Chris DeStefano, a GRAMMY® Award-winning songwriter, producer, and multi-instrumentalist from Mt. Laurel, New Jersey, began his musical journey in the Academy Boys Choir of Philadelphia. At 13, he started writing songs after picking up his first guitar. His passion for music led him to study film scoring at Berklee College of Music in Boston. After graduating, he moved to Los Angeles, where he discovered his true calling in songwriting and production. In 2008, DeStefano signed a publishing deal with EMI and quickly found success with David Archuleta’s hit “Something About Love.” He continued to write for several American Idol stars, including Kelly Clarkson, David Cook, and Scotty McCreery. In 2012, DeStefano transitioned to country music, splitting time between Los Angeles and Nashville. His first country hit came with Jana Kramer’s “Why You Wanna,” which peaked at #3 on the Billboard chart. His first #1 came with Carrie Underwood’s “Good Girl,” followed by multiple chart-toppers for Underwood, including the GRAMMY®-winning “Something In The Water.” Destefano also co-wrote Morgan Evans’ “Kiss Somebody,” which won Country Work of the Year at the APRA Music Awards. His other chart-toppers include songs recorded by Billy Currington (“Hey Girl”), Brett Eldredge (“Don’t Ya”), Luke Bryan (“That’s My Kind of Night”, “Kick the Dust Up”), Miranda Lambert (“Somethin’ Bad”), Rascal Flatts (“Rewind”), Dan + Shay (“From the Ground Up”, “Nothin’ Like You”and Chase Rice (“Ready Set Roll”).

With nearly two dozen smash hits, multiple BMI songwriting awards, a Grammy for Best Country Song, as well as being inducted into the Nashville Songwriter Hall of Fame in 2017, Tim Nichols has earned his place among Nashville's most elite and respected tunesmiths. In 2004, along with Craig Wiseman, Nichols wrote Tim McGraw's "Live Like You Were Dying," which stayed at #1 for ten consecutive weeks. In addition to breaking a 30 year record, "Live Like You Were Dying" won the Grammy award for Best Country Song in 2005. It also won the Song of the Year award from the Country Music Association, Academy of Country Music, BMI Country Awards, ASCAP Country Awards, Billboard and the Nashville Songwriters Association International. It is the only song to have won every major song award that is presented for country music. Other Nichols’ hits helped launch the careers of Jo Dee Messina, (Heads Carolina, Tails California) and Dustin Lynch. (Cowboys and Angels) Jana Kramer had a Top 5 hit with I Got The Boy and Sony Music artist Chris Young stayed at the top of the charts for 3 weeks with the Nichols composition, “The Man I Want To Be.” More recently Cole Swindell put a new twist on the Jo Dee Messina, Heads Carolina classic by staying at the top of the country charts for 5 weeks with She Had Me At Heads Carolina. Feeling the importance of giving back to the community and the music industry, Nichols is a former member of the Board of Directors of the Country Music Association, and a current member of the Nashville Songwriter Association International Board of Directors. In addition to being a past President of the Board of Directors of the High Hopes Preschool and Pediatric Therapy Clinic, Nichols participates in The Warburton and The Rahm, two annual events that benefit St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. When not on Music Row in pursuit of his next hit, or entertaining crowds with his songs and stories, Tim can be found on keynote stages across the country, sharing what chart-topping songwriters know about creativity, collaboration, and teamwork—so that companies, corporations, and businesses can be at the top the charts in their own industries.

Deric Ruttan is an ACM and Grammy-nominated, Nashville-based singer/songwriter and Canadian country music artist.  The writer of nine Billboard Top 10 radio charting singles - including five #1 country songs - Deric Ruttan has had over 150 of his songs recorded.  His songs have appeared on 20 million albums, and have been streamed over 2 billion times.  Deric was raised just outside Bracebridge, Ontario, on the same land his great-grandfather made moonshine on in the 1930’s.  It was the perfect backdrop for the singer/songwriter, who grew up listening to everything from CCR to Gordon Lightfoot to Van Halen.  After touring with several country bar bands, Deric moved to Nashville, where his unique outlook and delivery attracted the attention and praise of songwriters Don Schlitz, Steve Earle, and Steve Bogard.  Deric’s songs have been recorded by Eric Church, Blake Shelton, Jason Aldean, Morgan Wallen, Luke Combs, Tim McGraw, Dierks Bentley and others.  Bentley’s chart-toppers “What Was I Thinkin’” and “Lot Of Leavin’ Left To Do” are Ruttan co-writes, as are the Eric Church hits,  “Guys Like Me” and “Hell On The Heart”.  In 2013, Deric celebrated a multi-week #1 song with “Mine Would Be You”, recorded by Blake Shelton.  “Mine Would Be You” was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Country Song, and an ACM Award for Song Of The Year.  A short while later, Deric celebrated his second Blake Shelton #1 hit with the introspective “Came Here To Forget”.  In 2017 country music superstar Jason Aldean took Deric’s song “Any Ol’ Barstool” to the top of the charts to become the songwriter’s 4th #1 country single, and in 2020,  “Die From A Broken Heart”, by Mercury Nashville duo Maddie & Tae, climbed the charts to become Deric’s 5th #1 song.  As an artist, Deric Ruttan has released 4 studio albums and one live album (recorded at the world-renowned Calgary Stampede), headlined 4 of his own coast-to-coast tours, and celebrated eleven Top 10 songs at country radio in Canada.  His debut single “When You Come Around” was ranked #10 on Canadian country radio’s ‘Most Played Songs Of The Decade, 2000-2009’ list.  An ASCAP (10x), SOCAN (11x), CCMA (Canadian Country Music Association) (2x) award winner, and the recipient of 3 Nashville Songwriter’s Association International “Top 10 Songs I Wish I’d Written” Awards (for “What Was I Thinkin’”, “Mine Would Be You” and “Die From A Broken Heart”), Deric and his wife Margaret make their home just outside Nashville, Tennessee.