Singer-songwriter Hillary Lindsey joins Trailblazers Radio with Fancy Hagood to discuss her early days in Nashville, her journey to 27 number ones, and her advice to young songwriters.
Tune in and listen to the conversation anytime on-demand at apple.co/_TrailblazersRadio.
Listen to the Trailblazers curated companion playlist HERE.
Hillary Lindsey on her early days in Nashville.
I moved here when I just turned 18. I moved here in 1994, honey…And I went to Belmont University. I always knew that I was destined for music somehow, and hopefully that I would be able to be successful at it somehow and actually make a living. But it was always my passion. It was just in my blood. It’s all I ever loved. It’s all I ever did, even as a little kid. But I didn’t know where I wanted to go. But I’m from a little town in Georgia, so it was either at the time, New York, LA or Nashville. And Nashville was the closest.
I heard about this college called Belmont and that they had a music program. And so I decided, “Why not? Let’s do that.” And Lord, the student loans and all the debt I had when all that was said and done, but it was so worth it. I majored in music business instead of music. Looking back on it, I kind of wish I would’ve maybe done some music because maybe I’d actually be able to play the guitar well now if I would’ve done that. But in my brain I thought if I ever get lucky enough to sign a contract, I want to learn all this language so I don’t get screwed.
On writing 27 number one hits.Â
It’s something I don’t obviously often think about. So you telling me this, I’m kind of feeling the weight of it right now, in a great way. I mean, it’s unbelievable. It’s mind blowing going from talking about when I was 18, moving here, not knowing a soul, scared out of my mind to I just never could have dreamt this up in a million years, honestly. So I just feel extremely fortunate, extremely blessed. I’m not trying to be cheesy, but I just do. And I really feel that way. And I also feel extremely thankful to the community of people that I write these songs with. Because God knows, if somebody said, “Here’s your guitar and you go sit in the corner of a room by yourself all day”, none of this would’ve ever happened.
I can promise you that I am so thankful for every single co-writer I’ve ever had. And I don’t know, it’s unbelievable. I love making music. I get frustrated with music. I’m sure you do as well…But there are moments of where I feel done. I’m burned out, I’m pissed, I’m done. And then it never fails. There’s a day that I’m like, “Ugh, fine, I’ll go in.” I’ll go and I don’t want to. I do not want to. And I go and it’s the magic day. And even if the song doesn’t get cut, even if it doesn’t go to the top of the charts, it’s the thing that gives you the bug all over again. It gives you the fire, it gives you the chills all over your body. You can feel your insides just screaming, “Yes.” It’s amazing.
On the Love Junkies project with Lori McKenna and Liz Rose.
Honestly, we talk about that laughing and there’s no real clear memory on it. And we always drink a lot of wine when we’re together, but this day we actually weren’t, because we’re not day drinking. We do wait until at least 4:00. I’m just saying… But no, it was something, we were writing a song and it was the first song we wrote together and Little Big Town ended up cutting it.
It was something, I can’t even think of what, because it wasn’t monkey, but it was a word that rhymed with junkie. But it certainly wasn’t monkey and monkey was not in our song, so I can’t remember what it was, but Liz said, “Blah, blah blah, like a love junkie or something.” And we’re like, “Oh, we love that.” And then out of the blue, and we had literally just sat down the first time ever, the three of us to write a song. And she’s like, “That’s what we are. We’re the love junkies.” And I’m like, “We, what do you mean we? I don’t even know y’all, what’s happening?” And then we fell in love with each other instantly. And it kind of started as a joke, but then it became a thing and we made t-shirts and everything.
On being inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame.
So the rule is for that you are eligible to be inducted 20 years after your first hit. And so I wasn’t really paying attention to the years, but someone said to me, “You’re probably getting close to that 20 year mark”, and I’m like, “Wow, where did the 20 years go?” Like, holy crap. But yeah, so that’s what it was. And then I got a call that I was on the ballot to be nominated, and I’m like, “Well, this is crazy. This is amazing and crazy and definitely not going to happen.” I truly believed that.
I’ve heard that it sometimes takes people three to four times of being nominated before they get inducted. So I was not expecting that whatsoever. But I found out in August that I was in and Mark Ford from the Hall of Fame called, and I was in Orange Beach where my parents live, and this was supposed to be the biggest secret. He told everyone, “You cannot even tell your family. If you have to, you can tell your spouse if you just can’t hold it in, but don’t tell anyone.”
So I have this thing where I don’t know why, it just drives me crazy putting the phone to my ear when I’m talking to anyone about anything, it’s just always on speakerphone…And so Mark called and it was on speakerphone and my dad was sitting there and his eyes get big as saucers and he’s looking and we’re just like, I thought he was calling to say sorry, didn’t happen. And he said, “Well, I just called to let you know that you are the newest member of the Hall of Fame and blah blah.” Well, dad starts jumping up and down on the hardwood floor. He’s like, “Dah, dah, dah.” I’m like, “Hush it.” And he’s crying and I’m tearing up and crying. And it was just such a magical moment to be with my parents getting that call because they did so much to help me. They made so many sacrifices to buy me the dresses and Cato for me to sit down and play songs for people in Nashville. And the cheesy like, oh my God, the outfits that they didn’t have the money to buy all that kind of stuff, they helped me go to Belmont. And it was just so amazing being able to celebrate that moment with them.
Hillary’s advice to young songwriters.Â
It’s funny. Obviously be true to yourself, be true to your voice. Whether that’s literally your singing voice or your writing voice. I think that’s a lot of it. I would say find your community, find your people, find your writers, find your co-writers. The ones that you can really dig in deep and completely dare to suck with and just grow up in this business together.
I would also say just say show up. I was talking about a few minutes ago, there’s so many times that I’ve wanted to not show up and I do. And something good happens, not every time. But writing, I know this sounds cheesy and cliched as well, but it is almost like a muscle. I mean, like my flabby thighs right now, they have not been worked out in a long ass time. But that’s what happens with your mind too. I think if you’re not constantly riding or using that muscle, it weakens. And the more you do it, the stronger it gets.
