Ray, I apologize. I try to read through these and direct comments at the poster before.But sometimes I get one or two confused. Your points were exactly right on. I didn't write "i've been everywhere" but I sure feel like I've lived it. I always say Nashville writers age 7 years for most humans. We're all a couple hundred years old here.

Aaron, you are correct. Chris has had a pretty impressive run. When Carrie Underwood won in American Idol, she started being in Nashville. The first thing all the "hit and upcoming writers" start doing is writing with these people. Chris is with Major Bob publishing, which was Garth Brook's publishing company. "Major Bob" is Bob Doyle, who was his manager.

So Chris, Rodney,and a few others had the inside track on songs for Carrie, including "Next time He Cheats." When someone gets really hot, every label, producer,artist, come to those people first in a "what else ya got?" kind of deal. So you find them getting TONS of cuts, and sometimes they all hit about the same time. And plus they are some pretty amazing songwriters.

I'm pretty sure that is what you are seeing. In the past it happened with people like Don Schlitz, who wrote the Gambler, You Say it Best When You Say Nothing at All,and most of the Randy Travis catalogue. Later it would be people like Craig Wiseman and Jeffery Steele. Now Chris and Rodney seem to be in the hot seat. Good for them.

MAB