Max T. Barnes

Smoky Mountains Songwriters Festival, Max T. Barnes, Songerwriter, SMSWF, Gatlinburg, TN

In the past 18 months, has toured Australia twice, Ireland four times, England, Belgium, Scotland, Canada and the U.S.  He just signed a new publishing deal with Eleven Eleven Music in Nashville, and scored a cut on Trace Adkins new album called “I’m Gone”.

Max T. Barnes  is a hit writer who is the son of a hit writer. He wrote his first hit song at the age of 19, Vern Gosdin’s “Way Down Deep”. And he’s been topping the charts ever since. Writing “Let Go of the Stone” by John Anderson – “At the Sound of the Tone” by John Schneider – “Before You Kill Us All” by Randy Travis – 3 Weeks at #1 with “That’s How Your Love Makes Me Feel” by Diamond Rio – and 3 Weeks at #1 with “Love, Me” by Colin Raye.

Later that year, “Love, Me”, the career launching hit For Colin Raye also took Max T. to the CMA awards as a CMA “Song of the Year” Nominee. But Max T. Barnes did not win it that time around. Among other greats, he was up against his dad, legendary songwriter Max D. Barnes. His father took home the award that night with “Look At Us”, a song written by him and Vince Gill.  “My poor mom didn’t know who to root for”, Max T. remembers. “I am proud to have been a part of the only father/son competition in CMA history.”His father, Max D., had also won in 1989 with “Chiseled In Stone”.

Between Max T. and His late father they have written 33 #1’s and hits and sold nearly 70 million records. Max T is branching out by doing live dates singing his hits and his favorites of his dad’s. “I love singing “Who’s gonna fill their shoes” ‘cause everybody knows it.” Barnes states. “Chiseled in stone”, “Joe knows how to live”, “This ain’t my first rodeo” “These are the meat and potatoes of country music.” he says. It’s safe to say that when he plays live, He doesn’t run out of material. Among his latest hit singles were two Joe Diffie hits, “A Night to Remember” and “Tougher Than Nails” and “Biker Chick” by JoDee Messina.