zach Williams, and more), and Director of A&R for Red Street Records (home to artists including Consumed By Fire, Chris Lane, Jason Crabb, and more), Kevin Rooney, to the show where they Dare To Suck working out 5-6 different conceptual ideas for wr…

This episode features: a University of Missouri starting quarterback who tackled Brian Bosworth, a hardworking youthful entrepreneur, a standout networker in the M&A industry, a pioneer podcaster and a leader in the field of insurance / due diligence. Not five guests! Just one – Jeff Henningsen, President and CEO of Lockton Companies – Texas Series…

CLIMBers! What's the deal with the MLC suing Spotify? How did Spotify commit to a raise in pay for songwriters and still manage to pay songwriters $150 million less this year? What are the legal ramifications of AI? You'll find out the answers to these questions and much more as we welcome the Executive Director from NSAI, Bart Herbison, to the sho…

Brent sits down with hit Southern Gospel duo, Zane & Donna King to discuss their cuts... and bruises. This is an excerpt from "The Hang." If you'd like to watch the full episode, 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 trail at SongwritingPro.com! The …

If this were a Friends episode, it would be “The One Where Gretchen Shows Up With a Glass of Wine.” Gretchen blows the doors off with insights into Avance’s deal activity, the current temperamental condition of the M&A market, and her own turn as DealMAX conference chair a few years ago. A discussion of her “walk on” music at that event leads to Ch…

Steve was the one “first time, long time” guest in the DealMax extravaganza. Even so, he is as cool as the other side of the pillow in recounting his activities as TM’s head of sponsor coverage and the firm’s recent acquisition by Janney Montgomery Scott. Steve and Andy trade friendly competitive observations on the Braves and Phillies while Charli…

CLIMBers, today's guest kicked things off in his songwriting career a little late in life... but he made up time quickly with a FIVE-WEEK #1! That was over twenty years ago, but he's not done yet. He is still getting cuts on the biggest names in the industry, and he has some wisdom to share with us today from his newly released autobiography. It's …

Brent and Johnny welcome Demolition Publishing songwriter, Landon Wall, to the pod where they dare to suck creating 5-6 different conceptual ideas for writing a song entitled, "Excommunication," sent in by SongwritingPro.com member and CLIMBer, Adam deWeber. Connect with Landon Wall here: Facebook: @OfficialLandonWall Instagram: @LandonWallOfficial…

Brent returns to the big stage for his first DealMax conference since assuming the reins as ACG’s CEO. He shares some impressive numbers on this year’s event – more than 3,000 attendees and an estimated 35,000-40,000 meetings. Then interesting discussion on how ACG is keeping pace with the industry’s desire for more informed and qualified interacti…

CLIMBers! What if there were 13 ways that songwriters in indie artists can get paid? What if there was a checklist that you could go back and reference? What if it was all in a book?!?! Ahhhhhh, we got the authors here today! That's what we're gonna talk about on The CLIMB! Here are a couple links to purchase this book: NashvilleCool.com - https://…

Rising singer/songwriter (and OG CLIMBer) Chelsey Stallings joins this episode to discuss the reality of moving - or NOT moving - to Nashville to pursue professional songwriting. This is an excerpt from "The Hang." If you'd like to watch the full episode, just log in to the Songwriting Pro Member Area. If you're not yet a Songwriting Pro member, NO…

CLIMBers! What the WUT is up with AI Randy Travis? It kind of freaks Johnny out a little bit...but I'm going to make him talk about it today on The 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 …

Johnny and Brent welcome country songwriting LEGEND, Grammy Award winner, and writer of 14 #1 songs, Jimmy Yeary, to the show and they dare to suck creating 5-6 different conceptual angles for writing a song titled, "Grace For Impact". If you want to write like a pro, you need to think like a pro. And these episodes help you do that! The C.L.I.M.B.…

CLIMBers! Terrestrial radio wants a law that forces automakers to provide AM radio in all new vehicles moving forward. What does this mean exactly? That's what we're going to get into right now...I don't think it's good! Here's a link to the article. https://www.digitalmusicnews.com/2024/04/18/should-automakers-include-am-radio-new-cars/ The C.L.I.…

Spend 5 minutes with Brian White and you’ll quickly figure out, he’s a passionate man. Whether it’s about his home town Cincinnati Reds baseball team, his wife, his music, or his relationship with God, there’s no denying he’s all in. A veteran of the music industry, Brian has had the success that’s rewarded by such passion. As a touring artist sign…

Johnny and Brent welcome legendary hit songwriter, Anthony Smith (Tim McGraw, George Strait, Montgomery Gentry, Rascal Flatts, Blake Shelton, Trace Adkins), to the show to discuss his recent, polarizing social media post, and how to Reclaim Your Worth As A Songwriter! There's a TON of great information in this discussion, y'all. The C.L.I.M.B. Show…

Johnny & Brent welcome songwriter, Nicole Croteau, to the show and they cook up 5-6 different creative angles for writing a song titled, "Bad Idea For A Good Time," sent in by CLIMBer, Tracie Lipp. If you want to write like a pro, you need to think like a pro. And these episodes help you do that! Connect With Nicole Croteau: Facebook: @NicoleCrotea…

CLIMBers! What could you learn from a former 2-time major label artist who has now moved on to be an indie artist like you? Does that sound exciting? Well, we're bringing it to you with an interview with the killer artist, Craig Campbell! The C.L.I.M.B. Show is dedicated to helping singers, songwriters, indie artists and industry pros "Create Lever…

Kent Blazy is a member of the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame. His credits include several singles for Garth Brooks, as well as singles by Gary Morris, Diamond Rio, Patty Loveless and Chris Young. He has a total of seven number one hits to his credit. In 1982, Gary Morris took "Headed for a Heartache" to number 5 on the charts. In the years that…

CLIMBer, what does an A&R Manager do at a publishing company? What keeps them busy all day working for songwriters? How do they interact with songwriters? What are some dos and don'ts of reaching out to a publisher? We're going to talk about all that today with a killer interview, we can't wait to share it with you. Look up Demolition Music Publish…

Johnny & Brent welcome rising country duo and Wide Open Music writers, Joe Hanson and Chris Ray from 2 Lane Summer, to the show where they work out 5-6 different conceptual ideas for writing a song titled, "Horsepower To Heaven," sent in by CLIMBer, Joe Bigalke. If you want to write like a pro, you need to think like a pro. And these episodes help …

Christina Pai is a partner at Fort Point Capital, a Boston-based private equity firm focused on service businesses with high growth potential. This episode begins and ends with Christina and Charlie swapping captivating Boston sports insights. In between, she charts her Massachusetts childhood, college at Dartmouth, and path to her current role at …

CLIMBers, I (Johnny) wish pain and suffering upon all of you...and I mean that in the very best way! Learn why I am such an a-hole in today's episode! 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 awar…

Hear the behind-the-scenes story of a hit songwriter's biggest cut... and biggest bruises! Larry Cordle, an Eastern Kentucky native and member of the Kentucky Music Hall of Fame, is both an awarded artist and songwriter. He’s had songs recorded by Garth Brooks, Ricky Skaggs, Alison Krauss, Rhonda Vincent, George Strait, Trisha Yearwood, Reba McEnti…

CLIMBers, there's a song climbing the charts right now in country music that is both a rule-breaker AND shows you where the bar is set if you want to get a cut yourself. We're going to talk about that killer song today. What song is it? Well, we'll tell you in a bit... The C.L.I.M.B. Show is dedicated to helping singers, songwriters, indie artists …

Taylor Austin Dye is an indie artist who is currently blowing up! She has over 1 million followers across all social media platforms and over 25 million streams! Johnny and Brent welcome Taylor to the show and they craft 5-6 different conceptual angles for writing a song titled, "Sinner's Heart," sent in by CLIMBer, Randy Maynor. Connect With Taylo…

Mark Chesen is a founder and managing partner at SSG Capital Advisors, a special situations-focused investment bank that has completed more than 400 transactions since its founding in 2001. Mark zips through growing up in Iowa, college at the University of Texas and an early stint in public accounting before turning to the wide world of investment …

CLIMBers, if you have been working hard and being a good CLIMBer, and you have been consistently releasing quality content on Tiktok, you're freaking out right about now. If you haven't heard the news, then you're about to freak out because Tiktok is on the chopping block here. What does that mean to you? That's what we're gonna pull apart today in…

Hear the behind-the-scenes story of a hit songwriter's biggest cut... and biggest bruise! Phillip Lammonds is a songwriter and instrumentalist from the musically rich mountains of North Carolina. He was a founder of The Blue Dogs, a critically acclaimed bluegrass and rock inspired jam band. He then started his family in Pawley’s Island, South Carol…

CLIMBer, it's not enough to write your song. You need to resolve your song, or it's never going to get heard. What's that mean, and why is it hugely important for your songwriting career? We're going to tell you today on The CLIMB, so listen up! The C.L.I.M.B. Show is dedicated to helping singers, songwriters, indie artists and industry pros "Creat…

Johnny & Brent welcome hit songwriter and founding member of the multi-award winning bluegrass group, The Grascals, Jamie Johnson, to the show where they cook up 5-6 different conceptual ideas for writing a song titled, "Exit 161". Connect with our guest: https://grascals.com Instagram Facebook TikTok Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megapho…

The Middle Market Musings tour bus rolls into southwestern Ohio for a discussion with Ashley Hess, Partner-in-Charge of Baker Hostetler’s Cincinnati office. Ashley draws vivid stories out of a succession of stops in his journey: Western Virginia boyhood, school at UVA and Washington & Lee, marriage and life as a young connector in the Cincinnati co…

CLIMBers, think of the last time you moved, it was tiring, right? At the end of 1 single moving day, are you motivated to go to work or be creative now? At best, you're exhausted and overwhelmed, at worst, you're flustered and irritable. Disrupting your life groove is incredibly debilitating! This is similar to what happens in our minds when we swi…

We want you to win, and that’s why we host The C.L.I.M.B. Show. And here’s a chance for YOU to help US win! The C.L.I.M.B. Show has been nominated for an Arkansas Country Music Award in the "Best Publication/Blog/Podcast" category, and we would really appreciate your vote. The voting window is from March 1 to 15th - so that’s RIGHT NOW - and you ca…

If you've been listening to the CLIMB for a while and wondering how you can thank us... here's your chance! The CLIMB Show has been nominated for an Arkansas Country Music Award in the Best Publication/Blog/Podcast category! Please click this link and VOTE FOR THE CLIMB! https://arkansasmusic.org/vote PS: If you want to vote for the other categorie…

Brent & Johnny welcome Canadian recording artist and Anthem Music Publishing writer, Chris Buck, to the show to dream up 5-6 different conceptual angles to writing the song titled, "You'll Never Know Why," sent in by CLIMBer, Bobby Johnston. You can check out Chris' upcoming "Boots 'n Boats Singer/Songwriter Fest" at https://BootsNBoats.com We want…