The Country Music Association visited Phoenix Wednesday, Aug. 21, with songwriters Ingrid Andress, Marti Lynn Dodson, Mickey Guyton, Jillian Jacqueline and Liz Rose. While in Phoenix, the group met with students and teachers from the Phoenix Conservator of Music as part of U.S. Bank's Community Possible giving and engagement platform and its Places to Play partnership with the CMA Foundation, followed by a CMA Songwriters Series Presented by U.S. Bank performance at the Mesa Arts Center.
Through the U.S. Bank and CMA Foundation partnership, including a portion of the $250,000 grant from U.S. Bank's Community Possible giving and engagement platform to the CMA Foundation, the
Phoenix Conservatory of Music will be able to launch a year-long project focused on supporting Metro
Phoenix music educators through professional development, networking opportunities and capacity building.
Wednesday afternoon, Andress, Dodson, Guyton, Jacqueline and Rose led a Songwriting Master Class for students and teachers from the
Phoenix Conservatory of Music, educating them on songwriting technique and the collaboration that goes into a successful songwriting session. During the class, the students worked together with the songwriters to compose a chorus to a song and participated in a Q&A session with the songwriters.
Later that evening, the songwriters took part in a captivating performance and shared the stories behind their songs at the Mesa Arts Center. The powerful lineup of songwriters drew the audience in with their songs and stories. Rose sang some of her top hits performed by artists like
Taylor Swift and
Little Big Town and kept the audience engaged throughout the night, inviting one audience member on stage to sing "You Belong With Me" with her and the other songwriters. Jacqueline recalled recording "If I Were You" with Keith Urban, joking that she was so nervous she barely said more than seven words when the pair met up at Urban's house to record the track. Guyton explained how her new song "Sister" was inspired by the importance of women sticking together in pursuit of their dreams, while Dodson performed a variety of her hits including, "Breakers," "Quarterback," and "Girl Next Door." Andress took time to describe the impact and importance in investing in young musicians, before performing her new song, "We're Not Friends." Throughout the night, the songwriters touched on the importance of music education and how opportunities like songwriting classes benefit and encourage students.
During the show, several students from the
Phoenix Conservatory of Music had the opportunity to perform original songs, impressing the audience with their writing and performing skills. Bailey Claywell took the stage to perform an original song titled "I Will Rise." Claywell was accompanied on piano by her co-writer Michael Rodriguez. She is a junior at Xavier College Prep and an active participant in the
Phoenix Conservatory of Music's College Prep program. Claywell plans to continue her training when she's off to college, with hopes to major in Commercial Music with an additional emphasis in music business, songwriting and audio production. Following their performance, Lourde Childs played guitar and won over the crowd when he sang his original song "Faithful." The talented student performers earned a standing ovation from the audience.
See below for the evening's full setlist.
Setlist:
Liz Rose - "White Horse" (recorded by Taylor Swift)
Mickey Guyton - "Sister"
Ingrid Andress - "We're Not Friends"
Jillian Jacqueline - "Hate Me"
Marti Lynn Dodson - "Breakers" (recorded by Thompson Square)
Liz Rose - "When You're My Age"
Mickey Guyton - "Brand New"
Ingrid Andress - "Both"
Jillian Jacqueline - "If I Were You" (recorded by Jillian Jacqueline feat. Keith Urban)
Marti Lynn Dodson - "Quarterback" (recorded by Kira Isabella)
Bailey Claywell (student songwriter) - "I Will Rise"
Liz Rose - "You Belong With Me" (recorded by Taylor Swift)
Lourde Childs (student songwriter) - "Faithful"
Mickey Guyton - "Rosé"
Ingrid Andress - "Lady Like"
Jillian Jacqueline - "Sad Girls"
Marti Lynn Dodson - "Girl Next Door" (recorded by Saving Jane)
Liz Rose - "Girl Crush" (recorded by Little Big Town)
Mickey Guyton - "Better Than You Left Me"
Ingrid Andress - "More Hearts Than Mine"
Jillian Jacqueline - "God Bless This Mess"
Marti Lynn Dodson - "Things I'll Miss"
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