On this day (November 18) in 1976. Jessi Alexander was born in Jackson, Tennessee. For more than two decades, she has been writing songs for some of the biggest names in country music and beyond. Additionally, Alexander has released three studio albums as a recording artist. Her songs have brought her CMA and ACM Awards as well as multiple Grammy nominations.

Alexander’s journey to being an award-winning songwriter started early. As a child, she taught herself to play piano by ear. At 11, she began closely examining and rewriting the lyrics of songs she enjoyed. Her passion for music didn’t fade as she aged. While she was in college, she spent many evenings in Nashville taking in the local scene and making important connections. “I was trying to sing, I was trying to work,” she told Billboard. “I had a ton of jobs. When I moved here in ’99, I just wanted to use my voice or my writing. I’m so fortunate that it worked for me. So, I quit college and just made my way.”

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Jessi Alexander Finds Her Footing

After moving to Nashville, she auditioned to be one of Reba McEntire’s backup singers. She didn’t get the gig. However, Matt King hired her as one of his backup singers. More importantly, he liked her songs and began sending them to his publishers at Warner Chappell Music. As a result, Alexander landed her first publishing deal a year after moving to Music City.

Just when things were looking up, Alexander’s world was turned upside down. King lost his record deal, and the people who signed her to Warner Chappell were fired. She was, once again, without a team. Years of frustration and further setbacks led her to co-write “The Climb” with John Mabe. Miley Cyrus recorded it in 2009, and it peaked at No. 4 on the Hot 100.

“The Climb” put her on the map as a songwriter. However, she wasn’t interested in writing pop songs. So, she further followed her passion and focused on writing country songs. Since then, her songs have been recorded by a long line of major artists. Some stand out from the rest, though.

For instance, Alexander co-wrote “I Drive Your Truck” with Connie Harrington. Lee Brice took it to the top of the Country Airplay chart and to No. 6 on the Hot Country Songs chart. Moreover, it won Song of the Year at the CMA and ACM Awards in 2013. It also brought her a Grammy nomination for Best Country Song.

Jessi Alexander co-wrote several hit singles for high-profile country artists. For instance, Reba McEntire recorded “When Love Gets a Hold of You,” Blake Shelton cut “Drink on It” and “Savior’s Shadow,” and Luke Combs recorded “Ain’t No Love in Oklahoma” for the Twisters soundtrack. Combs’ cut brought her a Grammy Nomination for Best Song Written for Visual Media.

Featured Image by Gilbert Flores/Billboard via Getty Images