ToC Encore: Why Writing Your Own Songs Is Overrated

In Nashville, the songwriter is king. This title is deserved, as the stories they provide are the heart that makes the country music industry beat. Artists that only record songs they write or co-write are making a big mistake, however. Taste of Country writer Billy Dukes explains how one artist learned that when it comes to album space, it's best to share. 

The best singers in Music City have figured out how to make a song penned by someone else their own. A great story fits like a tailored suit, something Jake Owen says he realized when he was offered 'Big Green Tractor' (he turned it down). The beach-raised Florida kid wasn't a big green tractor kind of guy, but Jason Aldean certainly was.

Owen's thoughts on including as many people as possible on your record inspired this week's episode of Encore, but our recent conversation with Dierks Bentley also helped. Share your opinion in the comments section below, and be sure to subscribe to the Taste of Country YouTube channel.