Westhaven Songwriter Night with Jenn Schott and Mark Irwin

Bring your digital or printed ticket with you to the event. Seating is open. Feel free to BYOB. Be prepared to laugh and enjoy an evening of amazing music.

Jenn Schott

Born and raised in Pittsburg, Kansas, Jenn Schott was destined to have a career in music. It’s in her genes. Her grandfather was the concert master violinist for the CBS orchestra including the Ed Sullivan show, her father was a university professor of woodwinds, and her mother is a flutist. After graduating with a journalism degree from the University of Missouri, Jenn made the move to Nashville to pursue a career as a songwriter.

More than 20 years later, Jenn’s songs continue to resonate with artists in Nashville and beyond. Jenn co-wrote Tim McGraw’s #1 hit single, “7500 OBO” which also received the coveted “10 Songs I Wish I’d Written” Award from the Nashville Songwriters Association. She also co-wrote the title track of McGraw’s Grammy nominated album, “Two Lanes of Freedom,” which went on to be the namesake of McGraw’s 2013 summer tour. Jenn also penned Mickey Guyton’s debut single, “Better Than You Left Me,” which was named one of Billboard’s 10 Best Country Songs of 2015. Other artists who have recorded Jenn’s songs include Rascal Flatts, The Eli Young Band, Billy Ray Cyrus, Pam Tillis, Lonestar, Gloriana, Jana Kramer, Francesca Battistelli, Natalie Hemby, Lucy Hale, Jamie Lynn Spears, and Restless Heart.

Jenn is an alumna of Leadership Music and proudly sits on the board of the Nashville Songwriters Association and a committee for the Mechanical Licensing Collective (The MLC).

Mark Irwin

Coming from the Northeast, moving to Nashville in 1987, it took Mark Irwin just four years to land his first cut, which happened to be the Christmas song “Meet Me Under The Mistletoe” recorded by Randy Travis for his “Old Time Christmas” album. (In 2023 young artist Hailey Whitters cut the same song for her Christmas album).

Soon after, Marks’s song “Grandpa’s Mandolin” was recorded by Russell Moore and III Tyme Out and went on to be nominated for IBMA’s Bluegrass Song of the Year.

Since then Mark has had songs recorded by Bluegrass artists like Larry Stephenson, The Whites, Irene Kelley and Mark’s song “Prisoner’s Tears” was featured on Patty Loveless’ Bluegrass Album ‘Mountain Soul II’

Meanwhile in 1989, Mark co-wrote Alan Jackson’s first number one hit “Here In The Real World”, a two time CMA Song of the Year nominee, ACM Song of the Year nominee and winner of the Music City News Award for Song of the Year 1990.

Mark co-wrote the Tyler Farr number one single “Redneck Crazy” and the Tim McGraw number one hit song “Highway Don’t Care”, featuring Taylor Swift on guest vocals and Keith Urban on guitar…as well as Blake Shelton’s recent number one hit single, “Neon Light”.

Mark also co-wrote the Tim McGraw’s single “Looking For That Girl” and Chris Janson’s “Power of Positive Drinking”.

Along with having songs on Alan Jackson’s “DRIVE” album and Garth Brooks’ “THE LOST SESSIONS”, Mark also co-wrote the singles, “Bama Breeze” for Jimmy Buffet and “That’s How They Do It In Dixie” for Hank Williams Jr.

Mark spent 2 years on and off the road playing guitar for Capitol recording artist Jameson Clark while having 3 other songs recorded by Tim McGraw, 4 by Martina McBride, 2 recorded by Blake Shelton, 2 by Lee Brice and other cuts by George Jones, Faith Hill, Thomas Rhett, Bomshel, Billy Ray Cyrus, Jessie James, Tracey Lawrence, Sammy Kershaw, Chely Wright, Patty Loveless, Highway 101, The Whites, Chris LeDoux, Bucky Covington, Glen Campbell, Neal McCoy, The Amazing Rhythm Aces and The Dirt Drifters, among many others.

Actress Gwyneth Paltrow also recorded one of Mark’s songs for her movie “Country Strong”

Mark’s latest cuts have been on Lainey Wilson’s Grammy winning album “Bell Bottom Country” and on the new Tim McGraw album “Standing Room Only”…along with songs on newcomers Ben Gallaher, Tucker Beathard, Ian Flanagan and Randall Fowler.

Also, as a former employee (bartender) at Nashville’s Bluebird Café, Mark is featured prominently in the documentary “Bluebird”.

Host or Publisher The Westhaven Foundation