w/ Nashville's Songwriters Hall of Fame Inductee
Singer/Songwriter 'Dean Dillon'
Hosted by Kim Cyr
Presented by NOW and THEN Magazine
https://www.nowandthenmagazine.com
Dean Dillon and His Beautiful Wife Susie Dillon
''You can't think of country music without thinking of the legendary Nashville singer-songwriter, Dean Dillon,'' says Kim Cyr, Editor in Chief for NOW and THEN Magazine, host for the International Music's Journey Podcast, and radio host on 91.3 FM. It was an honor to interview one of the world's top one percent of songwriters 'Dean Dillon' who has been at the top as one of the most sought-after songwriters for over thirty-plus years.
I could get lost in all the different stories that make up Dillon's extraordinary career. The opportunity to chat with Dillon has been on my bucket list for many years and I get to share it with you all here. I can't wait to have Dean Dillon back on the show to continue right where we left off with all the stories behind the lyrics and the musical journey that makes him one of the greatest songwriters that Nashville has ever known.
Dean Dillon is incredibly humble and he is such a creative genius when it comes to his songwriting. Dillon is not afraid to talk about the struggles he went through trying to make it as a singer/songwriter and all the hard work it took him to reach that level of respect that he has among his peers in the music industry today. When you listen to Dean Dillon's songs is like a therapy session all rolled up into one. Dillon has a way of taking us all on a ride down memory lane reliving all the bad stuff that's happened in our lives, the good times at the same time, and somehow in the end your all good. He writes from that honest place of pain, heartache, and the greatest of highs. Dillon is a truly gifted storyteller when the pen hits the paper delivering the stories in his lyrics we can all relate to instantly. It's extraordinary. The lyrics are raw, real, and honest. It doesn't get any better than Dillon. That is why so many artists turn to Dillon to write the next hit single.
If you ever get the chance to hear Dean Dillon play an acoustic set, you are the very best night of music and stories. There is something special about the way he strips back the song and plays each one in his own way. You can hear a pin drop in the room because we are all glued to every cord and every word. It's just that good. He can deliver a song with the best artists in the world.
What is your writing process?
''I look for a great hook.'' ''It is a pretty safe bet that when I find the hook, whoever I am writing with, we will definitely hammer out something. I still love writing great songs. I really do. Chasing that to me is why I do what I do every day. It is trying to say something that changes the world, something that makes a difference and it matters. I have a lot of songs that are favorites for me that I play that were not big hits but my fans love them but to me, at the end of the day, when I know I have given my all and the song I wrote or whoever I was writing it with is the best that we can write it, then that is the best feeling in the world. Anything past that is just gravy.''
Do you remember the first time you heard your song on the radio and where you were?
''I remember being under Fesslers Lane Bridge, in Nashville Tennessee when my song came on the radio. I pulled over and tears came out of my eyes. I have never experienced anything quite like that. Pretty crazy."
When I heard you play ''The Tin Man'' as a tribute to Kenney Chesney live at the 2016 BMI Country Awards, it brought me to tears. Do you still like to perform live as much as writing songs?
I still love to play. As compared to writing, I love them both. I love to still get out and tour. But songwriting to me, that's my life. I live, eat and sleep writing songs. Without the songwriting end of it, I don't have much of anything.
Dillon shared the stories of his upbringing and how he learned to play his guitar at a very young age and how it became a lifeline of survival to him. He grew to learn how to play the guitar and channel his feelings and the world around him in his songwriting. He has a gift that very few have in this life. He has a natural ability to take the pain and sorrow in life's experiences and the triumphs too, putting them in a song the way that only he can do that is just remarkable. His writing is simple in its lyrics but so profound in the meaning behind every word that says everything all at the same time.
There are so many stories Dillon shared of writing and working with the very best in the music industry. There are so many special stories and one of them is about meeting Tom Collins. He heard something special in Dean Dillon and the rest is history. You will hear how Dillon met country superstars George Strait, Toby Keith, Kenny Chesney, Hank Cochran, Scotty Emerick, and so many more. I know you will love listening to them all as much as I did. Check out my interview with Dean Dillon at the click below.
"Easy Come, Easy Go" and "Here For A Good Time"
Dean Dillon At The Flora-Bama
Dean Dillon: The Country Music Hall of Fame
Tennessee Whiskey/Drink You Away - Justin Timberlake & Chris Stapleton (CMA 2015)
EVENT DATES AND TIMES
April 1, 2022
4:00 pm
Jacksonville, FL
Metropolitan Park
Tickets on Sale HERE
DEAN DILLON’S LEGENDS OF MUSIC ROW
October 13, 2022
5:30 pm
Key West, FL
The Key West Amphitheater
Tickets on Sale HERE
Follow Dean Dillon