Hit country songwriter Luke Laird is stepping in front of the mic for his debut album. Music Row, his first release as an artist, is due out on Sept. 18.

Laird's self-produced project features 10 tracks that, per a press release, "chronicl[e] his journey from being a kid in rural Hartstown, Pa., to becoming one of the most in-demand co-writers and producers in Music City." The album's breezy, steel guitar-flecked title track tells the story of Laird's first visit to Nashville -- during a family vacation when he was in high school -- and how he discovered his future dream career while watching Tony Arata perform at the Bluebird Cafe:

"I knew from that moment on I wanted to be a songwriter,” Laird shares. “The song "Music Row" is about the journey from Pennsylvania to Nashville, and this album is filled with songs that are super personal to me that I hope others will connect with.”

The other nine songs on Music Row are originals rather than Laird's own versions of hits he's penned for other artists. “I wanted to root this project in the feeling I got when I first came to Nashville — the allure of driving on Music Row and knowing there were songwriters working in those houses,” Laird explains.

“I’ve always been a fan of albums, but I’m not a huge fan of writing songs and randomly throwing them together then calling it an album,” he continues. “But this made sense. It’s my story as a songwriter who moved to Nashville to write songs for other people.”

As a songwriter, Laird has earned 24 No. 1 hits and a number of ACM, CMA and Grammy Awards. He's also a BMI Songwriter of the Year winner and recently launched a show on Apple Music Country, Country Replay Radio.

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Luke Laird, Music Row Tracklist:

1. "Music Row"
2. "Good Friends"
3. "Hangin’ Out"
4. "That’s Why I Don’t Drink Anymore"
5. "Why I Am Who I Am"
6. "Leaves on the Ground"
7. "Jake and Mack"
8. "One More Divorce"
9. "Branch on the Tree"
10. "Country Music Will Never Die"

All songs written by Luke Laird, except "Branch on the Tree," which was co-written by Laird, Lori McKenna and Barry Dean.

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