♪♪ ♪♪ [ Cheers and applause ] Thank you so much!

Thank you so much.

Thank you so much.

Thank you so much.

Welcome, welcome to "Songwriters Under the Covers" with me, Victoria Shaw.

I am your bus driver for the night.

So it's gonna be a lot of fun.

For those of you that have never seen this show before, where have you been?

It's basically where I invite very talented, incredible songwriters to come and play their hits or play some new songs that you haven't heard, tell the story behind it, and just make you go, Oh, wow.

I didn't know that."

And then we go home.

It's really very easy and a lot of fun.

And to these guests, oh, I'm so excited because -- well, I'm gonna introduce this first one to my left.

This is a writer.

This is someone that I have admired for years.

She is what we call a writer's writer.

The respect in this town for her is at the highest level and so is the love for her, trust me.

She's written songs for so many artists, like Blake Shelton, Alison Krauss, Little Big Town, Carrie Underwood, Chris Stapleton, Tim McGraw.

I mean, the list goes on and on, but she's probably most well known for her collaborations with an artist named Taylor Swift.

But I'll let her tell you a little bit more about that.

Together, her songs have sold over 20 million albums.

She is a multiple Grammy winner.

She is a CMA winner.

She is an ACM winner.

And she's a winner in my book.

Yeah, I wrote that.

Thank you very much.

Allen: And a millionaire.

And a mi-- [laughs] Ladies and gentlemen, the very rich Miss Liz Rose.

[ Cheers and applause ] Let's just do that every day.

And I'll let you introduce a wonderful writer behind you.

Well, this is the amazing, the talented, the best friend in the world to every songwriter, every new songwriter, every -- every songwriter that ever came to this town.

This is Phil Barton.

[ Cheers and applause ] And I -- and he's just a fantastic human and friend and songwriter, and he will play guitar for me because I don't play guitar.

[ Strums guitar ] Shaw: Hasn't hurt you -- doesn't seem to have stopped you.

[ Chuckles ] So this is fun.

Thank you so much for inviting me.

I was so jealous when Patty did it and I didn't.

Patty Smyth.

Oh, that was a fun show.

But I've been waiting to get you for the longest time.

It took a pandemic to get you here, but I'm so glad you're here.

Yeah.

As Victoria mentioned, I wrote some songs with Taylor Swift, which -- When you say "some," how many are we talking?

Okay, how many?

You know, I mean... How many have you recorded -- Here's the thing.

If it were any other artist, you would say, "I wrote" -- to get as many cuts and singles, you would say, "I wrote 400 songs with this artist, and I got..." Was it 16?

16 cuts.

-Phil says it's 17, -17 cuts.

"Christmas Song," yeah.

But we literally maybe wrote 40.

But she got to a point where she only wrote with me, so that was just because we had fun and we connected and she's such an amazing writer.

But she -- we just really -- we worked well together.

We bounced off each other really well.

But this song we never demoed.

Scott Borchetta, her head of her label, at Big Machine, saw her do it at a writers round and said, "Why haven't we cut this song?"

And she was like, "I don't know."

And he said, "Well, I think it's the first single."

So we're gonna go back to the beginning.

And this song is called "Tim McGraw."

♪♪ [ Applause ] ♪♪ ♪ He said the way my blue eyes shined ♪ ♪ Put those Georgia stars to shame that night ♪ ♪ I said, "That's a lie" ♪ ♪ Just a boy in a Chevy truck ♪ ♪ Who had a tendency for gettin' stuck ♪ ♪ On back roads at night ♪ ♪ And I was right there beside him ♪ ♪ All summer long ♪ ♪ And damn the time we woke up to find that summer had gone ♪ ♪ But when you think Tim McGraw ♪ ♪ I hope you think my favorite song ♪ ♪ The one we danced to all night long ♪ ♪ The moon like a spotlight on the lake ♪ ♪ When you think happiness ♪ ♪ I hope you think that little black dress ♪ ♪ Think of my head on your chest ♪ ♪ And my old faded blue jeans ♪ ♪ When you think Tim McGraw, I hope you think of me ♪ ♪ September saw a month of tears ♪ ♪ I'm thankin' God that you weren't here ♪ ♪ To see me like that ♪ ♪ 'Cause in a box beneath my bed ♪ ♪ Is a letter that you never read ♪ ♪ From three summers back ♪ ♪ And it's hard not to find it all a little bittersweet ♪ ♪ But lookin' back on all of that ♪ ♪ It's nice to believe ♪ ♪ That when you think Tim McGraw ♪ ♪ I hope you think my favorite song ♪ ♪ The one we danced to all night long ♪ ♪ The moon like a spotlight on the lake ♪ ♪ When you think happiness ♪ ♪ I hope you think that little black dress ♪ ♪ Think of my head on your chest ♪ ♪ And my old faded blue jeans ♪ ♪ When you think Tim McGraw, I hope you think of me ♪ [ Cheers and applause ] ♪♪ ♪ And I'm back for the first time since then ♪ ♪ I'm standin' on your street ♪ ♪ And there's a letter left on your doorstep ♪ ♪ And the first thing that you'll read ♪ ♪ Is when you think Tim McGraw ♪ ♪ I hope you think my favorite song ♪ ♪ Someday you'll turn your radio on ♪ ♪ I hope it takes you back to that place ♪ ♪ When you think happiness ♪ ♪ I hope you think that little black dress ♪ ♪ Think of my head on your chest ♪ ♪ And my old faded blue jeans ♪ ♪ When you think Tim McGraw, I hope you think of me ♪ ♪ Oh, think of me ♪ ♪ Ooh, ooh, ooh ♪ ♪♪ ♪ You said the way my blue eyes shined ♪ ♪ Put those Georgia stars to shame that night ♪ ♪ I said, "That's a lie" ♪ [ Cheers and applause ] ♪♪ Phil Barton.

[ Cheers and applause ] I used to write with Taylor when she was 14, but I was also -- I signed a 17-year-old at the time named Hillary Scott, who was -- ended up being with Lady Antebellum.

So I kind of had my loyalties to write with her, but I guess we both did pretty well.

Yeah, I mean, you just had to -- there was -- yeah.

Only so many little people I could write with at the time.

I know.

I know.

But just real fast name me -- I mean, instead of 17, we don't have time -- 5 of the songs that these people will freak out of the Taylor Swift songs that you've written, "Teardrops on My Guitar."

"You Belong With Me."

"All Too Well."

"Fearless."

You know, you have a lot when you can't remember them all.

"White Horse."

"White Horse," yeah.

Okay, that's five.

It's pretty amazing.

-Or you could name them all.

-Yeah.

Now you don't have to brag.

You don't have to brag.

God.

-Keep going!

-All right.

So this [laughs] -- this next artist, I've been trying to get him for so long, and it took a pandemic to slow his schedule down because I finally got him, 'cause what's he gonna say?

"I'm on the road"?

[ Laughs ] Not every recording artist is a songwriter, and they don't necessarily have to be.

But he truly is.

You've heard me say this before -- just like Liz, he's a real writer.

And as an artist, in 2018, he burst onto the scene with his first single.

And this hardly ever, ever, ever happens.

His first single went to number one, his first single called "Best Shot."

Mm-hmm.

[ Cheers and applause ] There's a very, very small percentage of new artists who ever have number ones right out of the box, not to mention -- but I will -- that he is the first black artist to do so on the country charts, which someday -- yeah, which someday I won't have to point out, you know, but for now, it's a wonderful, well-deserved, groundbreaking feat.

[ Cheering ] Absolutely.

In 2019, he went to number one again, because he just keeps going up there, with "Make Me Want To."

So please make him welcome -- my new friend, my new best friend, but he doesn't know that yet, Mr. Jimmie Allen.

[ Cheers and applause ] Well, hello, everyone.

If you're watching on camera, you notice I'm -- you never see me in shorts, normally just jeans and boots, but it is a hot day here in Nashville and it's a sin to wear jeans and boots today, so...

I like it.

It's very casual, like this show.

Yeah, it's chill, right?

Totally chill.

Like, we're supposed to be in the living room, and I've literally worn these jeans like four days in a row and ain't washed them once.

That's why we're six feet apart, okay?

Yeah.

And I'ma wear 'em for the next two days and ain't gonna wash 'em.

So... Tell us a story.

I got ADD real bad, like -- like real bad.

Imagine giving a 6-year-old alcohol, and that's me all the time.

Not focused.

But I was on my way to write one day with Paul Sikes and Jennifer Denmark.

And I had this melody stuck in my head, just kept singing it over -- ♪ Dun, dun, dun, dun, dun-dun dun, dun, dun, dun-dun ♪ I was like, "I don't know what that's gonna be," but we get to the write and we're just hanging out.

And I was like, "I want to write a song kind of from a guy's standpoint where the guy is, like, vulnerable, you know, where he's, you know -- instead of the one that's kind of slow everything down, he's the one that's like, 'You know, might be too soon to say I love you, but you're gonna make me want to.'"

So, yeah, this was a song that ended up going number one, actually went number one this year, March, same day my daughter was born.

-Aw!

-Yeah.

Yeah.

So I will never forget my daughter's birthday.

[ Laughter ] That's great.

[ Laughs ] That's amazing.

Dudes are bad with dates.

We are.

It's just -- it's not -- You are.

You really are.

That's why every year, January 1st, how you tell people, Happy New Year, it's a new year, so you're technically a year old, so everybody gets a text from me -- "Happy birthday."

That's it.

And that's -- January 1st is everybody's birthday.

Merry Christmas.

Song's called "Make Me Want To."

I'm stealing that idea.

It's a great -- it's smart, right?

Ain't gonna stress yourself out the rest of the year.

[ Laughter ] ♪♪ So my guitar player, Josh, was supposed to be here today, but he's on vacation.

So we gonna rush through this thing.

♪♪ ♪ Long legs, cut-off jeans pulling me in like a magnet ♪ ♪ Your eyes locked on me ♪ ♪ I knew right then I had to have you ♪ ♪ 'Cause right here in the middle of the floor ♪ ♪ Of this hole-in-the-wall on a back street ♪ ♪ I knew I had to get close to you ♪ ♪ Girl, what's your name?

What you drinkin'?

♪ ♪ Yeah, what's your favorite song?

♪ ♪ If you're thinkin' what I'm thinkin' ♪ ♪ We ain't gonna be in this bar too long ♪ ♪ We'll be sneakin' on out to your car ♪ ♪ Stealing kisses out there in the dark ♪ ♪ Yeah, it might be too soon to say "I love you" ♪ ♪ But you're gonna make me want to ♪ [ Cheers and applause ] ♪ Soft hands touchin' on me, lightin' me up like a bonfire ♪ ♪ Your lips are making me think ♪ ♪ This is gonna be an all-nighter ♪ ♪ 'Cause right here in the middle of the crowd ♪ ♪ You're the center of the world on a barstool ♪ ♪ Oh, yeah, I had to get close to you, girl ♪ ♪ What's your name?

What you drinkin'?

♪ ♪ Yeah, what's your favorite song?

♪ ♪ If you're thinkin' what I'm thinkin, ♪ ♪ We ain't gonna be in this bar too long ♪ ♪ We'll be sneakin' on out to your car ♪ ♪ Stealing kisses out there in the dark ♪ ♪ Yeah, it might be too soon to say "I love you" ♪ ♪ But you're gonna make me want to ♪ ♪♪ ♪ We'll be sneakin' on out to your car, car, car ♪ ♪ Stealing kisses out there in the dark, dark, dark ♪ ♪ Girl, what's your name?

What you drinkin'?

♪ ♪ Yeah, what's your favorite song?

♪ ♪ And if you're thinkin' what I'm thinkin' ♪ ♪ We ain't gonna be in this bar too long ♪ ♪ We'll be sneakin' on out to your car ♪ ♪ Stealing kisses out there in the dark ♪ ♪ Yeah, it might be too soon to say "I love you" ♪ ♪ But you're gonna make me want to, baby ♪ ♪ You're gonna make me want to ♪ ♪ Ah, yeah, you're gonna make me want to ♪ ♪ You're gonna make me want to, want to ♪ ♪ I want you, yeah ♪ [ Cheers and applause ] That is really good.

[ Laughs ] That's a -- good night, everybody.

We can just stop right now.

All right, Liz, it is your turn.

Tell a story, sing a song -- new, old.

What would you -- what would you like to do?

-Oh, gosh.

-Okay, is this new?

-This is -- this is new.

-Mm-hmm.

-Um... -Who'd you write this with?

I wrote the song with my Love Junkies, Lori McKenna, Hillary Lindsey.

This is on the most recent Lori McKenna record called "The Balladeer," and it's called "When You're My Age."

And Love Junkies are me and Hillary Lindsey and Lori McKenna.

And we get together three days a week -- about three days about every three or four months, Whenever we can.

Things change.

Can you explain for those who don't know the level of talent in the three women that were just named in that group?

Well, Hillary Lindsey is the biggest songwriter on Earth and the best.

And I -- I constantly pinch myself and say, "I can't believe I'm in a room with these two women."

Lori McKenna is the most amazing songwriter/artist out of Boston.

I know she wrote "Humble and Kind" by herself.

I'll never forgive her for that.

[ Laughter ] We've written a lot of songs together, and I love these women.

They're my -- they're my saviors and my best friends and my sisters.

And this song means so much to me.

We're three generations of women.

Hillary is barely in her 40s.

Lori's not in her 50s.

I'm in my 60s.

We have babies, we have children, we have grandkids.

And I was thinking about my grandson at the time when we wrote this.

And this is ca-- and my mother.

I got to say this.

My mom is 97 years old.

She still call-- I'm the youngest of six, and she still calls me her baby.

So this song hit me in every way, and I'm gonna really try not to lose it.

Phil, throw something at me if I do, or somebody put water on me.

My therapist -- This is called "When You're My Age."

My therapist always says, "Your tears are welcome."

Oh.

♪♪ ♪♪ ♪ When you're my age I hope the world is kinder ♪ ♪ Than it seems to be right now ♪ ♪ I hope the front page is more than just a reminder ♪ ♪ Of how we keep lettin' each other down ♪ ♪ When I was your age ♪ ♪ Things didn't seem to be this hard ♪ ♪ Ridin' bikes out on the street ♪ ♪ Playin' tag in the back yard ♪ ♪ You'll outgrow your shoes ♪ ♪ You'll outgrow your bed ♪ ♪ You'll outgrow this house ♪ ♪ Just don't forget ♪ ♪ That when you're all grown up and you don't feel that way ♪ ♪ You're still gonna be my baby ♪ ♪ Even when you're my age ♪ ♪♪ ♪ When you're my age, still be full of questions ♪ ♪ I don't seem to have the answers to right now ♪ ♪ And those dark days keep you second guessing ♪ ♪ But I hope love will still make the world go 'round ♪ ♪ When I was your age ♪ ♪ I didn't worry like I think you do ♪ ♪ Back then innocence was something you could hold onto ♪ ♪ 'Cause you'll outgrow your shoes ♪ ♪ You'll outgrow your bed ♪ ♪ You'll outgrow this house ♪ ♪ Just don't forget ♪ ♪ That when you're all grown up ♪ ♪ And you don't feel that way ♪ ♪ You're still gonna be my baby ♪ ♪ Even when you're my age ♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪ You have kids someday ♪ ♪ I hope you teach them the Lord's Prayer ♪ ♪ Before they go to bed at night ♪ ♪ Like my daddy did for me and his mother before him ♪ ♪ Well, something about it just keeps you right ♪ ♪ And I hope that you don't work too much overtime ♪ ♪ So you can be there with them ♪ ♪ When they close their little eyes ♪ ♪ 'Cause they'll outgrow their shoes ♪ ♪ They'll outgrow their beds ♪ ♪ They'll outgrow this house ♪ ♪ And you can't stop it ♪ ♪ Life will line your face ♪ ♪ Time will turn the page ♪ ♪ But they're still gonna be your babies ♪ ♪ Like you're still gonna be my baby ♪ ♪ Even when you're my age ♪ ♪ Even when you're my age ♪ ♪ Even when you're my age ♪ [ Cheers and applause ] That's just a perfect example of perfect songwriting.

Stop it.

Give somebody else a chance.

Well, they just -- yeah.

No, it's -- that's a special...

Thank you.

Thank you very much.

-Oh, my God.

-I love that song.

We're gonna need about a 30-minute break before anything else is played.

Need to cleanse our palate.

You just can't sing after that.

You just can't put anything after that song.

You got to do something... And yet you must.

[ Laughter ] And yet you must.

-Who, me?

-Yeah.

-Okay.

-[ Laughs ] I'll let a little more time go by.

Like, that's a really great song.

-Oh, my gosh.

-Thank you.

I'm glad y'all hopped on that course.

-Yeah.

-Has anybody cut that yet?

That's your opening line, I bet you money, on that chorus.

-♪ You'll outgrow your shoes♪ -Yeah, is that you?

Well, yeah, because I'm always buying my grandson Jack shoes, and I had just -- I just bought him a bed and I was over there putting his bed together.

So that's -- I can tell a Liz Rose line.

That's where that came from.

-Yeah, that's beautiful.

-Has anybody cut that?

Uh, no.

Hmm.

Well, Lori McKenna -- it's on her new record.

Oh, it's on her record.

Well, Jimmie...

He's a little young.

This could happen.

I have kids.

No -- no he's not.

That's true.

You have kids.

I got a 6-year-old and a 4-month-old.

-Oh, that's true.

-That's the great thing..

I'm old, 'cause black don't crack.

I take it back.

Cut that damn song!

-See, I love songs like that.

-I put it on hold.

-You know what?

-I just did.

I just put it on hold.

Okay.

All right.

And it's in Americana genre, right?

Yeah, so it doesn't -- I love songs like that.

Okay.

Did you see this, what just happened here?

Did you just see this love thing that just happened?

Do you remember how Linda Ronstadt and Emmylou -- they all cut the same song.

Everybody puts their own spin on it.

When they find a great song, you cut it and you keep cutting it, and it gives the song a life.

And that song means something to Lori, but it means something to you, and it means something to me.

-Oof.

That's amazing.

-Yeah.

-I'm so excited.

-Yeah.

Next year, he's gonna have a big number one with that song.

And it happened here, okay?

That song gave me chills.

Right.

Ah.

-That's amazing.

-I like that one.

So...I...

just put out... ...this year a project.

It's called "Bettie James."

It's a collaboration project.

It's fantastic.

I named it after my grandmom who died 2014 and my dad who died in 2019.

And I wanted to kind of leave a trail of their legacy kind of through my music.

So remember one day I was I was playing Opry.

It was me playing that night, Darius Rucker, and Luke Combs played at night.

And I get a text from Brad Paisley, which is weird.

No big deal, you know.

He says, "Hey, man, after the Opry tonight, come to the house."

Okay, no big deal.

So I go to Brad's, and me, Darius go over there, and Tim McGraw is there.

So we're sitting in this area of the house, and it's me, Brad Paisley, Tim McGraw, and Darius Rucker.

And we're talking.

Well, they're talking, and I'm in awe, like, "What am I doing in this room?

I don't have enough hits to be in this room.

I don't make enough money to be in this room."

I'm like, "I'm sure they pay more in taxes than I make in a year."

So we just sitting around talking, and Tim was like, "Let's get our guitars out and play."

So we start playing a song, and Brad is like, "Somebody film it!"

so he could put it on Instagram.

I'm like, "Yes, I could use the followers."

Like, "Let's do that."

So we start playing "Family Tradition," and then we all go around playing pieces of, like, new songs.

And Tim looks at me, says, "Hey, man, we should do a song together."

And then Darius said, "Yeah, I agree."

And then Brad says, "Yeah, I agree."

I said, "Listen, let me tell y'all something, okay?

I'm from a small town, but I'm from up north.

And when you give me the opportunity to make something happen, I'm gonna hold you to it."

So I went to L.A. a couple months afterwards, and I was gonna write with this girl named Riley Biederer who y'all should look up and write with her for sure.

And my guy Rob Grimaldi you should write with as well.

And Rob threw out this title, said, "Those Days Were Made for These Days."

And I was like, "Oh.

Okay.

Oh, oh, okay."

So as soon as it popped in my head, I started going back to when I first moved to Nashville in '07 and I lived in Spring Hill in a trailer with no electric for about four months and then lived in my car for four months.

And then I was working three jobs at a time and working here and trying to make all these things happen.

And it quickly hit me how the days where I was struggling, I feel like struggling builds character.

You know, it prepares you for when you get to a point to where you feel like life is easy, to where I felt like those days prepared me for these.

So we just shortened the title and I wanted to write this song about my journey.

It's called "Made for These."

And it's a duet on my "Bettie James" project with Tim McGraw.

He said yes and actually did it, so, yeah.

[ Cheers and applause ] ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪ Timing isn't always right, yeah ♪ ♪ No matter how bad you want it to be ♪ ♪ Your faith is shaken ♪ ♪ Testin' all your patience ♪ ♪ When you hit the bottom, don't forget to breathe ♪ ♪ And all of those times you get up for the letdown ♪ ♪ Remember to tell yourself ♪ ♪ Forever isn't right now ♪ ♪ When you lose it all ♪ ♪ Shattered by the fall ♪ ♪ When every road you take feels like the long way ♪ ♪ Let it make you stronger ♪ ♪ And fight a little harder ♪ ♪ When you get to where you're goin' then you'll see ♪ ♪ Those days were made for these ♪ ♪ Time is gonna get it right, yeah ♪ ♪ You'll never see it comin' like the wind ♪ ♪ Oh, no ♪ ♪ 'Cause dreams have a funny way of comin' true, yeah ♪ ♪ When your hope is runnin' out and wearin' thin ♪ ♪ All of those times you get up for the letdown ♪ ♪ Remember to tell yourself forever isn't right now ♪ ♪ Oh, no ♪ ♪ When you lose it all ♪ ♪ Shattered by the fall ♪ ♪ When every road you take feels like the long way ♪ ♪ Let it make you stronger ♪ ♪ And fight a little harder ♪ ♪ When you get to where you're goin' then you'll see ♪ ♪ Those days were made for these ♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪ Your back's against the ropes ♪ ♪ But still you fight for a way to win ♪ ♪ You push, you pull, you scratch, you crawl ♪ ♪ To get a mile out of an inch ♪ ♪ When you lose it all ♪ ♪ When you're shattered by the fall ♪ ♪ When every road you take feels like the long way ♪ ♪ Let it make you stronger ♪ ♪ And fight a little harder ♪ ♪ When you get to where you're goin' then you'll see ♪ ♪ Those days were made for these ♪ ♪ Oh, yeah, those days were made for these ♪ ♪ Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah ♪ ♪ And ohhhh-oh-oh-oh-oh ♪ ♪ Oh-oh-oh-oh ♪ ♪ Oh, oh, yeah ♪ ♪ Those days were made for these ♪ [ Cheers and applause ] You are -- you are one of my favorite singers, and having you live like this, it's -- you blow me away, you blow me away with your voice, with your depth, with -- there's so much different stuff in your voice.

And I heard you on an interview once.

It said you like Broadway?

-Oh, I love Broadway.

-Yeah.

You can tell that you have a very diverse sense of music inside of you, so I love that about you.

Oh, thank you.

Oh, it's just a pleasure to listen to you.

Thank you for -- mm.

Thank you.

[ Cheers and applause ] I bet you're gonna write a Broadway show someday.

The crazy thing is I actually told my booking agent next year I plan on taking like two months off, and I'ma go to New York and do a play 'cause I -- I was -- after high school, I got a scholarship offer to AMDA, American Musical and Dramatic Academy, and I had to choose between, do I want to go college, or do I want to go do AMDA?

And, well, I went to college, but I definitely want to go back and do it next year.

I plan on, you know, doing that.

I love Broadway.

That's awesome.

I go to New York just to see the plays and fly right back.

Yeah, I have a place in New York.

So I can see as many plays and shows as I can -Yes.

-Oh, we'll have to talk.

Oh, yes, we do, girl.

Yes, we do.

Yes.

And I know all the great restaurants... -Yes!

-Good to know.

Yeah.

You need me in your life if you're going to New York.

I want them to bring "Footloose" back 'cause I saw that bunch.

"Hamilton" is fire.

My daughter -- that's her religion, "Hamilton."

"Book of Mormon," "Newsies."

Have y'all seen "Newsies"?

-Yes.

-No, I haven't seen "Newsies."

Oh, gosh.

You have to see it.

Talk about skinny jeans and newspapers.

Yes, got to see "Newsies."

It's so good.

But your all-time favorite Broadway musical?

My all-time favorite Broadway musical?

"Wicked," hands down.

-I've seen it five times.

-Oh, yeah.

Oh, yeah.

Yeah.

How about you?

Oh, God.

"Wicked"?

Yeah.

Uh, I don't know.

♪ Whenever I see someone ♪ Well, I did see "Sound of Music" in London.

Oh, there you go.

That was pretty amazing.

That's a classic.

♪ Less fortunate than I ♪ It's hard.

He's singing "Popular."

♪ My tender heart tends to start to bleed ♪ ♪ And when someone needs a makeover ♪ ♪ I simply have to take over ♪ ♪ I know I know exactly what they need ♪ ♪ And even in your case ♪ ♪ Though it's the toughest case I've yet to face ♪ ♪ Don't worry, I'm determined to ♪ ♪ Succeed ♪ ♪ Follow my lead ♪ ♪ Lead ♪ ♪ And yes, indeed, you will be ♪ ♪ Popular ♪ ♪ You're gonna be popu-u-lar ♪ [ Cheers and applause ] As you know, I love to showcase not only my hit-songwriter friends, but I love to introduce you guys to new up-and-coming emerging artists because I think they'll be the hit songwriters of tomorrow.

I've known this artist since she was 15, which would sound like a really long time if she wasn't only 19.

I mean, it's been a pleasure to watch her grow and evolve musically and really to discover who she is as an artist and to figure out what she wants to say.

I know you will hear about her in the future.

She is just very talented, plays seven instruments, and I adore her.

Please make welcome Miss Erin Kinsey.

Hey, guys.

[ Cheers and applause ] Say hello to the nice people.

Hi, nice people.

So you tell them a little bit about yourself.

Well, I'm originally from a small town east of Dallas called Rockwall, but I live here now.

I got here as quick as I can.

I moved the day after graduation, and I graduated a year early.

Really got it moving.

But every day I'm lucky enough to get to work and write with some of the absolute coolest people in Nashville, just like Victoria.

Oh, I taught her to say that.

Well, thank you.

So tell me about the song we're gonna do.

Yeah, this song... this is one that means a lot to me.

I rolled up to Victoria's one day with a friend of ours, Jodi Marr, and I had a lot on my mind.

I found out that my manager, my second mom, Amy, was actually in the middle of a fight with breast cancer.

And so we got to talking about it.

And this is the song that came out of it.

Before I play it, I just want to say that Amy is three years breast cancer-free.

She beat it.

[ Cheers and applause ] Yes.

And this song goes out to her and anybody who has or is fighting now.

♪♪ ♪ Someday pink will just be a color ♪ ♪ Not a ribbon to remember a best friend or a mother ♪ ♪ And someday you won't have to put a wig on ♪ ♪ And a baseball cap will just be a hat, ♪ ♪ And not something to hide under 'cause your hair's gone ♪ ♪ And someday is coming any day ♪ ♪ You gotta believe without seeing ♪ ♪ You gotta keep going, keep breathing ♪ ♪ When you face a day that feels like you're gonna break ♪ ♪ Lean on the ones that love you ♪ ♪ The guardian angels above you ♪ ♪ And think about when pink is just another color ♪ ♪♪ ♪ Someday your time will be your own time ♪ ♪ No waiting rooms and doctors' news ♪ ♪ That makes you want to cry ♪ ♪ And someday we're gonna have a party ♪ ♪ Pop pink balloons with people who know that ♪ ♪ Love can be an army ♪ ♪ And someday's coming any day ♪ ♪ You gotta believe without seeing ♪ ♪ You gotta keep going, keep breathing ♪ ♪ When you face a day that feels like you're gonna break ♪ ♪ Lean on the ones that love you ♪ ♪ The guardian angels above you ♪ ♪ And think about when pink ♪ ♪ Is just another color ♪ ♪ Ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh ♪ ♪ Just another colo-o-o-o-o-or ♪ ♪ And someday is coming any day ♪ ♪ You gotta believe without seeing ♪ ♪ You gotta keep going, keep breathing ♪ ♪ When you face a day that feels like you're gonna break ♪ ♪ Lean on the ones that love you ♪ ♪ The guardian angels above you ♪ ♪ And think about when pink ♪ ♪ Is just another color ♪ ♪♪ ♪ Is just another color ♪ [ Cheers and applause ] Thank y'all so much.

[ Cheers and applause continue ] Now, this is actually technically my turn, but I asked Erin to stay up 'cause we're gonna -- I'm gonna do a song that we wrote with a wonderful writer named Janelle Arthur.

And we're gonna do the song together 'cause we -- I love Janelle, by the way.

Do you know?

She's good.

Yeah, we did "Idol" together.

You did what?

Oh, oh!

You did "American Idol" together.

Years ago.

Oh, that's interesting.

That's wild.

Well, she's great, and that was the first song we'd ever written, and got together and wrote this song about a year and a half ago and didn't realize how even more significant it is today.

So I'll let you count it off.

♪♪ ♪♪ ♪ If you're famous, then you're perfect ♪ ♪ If you're homeless, you must be worthless ♪ ♪ If you ain't from here, then get out of here ♪ ♪ You don't look and talk a think like us ♪ ♪ You must be weird ♪ ♪ There ain't no rhyme or reason ♪ ♪ This is just how we've been conditioned to believe ♪ ♪ But I don't see ♪ ♪ A difference between you and me ♪ ♪ We all bleed red whether we're black or white ♪ ♪ In this life we're only given so much time ♪ ♪ We all love, we all grieve, we all cry, we all breathe ♪ ♪ 'Cause in God's eyes, we're equal ♪ ♪ People are people ♪ ♪ Na-na-na-na ♪ ♪ Na-na-na ♪ ♪ If you got money, then you must be better ♪ ♪ 'Cause that's the standard by which we measure ♪ ♪ And if you got a big house ♪ ♪ Then you must be happy ♪ ♪ But those shows about reality ain't reality ♪ ♪ Those pictures on the TV screen ♪ ♪ They're only there to fool you ♪ [ Sings indistinctly ] ♪ 'Cause we all bleed red whether we're black or white ♪ ♪ In this life, we're only given so much time ♪ ♪ We all love, we all breathe we all cry, we all grieve ♪ ♪ 'Cause in God's eyes, we're equal ♪ ♪ And people are people ♪ ♪ Na-na-na-na ♪ ♪ Na-na-na-na ♪ ♪ Na-na-na-na ♪ ♪ Oh, oh, oh, oh ♪ ♪ Na-na-na-na ♪ ♪ Na-na-na-na ♪ ♪ Na-na-na-na ♪ ♪ Oh, oh, oh ♪ ♪ Everyone comes in this world ♪ ♪ With love in their hearts, yeah ♪ ♪ It's who we are ♪ ♪ 'Cause we all bleed red whether we're black or white ♪ ♪ In this life we're only given so much time ♪ ♪ We all love, we all grieve, we all cry, we all breathe ♪ ♪ 'Cause in God's eyes, we're equal ♪ ♪ People are people ♪ ♪ Na-na-na-na ♪ ♪ Na-na-na-na ♪ ♪ Na-na-na-na ♪ ♪ Oh, oh, oh ♪ ♪ Na-na-na-na ♪ ♪ Oh, na-na-na-na ♪ ♪ Na-na-na-na ♪ ♪ Oh, oh, oh, oh ♪ [ Cheers and applause ] Miss Erin Kinsey!

Thank y'all so, so much.

Thank you, Victoria, so much.

Thank you.

Elbow time.

[ Cheers and applause ] That's on fire.

I ain't gonna lie.

Like, I was over here -- ♪ Na-na-na-na ♪ I was over here doing a third harmony below.

Wait.

How would that have sounded like?

It sounded like this.

Two, three, four.

[ All harmonizing ] ♪ Na-na-na-na ♪ ♪ Na-na-na-na ♪ ♪ Na-na-na-na ♪ ♪ Oh, oh, oh, oh ♪ Yeah, I was on that over here, I was over here messing around Ladies and gentlemen, Erin Kinsey.

[ Laughter and applause ] You're back.

You're back.

That was amazing.

Oh, she's very talented.

Oh, my land.

Yeah.

She is amazing.

I'm very proud of her.

She's available for cowrites.

[ Laughs ] Phil's written with her.

Yeah.

Yeah.

How come I never get invited to write with her?

Well, I'll call you.

She would love that.

That would be, like -- she would just squeal.

This is your last song, so make it good, Liz.

-Oooh.

-No.

Pick one of your vast hits.

Tell the story about it, and...

Okay, all right.

This song -- sometimes songs come out of nowhere.

You have no idea.

You have no agenda.

Love Junkies -- Hillary Lindsey and Lori McKenna -- it was our second day writing in our slumber party, and it was in the morning and Lori and I were making breakfast.

And Hillary's always the last one to get up.

And Lori had this idea, and she goes, "I had this idea.

I want to write it."

I was like, "Okay, what is it?"

And she said, "I want to write a song called 'Girl Crush.'"

And I said, "Yeah, that's not happening."

And Lori kept saying it, and I kept saying no.

And Hillary came downstairs finally, and Lori said, "Hillary, I have a song idea today.

I want to write 'Girl Crush.'"

And I gave Lori the evil eye, and Hillary grabbed this old, old -- I'm gonna tell the whole story -- this really old Gibson that I got from Chris Stapleton.

There must be magic in it because Hillary started playing.

♪ Dun-dun-dun-dun-dun ♪ [ Strumming guitar ] And she said, "You mean like this?"

♪ I got a girl crush ♪ [ Cheers and applause ] ♪ Hate to admit it ♪ ♪ But I got a heart rush ♪ ♪ Ain't slowin' down ♪ ♪ I've got it real bad ♪ ♪ Want everything she has ♪ ♪ That smile and that midnight laugh ♪ ♪ She's giving you now ♪ ♪ I want to taste her lips ♪ ♪ Yeah, 'cause they taste like you ♪ ♪ I want to drown myself in a bottle of her perfume ♪ ♪ I want her long blond hair ♪ ♪ I want her magic touch ♪ ♪ Yeah, 'cause maybe then ♪ ♪ You'd want me just as much ♪ Audience: ♪ I got a girl crush ♪ I can't hear you.

Audience: ♪ I got a girl crush ♪ ♪ I don't get no sleep ♪ ♪ I don't get no peace ♪ ♪ Thinkin' about her ♪ ♪ Under your bed sheets ♪ ♪ The way that she's whispering ♪ ♪ The way that she's pullin' you in ♪ ♪ Lord knows I've tried ♪ ♪ I can't get her off my mind ♪ ♪ I want to taste her lips ♪ ♪ Yeah, 'cause she tastes like you ♪ ♪ I want to drown myself in a bottle of her perfume ♪ ♪ I want her long blond hair ♪ ♪ I want her magic touch ♪ ♪ Yeah, 'cause maybe then ♪ ♪ You'd want me just as much ♪ ♪ I've got a girl crush ♪ ♪♪ I've got a girl crush ♪♪ ♪ I've got a girl crush ♪ [ Cheers and applause ] Shaw: The incomparable Liz Rose!

The magical, the wonderful.

So this is our last song, and you are going to, as I say, take us home.

No pressure.

Have you had fun, Jimmie?

Yeah, I've had a good time.

Have you had fun, Liz?

I got to hang out and, you know, I got to hang with you, Liz Rose, Phil Barton, you know, these lovely people out here.

This has been so fun.

Live music is slowly coming back, you know, so yeah.

-I'm really glad -Having a good time.

Thank you for -- thanks for having me.

So, I watch a lot of television... [ Plays piano ] ...and get a lot of my song ideas from, like, TV shows and stuff.

And I remember one day I was at the write, and on the way there I was late like I normally am, and I had this melody and the first line of a song stuck in my head.

It was just like, ♪ When you smile I see the sun sink down ♪ ♪ on the coast down in California ♪ And I couldn't think of anything else.

That was it.

So then I got in the write.

I was writing with Josh London and JP Williams.

These were two guys -- just like my second number one, "Make Me Want To" -- two writers that haven't had a number one before.

And we just started tossing out ideas.

So I started mixing like, you know, things my grandmom taught me about relationships that I never listened to.

And then just that day, I went back and was rewatching episodes of "One Tree Hill" 'cause I love "One Tree Hill."

And, you know, I wrote this song based off the relationship of Nathan and Haley, 'cause when you watch the show, you know, there are two characters.

They got married young, then as life hits you, you know, they had their share of problems, but they somehow figured out a way to to stick it out.

And I know that's weird sitting here talking about "One Tree Hill" and skinny jeans.

I mean, we'll talk about that later.

Yeah.

You know, but, you know, it was fun to write about it.

I love TV.

And this was my first single to radio and first number one.

And this is a different version of the song.

[ Cheers and applause ] ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪ I'm just flesh and bone, heart and soul ♪ ♪ And I've earned a couple scars ♪ ♪ I've let once-in-a-lifetime kind of things ♪ ♪ Slide right out my arms ♪ ♪ I've struck out ♪ ♪ I've been knocked down more times than I can count ♪ ♪ But that don't matter now ♪ ♪ No, that don't matter now ♪ ♪ 'Cause when you smile I see the sun sink down ♪ ♪ On a coast out in California ♪ ♪ And there's no doubt because of you ♪ ♪ I'm not the man I was before you ♪ ♪ I'm not saying that I'm perfect ♪ ♪ Oh, 'cause, girl, you know I'm not ♪ ♪ But I'll love you with everything I got ♪ ♪ Girl, I'll give you my best shot ♪ [ Cheers and applause ] ♪♪ ♪ You saw a spark inside of me ♪ ♪ That no one else could find ♪ ♪ Your good-morning eyes get me high ♪ ♪ Girl, you're always on my mind ♪ ♪ 'Cause when you smile I see the sun sink down ♪ ♪ On a coast out in California ♪ ♪ And there's no doubt because of you ♪ ♪ I'm not the man I was before you ♪ ♪ I'm not saying that I'm perfect ♪ ♪ Oh, 'cause, girl, you know I'm not ♪ ♪ But I'll love you with everything I got ♪ ♪ Girl, I'll give you my best shot ♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪ 'Cause when I saw you for the first time ♪ ♪ I knew I'd found amazing grace ♪ ♪ It's like angels singing every time I hear your name ♪ ♪ 'Cause when you smile I see the sun sink down ♪ ♪ On a coast out in California ♪ ♪ And there's no doubt because of you ♪ ♪ I'm not the man I was before you ♪ ♪ When you smile I see the sun sink down ♪ ♪ On a coast out in California ♪ ♪ And there's no doubt because of you ♪ ♪ I'm better than I was before you ♪ ♪ I'm not saying that I'm perfect ♪ ♪ Oh, 'cause, girl, you know I'm not ♪ ♪ But I'll love you with everything I got ♪ ♪ I'll give you my best shot ♪ ♪ Ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh, yeah ♪ ♪♪ ♪ I'll give you my best shot ♪ ♪ Na-na-na-na-na-na-na-na-na-na, baby ♪ ♪ Ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh ♪ ♪ I'll give you my best shot, yeah ♪ [ Cheers and applause ] Thank you so much, Jimmie Allen, Liz Rose, Erin Kinsey, Phil Barton.

Victoria Shaw.

Thank you so much.

Thank you so much.

What a thrill!

Thank you.

[ "Make Me Want To" playing ] ♪♪ Allen: ♪ We'll be sneakin' on out to your car, car, car ♪ ♪ Stealing kisses out there in the dark, dark, dark ♪ ♪ Girl, what's your name?

What you drinkin'?

♪ ♪ Yeah, what's your favorite song?

♪ ♪ And if you're thinkin' what I'm thinkin' ♪ ♪ We ain't gonna be in this bar too long ♪ ♪ We'll be sneakin' on out to your car ♪ ♪ Stealing kisses out there in the dark ♪ ♪ Yeah, it might be too soon to say "I love you" ♪ ♪ But you're gonna make me want to, baby ♪ ♪ You're gonna make me want to ♪ ♪ Ah, yeah, you're gonna make me want to ♪ ♪ You're gonna make me want to, want to ♪ ♪ I want you, yeah ♪ [ Cheers and applause ]