The Gretchen Peters Interview: Connectivity and Empathy in Songwriting

Today on AmericanaMusic.com Podcast we welcome two time Grammy nominee singer/songwriter Gretchen Peters. Inducted into the Nashville Songwriter’s Hall of Fame, she’s a songwriter’s songwriter writing Country hits like “Independence Day” for Martina McBride, “You Don’t Even Know Who I Am” for Patty Loveless, and Faith Hill’s “The Secret of Life”. Other elite artists who’ve cut her songs include Etta James,  Bonnie Raitt, Trisha Yearwood, Bryan Adams, The Neville Brothers, and George Strait. She’s received International Album of the Year for her album Blackbirds and Song of the Year by the UK Americana Association. We are privileged to have Gretchen Peters on our show today.

Chapters

• 0:15 Gretchen Peters Introduction
• 1:18 "Idlewild" and the Age of Walter Cronkite
• 5:45 Songwriting to Ask Questions, Not to Give the Answers
• 7:59 Writing for Others vs Writing for Yourself
• 10:17 Writing "Independence Day"
• 12:58 Connectivity and Empathy
• 16:12 The Characters in Gretchen Peters' Songs
• 19:14 Writing Prompts
• 21:00 The Show: Live From the UK
• 25:56 Camille
• 26:14 Songwriting Workshops
• 27:47 Outro