Warner Bros. Readies Song Demo Collection

Warner Bros. Records is getting ready to offer music lovers a peek into the songs that artists hear before they become a No. 1 hit. The Original Songwriter Demos is a collection of original demo performances of some of country music’s most influential hits performed by the songwriter’s themselves. Volumes one and two of the demo series will be available on October 19.

“I’ve always questioned why we couldn’t do something with these great demo performances,” says Scott Hendricks, Senior VP of A&R at Warner Music Nashville and executive producer of the album. “This is a fantastic collection of music that, for the first time, allows the audience to peek behind the curtain and hear the songwriters’ original visions and recordings of the most popular country songs from the last 20 years. These are the exact recordings the artists heard, fell in love with and consequently made into the hits we all know today.”

The Original Songwriter Demos gives a fresh perspective of the original intent each creator had in penning their song. Highlights in volume one include hits such as, Deanna Carter’s “Strawberry Wine” (Matraca Berg, Gary Harrison), Miranda Lambert’s “The House that Built Me” (Tom Douglas, Allen Shamblin) and Lee Ann Womack’s “I Hope You Dance” (Mark Sanders, Tia Sillers). Volume two includes classics like, Tim McGraw & Faith Hill’s “It’s Your Love” (Stephony Smith), John Michael Montgomery’s “I Swear” (Gary Baker, Frank Meyers) and Carrie Underwood’s “Jesus Take the Wheel” (Hillary Lindsey, Gordie Sampson, Brett James).

Track listing for The Original Songwriter Demos:

Volume 1
1. The Dance – Garth Brooks (Tony Arata)
2. Strawberry Wine – Deanna Carter (Matraca Berg, Gary Harrison)
3. Something Like That – Tim McGraw (Rick Ferrell, Keith Follese)
4. Independence Day – Martina McBride (Gretchen Peters)
5. Bless the Broken Road – Rascal Flatts (Jeff Hanna, Marcus Hummon, Bobby Boyd)
6. It’s Five O’ Clock Somewhere – Alan Jackson (Jim Brown, Donald Rollins)
7. She Thinks My Tractor’s Sexy – Kenny Chesney (Jim Collins, Paul Overstreet)
8. I Hope You Dance – LeAnn Womack (Mark Sanders, Tia Sillers)
9. Amazed – Lonestar (Marv Green, Chris Lindsey, Aimme Mayo)
10. The House That Built Me – Miranda Lambert (Tom Douglas, Allen Shamblin)

Volume 2
1. Check Yes Or No – George Strait (Dana Hunt, Danny Wells)
2. If Tomorrow Never Comes – Garth Brooks (Kent Blazy, Garth Brooks)
3. It’s Your Love – Tim McGraw and Faith Hill (Stephony Smith)
4. If You’re Going Through Hell – Rodney Atkins (Dave Berg, Annie Tate, Sam Tate)
5. I Swear – John Michael Montgomery (Gary Baker, Frank Myers)
6. How Do I Live – LeAnn Rimes (Diane Warren)
7. Ain’t Nothing ‘Bout You – Brooks and Dunn (Rivers Rutherford, Tom Shapiro)
8. Every Day – Rascal Flatts (Alissa Moreno, Jeffrey Steele)
9. How Forever Feels – Kenny Chesney (Wendell Mobley, Tony Mullins)
10. Jesus Take the Wheel – Carrie Underwood (Hillary Lindsey, Gordie Sampson, Brett James)