For Georgia-bred country artist Channing Wilson, writing great songs means living each day with an immense depth of empathy, curiosity, and devotion to inspiration. His past triumphs include penning songs for heavy-hitters like Luke Combs—as well as sharing bills with the likes of Steve Earle, Billy Joe Shaver, and Robert Earl Keen— revealing Wilson’s rare gift for turning the most painful aspects of the human condition into songs of life-affirming beauty. Originally from the small town of LaFayette, Wilson first discovered his love of spinning stories into song in his late teens. “When I was a kid, I was always coming up with ideas for inventions,” he says. “So once I found songwriting, I was excited to have a way to create something without a hammer and a nail.” After attempting college twice, Wilson formed a band in his mid-20s and quickly made his name as a formidable local act, but eventually felt called to take his music to the next level. In 2009 he began making frequent trips to Nashville, then landed a deal with EMI Music Publishing and soon started working with his longtime musical hero, the late Guy Clark. Now signed to an artist/publishing agreement with Warner Chappell and Low Country Sound (an Elektra Records imprint helmed by Dave Cobb), Wilson unfailingly finds a profound sense of purpose in the sometimes-exacting work of songwriting.