I remember a few years back, when Zac Brown released Knee Deep in 2011. The song was co-written by the band and Jimmy Buffet. Nice beach-bar song, but what really caught my attention was when Lia, from the Radio Lia Show, mentioned if you put Jimmy Buffet in your song, you're bound to get a #1 hit. With recent events of singles that Jimmy Buffet has written and co-written, Lia does make a point. However, There's one Songwriter that has done what Buffet didn't do. That is to make his first cut to be #1 on the chart. Which is exactly what Kerry Kurt Phillips (KKP as it seems to be put on his fan page) did.
"But even if you're a professional songwriter — even if you've been recorded and had songs on the radio, even if you've had No. 1 singles — the odds of getting your next song recorded are not good."
KKP grew up in both Henderson, Kentucky and Vincennes, Indiana, and declares both as his hometown. He was around 8 when he received his first guitar. Throughout his childhood, he had learned to play it on and off. Eventually getting the hang of it. However, he was more passionate with wordplay (literary technique and a form of wit in which the words that are used, become the main subject of the work, primarily for the purpose of intended effect or amusement). It was hard to find him without a book on him, or near him. One of his biggest beloved wordplay came from Craig Morgan 2002 #1 hit single, "Almost Home". The story that has plenty of different imagination on what the song is about. What surprised KKP about the song most tho, is people coming up asking if the main character in the song is living, or dying. KKP mention he never thought of the "death" part, but felt honored that the song was very catchy.
"It's a gamble by the publisher that your songs will get recorded and be successful," he said. If they are, the advances you've received will be deducted from any royalties earned from the song.
KKP moved to Nashville in 1988, where within the first few weeks of living there, KKP signed in as a staff writer for Larry Gaitlin-owned publishing company, Texas Wedge Music. KKP first cut came 2 1/2 years later after signing in with the company, when George Jones recorded "Where the Tall Grass Grows". As mentioned earlier, the single became #1. That is hard to come by. To be still new with the music business, but get a written song to become a hit right off the back. Especially topping #1 on the Billboard and Radio & Records. Kudos to you KKP. Later the song was also recorded by Vern Gosdin, Ricky Van Shelton, and Tom Wopat, just to name a few. None of them have released the song as a single however.
Even if the publisher has a recording session scheduled on a Friday, and tells the songwriter on Monday that his or her song will get recorded then, "it may get bumped off between now and Friday" by another song.
KKP has been known to have written over thousands of songs, with 5 of them reaching #1. Has won 75 gold records and 36 platinum albums. One of his biggest achievements was when he won TNN/Music City News Song of the Year Award for Billy Ray Cyrus', "It's All the Same To Me". ASCAP recognizes 15 of KKP work to be the most performed in the nation of their respective years. Also had 6 songs to reach the prestigious Million-Air honor. Meaning these songs have reached more than a million time the song been played on air-wave. To top it off, His songs have been nominated in all, CMA, ACM, and the Grammy.
"If the producer likes it and A&R likes it, now the artist hears the song, and the artist themselves hate the song," Phillips said. "You have to have all three" interested.
KKP notable songs that became hits include George Jones', "I Don't Need Your Rockin' Chair", Joe Diffie's, "Is It Cold In Here", "Prop Me Up Beside the Jukebox", "In My Own Backyard", and "Pickup Man". Also Tim McGraw's, "Down On the Farm", and "Maybe We Should Just Sleep On It". Some of the most memorable were Kevn Denney's, "That's Just Jessie", Tammy Cochran's, "Life Happened", Craig Morgan's, "Almost Home", Dusty Drake's, "One Last Time", "Smaller Pieces", Tracy Byrd's, "Drinkin' Bone", and Tim McGraw's, "Do You Want Fries With That".
Joe Diffie seems to have a lot of his songs written by KKP. Probably because before KKP went into full-time songwriting, He was also Diffie tour manager, as well as Diffie acoustic guitar player. Another one of KKP awesome hit comes from George Strait's, "She Let Herself Go". Interesting fact about this song? For three whole years, the George Strait project actually declined the song. However, thanks to KKP co-written partner of the song, Dean Dillon, he kept pushing the song and Strait finally recorded it. KKP songs are represented by Affiliated Publishers, Zomba Music, EMI, Universal Music, and DreamWorks.
“The key is staying fresh and pertinent, and being able to transcend the decade. You have to write outside of your comfort zone and outside your niche. I think the key is also to always be writing with someone new. That’s not just young people, but writing with people who come from different places. Diversity is the key. The more different people you can write with, the more vast a web your catalog creates out there. That’s the secret to success.”
KKP still does gig around Nashville, and continues to write songs. One amazing songwriter that knows the business well enough to have his own publication, Kerry Kurt Phillips Publication. With this I leave you with his most recent success from George Strait's, "She Let Herself Go". Until Next Time. Farewell.
RESOURCE
http://kerrykurt.com/?page_id=6
http://www.courierpress.com/gleaner/business/kerry_hurt_phillips
http://www.nashvillemusicguide.com/2011/07/06/songwriter-spotlight-kerry-kurt-phillips/
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