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EXCLUSIVE Songwriter to Reba and Kelly Clarkson reveals what it is like to work with country music's biggest stars Gary Burr has been a songwriter to Nashville's greatest artists for over a decade While speaking to DailyMail.com, he has recalled his extensive experience He revealed what it was like to work with stars and what's next for him By Kelsi Karruli For Dailymail.Com Published: 17:54 EST, 4 November 2024 | Updated: 17:54 EST, 4 November 2024 e-mail View comments One of Nashville's greatest songwriters has revealed what it is really like to work with some of the industry's biggest names as he admitted that Music City has changed.
Gary Burr has spent over a decade helping A-listers like Kelly Clarkson , Tim McGraw and Reba McEntire unveil attention-grabbing hits that have changed country music forever. Now, while speaking exclusively to DailyMail.com, the music mogul has opened up about how he stood out from the other talents flocking to Nashville to get their big break.
The Connecticut-born songwriter admitted that the first few songs he wrote were 'really, really bad.' He explained that he was forced to learn to write songs 'the way people in Nashville talk' as he admitted that the city is no longer the dream-chasing area it used to be. One of Nashville's greatest songwriters has revealed what it was like to work with some of the industry's biggest names as he admitted that the Music City has changed Speaking to DailyMail.
com, Gary detailed how he got his start in the songwriting business. He explained that the creative in him flourished after he joined a band and they needed new songs. He told DailyMail.
com: 'At some point somebody in the band noticed that all those songs were written by the guitar players of those bands. So they turned to me and said, "You're the guitar player, you're supposed to write." 'And I couldn't really argue that point s o I just wrote a bunch of really bad songs, and little by little they got less bad.
' Eventually, Gary's friends encouraged him to send the songs to music agencies, which sparked the beginning of his songwriting career. ' I sent them to somebody up in New York City who worked for CBS records and he became my mentor, and I started writing songs and sending them to him. 'Everything I wrote was really long and tedious, and I was trying to be like Bob Dylan or something.
Then I started listening to the radio and realized that I have to write simpler songs,' he added. Eventually, Gary landed upon country music because the songs were straightforward and resembled his writing style. Gary Burr (seen with Fergie) has spent over a decade helping A-listers like Kelly Clarkson, Tim McGraw and Reba McEntire unveil attention-grabbing hits that have changed country music forever Now, while speaking exclusively to DailyMail.
com, the music mogul (seen with Tom Hanks) has opened up about what made him stand out from the other talents flocking to Nashville to get their big break It was then that his songs began being recorded by some of music's greatest artists. Some of the songs Gary wrote include, Before Your Love by Kelly Clarkson, Nobody Wants To Be Lonely by Christina Aguilara and Ricky Martin, Can't Be Really Gone by Tim McGraw, Cover To Cover by Billy Ray Cyrus and Up And Flying by Reba McEntire. While having many hits blasting on the radio, Gary was still living in Connecticut.
So, he decided to make the move from the North to the South and fully incorporate himself in the country industry. He told DailyMail.com: ' I had gotten so much attention and action that I finally moved from Connecticut down to Nashville, and then you have access to everybody, and you're meeting all these people, and you're writing with people, and they turn you on to somebody else.
'And that's where I start to meet all these really cool, groovy people that I got to work with over the years.' Despite working with some of country's biggest stars, Gary admitted that he wasn't well versed in Western hits when he began his career. 'It wasn't until years later when I would go, "Oh, my God I wrote with that guy, and he's this guy.
" I had no idea,' the songwriter added. He admitted that despite being a fan of people he was working with later on, he had to leave it behind because it could 'get in the way' of writing. The Connecticut-born songwriter admitted that the first few songs he wrote were 'really really bad' He explained that he was forced to learn to write songs 'the way people in Nashville talk' as he admitted that the city is no longer the dream-chasing area it used to be Gary noted that some of his songwriting gigs have even landed him friendships, including one of with Beatles member Ringo Starr.
The legend confessed that Nashville doesn't operate as it once used to as he explained that artists are now coming in with their own groups. He admitted to DailyMail.com: ' There's a lot of writers, and almost all the artists are not only really young, but they kind of come to town with their own posse of writers.
So there's not a lot of room for the old.' After writing for some of the world's greatest artists, Gary moved on from penning songs and began working on books. Gary's book, Reunion: A Rock and Roll Fairy Tale, hit shelves July 2, 2024, and has been receiving rave reviews with those in and outside of music studios.
He explained: 'I n my world John never died. A reason comes along for the Beatles to try to get back together and reunite when they're 58 years old. 'Because I've worked with Ringo for 20 years.
I've heard the stories, and I know how he's always told me how they all reacted to each other, and talked to each other.' Gary worked on the book for a total of 'three years' and has revealed that he is 'really, really proud' of it. He told DailyMail.
com: 'What I'd like to do is transition to book writing, because I've actually written a second book.' Kelly Clarkson Reba McEntire Connecticut Share or comment on this article: Songwriter to Reba and Kelly Clarkson reveals what it is like to work with country music's biggest stars e-mail Add comment.
