Songs I Grew Up On with Pillbox Patti

Pillbox Patti, also known by her real name Nicolette Hayford is a dynamic singer-songwriter and a force to be reckoned with. True to herself in every sense of the word, Patti enjoys fusing together the various genres that inspired her to make music. She sat down for The Nash News' weekly installment of Songs I Grew Up On to chat about the specific songs that influenced her the most.

Patti's story began in Florida before she decided to move to Nashville. Known for being a 10-year town, it took about seven years before she was able to land a publishing deal. During that time she was able to meet fellow hopeful artists and writers. "I met Ashley McBryde and we quickly became friends," shared Patti. Patti is arguably most well-known for co-writing Mcbryde's hit "One Night Standards." Once Patti decided to become an artist herself, it "freed up creativity." The singer worked on the craft of songwriting and studied it as much as she could to improve her skills. Patti is proof that patience is key when in pursuit of your dreams.

1. "The Heart Of The Matter" by Don Henley

"I grew up listening to so much Don Henley and the Eagles," shared Patti. She went on to describe a pivotal moment that would shape her path in music. "My parents had just gotten divorced and my dad was driving me to school and that song came on. I knew he was sad." She understood from that point on how important lyrics were in defining someone's emotions. She goes back to that, and moment, to even to this day.

2. "Silver Springs" by Fleetwood Mac

Choosing a Fleetwood Mac song can be hard for most music lovers, as Patti admitted, "It was hard for her to narrow down a Fleetwood Mac song. I would listen to that with my mom and we would scream these lyrics so many times." The delivery of the lines is what stood out to her. Once again, the songwriter dived deeper into what the lyrics were saying.

3. "X factor" by Lauryn Hill

"Dude Miseducation of Lauryn Hill is one of my all-time favorite records," said Patti. After experiencing "toxic relationships," Patti connected to the songs meaning even more. She appreciated the honesty and the weight of this break-up song. "It wasn't overproduced. It was just an honest conversation she was having," Patti stated.

4. "Let Him Fly" Covered by The Chicks.

"That can make me cry right now," said Patti as the track played. Sharing what she admired most about the song she explained, "I liked the breath and space in it. There's a fine line of being poetic and conversational. When you nail it, it makes a perfect song I think." Our VP of Country Music Christina Bosch was thrilled to hear this song, as she loved it as well. Both of them connected on where they were when they first heard it.

5. "Don't Think Twice, It's Alright" by Bob Dylan.

Finding one Dylan track that meant the most to her was a hard task, but this one stood out. "That song killed me. It still does," exclaimed Patti. A true fan of Dylan's body of work, it was his writing and use of sarcasm that intrigued Patti. This song is about getting over a break-up in the most humorous of ways. It was the way his sarcasm landed, as McBryde is great at doing.

Check out Pillbox Patti's new song "Suwannee" out now.

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