Ella Langley Celebrates ‘Weren’t For The Wind’ & ‘Choosin’ Texas’ At Double No. 1 Party

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(L-R, back row): Triple Tigers’ Kevin Herring, Sony Music Publishing’s Rusty Gaston, Columbia Records’ Joe Gallo, Verse 2 Music’s Kent Earls, BMI’s Leslie Roberts, Studio Bank’s Kari Barnhart and BMI’s Clay Bradley; (L-R, front row): Joybeth Taylor, Ella Langley, Miranda Lambert, Luke Dick and Little Louder’s Arturo Buenahora; Photo: Katie Mathis for BMI

BMI’s lobby was standing-room only on Tuesday afternoon (March 17) as industry members gathered to celebrate Ella Langley and her chart-toppers “Weren’t For The Wind” and the record-breaking “Choosin’ Texas.”

BMI’s Clay Bradley kicked off by highlighting Langley. “We have been brought here by a maverick, a trendsetter, someone who broke the mold by refusing to go without permission,” said Bradley. “Her success is proof that when you take action and write your own story, the world starts to listen.”

(L-R): Triple Tigers’ Kevin Herring, Sony Music Publishing’s Rusty Gaston, SMACK’s Sam Sarno, Johnny Clawson, Studio Bank’s Kari Barnhart, Ella Langley, BMI’s Leslie Roberts, Joybeth Taylor, Verse 2 Music’s Kent Earls, Columbia Records’ Joe Gallo and BMI’s Clay Bradley; Photo: Katie Mathis for BMI

The first half of the afternoon focused on “Weren’t For The Wind,” co-written by Langley, Joybeth Taylor and Johnny Clawson. BMI’s Leslie Roberts welcomed the writers, sharing her history with the writers that dates back to before they signed their first publishing deals.

SMACK’s Sam Sarno and Studio Bank’s Kari Barnhart also stepped to the mic to offer congratulations. Barnhart announced that in honor of the No. 1, Studio Bank made a donation to The Positive Rescue Division, a charity focused on dog rescue and rehabilitation.

Clawson, who was named MusicRow’s Breakthrough Songwriter of the Year last year, spoke about writing the song during a 2023 bus ride through Wyoming and thanking God, his family and his teams for their support. “Ella and Joybeth are individually just two of the best songwriters that this town’s got. And their magic is only magnified when they’re together.”

The celebration then moved to “Choosin’ Texas.” Co-written by Langley, Taylor, Luke Dick, and Miranda Lambert, the track recently notched its third week at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and fifth week on the MusicRow CountryBreakout Chart.

Billboard’s Russ Penuell took the mic to speak about the song’s historic run on the charts, explaining that Langley is the second woman in the history of the chart to achieve such a feat with a country song, tying Taylor Swift’s “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together.”

Sony Music Publishing’s Rusty Gaston stepped on stage to tout the songwriters, calling Lambert a mentor for the next generation and describing Langley as “an electrifying ‘Roman candle’ of an artist” Other industry leaders who spoke included Little Louder Music’s Arturo Buenahora, Verse 2 Music’s Kent Earls, Triple Tigers’ Kevin Herring, and Columbia Records’ Joe Gallo.

Dick was the first co-writer to speak, sharing a story of seeing a man in a “Choosin’ Texas” hat at a dumpling shop in San Francisco, shocking him with the song’s massive reach. Taylor spoke next, directing her thanks to Langley, “Thank you Ella for believing in these songs, believing in me, and being my best friend.”

Next, Lambert expressed her admiration for Langley saying, “She is truly one of a kind. There is no one else like her.”

Langley closed the afternoon by expressing her gratitude for the team that took a chance on her when no one else would. As she celebrated her historic run, she briefly brought up “You Look Like You Love Me” co-writer Aaron Raitiere to join the writers on stage, finishing the celebration with the track “that started all of it.”

John Nix Arledge
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