When Steven Lee Olsen’s major label album wasn’t released, it was the beginning of what he calls the “best, saddest story ever.” But the unexpected ending was triumphant, when his idol Keith Urban turned Olsen’s song “Blue Ain’t Your Color” into a massive hit.

Co-written by Olsen, Hillary Lindsey and Clint Lagerberg, “Blue Ain’t Your Color” was voted Song of the Year at the recent MusicRow Awards.

Here’s what Olsen had to say about the win. Read more in the new issue of MusicRow magazine or subscribe today.

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MusicRow: You’ve said that Keith Urban is the reason you moved to Nashville. When did you finally get to meet him?

Steven Lee Olsen: I met Keith after “Blue…” was already a single on the radio. One day he asked to write with Ross Copperman and myself. I was pretty nervous but he was the most graceful, talented dude I’ve ever met. Everything you want your idol to be. We went to lunch and he drove us around—I think we were in a Rolls-Royce—showing us where he used to live, where he came from nothing, and he became a real human to me. And then we ate at The Smiling Elephant where he’d been going for 10 years. It showed me to stick it out and gave me a second wind [as an artist and writer].

Whatever Keith does, he does from the heart. He needs to feel the song, feel the lyrics. It was cool to see that up-close. Since then we’ve become good friends.

It was bittersweet to let “Blue…” go, but there’s no one in the world that could’ve done what Keith did. He gave it listeners and it was the most successful song of his career. It blows my mind that I was able to be a small part of it. I even got to sing “Blue…” with him at the No. 1 party.

A hit like this has been a long time in the making for you.

It came to us from the heavens and changed my life completely. I’ve been in Nashville 11 years.

This year has been absolutely insane. It took me to the Grammys and I was able to take my mom. And also to the ACMs too and now the MusicRow Awards. It’s been a whirlwind. I don’t know how I’m going to top this year. As a writer, I feel gratification because it is an uphill battle to get these wins. You really need to let it soak in and drive you to the next one. And the next one for me is going to be as an artist.

What’s next for your artist career?

“Blue…” represents the direction I was going as an artist—a classic r&b throwback sound.

After the Columbia deal fell apart, we didn’t get to keep the record. That’s okay because I’m writing much better songs that fit me as an artist and my voice—where I want to sit in country music.

I’m building the right team of people and dabbling with producers and trying to find the right fit.

I’m writing as much as I can. You’ll love a song that you write, and you listen to it a 100 times and say, “This is definitely going on the record.” Then you keep writing and you beat that. And then you have 20 songs that you absolutely love, but you feel like you are still growing and evolving into the artist that you are going to be. I’m really excited and I’ve never had more fun writing for a project—ever.

You want to make sure that when you actually do release something, that it’s true to you and you can stand behind it and say, “This is absolutely the best I have.”

Parmalee gives another nod to their hometown with their long-awaited upcoming sophomore release, 27861, which is the zip code of its hometown of Parmele, North Carolina. The new project is set for release July 21 on Stoney Creek Records, and features their current single, “Sunday Morning.”

Featuring summer-ready heartland tracks like “American Nights,” “Back In The Game,” and “Like a Photograph,” lead singer Matt Thomas co-wrote nine of the album’s twelve tracks. The project also includes cuts by busbee, Hillary Lindsey, and Ross Copperman, Craig Wiseman, Tom Douglas, Jim Beavers, and the late Andrew Dorff among many others.

Parmalee is also featured as producer on seven tracks, with additional producers varying from Tommy Cecil, Brock Berryhill, NV, Jody Stevens, David Fanning/Ben Stennis, Sal Oliveri and Lindsay Rimes.

The band is slated to perform “Sunday Morning” on FOX & Friends All-American Summer Concert Series on Friday, July 28.

27861 Track Listing

1)Sunday Morning
2) American Nights
3) Heartbreaker
4) Like A Photograph
5) Back in the Game
6) Mimosas
7) Hotdamalama
8) A Guy Meets A Girl
9) Savannah
10) Drink It Off
11) Barrel Of A Shot Glass
12) Roots

Country Music Hall Of Famer Bill Anderson has renewed his contract with Sony/ATV Music Publishing for the twelfth consecutive year, continuing his decade-long partnership with the publisher.

The six-time Songwriter of the Year winner first signed with Tree international, now owned by Sony, back in 1958. Since then, Anderson has created chart-topping hits like “Whiskey Lullaby,” (Brad Paisley/Alison Krauss), “A Lot Of Things Different,” (Kenny Chesney), “Give It Away,” (George Strait), and “Country,” (Mo Pitney) among others.

“I love being part of the Sony-ATV family. I have copyrights there dating as far back as 1958, and hope to put lots more there before I’m through. I’m glad they’re going to let me hang around for another year,” said Anderson.

Anderson continues to land cuts on albums and most recently teamed with Brad Paisley to co-write “Dying To See Her” for Paisley’s Love And War album which was released in April. He also released his official autobiography, Whisperin’ Bill Anderson: An Unprecedented Life in Country Music this year, and continues to tour and perform regularly at The Grand Ole Opry as a 55-year Opry member.