ARTIST INERVIEW: COLE TAYLOR

Full Name: John Cole Taylor   Age: 23   Hometown || Currently Live: Hometown- Cuthbert GA/ Currently live in Nashville TN   What made you want to start writing /singing songs? I grew up singing in church and one day somebody was like Cole you sound really good. So I took that and ran with it. My older brother introduced me to Karaoke tracks so I remember my first one was “Three Wooden Crosses” by Randy Travis and I practiced and practiced and finally got up and sang in front of a crowd of about 50 at Faith Baptist Church in my hometown. That lead to fall festivals, and festivals lead to singing the Star Spangled Banner at my high school and that lead to getting a guitar player and playing small dive bars when I was 15 to learning how to play myself to writing my own songs. THEN I found out I could make some money doing it and that really lead to me focus on my craft because I knew it’s something I could see myself doing as a career.    Do you play any instruments? I play guitar    Did you teach yourself? I did teach myself. The first song I ever learned to play was “Can’t You See” by The Marshall Tucker Band.   Who are your biggest musical inspirations? Musical Inspirations for me goes from Left Field to Right Field. Of course Luke Bryan because we are from around the same part of Georgia so seeing a small town guy like me do something I dream of doing and sing songs that I grew up living is very inspirational. My other influences are Kenny Chesney, Garth Brooks, Doug Stone, Keith Whitley, Shenandoah, and Travis Tritt, those guys had a way of telling a story in a song and making you believe every single word that came out of their mouth, whether they wrote the songs or not and the story telling of country music is what made me fall in love with it, but I also grew up listening to a lot of Usher, Maroon 5, Justin Timberlake, Nelly and for me that is where a lot of my melodies and phrasing for my songs come from is that influence in my life.    Where do you get inspiration to write your songs? With my music I really grab inspiration from the stuff that I see going around that I know my fans would want to hear. I write songs for the people that don’t know how to put their feelings into words. I write songs for the Good Ole’ Boy in Georgia thats trying to figure out the words to say to tell this girl at a party he has a thing for her. I write songs for the guy wanting to build up the courage to call a girl up and tell her just cause she just got dumped she doesn’t have to sit at home alone on a Friday. From the windows rolled down to some dude sitting at a bar by himself and everywhere in between. Every day I try to bring a song to life that I feel will touch someone someday.    You recently had the opportunity to write a really cool jam for FGL. How did this collaboration come about? Matt and I wrote the tune back in December and I got a call around March saying that FGL wanted the song but they wanted the verses to be a little different so Rodney came in and did his thing on the verse and turned the song into magic. Rodney has such a great way of saying things and telling a story and it was all in the hands of FGL and their team then and Thank the Lord it made the record and I love seeing the feedback from all of the fans about it!     Favorite songs you have written/recorded? This is a REALLY tough one because all of them are like my kids, if you will, haha. I love all of them but I would have to say See You Around or Break That Lonely is definitely my favorites that I have recorded   What moment in your music career is your favorite so far? This used to be a hard one but definitely October 14, 2014 when I went to Target at 3:15 after my morning write and picked up 3 copies of “Anything Goes” by Florida Georgia Line to see my song “Sippin On Fire” that I co-wrote with Matt Dragstrem and Rodney Clawson on there. Definitely one of the coolest feelings opening up that CD case and seeing my name on the credits.   Finish this sentence…if I could sing a song with anyone I would choose______. Justin Timberlake   If I could play any venue I would choose_____. Red Rocks   If I weren’t a singer/songwriter I would be ______. Well I went to school to study accounting and I have 13 hours left in that degree but in all honesty I would probably be helping my dad skin and process deer at the family business in Georgia. Taylor’s Outdoor Advantage   I'm afraid of _____. Not taking advantage of every opportunity I get.   I never get tired of_____. Singing   Okay, I always ask people to tell me one thing about themselves that is random or strange that most people don’t know! I don’t like pies, or cake, or chocolate candy. I’m a weird guy I know it! haha  

C O N N E C T TWITTER || FACEBOOK || INSTAGRAM   P U R C H A S E IF YOU HAVEN'T ALREADY, PICK UP FLORIDA GEORGIA LINE'S NEW ALBUM 'ANYTHING GOES' TO HEAR COLE'S SONG "SIPPIN ON FIRE" HERE!

ARTIST INTERVIEW: Josh Osborne

 I am BEYOND excited to introduce this week's New Music Monday interview! If you've heard Kenny Chesney sing Come Over, Billy Currington sing We Are Tonight, Eli Young Band sing Drunk Last Night, and Blake Shelton rock his new song My Eyes on the ACM Awards then you have heard the work of this guy. 

His name? JOSH OSBORNE. 

Josh is currently a writer for Black River Publishing in Nashville and has written/co-written songs for some of country music's elite! 

Now, let's get to know Josh a little better! 

-Full Name-

Josh Osborne

  

-Age-

33

-Hometown/currently live-

Hometown: Virgie, KY  Currently live: Nashville, TN

-What made you want to start writing songs?-

I've loved music since I was 2 years old.  Always humming along and wanting to sing.  When I was 13 my dad told me if I loved music so much I should try to write my own songs and he introduced me to The Beatles music saying they were the greatest and they wrote their own music.  When I heard the song "Norwegian Wood" I instantly knew I wanted to write songs.  I loved how the words and melody blended seamlessly together.  I've been hooked ever since

-Do you play any instruments? Did you teach yourself?-

I play several instruments: guitar, piano, drums, brass horns. I primarily write on the guitar.  I took music lessons as a kid from a man named Will Freebody and learned to read music and play the guitar.   

-Who are your biggest musical inspirations-

My three biggest influences on my writing are The Beatles, Bruce Springsteen and Merle Haggard (I know these aren't original but I don't care, to me they're the best)

-Where do you get inspiration to write your songs?-

Most of my inspiration comes from everyday life. Things people say or stories that people relay to me.  Also I'm very inspired by words.  Sometimes a word just makes me want to write a song about it. 

-I know all the songs you have written/co-written but would you be willing to share some of these songs with my readers?-

Absolutely!

- Come Over by Kenny Chesney

- Merry Go 'Round by Kacey Musgraves

- Drunk Last Night by The Eli Young Band

- Chainsaw by The Band Perry

- We Are Tonight by Billy Currington

- My Eyes by Blake Shelton

- Dust by The Eli Young Band

- Wake Up Lovin' You by Craig Morgan

I have been very blessed and have had other songs recorded but these are probably the ones of mine that are best known.

-What moment in your music career is your favorite so far?-

After winning the Grammy for Best Country Song in 2014 there was an awesome moment backstage after we accepted the award and gave our speeches.  We got a quick picture of Shane McAnally, Kacey Musgraves and I with a Grammy.  Then they had to whisk Kacey away to the Staples Center to get ready for her Grammy performance.  As she left it was just Shane and I standing there and we just grabbed each other and hugged and then started jumping up and down like a couple of kids.  I don't think I'll ever forget that feeling

-Finish this sentence…if I could write a song for or with anyone I would choose______.-

Part of me would love to write a song with Paul McCartney but another part of me wants there to always be a mystery to me about how he does it.  Within the realm of our business I would love to write a song with Shane McAnally and Brandy Clark that George Strait records.  I know how much that would mean to all of us.  Taking songwriting out of it George Strait is one of my all time favorite artists and has recorded so many songs that have had an impact on my life

-So you recently won a grammy! How did you find out you were nominated?-

I actually found out the night of the televised Grammy Nomination concert before Christmas last year.  I write at Black River Entertainment and we were having our company Christmas party the night the nominations were announced so it was awesome to find out that same evening

-What was your reaction to winning?-

It was very surreal.  As they were even announcing the nominees in the category my heart was pounding so loud in my ears that I could barely hear them.  To hear our song called out was truly an indescribable moment of joy and shock

-How did you celebrate?-

We attended the Post Grammy party and also went to the Universal Grammy after party to celebrate with Kacey.  It was an amazing night that none of us wanted to end

-Where do you see yourself in a year?-

   Hopefully writing songs I love         

-5 years?-

 Hopefully writing songs I love in a bigger house

-If I wasn't a songriter I would be ___.-

Probably a Lawyer or a Veterinarian

-Okay, I always ask people to tell me one thing about themselves that is random or strange that most people don't know! ​-

I was actually an All-State Trumpet player when I was in high school, and at a certain point I had to decide between guitar or trumpet.  It was never really a choice at all ;-)

TO FIND OUT MORE:
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Thank you Josh for your time and for this interview!