Oct 20, 2021

Searching for the Magic of the Song

We are so thrilled to be partnering with Annie Dineen, founder of The Shotgun Seat to bring you a brand new vertical on The Nash News. Read more about Annie, The Shotgun Seat mission, and our incredible vision for this portion of our brand below.

“When I moved to Nashville in July of 2014 to start The Shotgun Seat, I’d often joke to people that I’d re-discovered my soul. The kindness of strangers – a friend of a friend, who heard I was staying in the downtown hostel and insisted I live in his house while his roommate was on tour – felt nothing like the little don’t-talk-to-me bubbles my Manhattan neighbors had walked around in. I’d spend my mornings at Edgehill Cafe scouring Soundcloud for demos and my afternoons at Frothy Monkey writing about David Nail deep cuts. Every night I’d end up at Soulshine Pizza, or Belcourt Taps, or 3rd & Lindsley, in awe of how much talent per square inch with which Davidson County is brimming.

There are songs I still remember because of how deeply they moved me. I quickly learned what those in the music industry have long known – so many of those gems will never see the light of day. Every day, a songwriter goes to one or two writing sessions; maybe it’s great, maybe it’s not. Multiply that by every writer in town, every week, every year. The math (and, sometimes, the money) work against you. Some of my favorite songs, even now, are demos that a kind writer or publisher agreed to email me.

I felt a bit morally indignant that only a lucky few got to hear all that great music. Do you love songs by Shane McAnally, Tom Douglas, Natalie Hemby – or for that matter Sam Hunt, Kacey Musgraves, Old Dominion, or any number of artists who started their careers writing for others? Think about how many creative efforts of theirs live in a vault somewhere, never to be recorded and released. Publishers, who are issued keys to those vaults, may have the best jobs in the world.

I was drawn to people who also loved songs – who understood that Luke Bryan’s “Drink A Beer” and Thomas Rhett’s “Make Me Wanna” were special not just because of the world class producers, session musicians, and artistry that went into the records, but because they shared a common thread: Chris freaking Stapleton, who at that time was just a quiet songwriter who had once released a gem of a song, “What Are You Listening To,” that hadn’t gotten much traction and hadn’t led to a second single. I quickly fell in love with those people, creators who heard lines of conversation and heard lyrics, who pulled melodies from six strings and – sometimes – the truth.

When The Shotgun Seat was at its best, it was because we were all focused on what we loved most: hearing great songs and sharing them and the stories of the people who created them. It’s what drew us all together, and what draws us to The Nash News (including Shotgun Seat alum Christina Bosch) now. I’m so grateful to have that continue to be central to my life, and so excited that through The Nash News those beyond deserving creations and creators will reach a larger audience of music lovers.”

We can not wait to feature these incredible hidden songs, stories behind some of the genre’s biggest hits, and highlight the unsung heroes of Nashville, the songwriter.

To hear more of country music’s best new releases, head to our Playlists Page and follow The Nash New Releases playlist on Spotify. For the latest in country music news follow The Nash News on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and TikTok and don’t miss our brand new newsletter!