And The Writer Is...with Ross Golan

This week we’ve partnered with the Songwriters Hall of Fame to bring you our next episode! Our guest is a one-woman creative musical think-tank, a multi-disciplinary artist and visionary thinker whose range of imagination and productivity knows no bounds. This GRAMMY, Emmy and Tony award-winning and nominated songwriter’s hits include the seemingly ubiquitous "September" and "Boogie Wonderland" by Earth, Wind & Fire, “I'll Be There for You” (the Friends theme song), as well as the co-authored Oprah Winfrey-produced Tony and GRAMMY-winning musical, The Color Purple. She has written for artists across many genres, including Cher, Diana Ross, Ray Charles, Herbie Hancock, Bonnie Raitt, Tina Turner, Boy George, Patti LaBelle, Justin Timberlake and more. She is an advocate for songwriter’s rights being credited as the first pop artist to address Congress on artist rights in cyberspace. Our guest most recently completed writing, recording, producing, directing and animating “The D,” a song for her hometown

This week we have a special interview recorded LIVE from the University of Southern California’s Thornton School of Music. Hailing from Wisconsin our guest is a Grammy nominated and ACM Award winning songwriter and producer from our And The Writer Is… family. He is responsible for penning diverse hits such as Thomas Rhett’s Grammy nominated and BMI Country Song of the Year, “Die A Happy Man,” Pitbull’s “Fireball,” Jason Derulo’s “Wiggle (feat. Snoop Dogg),” Sage The Gemini’s “Now and Later,” Fifth Harmony’s “BO$$,” Tim McGraw and Faith Hill’s “Speak to a Girl,” and Lizzo’s “Worship.” In addition to his success as a songwriter, he is a renowned producer who recently co-wrote and co-produced Thomas Rhett’s Grammy nominated album ‘Life Changes’ as well as co-produced the album’s hit single “Craving You (feat. Maren Morris).” He also co-wrote and co-produced Bomba Estéreo’s Grammy nominated albums ‘Amanecer’ and ‘Ayo’. As an individual he is equally as kind and as he is talented. He’s the man who makes everyone s

Our next guest is a multi-platinum, Golden Globe nominated, Grammy and BMI award winning songwriter and producer with over 65 million records sold to date. He began his career as one of the founding members of Evanescence, whose debut album ‘Fallen’ sold over 18 million copies and featured the hit tracks “My Immortal” and “Bring Me To Life.” Over the past decade, he has worked with some of the biggest artist’s in the world. Whether it be writing their hits or creating successful end titles for film, he is one of the most sought after multi-genre songwriters in the industry. His signature sound starts on the piano and can be heard across many of the song he’s written such as Christina Perri’s ‘Twilight’ end title, “A Thousand Years,” as well as hit singles such as Kelly Clarkson’s # 1 “Because of You,” Carrie Underwood’s “See You Again” and Daughtry’s “What About Now.” He continues to make waves within the music industry working with megastars such as Keith Urban, Maren Morris, Jason Mraz, Christina Aguilera,

This multi-platinum, Grammy and Golden Globe nominated recording artist, actor, and award winning songwriter is a true triple threat. He is a recipient of the Songwriters Hall of Fame's prestigious Hal David Starlight Award, and has released hits such #1 U.S. radio hit, “Jealous” and the sultry chart-climbing radio single, “Chains.” His sophomore solo album ‘Last Year Was Complicated’ which included the platinum hit "Close" featuring Tove Lo, debuted as the #1 selling album of the week. He co-wrote the original song “Home” for the movie FERDINAND that was nominated for a 2018 Golden Globe in the category of “Best Original Song.” And recently he released his new single “Anywhere” with Mustard, which he also co-wrote. As an actor, he garnered unanimous critical praise for his lead role in the 2016 Sundance Film Festival favorite GOAT. He’s appeared in Fox's horror-comedy series, "Scream Queens," starred in the gritty television show "Kingdom,” and appeared alongside Dwayne Johnson, Kevin Hart, and Jack Bla

This Detroit born songwriter and artist is one of the most sought after collaborators in the business. She is credited for writing some of Pop’s most influential hits such as Miley Cyrus’ #1 smash “Wrecking Ball”, One Direction’s chart topping “Perfect”, and Kelly Clarkson’s Grammy-nominated “Love So Soft.” In addition to an empire of notable songs featuring the likes of Rihanna, Ellie Goulding, Tinashe and Madonna, this writer has found her own success as a recording artist with three full length albums under her belt as well as her most recent single, “Anything Is Possible.” It is this multi-platinum writer’s mission to create honest music and lyrics that inspire human connections. It’s our pleasure to announce, And The Writer Is…MoZella! This episode is sponsored by Bandzoogle!  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Originally hailing from the Bay Area and now based in LA, this Grammy-nominated songwriter, producer and publisher has deservedly become an untouchable force in the songwriting community. Best known for carving parallel careers in mainstream Pop and commercial Country, busbee has written with and produced for a wide range of artists, including Gwen Stefani, P!nk, Kelly Clarkson, Jon Bellion, Timbaland, Rachel Platten, Christina Aguilera, 5 Seconds of Summer, Lady Antebellum, Shakira, and more. Recent smash hits in the Country market include "The Fighter“ by Keith Urban (feat. Carrie Underwood), "My Church" & "80s Mercedes" by Maren Morris, and BMI of the Year "H.O.L.Y." by Florida Georgia Line. Additionally, many of busbee’s hits in both the Pop And Country markets have been 50/50 collaborations. A true musician's musician and family man....And The Writer Is…busbee!  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Kicking off Season 3 of And The Writer Is… we have a hit songwriter and Grammy-winning record producer who has penned songs for the likes of Adele, Camila Cabello, Ed Sheeran and has also worked with some music’s most influential legends such as Stevie Wonder, Beyoncé and Paul McCartney. This truly gifted writer had his first success in the music business when his own group released their song “Apologize” which quickly became an international smash, gaining the attention of hit producer and writer, Timbaland who included a remix of the song on his album “Shock Value” and signed the group to his label. This writer is Pop music’s go-to guy and frontman of OneRepublic, And The Writer Is… Season 3 welcomes Ryan Tedder!This episode is sponsored by Bandzoogle!   See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

We're so excited to announce the return of And The Writer Is..., slated for April 30th. Enjoy this sneak peek of what's to come, and be sure to sign up for our newsletter for exclusive content and other goodies at www.andthewriteris.com   See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Our final guest of season two is an artist, songwriter, and producer hailing from the hip-hop scene of Detroit, Michigan. He was still a student at Duke University when he came up with the idea for his first single "Cooler Than Me" which went on be a multi-platinum hit and earn more than 3 million in sales in the US. Since then, he has become one of the industry’s most in-demand songwriters, penning hits for the likes of Maroon 5 ("Sugar"), Justin Bieber ("Boyfriend"), Big Sean ("Don't Tell Me You Love Me"), and Labrinth ("Beneath Your Beautiful"). His self-penned triple platinum smash “I Took a Pill in Ibiza” from his sophomore album ‘At Night, Alone’ hit #1 in the US and earned him a Grammy nomination for Song of the Year. In addition to a successful solo career, he is a member of the alternative hip-hop duo Mansionz with blackbear. We’re honored to have our season finale feature this inspirational artist and songwriter. And the writer is…Mike Posner!   See acast.com/privacy for pri

It is hard to find a songwriter more dedicated to spreading positivity and truth through music than this next guest. He is a multi-platinum hitmaker who is the first male pop star in a decade to reach the Top 10 on Adult Pop Radio with "Keep Your Head Up" and "Fine By Me" off of his debut self titled album. This success paved the road for his follow-up album ‘Magazines or Novels’, featuring his triple-platinum best selling song "Honey, I’m Good". Also featured on the album was his certified gold single "Good to be Alive (Hallelujah)". More recently, his highly anticipated third album, ‘The Good Parts,’ was released just last Friday, which includes his hit "Give Love (feat. LunchMoney Lewis)" as well as charting singles "Fresh Eyes" and "Smoke Clears". And The Writer Is... The genuine, the authentic, Andy Grammer!   See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Our next award-winning guest is without a doubt a lyrical genius. Born and raised in Los Angeles, this unstoppable hitmaker has been singing, with large thanks to her musically gifted father, since she was 3 years old. Growing up she preformed in theatre, cabaret and comedy improv, then moved to the Big Apple where she joined an acclaimed vocal quartet before realizing her love of music resides in songwriting. She is responsible for crafting David Guetta’s #1 hit "Dangerous (feat. Sam Martin)", the top 10 charting single "Skyscraper" for Demi Lovato, as well as the 2006 Disney Radio Song of the Year "Cinderella" by The Cheetah Girls and most recently, "No Goodbyes" off Dua Lipa’s self titled album. With writing credits for major artists such as Jason Mraz, One Direction, Brandy, Fifth Harmony, Rachel Platten, Faith Hill, Britney Spears, Backstreet Boys and Toni Braxton, it comes with no surprise that this multi-platinum songwriter is one of the most highly sought after in the&nbs

Our next guest is an 11-time Grammy Award winner with a career that has been nonstop for nearly 4 decades. He has earned more than 200 Top 10 R&B hits, over 50 Top 10 Pop singles, and 16 #1's. As the co-founder ofLaFace Records with L.A. Reid, he is responsible for nurturing the careers of megastars such as TLC, OutKast, Usher, P!nk, and Toni Braxton. As if that isn’t impressive enough, the ‘For the Cool in You’ artist has penned hits for legendary superstars Whitney Houston, Michael Jackson, Barbra Streisand, and Celine Dion. Some examples of his masterful work are “I’ll Make Love To You” by Boyz II Men, “Best Thing I Never Had” by Beyonce, “Take A Bow” by Madonna, "Another Sad Love Song" by Toni Braxton, and “We Belong Together” by Mariah Carey. With credits such as these, he has earned himself numerous awards and honors from the Soul Train Music Awards, BMI Awards, NAACP Image awards, American Music

Our next guest is a Berklee College of Music graduate who has worked with some of the most noteworthy pop artists of the past few years. With co-writing and production credits including the #1 hits “Good For You (feat. A$AP Rocky)” by Selena Gomez and “Jealous” by Nick Jonas, this multi-platinum writer and producer is paving the way for an unstoppable career. Additionally, he has penned the top 10 hits “All In My Head (Flex)” by Fifth Harmony and "Feel This Moment (feat. Christina Aguilera) by Pitbull, as well as “We Own the Night” by The Wanted, “Body Say” for Demi Lovato, Rita Ora’s #3 UK hit “Poison”, “Believe” and “All Around The World” by Justin Bieber, and Daya's recently released single “New". He was raised in London and moved to Los Angeles by way of Boston after college. This determined songwriter (and master cold-caller) is an inspiration for any writer and is now one of the m

Hailing from Nashville, Tennessee, this songwriter is responsible for some of the most genre bending hits in country music. He co-wrote and co-produced Sam Hunt’s album ‘Montevallo,’ including "Body Like a Back Road," which has shattered records for the most consecutive weeks on top of the Billboard‘s hot country songs chart as the longest running #1 by a solo artist in history. This CMA Triple Play Award winner has written and produced multiple chart-topping songs for artists such as Carrie Underwood, Dustin Lynch and Keith Urban. And The Writer Is... Zach Crowell!   See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

He's written 35 #1 singles and had more than 300 songs recorded by artists such as Luke Bryan, Carrie Underwood, Florida Georgia Line, Blake Shelton, Brad Paisley, Jason Aldean, and Darius Rucker. He was named the ASCAP Country Songwriter of the Year in 2009, 2014, 2015, 2016, and 2017, Billboard Country Songwriter of the Year 2013 and 2016, the NSAI Songwriter of the Year 2013 and 2016, and has received the CMA Triple Play Award nine times in his career (presented to a songwriter who has penned three #1 singles in 12 months). In 2011, he partnered with Combustion Music and Warner Chappell Music to begin his own publishing venture, Tape Room Music. And The Writer Is...This Year's ASCAP Country Songwriter of The Year Ashley Gorley!   See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

This Kansas native and Belmont University alum signed with Warner Chappell Nashville shortly following her graduation. She earned her first #1 song with “We Were Us” performed by Keith Urban and Miranda Lambert. Later partnering again with Lambert, she won the ACM’s 2015 ‘Song of the Year’ and the CMA’s 2014 ‘Single of the Year’ for "Automatic." She co-wrote and co-produced RaeLynn's album 'Wild Horse', which debuted at #1 on the Billboard Country Albums chart. This marked the first time in 10 years a female has co-produced an album that debuted #1 on the Country Album chart. She has also penned hits for Florida Georgia Line, Lady Antebellum, Kenny Chesney, and Kelsea Ballerini. She is a huge advocate for the songwriting community, making frequent trips to Washington D.C. with the Nashville Songwriters Association International to meet with lawmakers and use her voice to push female producer and songwriters forward. And The Writer Is... Nicolle Galyon!  See ac

This writer has not only been a successful solo artist, with his #1 hit “Don’t Get Me Started” but has also written chart toppers for some of country music’s biggest names. He’s had 28 #1 singles (and counting), was named the #4 Billboard Country Songwriter, and has earned BMI’s Songwriter of the Year award twice. He co-wrote Blake Shelton’s “Honey Bee,” which became the highest selling digital debut by a country male solo artist. He’s won six CMA Triple Play Awards (presented to a songwriter who has penned three #1 singles in 12 months) and this year it was announced that he’s had at least one song in the Country Airplay charts every week for the past seven years straight. And The Writer Is… Rhett Akins!   See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Kicking off CMA Week, this guest has been breaking charts and blurring genres since the start of his career. Raised on tour with his father and influenced by country, rock and hip-hop, songwriting and performing came naturally to this unstoppable artist. Only eight months into his first publishing deal, he contributed to Jason Aldean's 4x-platinum album 'My Kinda Party' with his song, "I Ain’t Ready To Quit." He went on to pen hits for artists such as Florida Georgia Line, Scotty McCreery, Joe Nichols, and Lee Brice. "Die A Happy Man," the single off of his sophomore album 'Tangled Up' won BMI Country Song of The Year and was nominated for the 2016 Grammy Award for Best Country Song. His latest album 'Life Changes' debuted at #1 on Billboard and features smash hits such as "Unforgettable" and "Craving You feat. Maren Morris." And The Writer Is...Thomas Rhett!  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

If you’re currently a professional songwriter or if you’re working to become one, our next episode is required listening. Our guest is unlike any of our previous, in that he’s not a songwriter, but works tirelessly on behalf of ALL songwriters. He’s been the CEO and President of the National Music Publishers’ Association for the past 13 years, where he implemented landmark legal successes for publisher and songwriter royalty rate agreements and continues to work on increasing the value of intellectual property. Named to Billboard’s Power 100 multiple times, this overachiever serves on several boards including the Songwriters Hall of Fame, and has previously served in senior positions within the U.S. Government. This honorable guest certainly has a colorful background of proven success no matter where he is and man are we grateful to have him as the backbone standing up for songwriter rights and compensation. And The Writers Is… songwriter advocate and one mean poker player, David Israelite

This guest is an artist, songwriter, and producer of some of the most iconic pop songs of the last three decades. He’s also the frontman of rock group Semisonic, responsible for the memorable hit "Closing Time." This lyrical genius has released four solo albums and become a highly sought after and diverse collaborator, working with artists such as Taylor Swift, Chris Stapleton, P!nk, Phantogram, Noah Cyrus, Bishop Briggs, and many others. He's penned top hits including Adele's "Someone Like You,” the Dixie Chicks' "Not Ready to Make Nice," and "Home" by Dierks Bentley. He just wrapped his US tour in support of his latest album release ‘Re-Covered,’ a collection of his reinterpretations of songs that he wrote for and with other artists, for which he also wrote and illustrated a deluxe book/CD, including session stories and songwriting tidbits. Ladies and gentleman, And The Writer Is...two time Grammy Award Winner…Dan Wilson!Recorded in front of a live audience at Youtube Space LA!  See acast.com