Behind the song: Trannie Anderson is rising
Trannie Anderson, a songwriter hailing from the heart of Waco, Texas, has been making waves in country music. As is often the case with songwriters, you might recognise the tracks Anderson has written before her name rings any bells: ‘Heart Like A Truck’ by Lainey Wilson, ‘3 Feet Tall’ by Cole Swindell and ‘taylor did’ by Alana Springsteen were all written or co-written by Anderson, who is stepping into the role of a major Nashville hitmaker.
Anderson might not be the person you’re expecting when you think of a Nashville songwriter. For one, she’s a woman – which is still a rarity in the writing room – and secondly, she isn’t exactly from a musical background. Born into a family where music wasn’t the focal point, Anderson’s early years were imbued with a different kind of rhythm – that of determination and ambition instilled by her mother, a professional golfer. Anderson’s mother is one of her biggest inspirations, as a female professional golfer, her ability to strive for respect and be valued for her work in a field dominated by men proved to be the fire that Anderson needed to break into an industry with comparable challenges.
Despite the absence of a musical lineage, Anderson’s innate talent for storytelling found an outlet in her early compositions, which centred around church music and themes of faith and spirituality. As she navigated her teenage years, Anderson’s songwriting underwent a transformation, mirroring her own personal growth and experiences. Initially drawn to themes of young love and romance, her early works leaned more towards gospel than the distinctive country sound she would later embrace. She started her songwriting journey with the father of a friend who just so happened to write songs. In third or fourth grade, as Anderson recalls it, she would sit and write songs with her friends father guiding her, showing her the structure and composition process of songwriting. These after-school lessons would form the basis of her knowledge of writing, as well as inspiring her to pursue songwriting as a career.
It was during her university years in Waco that Anderson’s journey took a pivotal turn. A summer internship in Nashville beckoned, offering a glimpse into the heart of country music. Despite the practicality of pursuing a sensible career path, Anderson’s heart beat to a different tune – one that resonated with the allure of Nashville’s vibrant music scene. Following her graduation, she made the bold decision to uproot her life and chase her dreams in Music City.
In Nashville, Anderson’s resilience and tenacity became her greatest assets. A chance encounter led her to become a dog sitter for country music luminaries Jennifer Wayne and Caroline Hobby, providing her with invaluable connections within the industry. It was her dog sitting company – aptly called Pup Stars Pet Services – that would, through Hobby and Wayne, lead to her first publishing deal with Catch This Music Publishing Company. Anderson found herself in the midst of Nashville, poised to become a professional songwriter, where each wag of a tail and each bark of a dog brought her closer to realising her dreams.
Eventually, Catch This Music Publishing Company was dismantled. For Anderson, her first professional songwriting job had come to an end. It was in 2018, on her honeymoon with her husband, that she signed with Sony Music, a milestone moment that marked the beginning of a new chapter in her career. Teaming up with renowned songwriters, including Adam Doleac, Anderson honed her craft and honed her skills, contributing to a string of chart-topping hits that left an indelible mark on the country music landscape.
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