The C.L.I.M.B. with Johnny Dwinell and Brent Baxter

Hosted by Johnny Dwinell and Brent Baxter

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Episodes

954

Latest episode

Oct 2026

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EN-US

About the show

Helping Singers, Songwriters, and Indie Artists Create Leverage In the Music Business.

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60 recent

November 6, 202645 min

Song Title Challenge #225: "We Only Live Forever" w/ Rising Star, Dan Harrison

Today we welcome longtime CLIMBer Dan Harrison, a Nashville artist-songwriter with more than 100 cuts and nearly 20 solo releases. Together, we cook up 5-6 different conceptual angles for a song titled "We Only Live Forever, " sent in by CLIMBer, Kris Tiscareno. Dan's credits include "Son of Jolene," recorded by Belles featuring Dolly Parton, which has 3.6 million streams on Spotify alone. Dan's catalogue includes cuts by Don Louis, Clayton Shay, Carson Beyer, and others. Harrison is a recipient of the 2021 ASCAP Jay Gorney Award and the 2022 Bluebird Golden Pick for his song “Friendly Fire”, which highlights mental health issues facing military veterans. He's also earned the 2023 ASCAP Harold Adamson Lyric Award - Country Division, and is a member of the ASCAP GPS Class of 2023.  Dan was spotlighted as one of “25 Songwriters You Need to Know” by the Nashville Briefing in 2026.  Connect with Dan Harrison Here: Facebook: @DanHarrisonMusic Instagram: @DanHarrisonMusic TikTok: @DanHarrisonMusic YouTube: @DanHarrisonMusic Spotify: Dan Harrison Website: https://danharrisonmusic.com The C.L.I.M.B. Show is dedicated to helping singers, songwriters, indie artists and industry pros "Create Leverage In The Music Business." We want you to win! About the hosts: Brent Baxter is an award-winning hit songwriter with cuts by Alan Jackson (“Monday Morning Church”), Randy Travis, Lady A, Joe Nichols, Ray Stevens, Gord Bamford and more.  He helps songwriters turn pro by helping them WRITE like a pro, DO BUSINESS like a pro and CONNECT to the pros.  You can find Brent at SongwritingPro.com/Baxter and  SongwritingPro.com. Johnny Dwinell owns Daredevil Production and helps artists increase their streams, blow up their video views, sell more live show tickets, and get discovered by new fans, TV and music industry pros. Daredevil has worked with artists including Collin Raye, Tracy Lawrence, Ty Herndon, Ronnie McDowell and others.  You can find Johnny at TheCLIMBshow.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

November 3, 202642 min

Ep 547: Interview with Hit Songwriter Matt Warren

Today we talk to #1 hit songwriter Matt Warren. While he was mowing grass and selling Christmas trees to make ends meet, a country star told him, "Don't you dare sign a publishing deal." What's that all about? Listen up to find out! Connect with Matt Warren Here: Facebook: @MattWarren Instagram: @TheMattWarren The C.L.I.M.B. Show is dedicated to helping singers, songwriters, indie artists and industry pros "Create Leverage In The Music Business." We want you to win! About the hosts: Brent Baxter is an award-winning hit songwriter with cuts by Alan Jackson (“Monday Morning Church”), Randy Travis, Lady A, Joe Nichols, Ray Stevens, Gord Bamford and more.  He helps songwriters turn pro by helping them WRITE like a pro, DO BUSINESS like a pro and CONNECT to the pros.  You can find Brent at SongwritingPro.com/Baxter and  SongwritingPro.com. Johnny Dwinell owns Daredevil Production and helps artists increase their streams, blow up their video views, sell more live show tickets, and get discovered by new fans, TV and music industry pros. Daredevil has worked with artists including Collin Raye, Tracy Lawrence, Ty Herndon, Ronnie McDowell and others.  You can find Johnny at TheCLIMBshow.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

October 27, 202646 min

Ep 546: Are You Process Oriented or Goal Oriented?

Climbers, honest question. Do you consider yourself process-oriented or goal-oriented? If you don't have an answer, you'd better get to the bottom of it quickly. If you do have one, choose wisely, Grasshopper. Here's why one of these could hinder your success... The C.L.I.M.B. Show is dedicated to helping singers, songwriters, indie artists and industry pros "Create Leverage In The Music Business." We want you to win! About the hosts: Brent Baxter is an award-winning hit songwriter with cuts by Alan Jackson (“Monday Morning Church”), Randy Travis, Lady A, Joe Nichols, Ray Stevens, Gord Bamford and more.  He helps songwriters turn pro by helping them WRITE like a pro, DO BUSINESS like a pro and CONNECT to the pros.  You can find Brent at SongwritingPro.com/Baxter and  SongwritingPro.com. Johnny Dwinell owns Daredevil Production and helps artists increase their streams, blow up their video views, sell more live show tickets, and get discovered by new fans, TV and music industry pros. Daredevil has worked with artists including Collin Raye, Tracy Lawrence, Ty Herndon, Ronnie McDowell and others.  You can find Johnny at TheCLIMBshow.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

October 23, 202630 min

Song Title Challenge #224: "Show Me Your Hand" w/ SHOF Hit Songwriter, Aaron Barker

Baxter and Johnny D welcome Aaron Barker to The Challenge, where they create 5-6 different conceptual ideas for a song titled "Show Me Your Hand," sent in by CLIMBer, Mark Lawhorne. Aaron is a Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame inductee whose songs helped define George Strait's catalog. His credits include " Like Baby Blue," "Love Without End, Amen," "Easy Come, Easy Go," "I'd Like to Have That One Back," " I Know She Still Loves Me," "I Can Still Make Cheyenne," as well as Lonestar's number-one, "What About Now." His songs have also been recorded by Clay Walker, Neal McCoy, Aaron Tippin, and Doug Supernaw's "Hours in the Night." The C.L.I.M.B. Show is dedicated to helping singers, songwriters, indie artists and industry pros "Create Leverage In The Music Business." We want you to win! About the hosts: Brent Baxter is an award-winning hit songwriter with cuts by Alan Jackson (“Monday Morning Church”), Randy Travis, Lady A, Joe Nichols, Ray Stevens, Gord Bamford and more.  He helps songwriters turn pro by helping them WRITE like a pro, DO BUSINESS like a pro and CONNECT to the pros.  You can find Brent at SongwritingPro.com/Baxter and  SongwritingPro.com. Johnny Dwinell owns Daredevil Production and helps artists increase their streams, blow up their video views, sell more live show tickets, and get discovered by new fans, TV and music industry pros. Daredevil has worked with artists including Collin Raye, Tracy Lawrence, Ty Herndon, Ronnie McDowell and others.  You can find Johnny at TheCLIMBshow.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

October 20, 202642 min

Ep 545: 5 Things We Can Learn From Dolly Parton

Dolly Parton didn't just leave a catalog of legendary songs; she left us a masterclass in songwriting, business courage, and knowing who you are. Today, we're breaking down five things every songwriter and indie artist can learn from the legend. Godspeed, Dolly Parton.💔 The C.L.I.M.B. Show is dedicated to helping singers, songwriters, indie artists and industry pros "Create Leverage In The Music Business." We want you to win! About the hosts: Brent Baxter is an award-winning hit songwriter with cuts by Alan Jackson (“Monday Morning Church”), Randy Travis, Lady A, Joe Nichols, Ray Stevens, Gord Bamford and more.  He helps songwriters turn pro by helping them WRITE like a pro, DO BUSINESS like a pro and CONNECT to the pros.  You can find Brent at SongwritingPro.com/Baxter and  SongwritingPro.com. Johnny Dwinell owns Daredevil Production and helps artists increase their streams, blow up their video views, sell more live show tickets, and get discovered by new fans, TV and music industry pros. Daredevil has worked with artists including Collin Raye, Tracy Lawrence, Ty Herndon, Ronnie McDowell and others.  You can find Johnny at TheCLIMBshow.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

October 13, 20261 hr 9 min

Ep 544: Interview w/ Artist Manager, Clayton Toney

Clayton Toney is an artist manager at Neon Coast and co-manager of country artist Randall King. He's been part of Randall's team for seven years, helping build a career that now includes more than 500 million streams, international touring, and roughly 150 shows per year. Before joining Neon Coast, he worked in management and A&R at Durango Artist Management, where he worked on projects for both Randall King and Cody Johnson, including Cody's Human, The Double Album, and Leather Deluxe Edition. Clayton helped identify "Till You Can't", which went on to become a massive number-one Grammy winner, CMA single and video of the year, and now a 6X platinum hit. We talk about finding great songs, developing artists, building a fan base, touring management, and what it really takes to build a sustainable career in country music. Connect with Clayton Toney Here: Facebook: @RandallKingBand Instagram: @RandallKingBand TikTok: @RandallKingMusic The C.L.I.M.B. Show is dedicated to helping singers, songwriters, indie artists and industry pros "Create Leverage In The Music Business." We want you to win! About the hosts: Brent Baxter is an award-winning hit songwriter with cuts by Alan Jackson (“Monday Morning Church”), Randy Travis, Lady A, Joe Nichols, Ray Stevens, Gord Bamford and more.  He helps songwriters turn pro by helping them WRITE like a pro, DO BUSINESS like a pro and CONNECT to the pros.  You can find Brent at SongwritingPro.com/Baxter and  SongwritingPro.com. Johnny Dwinell owns Daredevil Production and helps artists increase their streams, blow up their video views, sell more live show tickets, and get discovered by new fans, TV and music industry pros. Daredevil has worked with artists including Collin Raye, Tracy Lawrence, Ty Herndon, Ronnie McDowell and others.  You can find Johnny at TheCLIMBshow.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

October 9, 202651 min

Song Title Challenge #223: "Pretty Penny" with Legendary Hit Songwriter Dave Gibson

Brent & Johnny welcome legendary hit songwriter Dave Gibson to The Challenge, and they create 5-6 different conceptual angles for writing a song titled "Pretty Penny". Dave Gibson wrote Alabama's "Jukebox On My Mind", Joe Diffie's "Ships That Don't Come In", Tanya Tucker's "If It Don't Come Easy", Confederate Railroad's "Queen of Memphis", and Pam Tillis' "Do You Know Where Your Man Is?". He also formed the ACM-winning Gibson Miller Band and won multiple ACM and NSAI honors. Connect with Dave Gibson Here: Instagram: @DaveGibsonMusic46 Facebook: @DaveGibson YouTube: @DaveGibsonMusic The C.L.I.M.B. Show is dedicated to helping singers, songwriters, indie artists and industry pros "Create Leverage In The Music Business." We want you to win! About the hosts: Brent Baxter is an award-winning hit songwriter with cuts by Alan Jackson (“Monday Morning Church”), Randy Travis, Lady A, Joe Nichols, Ray Stevens, Gord Bamford and more.  He helps songwriters turn pro by helping them WRITE like a pro, DO BUSINESS like a pro and CONNECT to the pros.  You can find Brent at SongwritingPro.com/Baxter and  SongwritingPro.com. Johnny Dwinell owns Daredevil Production and helps artists increase their streams, blow up their video views, sell more live show tickets, and get discovered by new fans, TV and music industry pros. Daredevil has worked with artists including Collin Raye, Tracy Lawrence, Ty Herndon, Ronnie McDowell and others.  You can find Johnny at TheCLIMBshow.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

October 6, 20261 hr 16 min

Ep 543: Interview w/ Songwriter Scott Sean White

For 22 years, Scott Sean White has lived in Poetry, Texas, as a professional songwriter. He's been making regular trips to Nashville every two weeks and proving you don't have to be a Nashville resident to grow and succeed as a songwriter and artist. Scott has had his songs cut by Cody Johnson and Bryan Martin. He's also an artist in his own right with 3 album releases under his belt. Today, we discuss how he's succeeded from afar. Connect with Scott Sean White here: Facebook: @ScottSeanWhite Instagram: @ScottSeanWhite TikTok: @ScottSeanWhite YouTube: @ScottSeanWhiteMusic The C.L.I.M.B. Show is dedicated to helping singers, songwriters, indie artists and industry pros "Create Leverage In The Music Business." We want you to win! About the hosts: Brent Baxter is an award-winning hit songwriter with cuts by Alan Jackson (“Monday Morning Church”), Randy Travis, Lady A, Joe Nichols, Ray Stevens, Gord Bamford and more.  He helps songwriters turn pro by helping them WRITE like a pro, DO BUSINESS like a pro and CONNECT to the pros.  You can find Brent at SongwritingPro.com/Baxter and  SongwritingPro.com. Johnny Dwinell owns Daredevil Production and helps artists increase their streams, blow up their video views, sell more live show tickets, and get discovered by new fans, TV and music industry pros. Daredevil has worked with artists including Collin Raye, Tracy Lawrence, Ty Herndon, Ronnie McDowell and others.  You can find Johnny at TheCLIMBshow.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

September 29, 202656 min

Ep 542: Interview w/ Industry Legend, Shelby Kennedy

Today's guest, Shelby Kennedy, is a songwriter, music executive, A&R veteran, and lifelong student of the music business. Ray Charles recorded Shelby's first song while he was still in college. He later wrote Reba McEntire's "I'm a Survivor" and has worked on the business side at companies including ASCAP, Lyric Street Records, BMI, TuneCore, and ONErpm. Along the way, he's helped discover, develop, and guide artists and songwriters at virtually every level of the industry. Now he's taken decades of those conversations and lessons and put them into a new book, Gold & Platinum Nuggets of Wisdom: Bite-Sized Perspectives For Navigating The Music Industry, designed to feel less like a textbook and more like sitting down for a series of meetings with somebody who's been on the inside forever. Purchase Shelby's Book Here: Gold & Platinum Nuggets of Wisdom: Bite-Sized Perspectives For Navigating The Music Business Connect with Shelby Kennedy Here: Instagram: @MusicCityShelby Facebook: @ShelbyKennedy TikTok: @MusicCityShelby The C.L.I.M.B. Show is dedicated to helping singers, songwriters, indie artists and industry pros "Create Leverage In The Music Business." We want you to win! About the hosts: Brent Baxter is an award-winning hit songwriter with cuts by Alan Jackson (“Monday Morning Church”), Randy Travis, Lady A, Joe Nichols, Ray Stevens, Gord Bamford and more.  He helps songwriters turn pro by helping them WRITE like a pro, DO BUSINESS like a pro and CONNECT to the pros.  You can find Brent at SongwritingPro.com/Baxter and  SongwritingPro.com. Johnny Dwinell owns Daredevil Production and helps artists increase their streams, blow up their video views, sell more live show tickets, and get discovered by new fans, TV and music industry pros. Daredevil has worked with artists including Collin Raye, Tracy Lawrence, Ty Herndon, Ronnie McDowell and others.  You can find Johnny at TheCLIMBshow.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

September 25, 202633 min

Song Title Challenge #222: "Curve Baller" w/ Hit Songwriter, Rob Hatch

Brent & Johnny welcome hit songwriter Rob Hatch to The Challenge, where they cook up 5-6 different conceptual angles for writing a song titled "Curve Baller". Rob's catalog includes number ones like Justin Moore's "If Heaven Wasn't So Far Away", Randy Houser's "Goodnight Kiss", Lee Brice's "I Don't Dance", which won the ACM Award for Single of the Year, and most recently, Megan Maroney's "Six Months Later". He was also named SESAC Songwriter of the Year in 2014, and his cuts include songs recorded by Faith Hill, Luke Bryan, Joe Nichols, Jamie Johnson, Ronnie Dunn, and others. He's also a co-founder of Pump House Records alongside long-time friend, Lee Brice. Rob also helped found and runs EnterSong Entertainment, which is a songwriter booking agency with 120 of the best songwriters you've ever heard in your life. Connect With Rob Hatch: Facebook: @RobHatch Instagram: @RobHatchMusic Website: RobHatchMusic.com Pump House Records: PumpHouseRecords.com Entersong Entertainment: Entersong.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices