Those who say little good comes from looking to the past obviously haven't met songwriter Don Poythress. His success story also defies the old notion that the life of many songs is brief, then forgotten.
A true testament to the power of tenacity, Poythress has navigated the unpredictable territory of professional songwriting simply by pressing on and discovering the right recipes for creativity. Recently having garnered his first No. 1 song on the Billboard country charts with "A Little More Country Than That," a hit for newcomer Easton Corbin, Poythress is elated for both the success of the track and because the song came from deep within his extensive catalog-five years deep, that is. "It's so exciting that a song written several years ago became successful, because it means you can reach further back in a writer's catalog for material. And because most songwriters write a new song almost every day, the possibilities really open up."
Poythress and one of his "A Little More Country Than That" co-writers Wynn Varble, have been writing every Tuesday for years. "We've had cuts before, but this is our first No. 1," he says. "It just proves that [the songwriting business] is so much about timing; you can't judge songs or writing by it."
Poythress has penned songs for top country artists like Hank Williams, Jr., Tim McGraw, Clint Black, Kellie Pickler and Travis Tritt, and Christian acts like Jaci Velasquez, Brian Littrell and The Martins, whose recording of "The Promise" won the 2004 Dove Award for Southern Gospel Song of the Year. In 2008 Poythress won an ASCAP award for "Things That Never Cross a Man's Mind" (Kellie Pickler) having been one of the most-performed songs of the year.
In addition to such impressive company, Poythress experienced the fortune of having a song recorded by one of his musical heroes, Willie Nelson. As a teenager, Poythress was deeply influenced by Nelson, specifically with the launch of Austin City Limits and Nelson's subsequent appearance on the series. It was then, through the ACL platform, that Poythress realized his deep connection with songwriters and their craft.
When he learned his track "You Remain" had landed on Nelson's 2002 album The Great Divide as a duet with Bonnie Raitt, Poythress felt as though he had finally gotten his big break. "That was the first song that really opened a lot of doors and gained recognition for me. I had cuts before, but when Willie recorded 'You Remain' and later performed it with Sheryl Crow on [CMT's] Crossroads, it was such a proud moment for me." Nelson has since cut two other Poythress-penned tunes, as well.
There's nothing counterintuitive about the course which led Poythress to Nashville in 1986. In fact, his geographical and creative course was mapped out, somewhat prophetically, at an early age. A native of Meridian, Miss.-the birthplace of Jimmie Rodgers-Poythress developed a love for music, especially country, at a very early age. At just 4, he was an avid fan of The Johnny Cash Show and watched The Man in Black and other Nashville pros eagerly, ukulele in tow. A year later he was diving into guitar lessons and ingesting music from artists like Glen Campbell and Christian acts including Dottie Rambo and Dallas Holm.
It was around this time that one of Poythress' musical instructors offered profound and prophetic encouragement. "She told me that one day I would sing at the Grand Ole Opry and God would use me to reach others through music." These visionary words proved true, of course. In 1989, when Poythress first played the Opry, she was in attendance to see him perform "I'll Fly Away" and "'Til I Gain Control Again."
Poythress spent years building contacts and spending time in the company of writers he admired. "I wanted to be a professional songwriter just to hang out with other songwriters, because so many of them were such great people. [Hit songwriter] Don Pfrimmer was the first professional writer that really gave me an opportunity and said 'Bring me some ideas.'" After a few single-song deals with Zomba and a stint at BMG publishing, Poythress landed at Extreme Writers Group, where he's been for the last four years. And because his songs traverse genre confines, Poythress is enjoying success on both the country and Christian charts.
"It's very creatively stimulating to write for both genres," he says. "And there have been numerous times when I've walked into a writing session with another country songwriter, and we'll end up writing a worship song." One such tune, "Bless the Lord At All Times," is what Poythress dubbed his "life song" for that particular period of time.
"I was writing with Billy Montana one day and was telling him about what was going on in my life at the time," Poythress says. "We ended writing this song about praising God when things are good and also when things are bad, and it turned out as one of those songs you look back on to mark time. I like the idea of using songs as touchstones of your life."
Poythress' passion for his role as both a songwriter and worship leader at a Nashville-area church has translated into his own effort, Wash Away, released in 2009 via Integrity Music. Featuring guests like Ricky Scaggs and Paul Baloche, the live album is a reflection of Poythress' love for fusing both contemporary country and worship music.
This blending of interests is apparent in other ways, too. "The older I get, the more I enjoy diversity in the cuts I get. It continues to make things interesting." The inclusion of Poythress' songs on projects by Donny and Marie Osmond, Jake Owen, Earl Scruggs and Joey + Rory are just a few of the noteworthy goings-on approaching in his near future.
As has been proved by "A Little More Country Than That" reaching No. 1 success five years after being completed: Timing may be everything in the songwriting business, but great songs can blur and redefine time on their own terms. After all, Poythress is a writer whose career and life have more or less been defined by the unpredictability and centrifugality of time. "There was a songwriter who was being audited once and he was asked about his tax records for certain years," he reflects. "He looked at the auditor and said, 'I can't tell you the year, but I can tell you the song.' I just love that."
