Pat Alger was born in Long Island City, New York, but was raised in his mother's birthplace, the small southern town of LaGrange, GA. While in college in the sixties, he began performing at Atlanta folk clubs and it was in that environment that Pat began his songwriting career. Moving to Woodstock, New York in the seventies, he made three albums with the Woodstock Mountains Revue for Rounder Records and a duet album with guitarist Artie Traum. In 1980 Pat had his first hit ("First Time Love") with folk-pop artist Livingston Taylor and decided to join his friend Jim Rooney and try his luck in Nashville.

Slowly, established artists like Mickey Gilley, Dolly Parton, Brenda Lee and The Everly Brothers cut his material, then new artists like Kathy Mattea, Nanci Griffith, Hal Ketchum and Trisha Yearwood. His collaboration with Garth yielded four #1 records: "The Thunder Rolls," Unanswered Prayers," What She's Doing Now" and "That Summer," as well as the #1 Trisha Yearwood hit "Like We Never Had a Broken Heart."

In 1991, he was Songwriter of the Year for the Nashville Songwriters Association and with Garth Brooks, was Jukebox Songwriter of the Year. In 1992 Pat was ASCAP's Songwriter of the Year. He has two solo albums available from Sugar Hill Records and one on the Liberty label.

Tony Arata

Tony Arata was born and raised in Savannah, Georgia. While studying for a journalism degree at Georgia Southern University, he began performing his original songs in local bands.

In 1986, he and wife Jaymi moved to Nashville where his unique, soulful style began to get the attention of people like Allen Reynolds and Garth Brooks. Garth recorded seven of Tonys songs; the most famous being The Dance, which won song of the year at the Academy of Country Music and received both a CMA and a Grammy nomination, as well as being named the most-performed song in Radio and Records magazine. He has also had #1 records with Here I Am for Patty Loveless, Im Holding My Own for Lee Roy Parnell and Dreaming With My Eyes Open for Clay Walker. Other artists who have recorded his songs include Trisha Yearwood, Emmylou Harris, Reba McEntire, Delbert McClinton and Hal Ketchum. Tony has produced a solo album entitled Way Back When which can be ordered from www.tonyarata.com.

Larry Bastian

Born into a family that farmed the rich San Joaquin Valley, Larry Bastian spent his early years farming and cowboying. After college he worked as a biologist for fifteen years in the Department of Agriculture for Kern and Tulare Counties. Music was always a part of Larrys life, but it was not until the early 70s that he began to dream of a songwriting career. Along the way, he was encouraged by Bonnie Owens, Buck Owens, Larry Gatlin, Dewayne Blackwell, Bob Doyle and of course Garth Brooks. The list of artists who have recorded his songs is a whos who of country music, including Buck Owens, George Jones, Tammy Wynette, Eddie Arnold, Conway Twitty, Vern Gosdin and many others. Larrys biggest hits include Rodeo, Unanswered Prayers, and Yard Sale. In 1995 Garth Brooks said, If one looks down the list of musics greatest writers of all time, I couldnt imagine the list being complete without the name of Larry Bastian.

Dewayne Blackwell

Dewayne Blackwells parents, victims of the Oklahoma dust bowl, migrated to California by way of Corpus Christi, Texas where Dewayne was born. Growing up in California, he picked crops and guitars for a living.

Dewaynes first hit, Mr. Blue, was a million seller in 1959 and his songs were recorded by many pop acts such as The Everly Brothers, Roy Orbison and Bobby Vinton. In country music, some of his many hits include: David Frizzells Im Gonna Hire a Wino to Decorate Our Home, Sammy Kershaws Yard Sale, and Conway Twittys Saturday Night Special. Honky Tonk Man, one of three songs he wrote for the Clint Eastwood movie of the same name, was voted one of the five best movie songs of that year by the Motion Picture Association of America. He also co-wrote the theme song This Side of Forever for he movie Sudden Impact. Friends in Low Places was hailed as the favorite song of the last twenty years by Radio and Records magazine. Pains has yet to be recorded by anyone but Dewayne.

Originally from Lexington, Kentucky, Kent Blazy arrived in Nashville in 1980 after completing a two-year stint playing guitar with Canadas legendary singer/songwriter, Ian Tyson. Kent started a demo recording studio in his own home, employing many soon to be famous singers such as Trisha Yearwood, Randy Travis, Martina McBride and a certain young man from Oklahoma, Garth Brooks. He and Garth developed a friendship and writing partnership resulting in many great songs, eight of which Garth has recorded. Their first collaboration, If Tomorrow Never Comes, became the first #1 record for both of them. Other artists recording Kents songs include Gary Morris, The Forrester Sisters, T. Graham Brown, Diamond Rio, Paul Brandt, Kenny Chesney, Clay Walker and recently, Patty Loveless.

According to Stephanies Mom, she was born rhyming words in Bridger, Montana. At an early age, her interest in music was obvious to everyone, and while studying journalism at the University of Montana, Stephanie began playing in bands. In 1987 she migrated to Nashville and became part of the songwriting community here, performing at local writers nights.

Her songwriting partnership with Garth yielded 5 songs on his albums - We Shall Be Free, The Night Will Only Know and Ireland. She also co-wrote the hit Learning to Live Again as well as the Christmas song The Gift.

These days Stephanie writes, rides and records from her small ranch in South Central Montana. Her latest album River of No Return can be ordered from http://www.stephaniedavis.net and http://www.recon@cmn.net .

Victoria Shaw

Victoria Shaws songs have been staples on the charts since the early 90s. Shaws number one compositions include, Garth Brooks, The River and Shes Every Woman, Doug Stones, Too Busy Being In Love and I Love The Way You Love Me (recorded by John Michael Montgomery and Boyzone). In 1992, Victoria was signed to Warner/Reprise records where she released two critically acclaimed albums. Victoria is passionately involved with the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation and in 1998 she wrote and executive-produced the single One Heart At A Time featuring the vocals of Garth Brooks, Olivia Newton-John, Billy Dean, Michael McDonald, Neal McCoy, Faith Hill and Bryan White and donated all her proceeds to CF.

In 1999, Victoria started Taffeta Records and released her third CD Old Friends, New Memories. Victoria has won many songwriting awards including an ACM and two Daytime Emmy awards in the category of Outstanding Original Song. Victoria has performed throughout the world including opening for Garth Brooks at his legendary concert in Central Park. She also co-wrote the current Ricky Martin/Christina Aguilera duet Nobody Wants To Be Lonely with Desmond Child and Gary Burr.

Kim Williams

Kim Williams was born in Kingsport, Tennessee and grew up on a small farm near Rogersville. Although music was Kim's first love, his first vocation was industrial electronics, a job in which he was severely burned in an industrial accident in 1974. Ten long years and over 200 surgical procedures later he was finally well enough to pursue a career in music. He made his first trip to Nashville in 1984 and gradually but steadily learned the songwriting craft, culminating in ASCAPs Songwriter of the Year award in 1994.

With Garth Brooks he has had four #1 singles: "Papa Loved Mama, Its Midnight Cinderella, Aint Goin Down (Til the Sun Comes Up) and Shes Gonna Make It, as well as numerous album cuts. He has had #1 records on the Christian and Bluegrass charts as well. The list of artists who have recorded Kims songs is incredible and albums with his material on them account for over 112 million sales.

Kim has his own publishing company and divides his time between Nashville and a cabin on Clinch Mountain.