Killer Nashville Songwriters Live Roundtable

David Malloy

If Songwriter/Producer David Malloy wrote a book about his life, it would, no doubt, include the facts that his songs (either written and/or produced) have held the number one spot on the charts approximately 40 times, and in 2022 he was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame. There would be a chapter on his rich musical legacy that began with his late father Jim Malloy, a renowned engineer and producer. So, it does not seem too far-fetched that as a 15-year-old boy, Malloy knew exactly what he wanted to do with his life when he began writing songs. 

Of course, a chapter would be devoted to the fact that the very first artist he ever produced was Eddie Rabbitt, whom he met through Eddie’s buddy and co-writer, Even Stevens. Malloy started co-writing with both Eddie Rabbitt and Stevens around the time of Eddie’s third album. From that time on, Malloy and Stevens penned over 50 songs together. As Rabbitt’s producer, Malloy is credited with creating the crossover-influenced sound of country music that defined the genre in the 80’s and well into the 90’s. Readers would be enchanted with tales of a rich career producing artists like Dolly Parton, Kenny Rogers, Mindy McCready, Reba McEntire, Rodney Crowell, Rosanne Cash, and many others. Additionally, his songs have been recorded and/or covered on albums by Badfinger, Bettye LaVette, Billy Burnette, Dr. Hook, Fleetwood Mac, Gregg Allman Band, Julianne Hough, The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Tim McGraw, Roy Orbison, and more. 

However, the BIG reveal in the current chapter of such an auto-biographical book would come where Malloy discloses, that “of all the artists I have worked with, there is one artist I have never had the honor or privilege of producing or writing songs for…myself!”This newest chapter in the David Malloy book of life stars the longtime prolific songwriter and hit-making producer—now as the artist. “People have always encouraged me to write a book about my life but that is not something I am interested in,” Malloy shares. “This 43 minute, 3 second album titled Mirror consisting of 14 self-penned songs, is my book. It is a musical anthology and a profound look back at the highs and lows of my life.”