“Letting Go”
Written by Brad McKinney, Kelly Walls & Troy Thomas Walls
Interview by American Songwriter
Brad McKinney scored 1st place in the Session One 2025 American Songwriter Lyric Contest for his song “Letting Go.” American Songwriter caught up with him to get the scoop on the inspiration behind the lyrics and other musings.
What made you decide to enter the American Songwriter’s Lyric Contest?
I’m a long-time submitter, first time winner, so I’ve entered a few! This one spoke to me a little deeper, however. The contest was specifically looking for lyrics about letting go, and my co-writers and I had literally just written the title “Letting Go” for my daughter…it felt like the perfect match!
How did you feel when you learned you won?
I was beyond excited! This is such a special song to me for so many reasons, and this contest win only added to that specialness!
What was the inspiration for your submission? Why did you want to write it?
The inspiration was my daughter, Emily. She was married on October 19, 2024, and I was looking for a song as a surprise for our father-daughter dance. She thought we were going to be dancing to “My Little Girl” by Tim McGraw, but I was busy secretly writing and recording a song to play instead.
What’s the story behind “Letting Go”?
I was introduced to my co-writers, Troy and Kelly, by a publisher friend, Jenny Hall from Porchlight. As we got into the room and were getting to know each other, I mentioned that my daughter was getting married in the fall and that I was looking to record a song for that moment. Troy came in hot with that title, and I immediately knew that was the one! We wrote the song and I recorded it a couple months later, managed to keep it a secret up until the moment of the dance, and then completely surprised her when this song played instead of what she was expecting. It was an amazing moment that everyone attending got to witness, and one that I’ll never forget.
Have you written music for this lyric? If so, how would you describe it?
I have! It’s a piano-based ballad in the mold of a traditional father-daughter dance song, and I’ll actually be releasing it to all of the streaming platforms in early 2025!
How long have you been writing lyrics?
I wrote my first song in the summer of 2013, but have been writing “seriously” (albeit part-time) since 2017. I was able to transition to full-time songwriter in the summer of 2023.
Since 1984, American Songwriter’s Lyric Contest has helped aspiring songwriters get noticed and have fun. Enter the 2025 Lyric Contest today before the deadline:
What keeps you motivated as a songwriter?
Contest wins like this, and moments like I described above! Don’t get me wrong, streams are nice, but knowing that a song I wrote impacted everyone that attended my daughter’s wedding is such a special feeling for a songwriter…that’s what it’s al about!
Who are your all-time favorite songwriters, and why?
This could be a VERY long list, but I’ll try to keep it short for the sake of the interview! I’ve always been drawn to Jim Croce and James Taylor simply because of their ability to tell a story through song. Eric Paslay will always be one of my favorites, because his kindness and a chance encounter led to my becoming a songwriter…he’s also an outstanding songwriter in his own right. I would also include my uncle, Dave Maggard, who was a Grammy nominated songwriter in the bluegrass genre, and who helped guide me through getting started with my songwriting journey. There are SO many more, though, including many of my current co-writers!
What’s next for you?
I got a place in Nashville in April of 2024, and being in town has led to many more opportunities. What’s next for me is to continue building the relationships I’ve made, while keeping my eyes open for new opportunities and relationships with the hopes of landing a publishing deal down the road. Oh, and writing more songs!
What would you tell other songwriters who are considering entering the Lyric Contest?
Two words: do it! This is certainly not the first contest I’ve entered, and certainly won’t be the last. You never know when something you’ve written will resonate with others, and the only way to know is to get it out there! Thank you again to American Songwriter for this opportunity!
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