Grammy Award-winner Liz Rose 'A Classic Example of a Great Co-writer'

For ole, Liz Rose and Taylor Swift at the 52nd annual Grammy Awards, the tension mounted and rode off on a "White Horse"-that is the Taylor Swift track, co-written by Swift and Rose, which earned the Grammy for all concerned in the category of Best Country Song.

In accepting the Best Country Song Grammy and thanking Taylor Swift, Liz Rose recalled a curly-headed 14-year-old, who six years ago walked up to her and said: "Do you think you would write with me sometime?" "Thankfully, I said, 'Yes!'" Rose quipped.

Swift noted that Rose had started writing songs with her when she had absolutely no reason to do so. "I didn't have a record label; I didn't have anything to offer her, but I'm so glad that she wrote songs with me anyway."

The Grammy win follows a number of previous honours bestowed on the Swift/Rose collaboration including a SESAC award for "White Horse" and a pair of BMI awards for their co-write, "Picture To Burn;" both proudly published ole songs.

"Liz Rose is a classic example of a great co-writer," says Michael McCarty, President of ole. "She gracefully and humbly helps other people shine without seeking the spotlight herself, but deserves her moment in it."

"I can't think of better people to have that catalogue in the hands of; they're taking good care of it," says Liz Rose, echoing the sentiments of Jody Williams, who expressed his desire at the time of putting his company up for sale to have it end up in the hands of a publisher who was looking for a stronger foothold in Nashville and as hungry to get songs recorded as he was. "With all the success of the catalogue after they bought it, they could have just gone on their merry way but they have always included me in everything. They have also celebrated my successes with me even when I was writing in another company. Most publishers just wouldn't do that."

ole's relationship with Liz Rose, SESAC's 2007 Writer of the Year, began in the fall of 2008 when the company purchased the Jody Williams Music catalogue, which includes seven Taylor Swift/Liz Rose co-writes that appeared on Swift's self-titled, multi-platinum, debut album including "Tim McGraw," "Teardrops On My Guitar," Picture To Burn," "Tied Together With a Smile," "Stay Beautiful," "Cold As You" and "Mary's Song." To this point, 13 ole-published tracks have appeared on Swift's four albums including the two additional tracks, "Come In With the Rain" and "SuperStar," on the re-released Fearless: Platinum Edition set and the cut "Christmases When You Were Mine" on The Taylor Swift Holiday Collection album.

In 2004, Rose had three songs on the country chart simultaneously including "Songs About Rain" (Gary Allan) and "The Wrong Girl" (Lee Ann Womack), both co-written with Pat McLaughlin and "Back To the Bottom Drawer" (Chely Wright), co-written with Wright. "'Til It Feels Like Cheating," a co-write between Rose and Lisa Carver, marked the first time in the career of singer-songwriter Jewel that she recorded a song she didn't write.

"I usually just write whatever mood I'm in, or whatever's going on with whoever I'm in the room with," Rose told music journalist Larry Wayne Clark in an interview that appeared in Music Row magazine. "I pick their brain and make them spill their guts! I think you have to have an open mind. I'm just lucky that, because I'm not an artist and I don't play, I can kinda go in a room with anybody and write. I'm the conduit; I'm there to help artists say what they want to say."

Rose would seem to be cool under pressure - a valuable asset in the writing game - as those that spoke to her prior to her big Grammy night will attest. "It's starting to sink in now," she seemed to fret as the big night approached. "It's starting to sink in that I'm actually going to have to wear high heels all day and I'm kinda freakin' out about it! Honest to God, that's the only thing I'm freakin' out about right now are the shoes!"

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