Previously Featured in 2016
Craig Wiseman
Songwriter Craig Wiseman is a 2015 Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame Inductee, with over three hundred cuts, one hundred singles, and 24 number one hits. He was named Writer of the Year by NSAI and Music Row in 1997; ASCAP Songwriter of the Year 2003, 2005, and 2007; and NSAI’s Songwriter of the Decade in 2009. Additionally, in 2012, Wiseman was nominated for a Grammy as the producer of Blake Shelton’s “Red River Blue” and in 2014 Wiseman won the ASCAP Heritage Award as the most performed country songwriter of the century.
Wiseman’s song, “Live Like You Were Dying” was co-written with Tim Nichols and performed by Tim McGraw. It won a Grammy Award for Best Country Song, and was additionally named NSAI Song of the Year, CMA Song of the Year, and ACM Song of the Year. He has also written songs for Blake Shelton, Kenny Chesney, Faith Hill, Chris Young, Lonestar, Montgomery Gentry, Florida Georgia Line, and many, many more.
Wiseman opened his own publishing company in the fall of 2003, calling it Big Loud Shirt. "Live Like You Were Dying" was the company’s first hit in 2005; subsequently, Wiseman opened an overseas branch of Big Loud Shirt in London. Wiseman has written many of Big Loud Shirt's hit singles and three of his compositions won awards for being among the most played songs of 2007: Leanne Rimes' top five hit, "Something's Gotta Give," Kenny Chesney's number one hit, "Summertime," and Brooks & Dunn's top twenty single, "Hillbilly Deluxe." In addition to his work in the music industry, Wiseman has published a number of books, his first, Live Like You Were Dying, was at the top of the New York Times bestseller list in 2004. He later wrote a follow-up journal which evolved into a worship campaign used in American churches and released A Baby Changes Everything in 2008, to coincide with the release of the Faith Hill single of the same name.
Wiseman has been married to his wife KK since the late 1990s. .
Bigloudshirt Spotlight for Craig Wiseman
Nicolle Galyon
Nicolle Galyon was born in Sterling, Kansas and started playing piano at the age of 4. She graduated from Sterling High School in 2002 and from Belmont University in 2006. Right after graduation, she moved to Nashville, Tennessee, and on October 13, 2007, she married country songwriter Rodney Clawson. Nicolle appeared on The Voice during the show’s second season in 2011, and says the experience changed her career, driving her out of her comfort zone and inspiring her to approach her career with greater courage and conviction. She wrote the songs "Growing her Wings" and "Dirt Road Prayer", both of which were recorded by American Idol runner-up Lauren Alaina. Her first album, Child of the Country Son, was released on October 2, 2012, and she has written hits for a number of other performers, including Lady Antebellum, RaeLynn, Jana Cramer, and Kacey Musgraves.
In 2014, Galyon co-wrote “We Were Us” along with songwriters Jon Nite and Jimmy Robbins. The song was recorded as a duet with Miranda Lambert and Keith Urban, and became Urban’s 16th #1 hit. Galyon has since scored a second #1 hit with Miranda Lambert’s “Automatic,” and recently received Music Row’s “Breakthrough Songwriter of the Year” award.
Nicollegalyon.com
Rodney Clawson
Rodney Clawson has written hit singles for a number of performers, including Jason Aldean, Faith Hill, Florida Georgia Line, Kenny Chesney, George Strait, and Tim McGraw. Born in Gruver, Texas, Clawson’s songwriting ambitions were encouraged by his friend and classmate, John Rich. After signing his first publishing contract in 2000, Clawson went on to win a spot in the top 20 with his 2003 hit, “I Can’t Be Your Friend.”
Clawson co-wrote the songs "Why", "Amarillo Sky" and "Johnny Cash" for Jason Aldean. Both “Why” and “Lost in This Moment,” penned for Big and Rich, hit the number one spot in the summer of 2006.
In 2007, Clawson received Song of the Year nominations from the Country Music Association for “Lost in This Moment” and “Amarillo Sky”. Then, in 2008, George Strait released his Troubadour album, which featured Clawson’s song, "I Saw God Today." The song became Strait’s highest-debuting single of all time, and his record breaking 56th #1 song. It won the CMA’s Single of the Year award and was nominated for Best Country Song at the 2009 Grammy Awards. 2012 brought Rodney three more number one songs: Blake Shelton’s “Drink On It,” Luke Bryan’s “Drunk On You,” and Jason Aldean’s “Take A Little Ride.” He also co-wrote a duet for Kenny Chesney & Tim McGraw, “Feel Like A Rockstar,” which won the CMA Vocal Event of the Year. At the 2013 ASCAP Awards, his song, ‘Drunk On You’ was named Country Song of the Year. In 2015, Clawson was named NSAI Songwriter of the Year and BMI Songwriter of the Year. He also received a Double CMA Triple Play Award. Rodney is married to singer-songwriter Nicolle Galyon. They have two children - a daughter, Charlie Jo, and a son, Ford Sterling. When he isn’t busy writing hit singles, Rodney enjoys competing in fishing tournaments throughout the US.
Bigloudshirt Spotlight for Rodney Clawson