He got his first taste of success in the early ’90s with the Sawyer Brown hits “I Don’t Believe in Goodbye” and “Round Here,” co-written with roommate/bandmate Bryan White.

Recognizing experience as the best teacher, Emerick surrounded himself with Nashville’s most seasoned tunesmiths. “When I got here I sought out older writers, because I knew I could learn a lot from them,” he explains. “Older guys like Red Lane and Hank Cochran . . . really took me under their wing.”

A few years later, thanks to a chance dressing room placement at the CMAs, another artist took Emerick under wing: Toby Keith. “We became good friends and have a mutual respect for good songs. We’ve probably written 50 or 60 songs, and he’s cut 40 of them.”

Their list of hits includes “I Love This Bar,” “Beer For My Horses,” and their most recent #1, “Good as I Once Was.” Emerick’s new single, “What’s Up with That,” debuts on Keith’s new label, Showdog Records, in January. He also sings in Keith’s new Paramount film, and penned several tunes for the soundtrack as well.

And though he’s seen quite a few changes along with his buddy Keith since their early days in the business, there’s one thing Emerick says will never change: “All in all I think, in this town, a good song will always find its way.”

Among the surprises were presentations of several Million-Air certificates, representing one million broadcast performances. Troy Verges and Brett James were recognized for the #1 hits "Who I Am" and "Blessed," with Verges collecting another Million-Air for "I Would've Loved You Anyway." Two Toby Keith #1s were also cited: Scotty Emerick earned a certificate for "I'm Just Talkin' About Tonight" and Chuck Cannon collected a 2 Million-Air honor for "How Do You Like Me Now?!".

Charlie Bauer of the sponsoring Hog's Breath Saloon received a BMI Special Citation of Achievement "in recognition of your many contributions to the Great State of Florida and the years you have devoted to championing the Key West Songwriters' Festival."

Pictured at the Key West Songwriters Festival are BMI's Mark Mason, Troy Verges ("Blessed"), Rivers Rutherford ("Ain't Nothing 'Bout You"), Anthony Smith ("I'm Tryin'"), Scott Emerick ("I'm Just Talking About Tonight"), Brett James ("Chasin' Amy"), Big Yellow Dog Music writer Mindy Smith, Jason White ("Red Rag Top"), Gary Burr ("I Try To Think About Elvis") and Key West Mayor Jimmy Weekly.

BMI's Mark Mason, Troy Verges, Brett James and Universal Music Publishing's Kent Earls

Chuck Cannon, Scotty Emerick, Hog's Breath Saloon's Charlie Bauer and BMI's Mark Mason

Anthony Smith and Key West Mayor Jimmy Weekly

]]> 2003-05-21T18:00:00-05:00 http://www.bmi.com/news/entry/233684 Artists, Cannon, Chuck, Emerick, Scott, Smith, Anthony, Smith, Mindy, Verges, Troy, White, Jason, Musical Styles, Singer-Songwriter

Anthony Smith

Mindy Smith

Scott Emerick

BMI songwriters on the bill are Chuck Cannon, Scott Emerick, Anthony Smith, Mindy Smith, 2002 BMI Country Songwriter of the Year Troy Verges and Jason White.

Chuck Cannon

Jason White

Troy Verges

Please call 1.305.296.4222 for further information or visit hogsbreath.com/songwriterfest.htm.]]> 2003-03-24T17:00:00-05:00 http://www.bmi.com/musicworld/entry/200094 Artists, Emerick, Scott, Keith, Toby, Nelson, Willie, Sherrill, John Scott, Musical Styles, Country, Musicworld, Hitmaker Scott Emerick is as straightforward and no-nonsense as his songs. That’s a rare quality in a man with a repertoire like his, but a welcome one. With massive hits like Toby Keith’s number one “I’m Just Talkin’ About Tonight,” Emerick has earned his bragging rights — he’s just choosing not to exercise them.

Emerick’s songwriting beginnings can be traced all the way back to his youth playing Moose Lodges and VFW Halls around his home state of Florida. “I came to songwriting just from playing music all my life, I guess,” Emerick says. “It was just natural.” After a stint in firefighter school, Emerick's love of music took over and led him to Nashville where he soon found himself signed on with Mark Miller’s Travelin’ Zoo Music and writing songs for Sawyer Brown, including the band’s 1995 hit “I Don’t Believe In Goodbye.” Between then and 1999, Emerick racked up a number of cuts, including George Strait’s"If It's Gonna Rain" and several tunes for Bryan White and Ronnie Milsap.

After signing on with Sony/ATV Tree’s Big Yellow Dog Music in 2000, Emerick began working with Toby Keith — a relationship that spawned five tunes on Keith’s Pull My Chain and seven songs on Keith’s latest, Unleashed, including the Keith/Willie Nelson duet “Beer for My Horses.”

“I believe in magic,” Emerick says of songwriting. “The best songs I’ve ever been a part of have just fallen out of the sky. It’s hard to describe how they happen. A good idea is the biggest starting point.” Laughing, he adds, “Sometimes, writings some songs is like pulling teeth. Other ones just fall out.”

He takes a similar approach to co-writing. “It’s different with everybody just because everybody’s different. But, it’s all the same, really. I get to write with my heroes. Great songwriters like John Scott Sherrill, Dave Loggins and Red Lane.”

And what about hearing Willie Nelson sing one of your songs? “Oh, man that’s a trip,” he laughs. “He’s one of my biggest influences. Willie’s what I strive to be. He’s done so many songs in so many genres but he just makes them all his own.” In his typically understated way, Emerick sums up not only Willie’s approach, but his own. “It’s all about the music.”

Pictured standing are (l-r): BMI's Perry Howard, RCA's Mike Wilson, Michael Heeney, Tracy Byrd, Producer Billy Joe Walker, BMI's Bradley Collins and (kneeling) Sony/ATV Acuff-Rose's Woody Bomar and Casey Beathard

Heeney previously topped the charts in 1981 with George Jones' recording of "Still Doin' Time," which also garnered a BMI Country Award. Other artists who have recorded Heeney's songs include Conway Twitty and Aaron Tippin, and he won a BMI Country Award in 1986 for Reba McEntire's "Have I Got A Deal For You." Cannon-Goodman earned her first chart-topper with Le Ann Womack's "The Fool."

Michael Heeney, Tracy Byrd, Casey Beathard, Marla Cannon-Goodman

"Ten Rounds" marks Beathard's first #1 song, although he has previously scored hits for Aaron Tippin ("Where the Stars and Stripes and the Eagle Fly") and Gary Allan ("Right Where I Need To Be"). Among Cannon-Goodman's other songwriting credits is Lee Ann Womack's "The Fool," also a #1 song.

Dean Dillon, Dennis Morgan, Scott Emerick, Billy Joe Walker, BMI's Perry Howard

Mary Del Scobey, Clay Bradley, Michael Heeney, Billy Craven

photos by Steve Lowry

John Scott Sherrill, Scott Emerick, Shawn Camp, Chuck Cannon

Scott Emerick and BMI's Mark Mason

photos by Brian Tipton

John Scott Sherrill and BMI's Paul Corbin

The Eighth Annual Key West Songwriters Festival has been set for May 7-11, 2003. For more infomation, call (305) 296-4222 or visit www.hogsbreath.com for updates.

BMI's Paul Corbin, Scott Emerick, Toby Keith, DreamWorks Nashville's James Stroud and BMI's Mark Mason

Among the 100 guests at the breakfast buffet were songwriters Red Lane, Bob DiPiero, Shawn Camp, John Scott Sherrill, Mac McAnally and Bobby Braddock; Braddock wrote Keith's current single "I Wanna Talk About Me."

Keith is nominated for top male vocalist and Song of the Year ("How Do You Like Me Now?!", co-written with Chuck Cannon) at the 35th annual Country Music Association awards on November 7. Emerick, who earned a BMI Country Award for the Sawyer Brown hit "I Don't Belive In Goodbye," has also written for George Strait and Bryan White.

BMI's Paul Corbin, DreamWorks' Scott Borchetta and Johnny Rose, Toby Keith, CMA's Ed Benson, DreamWorks' Wayne Halper, TKO Management's T. K. Kimbrell, DreamWorks' James Stroud and BMI's Harry Warner

The festivities for "You Shouldn't Kiss Me Like This" were held at the Hermitage Hotel, headquarters for DreamWorks during the Country Radio Seminar. BMI presented commemorative cups to Keith as songwriter, artist, co-producer and publisher (for Tokeco Tunes) and to James Stroud as co-producer and DreamWorks representative.

BMI songwriter Scott Emerick, DreamWork's Allison Jones, BMI's Mark Mason

"You Shouldn't Kiss Me Like This" has traveled an unusual journey on the charts; its 3 weeks at #1 were non-consecutive. It recaptured the #1 spot on the Radio & Records country chart March 9, the third time in six weeks the song topped the chart. According to R&R, no record in its 28-year history has ever hit #1 three different times in its life. Toby's future travel plans include touring with Brooks & Dunn's "Neon Circus & Wild West Show," which kicks off April 27 in Birmingham, Alabama.

In related news, Keith, manager T. K. Kimbrell and Rob Hendon have opened their own publishing company, Paddock Music. Hendon serves as Creative Director, recently signing Tim James as Paddock's first staff writer.

BMI's Paul Corbin, Toby Keith, Louisville radio personality Coyote Calhoun, BMI's Harry Warner

Paddock Music's Rob Hendon, BMI's Mark Mason, Toby Keith, BMI's David Preston

Joe Avezzano of the Dallas Cowboys with James Stroud

photos by Alan Mayor

With the release of Disney�s The Little Mermaid II this September, Wright will be heard on the soundtrack singing "Part of Your World," and will perform the song at the movie�s Hollywood premiere.

Chely, with the wall of gold behind her

During this year�s Fan Fair, Wright officially launched her Reading, Writing and Rhythm Foundation at her fan club party. The $50,000 raised through a celebrity auction will go to the fund for awareness and materials for music education in the public schools. The first recipient was her alma mater, Wellsville High School in Wellsville, Kansas earlier this year with monies raised again through her fan club. Her next presentation will be a Nashville public school in October. The National Association of Music Educators assists in selection of the schools.

BMI's Thomas Cain with BMI Award-winnng writer Scott Emerick photos by Kay Williams

Tony Brown presents Chely with a gift sent by Loretta Lynn -- a framed photo of the girlfriends during a recent recording session