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You definitely know this guest’s songs. He’s written songs such as “You’re Gonna Miss This” for Trace Adkins, “I Just Wanna Be Mad” by Terri Clark & “Ain’t My Fault” by Brothers Osborne. The list of artists he’s written for is miles long. In this episode, he joined Gary to share stories about some of his songs, his 30+-year-long marriage, how songwriter’s actually get paid, and much more!
In this episode:
- How he got a picture with Aaron Rogers
- How he met his wife
- His thoughts on cliches
- How his wife contributes to his music
- His thoughts on marrying someone in the music industry
- How he’s ruined music for his family
- What his 5-year-old daughter did when Brad Paisley came to their door
- What his daughter said to TJ Osborne
- Behind the song “It Aint My Fault”
- How songwriters get paid
- His favorite Thomas Rhett song
- Possible inspiration for “I Just Wanna Be Mad”
- His answer when Gary asked him, “What songs make you cry?”
- This history of how songwriters began to get paid
- The time a Congressman said to him, “Why would anyone want to do that?”
- How you can help songwriters
- What he thinks about Chris Stapleton
Quotations:
“I want to sit around and have a cigar with Lee Miller and your friends.” ~Gary Scott Thomas
“I was taught the business of songwriting as a craft.” ~Lee Thomas Miller
“I’m a terribly unromantic soul, which drives her [his wife] crazy. She’ll say, ‘I can’t believe you write songs for a living, and at this moment, this is all you had for me.” ~Lee Thomas Miller
“All of the magic movie stuff. No, we’re [he and his wife] none of that. We did none of that. But I feel like we’ve gotten everything else right. It’s 30 years counting.” ~Lee Thomas Miller
“How can I tell this story and make you feel like you haven’t heard it before? Cause you heard it before. I’ve gotta do something unique.” ~Lee Thomas Miller
“It’s like you’ve got the tape recorder running all the time. It’s all a song.” ~Lee Thomas Miller
“Here’s the other thing, you don’t know how easy somebody is to write with. Maybe just because you agree on that idea doesn’t mean that this is really gonna work.” ~Lee Thomas Miller
“What’s crazy is then I hear how they cut it [‘Ain’t My Fault’’]. I had a heart attack. I’m like, ‘this is the greatest thing I’ve heard.’” ~Lee Thomas Miller
“Cause we make up this stuff in little rooms in Nashville. And then when you go around the world, and people know it, that still amazes me that people know it.” ~Lee Thomas Miller
“If it’s meant to make you hurt, then I’m out.” ~Lee Thomas Miller
“Everything about the money is decided by the government, most important being a panel of judges will determine what it’s [songwriting] worth.” ~Lee Thomas Miller
“I know I’m always quick to say that I have a feeling that Tom Petty and Bruce Springsteen would’ve been really, really bad on TikTok. That’s just my theory.” ~Lee Thomas Miller
“It doesn’t hurt to send your congressmen a note over now and then and say, ‘You know, this is a problem. You need to protect the songwriters.’” ~Lee Thomas Miller
“Washington certainly has the power to at least stop hurting us, if not help us.” ~Lee Thomas Miller
Guest’s Bio:
Hometown: Nicholasville, Kentucky
Bachelor’s degree in Music Theory/Composition (Eastern Kentucky University 1990)
FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE NASHVILLE SONGWRITER’S ASSOCIATION (NSAI)
3 Time Grammy Award Nominee:
2003 Grammy nomination: “The Impossible” (Joe Nichols) Country Song of the Year:
2009 Double Grammy nomination :
“You’re Gonna Miss This”(Trace Adkins)- Country Song of the Year
“In Color” (Jamey Johnson)- Country Song of the Year
Music Row Magazine: Breakthrough Songwriter of the year 2003
Awarded one of NSAI’s ‘Ten Songs I Wish I Had Written’ 2003: “The Impossible”
Awarded one of NSAI’s ‘Ten Songs I Wish I Had Written’ 2008: “You’re Gonna Miss This”
Won Song of the Year at the 2008 NSAI awards for “You’re Gonna Miss This”
Nominated for Song of the Year at 2008 CMA awards for “You’re Gonna Miss This”
2009 Double ACM Nominee: “You’re Gonna Miss This” and “In Color” for Song of the Year
Won Song of the Year at the 2009 ACM awards for “In Color”
Won Music Row Magazine’s 2009 Song of the Year for “In Color”
Awarded one of NSAI’s ‘Ten Songs I Wish I Had Written’ 2009: “In Color”
Won Song of the Year at the 2009 CMA awards for “In Color”
Awarded BMI’s inaugural “Champion’s Award” 2015
Nominated for Song of the Year at the 2018 ACM awards for “Whiskey and You”
#1 Country Singles:
“The Impossible” (Joe Nichols)**
“I Just Wanna Be Mad” (Terri Clark)**
“The World” (Brad Paisley)**
“You’re Gonna Miss This” (Trace Adkins)*
“I’m Still A Guy” (Brad Paisley)
“Southern Girl” (Tim McGraw)
“Perfect Storm” (Brad Paisley)
(*received BMI Million Play Award)
(**received BMI 2 Million Play Award)
Other top 10 singles:
“It Aint My Fault” (Brothers Osborne) #9
“Crushin’ It” (Brad Paisley) #7
“In Color” (Jamey Johnson) #7
“Nothing To Die For” (Tim McGraw) #5
“Jesus In Disguise” (Brandon Heath) #8
“Just A Girl” (Brandon Heath) #8
Other top 20 singles:
“Without A Fight” (Brad Paisley/Demi Lovato) #14
“People Loving People” (Garth Brooks) #19
“Something To Do With My Hands” (Thomas Rhett) #15
“Crying On A Suitcase” (Casey James) #14
“Leaving Eden” (Brandon Heath) #17
“Thought About You” (Tim McGraw) #14
Cuts include: Jason Aldean, Tim McGraw, Chris Stapleton, Rascal Flatts, George Strait, Jamey Johnson, Trace Adkins, Garth Brooks, Dierks Bentley, Brad Paisley, Brothers Osborne, Thomas Rhett, Joe Nichols, Josh Turner, Terri Clark, John Michael Montgomery, Montgomery Gentry, Sammy Kershaw, Andy Griggs, Tracy Byrd, Tracy Lawrence, Randy Travis, Billy Currington, Chris Young, Rodney Adkins, Craig Morgan
Production credits include Curb recording artist Steve Holy including the 2006 #1 single: “Brand New Girlfriend” and 2010 top 20 single “Love Don’t Run”
Guest’s Contact Info:
http://www.leethomasmiller.com