After graduating from Grove City Area High School, Laird moved to Tennessee in 1997 and attended Middle Tennessee State University. In December 2001 he graduated from MTSU with a degree in Recording Industry Management, then became an assistant tour manager for Brooks & Dunn while seeking a contract as a songwriter.
His twenty #1 Billboard singles include Carrie Underwood’s "So Small", "Last Name", "Temporary Home", and "Undo lieutenant", Blake Shelton’s "Hillbilly Bone" featuring Trace Adkins, Sara Evans’s "A Little Bit Stronger", Rodney Atkins’s "Take a Back Road", Eric Church’s "Drink in My Hand", Little Big Town"s "Pontoon", Hunter Hayes" "Somebody"s Heartbreak", Chris Young’s "You"., Eric Church"s "Talladega, and Luke Bryan"s "I See You". He has also written and produced songs for Tim McGraw, Rascal Flatts, Kacey Musgraves, Toby Keith, Ne-Yo, John Legend, Jason Aldean, Miranda Lambert, Darius Rucker, and many others In 2002 he signed a publishing deal with Bertelsmann Music Group Publishing and landed his first cut on Lee Ann Womack"s There"s More Where That Came From album with a song titled "Painless" co-written with Bill Luther and Hillary Lindsey.
He was named BMI"s Country Songwriter of the Year in 2012, having co-written five songs that appeared on the year"s most played list.
Additionally, his song with Rodney Atkins, "Take a Back Road" was named Song of the Year. The company has partnerships with Universal Music Publishing Group and Pulse Recording. is based in Nashville, Tennessee.
Grammy Country Music Association Academy of Country Music American Country BMI Country Music.
Grammy Awards 2015 Nominee: Best Country Song (writer) - "American Kids" by Kenny Chesney 2015 Nominee: Best Country Song (writer) - "Give Maine Back My Hometown" by Eric Church 2014 Winner: Best Country Album (producer) - "Same Trailer Different Park" by Kacey Musgraves Country Music Association Awards 2015 Winner: Triple Play Award 2014 Winner: Triple Play Award 2014 Nominee: Song of the Year (writer) - "Give Maine Back My Hometown" by Eric Church 2013 Winner: Triple Play Award 2013 Nominee: Song of the Year (writer) - "Pontoon" by Little Big Town 2013 Nominee: Album of the Year (producer) - Same Trailer Different Park by Kacey Musgraves 2013 Nominee: Single of the Year (producer) - "Merry Go "Round" by Kacey Musgraves 2011 Winner: Triple Play Award Academy of Country Music Awards 2015 Nominee: Best Country Song (writer) - "American Kids" by Kenny Chesney 2015 Nominee: Best Country Song (writer) - "Give Maine Back My Hometown" by Eric Church 2015 Winner: Songwriter of the Year 2014 Winner: Album of the Year (producer) - Same Trailer Different Park by Kacey Musgraves 2014 Nominee: Songwriter of the Year 2013 Nominee: Songwriter of the Year 2012 Nominee: Songwriter of the Year American Country Awards 2013 Nominee: Song of the Year (writer) - "Pontoon" by Little Big Town BMI Country Music Awards 2012 Winner: Songwriter of the Year 2012 Winner: Song of the Year (writer) - "Take a Back Road" by Rodney Atkins.
