The Franklin Theatre Songwriters Series Presents: Brandon Will, Scotty Hasting and Doug Johnson

Name: The Franklin Theatre Songwriters Series Presents: Brandon Will, Scotty Hasting and Doug Johnson
Start: 2025-02-20T19:30:00-06:00
Location: 419 Main St, Franklin, TN, United States, Tennessee 37064

Schedule

Thu, 20 Feb, 2025 at 07:30 pm

UTC-06:00

Location

419 Main St, Franklin, TN, United States, Tennessee 37064 | Franklin, TN

The Franklin Theatre Songwriters Series returns in 2025 featuring Brandon Will, Scotty Hasting, and Doug Johnson! This series is made possible by Stable Reserve.

Brandon Will
Brandon has earned respect in Nashville as a songwriter. He has collaborated with many artists including John Schneider ‘ Bo from Dukes of Hazzard’ renowned Music Row producer David Huff, Grammy award-winning songwriter Bill Champlin, Hall of Fame songwriter and author Ralph Murphy, award winning and former Nashville staff writer, Multi #1 songwriter Michael Garvin ("Waiting For Tonight" J. Lopez), Multi #1 songwriter Doug Johnson ("Three Wooden Crosses" Randy. Travis) Anthony Smith, Ashe Underwood, The Warren Brothers, Earl Bud Lee, Bridgette Tatum, platinum-selling producer Anthony J. Resta, as well as many others. Brandon has been featured as a virtual performer opening James Taylor’s 2022 tour and many venues including The legendary Ryman in Nashville TN.
Has opened for Eddie Money, The Wailers, Keith Urban, Hootie And The Blowfish, Edwin McCain, Chris Young, Phil Vasser, The Frontmen and many more. Brandon is poised to be a top talent in the Nashville community.

Scotty Hasting
"For me, the demons of PTSD knock the loudest when it's quiet. When I have a guitar in my hands I find peace," says songwriter, artist, and Army Veteran, Scotty Hasting. In April of 2011, the former Army Infantryman with the 1st Infantry Division 4th Squadron 4th Cavalry was left fighting for his life flying out of Afghanistan on a medivac after being shot ten times. Narrowly escaping death, Hasting was left with severe nerve damage to his right hand and a loss of purpose as he was unable to continue his journey in the army. In 2020, when COVID-19 hit and shut down most of the world, the Purple Heart recipient picked up the unused guitar that sat in the corner of his room, opened YouTube, and set out to teach himself how to master the instrument in hopes of fighting the isolation and silence. Hasting was immediately overtaken by this new passion and began to write his own original music, attending his first open mic night in Cookeville, TN — a night that changed his life forever as he found that he was able to escape his PTSD while on stage performing. In classic Nashville fashion, a chance encounter with the son of Black River Entertainment's President and CEO, Gordon Kerr, brought him into the sights of renowned hit songwriter, producer, and Black River's Vice President of A&R Doug Johnson, which led to the signing of Hasting's record deal with Black River late in 2023. Now on a mission to help anyone struggling with loss or their mental health find solace through his music, the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky native bares his heart to listeners in his debut EP, I'm America(5/3). After hearing the project's title track, "I'm America" (2/9), written by Wade Kirby and Phil O'Donnell, Hasting knew he had to record it. "Every single line of this song is why I decided to enlist in the Army," says Hasting. Hasting's debut single on Black River, "How Do You Choose" (11/3) strikes a chord with anyone who has been left to pick up the pieces from a life-changing moment that's left them asking God that age-old question. The "promising, impactful debut" (Billboard) details Hasting's first visit to best friend Adam Hamilton's tombstone following his death. Having found his escape from PTSD through archery and music, Hasting devotes his time and talents to several organizations, including CreatiVets, Guitars 4 Vets, Operation Encore, to offer other veterans the same tranquility. Despite only first picking up a guitar in 2020, Hasting has already opened for incredible artists including Dave Grohl, Tanya Tucker, Jelly Roll, Chris Janson, and more, and recently represented the U.S. with multiple performances in Normandy, France during a week-long celebration commemorating the 80th anniversary of D-Day.

Doug Johnson
Whether it’s behind the pen as the writer of record-breaking hits like the Billboard “Song of the Year,” Love Like Crazy (Lee Brice) or the CMA, ACM, CCMA and NSAI “Song of the Year,” Three Wooden Crosses (Randy Travis), at the console as the producer of artists like Lee Brice, Hank Jr., Clay Walker and John Michael Montgomery, or behind the desk helming an A&R department, Doug Johnson knows his way around a hit.
Throughout his 30-plus year career as a songwriter, Johnson has had over 100 cuts, including 7 Number One Hits and 10 Top 10’s by everyone from Bertie Higgins and Alicia Bridges to George Strait, Rascal Flatts, Trace Adkins, Wynonna and Kenny Rogers, among others. Johnson made history when he broke a country music record with artist Lee Brice with the hit, Love Like Crazy, which spent an amazing 56 weeks on the charts.
His production credits are equally notable as well: as VP/A&R for Epic Records in the early 90’s, he oversaw the careers of Patty Loveless, Collin Raye, Doug Stone, Joe Diffie, Ty Herndon, the Sons of the Desert and many others. He later moved to Giant Records as President, where he guided the careers of Clay Walker, The Wilkinsons, Blake Shelton, Joe Nichols and Neal McCoy among others.
Following his time at Giant Records, Johnson lead the A&R department of Curb Records, whose roster included Tim McGraw, Leann Rimes, Wynonna, Hank Jr, Rodney Atkins, Lee Brice, Clay Walker and Heidi Newfield, among others.
In 2012, Doug Johnson joined the team at Black River Entertainment as the V.P. of A&R and is currently working with artists Pryor Baird, Josiah Siska, and MaRynn Taylor.