Years ago, when Trisha Yearwood was a student at Belmont, a classmate heard songs she had written and told her to stick to singing.

The criticism stung. She carried it with her for decades.

• "It was just a guy that I knew in school, and I let it be the truth," she tells Axios.

So when she signed a record deal, she turned to Music Row's top songwriters for material.

• More than 30 years on, she's earned a reputation as one of Nashville's greatest voices. Her renditions of songs like "She's In Love With The Boy" and "Walkaway Joe" have become modern standards.
• But she almost never wrote songs for herself — until recently.

The intrigue: In an interview last month at the Friends In Low Places honky-tonk, Yearwood told Axios she has finally found her voice as a songwriter with backup from famous friends, including her husband Garth Brooks.

• What started as a one-off writing session bloomed into something bigger, and she now expects to release a full collection of self-penned songs next year.

What she's saying: "I've never done anything like this before in my life, so I'm terrified," she says. "But I'm also really excited."

The latest: She'll offer a first glimpse into the project this weekend when she premieres "Put it in a Song" during a performance at the CMT Music Awards, where she's also being honored with the first-ever June Carter Cash Humanitarian Award.

Behind the scenes: Yearwood credits her friend, songwriter Leslie Satcher, with helping her stretch into new territory. Satcher was adamant that she and Yearwood try writing together.

• "It's totally her fault," Yearwood said. "I agreed to go. I was terrified and sick to my stomach."
• "We wrote a song about my mom and I left there in tears. It just was like the light bulb went on."

Zoom out: Yearwood previously dabbled in writing a handful of times. But those experiences were different, she says, because she would come with a concept or story and then rely on Brooks or other collaborators to translate it into song.

• "I felt like I know how to tell a story but I don't know how to rhyme," she says.
• As she wrote with Satcher and others, she built up confidence.
• "It turns out I also know how to rhyme."

The bottom line: Yearwood says songwriting has opened the door to a new musical odyssey.

• She's written with more bold-faced names, including Erin Enderlin and Jim "Moose" Brown, who collaborated with her on the song she'll perform this weekend.

"I didn't start doing this to put it out at all. It was really just for me."

• "But I've gotten a lot of really good feedback — I live with a guy who's in several songwriters halls of fame, and he's like, 'You need to put this out.'"

Share this story

We survived a tornado scare and some really cold weather, and now we've earned a fun weekend.

• Here are a few things to do.

💬 A provocative lunchtime discussion: Nashville journalist Steven Hale will discuss his new book "Death Row Welcomes You: Visiting Hours in the Shadow of the Execution Chamber."

• The one-hour event begins at 12:30pm today in the Moore Room at Vanderbilt Law School. (More details.)
• Hale, who recently joined the nonprofit Nashville Banner, has reported on Tennessee executions for the last decade.

🥳 Sing happy birthday to a brewery: Bearded Iris Brewing Company is celebrating its 8th anniversary tomorrow at its Germantown taproom. There will be music, smash burgers, a special beer release and tattoos. (Editor's note: Drinking and tattoos is a timeless and infallible combination.)

• To celebrate, BIBC is releasing a double IPA called Replay, which the brewery calls a "hoppy masterpiece."
• Sunrise Tattoo will be on hand for the festivities. "We've got this year's flash designs ready, and they're nothing short of spectacular," the brewery said in a press release.
• The vinyl DJ collective the Deli Shop Boys will handle the music. The Cabin Attic food truck will sell smashed patty burgers.

Go deeper: Read why BIBC joined a collective with other independent breweries.

⚾ Catch a ballgame: We were all glued to NashSevereWX Tuesday as severe storms passed through during the Sounds' home opener.

• Better weather is expected this weekend with the St. Paul Saints in town.
• Bonus: As with all Friday evening games, fireworks are planned following tonight's matchup.

Go deeper: Read our coverage of promotions and other highlights for the Sounds' 2024 season.

Share this list

↗️ Legislation that would create an East Bank Development Authority may be gaining momentum following questions and delays. (Tennessee Lookout)

🔎 Vanderbilt University announced plans for an outside review of its response to pro-Palestine student protests and arrests last month. (Tennessean)

💻 As cyberattacks ramp up, some lawmakers want to make it harder to sue companies over data leaks. (WPLN)

It's time to challenge all newsy know-it-alls with this week's news quiz.

1. Which downtown street is the subject of a campaign to help businesses during major reconstruction?
2. According to a recent Vanderbilt poll, do most Nashvillians think the city is on the right track or wrong track?
3. Which East Nashville lunch spot is a finalist for a James Beard Award?

✍️ Reply to this email with correct answers, and we'll give you a shoutout on Monday.

Developer Tony Giarratana announced this week he's secured $232.2 million in financing to build 1010, which will be the tallest skyscraper in Nashville at 60 stories.