The Bilby + Ella Show

Our guests this week are brothers, songwriters, and artists Jonathan and Eli Hutcherson, who grew up eight years apart in a small Kentucky town with almost no music in the family and somehow, serendipitously, they both ended up chasing the dream in Nashville and are each actively crushing it. Since making it to town, Jonathan spent seven years as an artist and writer with Creative Nation (where he...

Our guest this week has spent her career in the spaces most people don't see: the publishing offices, the writing rooms, and now the streaming platforms quietly shaping what gets heard and who gets credit. As Spotify's Songwriting & Publisher Partnerships Lead, Alex Tamashunas is one of the few people we've met working at the highest levels of this industry with a songwriter's...

London-born artist and songwriter Karl Michael joins the Bilby & Ella Show for a conversation rooted in resilience, identity, and staying power. Raised on rap, soul, and R&B, Karl spent years honing his craft and building momentum as an artist, from competing on The Voice UK to stepping into his own as a solo act. His journey reflects a deep commitment to growth and a willingness to evolve...

Worship leader and artist David Dennis joins us for a conversation rooted in faith, creativity, and calling. Currently serving at The Belonging Co. in Nashville, David has become known for his powerful voice and presence, with many recognizing him from songs like “The Joy” and “I Know That I Know.” But as he shares in this episode, his journey is about far more than the stage. In this conversation...

Songwriter Brett Sheroky has spent years behind the scenes writing songs for artists like Blake Shelton, Jake Owen, Matt Stell, Cody Jinks, Randall King, and Tucker Wetmore. His songs have climbed the charts, hit #1 on Texas radio, and appeared on shows like The Voice and American Idol . Now, with the release of his debut album Rock Paper Scissors , Brett is stepping out from behind the songs and...

7x Grammy Award–nominated songwriter and Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame inductee Jeffrey Steele joins us for an honest conversation about the craft, calling, and emotional core of songwriting. With more than 60 charting songs including “What Hurts the Most,” “My Wish,” and “The Cowboy in Me,” Jeffrey reflects on the life experiences, observations, and faith that have shaped his voice as a writ...

CJ Solar joins Bilby & Ella for an honest conversation about navigating independence, creativity, and longevity in today’s music industry. After years of success as a songwriter with cuts by Jason Aldean, Morgan Wallen, Justin Moore, Joe Nichols, and Jerrod Niemann, including the multi week number one hit “Up Down,” CJ opens up about life after stepping away from a major publishing deal and wh...

Mark Hill is one of Nashville’s most trusted session bass players and producers, a quiet force behind countless records that have shaped modern country, Americana, and Christian music. Raised in a small farming town in southern Illinois and introduced to music through gospel, Mark found his calling early and built a career around preparation, adaptability, and serving the song above all else. A fi...

Hey y’all, this episode is part two of our first solo round episode. Following up on Episode 8, where we unpacked the foundation of the Bilby + Ella Show, today we start with a quick call to our friend Eric Hangartner from the band Walden before diving into what this season of creating has been teaching us. From songwriting and collaboration to lessons learned in the studio, we talk through how ou...

This episode is a first for The Bilby + Ella Show. It’s just us, Hill and Willie, sitting down to reflect on the year behind us and talk about what we’re building moving forward. We look back on our creative journeys, from college and football to Nashville, music, and collaboration, and share what we’ve learned about identity, ambition, failure, and letting go of perfection in pursuit of peace. We...

Jeff Roach is one of Nashville’s most quietly influential musicians—a multi-instrumentalist, producer, and session player whose fingerprints are on far more records than most people realize. Over his 36-year career, he’s played keys and organ for artists like Darius Rucker, Jon Pardi, Parmalee, Kenny Chesney, Brett Eldredge, Tim McGraw & Faith Hill, and Michael McDonald, while also producing,...

Songwriter Matt McKinney may be one of the newer voices on Music Row, but his impact is already undeniable. Raised in Augusta and shaped by the songwriting culture of Nashville, Matt has built a reputation for sharp lyricism, emotional honesty, and the kind of room awareness that makes great songs possible. Since making his way to town and most recently signing with Position Music, his work has be...

Two-time Grammy-nominated songwriter and pianist James Slater joins us for a conversation full of wisdom, gratitude, and creative heart. Born in Durham, raised in the tropics, and now based in Nashville, James has written songs for some of the biggest names in country and beyond — from Carrie Underwood, Tim McGraw, and Reba McEntire to Willie Nelson, Kenny Chesney, and Chris Isaak. But as he share...

Rob Dennis is a Grammy Award–winning audio engineer, producer, and entrepreneur whose golden ear and servant-hearted approach have quietly shaped the sound of modern music. From Carrie Underwood and Jelly Roll to Kings of Leon and The Black Keys, his fingerprints are on records that define genres and generations. In this episode, Rob sits down with Bilby & Ella to share his journey from the oi...

Rivers Rutherford is a Grammy-nominated, multi-platinum songwriter whose work has helped define modern country music for more than two decades. From Memphis roots to Nashville stardom, he’s penned a dozen #1 hits for icons like Brooks & Dunn, Brad Paisley, Dolly Parton, Kenny Chesney, and Tim McGraw. Inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2019, Rivers has become known not only...

Richie Sessions is a singer-songwriter, minister, and storyteller whose life and work bridge the worlds of music, faith, and the deep places of the human heart. Over the years, he’s shared stages with some of Nashville’s most celebrated songwriters, preached in churches across the country, and created art that speaks to the wounded and the searching. In this conversation, Richie sits down with Hil...

Today’s guest isn’t just a Grammy-winning producer — he’s the quiet force behind some of the most honest, unforgettable records of the last 30 years. From shaping the sound of Third Day to collaborating with U2 and shepherding careers before the world knew their names, Monroe Jones doesn’t chase trends — he builds legacies. In this debut episode, Monroe drops decades of insight on the creative gri...