Music City Magic

Public Opinion
April 24, 2024

A Note from Jack

“We need to go to Nashville ASAP.” I’ve been saying this at least once a week for the past six months but it’s truer than ever. Every few days I meet someone new from Nashville. Someone who works in the music industry in some capacity. Musicians, managers, publicists and agents. I’m sure more than a few of you reading this newsletter are from Nashville, shoutout to y’all. I imagine that a lot of you who aren’t from Nashville think of it as America’s country music capital. That’s what I always thought of it, and while it’s certainly true, there is a lot more going on down there than just country.

In the last week I spoke with two different artists who call Nashville home, and I asked them about their experience in the Music City. What’s it like down there as an artist? What makes it different from any other place you can write music? How come when Beyoncé puts out an album called Cowboy Carter she calls Nashville’s own Brittney Spencer to get on the record? How has Tyler Hubbard written so many hit songs for other artists, as part of Florida Georgia Line, and now as a solo act? Is there a little music magic in the air down there?

So yeah, we need to go to Nashville ASAP, and we will, but until then, we’ll keep speaking with Nashville’s finest in the Big Apple. There are a hell of a lot of country acts coming through NYC this year so if you’re going to a show, let me know.

Music City Magic

I think of Tyler Hubbard and Florida Georgia Line as one of the first major country crossover acts. They brought hip-hop into country and vice versa over a decade ago. Not only is Tyler a major hitmaker, he’s also one of the nicest dudes ever.

Jack: Doing the show we meet a lot of musicians, and a ton of people live and work in Nashville. Can you tell us a little bit about the scene down there?

Tyler: Nashville is such a creative and amazing community full of songwriters and artists that are just, you know, overflowing with creativity and talent. So it makes it easy and fun to just kind of be involved in that kind of circle and be surrounded by that kind of energy. So yeah, I got to put a lot of the credit in just being in Nashville, writing with some of the greatest songwriters there are, and getting to learn from the best, man.

The next day, we got to ask Brittney Spencer the same question…

If you don’t already know Brittney Spencer, you may recognize her name from the credits of the latest Beyoncé album. Right before we got the chance to hang, she was on Power 105.1 The Breakfast Club; a hip hip morning show interviewing a country star. I’ve been following Brittney for a few months now and it was a pleasure to finally meet her in person. She’s one of the sweetest people I’ve ever met AND she’s got some great songs in her catalog.

Brittney: I feel just constantly surrounded by creativity. I feel like in New York, I could build a life outside of my work. You know, it feels like you can kind of do that. You can go to different neighborhoods. I don't feel like I can kind of escape creativity in Nashville. We're like a big small town, and I feel like I'm better for it. Everyone is always, I think, trying to chase down a really good song. And I think there's something really special about that.

I mean, I'm from Baltimore, so I used to come to New York all the time for auditions and take the Greyhound to get up here and try and to, you know, make things happen and nothing ever did. I never made any of the auditions. But there's some magic in this city, and I feel a magic in Nashville as well.

Jack: I like how you phrased it - that everyone's chasing a song. Cause the song is this elusive thing that just exists in the ether. And maybe it's an idea, or a little bit of guitar, maybe you need somebody and they have a hook that fits. And there's something magical about those people being together, yourself being one of them. The songs are in the air, you just gotta grab them down and make them happen.

Brittney: You do. I think I'm addicted to it actually. Hopefully in a nice, healthy way, you know? But I'm addicted to it. Like just kind of peeling back layers and seeing what's there. Sometimes I feel like I'm just holding up a UV light to see what's already there. Because a lot of times I feel like the words are just there for you to just find, and I feel like Nashville kind of cultivates that sort of environment.

Gosh, I mean I like writing with a lot of people. I like writing with people in the country scene, I like writing with the people in the Nashville pop scene, people do a lot of sync stuff out there too, and I just enjoy all of it. I think Nashville is a very song-based town where a lot of things are important for creativity and artistry, but it all starts with a really good song.

I got to Nashville 11 years ago being like, I can sing and I've been working on my songwriting. And I found myself putting my singing on the shelf for a while. I felt like I had to, cause I really needed to hone in. I really needed to dial in, because the song needs to be good no matter who is singing it, you know. It needs to be something that sticks, and that's what I kind of aim for, even as a new artist. But yeah, everything starts with the song. If everything else is great and the song isn't, I'm like, let's go back to the drawing board. That's how I feel about it. That's because Nashville made me like this, and I wouldn't want it any other way.

Track Star Presents: Henry Hall

I’ve known Henry for over a decade. He’s one of the first people I collaborated with on a video project, a music video for his old band, Grand Cousin. I love Henry as a person and a friend but also as a musician. He’s written some of my favorite songs ever. This is also the first time we took Presents to another city - Henry’s hometown of LA - maybe a precursor of what’s to come. Thanks for watching!