Nicolle Anne Galyon (born July 22, 1984) is an American singer, songwriter, producer, record label executive, and publishing executive based in Nashville. She gained national exposure early in her career after a 2012 appearance as a contestant on NBC's The Voice. She co-wrote the song "Automatic" sung by Miranda Lambert which was named the 2015 ACM's 'Song of the Year' and the 2014 CMA's single of the year. In 2019, she was named BMI Country Songwriter of the Year and was the first woman to win the award since Taylor Swift took home the award in 2010. As of 2025, she is credited for writing 10 No. 1 hits. Galyon has written songs for Lady A, Keith Urban, Kenny Chesney, Dan + Shay, Florida Georgia Line, and others.
Career Originally from Sterling, Kansas, Galyon made her way to Nashville, Tennessee in 2002 to attend Belmont University for Music Business. At Belmont, Galyon discovered her passion for songwriting and signed a publishing deal with Warner/Chappell Nashville shortly after graduating in 2006. In 2012, she appeared on season 2 of The Voice as a contestant on Adam Levine's team, then being eliminated in the battle rounds. There she met RaeLynn and Miranda Lambert, two friendships that she accredits for kickstarting her songwriting career.
Galyon earned her first #1 song with "We Were Us" performed by Keith Urban and Miranda Lambert. Soon after this success, veteran Nashville songwriting heavyweights like Shane McAnally and Josh Osborne noticed her and invited her to be a part of their in-the-round performances. Speaking about this later, Galyon said, "I remember it was conflicting for me because I only had one song to play that anyone knew...but they could each play 20 hits, all night long". She said that their stamp of approval gave her confidence and kept her going.
With co-writers Miranda Lambert and Natalie Hemby, Galyon won 2015 ACM's 'Song of the Year', and the 2014 CMA's single of the year for the Miranda Lambert's Automatic. Since then Galyon has had songs recorded by RaeLynn on her album WildHorse, Dan + Shay on their album Obsessed, Kenny Chesney on his album Cosmic Hallelujah, Florida Georgia Line on their album Dig Your Roots, Lady Antebellum on their album Golden, and Thomas Rhett on his album Tangled Up, among others.
Record label
Galyon partnered with Big Loud Records to launch the female-focused record label, "Songs and Daughters". The label was announced in July, 2019 and signed Madison Kozak as its flagship artist. In 2020, Galyon expanded the label to include a publishing arm. In 2020, Galyon served as a producer and writer on iHeartRadio scripted podcast "Make It Up As We Go."
Philanthropy
Galyon is heavily involved in the CMA Foundation's music education initiative and served as an NSAI Board Member & CMT Next Women of Country mentor. Galyon has worked with the "Save the Music Foundation", a non-profit music education organization and with "Songfarm", a philanthropic organization designed to give U.S.high schools professional recording equipment for students to use. She also provides a college scholarship to a senior at her alma mater, Sterling High School, each year through an "Autobiography Scholarship" program.
Personal life Galyon married songwriter Rodney Clawson October 13, 2007. They have two children together, daughter Charlie Jo Clawson born May 29, 2013, and son Ford Sterling Clawson born April 14, 2015.
Discography
Studio albums firstborn (2022)
Songwriting credits
YearArtistAlbumSongCo-written with2010Point of GraceHome for the Holidays"The Giver and the Gift"Molly Reed, Jonathan Yudkin2011Josh KelleyGeorgia Clay"Gone Like That"Josh Kelley, Clint LagerbergJasmine RaeListen Here"Let it Be Me" Molly ReedLauren AlainaWildflower"Growing Her Wings"Nicole Witt"Dirt Road Prayer"April Geesbreght2013Lady AGolden"It Ain't Pretty"Eric PaslayKeith UrbanFuse"We Were Us" Jon Nite, Jimmy RobbinsDanielle BradberyDanielle Bradbery"Daughter of a Workin' Man"Dave Barnes, Clint Lagerberg"Dance Hall"April Geesbreght, Molly Reed2014Dan + ShayWhere It All Began"Party Girl"Shay Mooney, Dan SmyersFlorida Georgia LineAnything Goes"All Nighter"Tyler Hubbard, Brian Kelley, Jimmy RobbinsLady A747"Girl on the Radio"David Hodges, Jimmy Robbins Lucy Hale Road Between "From the Backseat" Mike Daly, Jimmy RobbinsMiranda LambertPlatinum"Girls"Natalie Hemby, Jimmy Robbins"Priscilla""Babies Makin' Babies""Platinum"Natalie Hemby, Miranda Lambert"Automatic"Chase RiceIgnite the Night"What's Your Name"Zack Crowell, Matt Jenkins2015RaeLynnMe EP"God Made Girls" RaeLynnm Lori McKenna, Liz Rose"Boyfriend"Hailey Steele, Rachel WoodwardAlways Sing"Always Sing"RaeLynn, Jimmy RobbinsNashville CastTrouble"Trouble"Chris RobertsMichael RayMichael Ray"Wish I Was Here"Nathan Chapman, Matt JenkinsThomas RhettTangled Up"Anthem"Shane McAnally, Jimmy Robbins"Learned It From the Radio"Ashley Gorley, Jimmy Robbins2016Martina McBrideReckless"It Ain't Pretty"Eric Paslay"Diamond"Eric Paslay, Liz RoseDan + ShayObsessed"All Nighter"David Hodges, Jimmy Robbins"Lipstick"Shay Mooney, Dan SmyersRaeLynn"Love Triangle"RaeLynn, Jimmy RobbinsFantasiaThe Definition Of..."Ugly"Audra MaeFlorida Georgia LineDig Your Roots"Smooth"Tyler Hubbard, Brian Kelley, Jordan SchmidtKenny ChesneyCosmic Hallelujah"All the Pretty Girls"Tommy Lee James, Josh OsborneHigh ValleyDear Life"The Only"N/AMiranda LambertThe Weight of These Wings"Six Degrees of Separation"N/A2017RaeLynnWildHorse"Your Heart"RaeLynn, Jimmy Robbins"Love Triangle""Insecure""Graveyard""Lonely Call"RaeLynn, Rob Hawkins"The Apple"Marshall Altman, Emily Weisband"Young" RaeLynn, Leeland Mooring"Praying for Rain"Kenny Chesney"All the Pretty Girls"Tommy Lee James, Josh OsborneEli Young BandFingerprints"Saltwater Gospel"Ross Copperman, Ashley GorleyLady AHeart Break"Heart Break"Dave Haywood, Charles Kelley, Hillary Scott, Jesse Frasure"Army"Dave Haywood, Charles Kelley, Hillary Lindsey, Busbee"Big Love in a Small Town"Dave Haywood, Charles Kelley, Hillary Lindsey, Jordan ReynoldsKelsea BalleriniUnapologetically"Music"Kelsea Ballerini, Jennifer Denmark, Jimmy RobbinsLee BriceLee Brice"Boy"Jon NiteKeith UrbanGraffiti U"Female"Ross Copperman, Shane McAnallyLuke BryanWhat Makes You Country"Win Life"Rodney Clawson, Ross CoppermanBrandon RayEnds of the Earth"Ends of the Earth"Ross Copperman, Jon NiteDanielle BradberyI Don't Believe We've Met"Red Wine+White Couch"Alysa Vanderheym, Emily WeisbandWalker Hayesboom."Halloween"Walker HayesEli Young BandFingerprints"Saltwater Gospel"Ashley Gorley, Ross Copperman2018Dan + ShayTequila"Tequila"Dan Smyers, Jordan Reynolds, Camila CabelloCamila"Consequences"Amy Wadge, Emily WeisbandKeith UrbanGraffiti U"Coming Home" Keith Urban, J.R. Rotem, Julia Michaels, Merle HaggardBrett YoungTicket to L.A."The Ship and the Bottle"Chase McGill, Jon Nite2019Runaway JuneBlue Roses"We Were Rich"Ashley Gorley, Ross Copperman2020Kelsea BalleriniKelsea"Club"Jimmy Robbins"Homecoming Queen?""Bragger"Ross Copperman, Jimmy Robbins, Shane McAnally "Half of My Hometown" "A Country Song"Jimmy Robbins Gabby BarrettGoldmine"Thank God"Gabby Barrett, Jon Nite, Jimmy RobbinsDierks Bentley"Gone"Dierks, Bentley, John Wiggins, Jon RandallMiranda LambertMake It Up As We Go (Soundtrack to the Podcast Musical)"Champion"Jeff Peters, Jared Gustadt, Scarlett BurkeHailey Whitters"Fillin' My Cup" Sasha SloanOnly Child"House With No Mirrors"Sasha Sloan, Henry Agincourt Allen"Is It Just Me?"Sasha Sloan, Dallas Koehlke, Stephanie Steph JonesDanielle Bradbury"Girls In My Hometown"Tori KellyA Tori Kelly Christmas"Gift That Keeps On Giving"Tori Kelly, Jimmy RobbinsLANYMama's Boy"anything 4 u"Charles Leslie Priest, Jake Goss, Paul Jason KleinJamie O'NealSometimes"Spin the Bottle"Liz Rose, Carolyn Dawn Johnson 2021Gary AllanRuthless"Temptation"Chase McGill, Jon Nie"SEX"Shane McAnally, Matt JenkinsKelsea Ballerini"I Quit Drinking" Kelsea Ballerini, Paul KleinDan + Shay"Picked Out a Christmas Tree"Dan Smyers, Dave Barnes, Jordan ReynoldsDevin DawsonThe Pink Slip EP"He Loved HerDevin Dawson, Jordan ReynoldsAshley MonroeRosegold"Flying"Ashley Monroe, Jordan Reynolds Carly Pearce29: Written in Stone"Your Drinkin', My Problem"Sasha Stone, Ben WestBlake SheltonBody Language"Minimum Wage"Jesse Frasure, Corey Crowder 2022 Abbey ConeHate Me (EP)"In a Room With You" Abbey Cone, Nathan Spicer Carrie UnderwoodDenim & Rhinestones"Drunk and Hungover" Jordan Reynolds, Hillary Lindsey 2023Lukas Graham4 (The Pink Album)"Home Movies" David LaBrel, Jaramye Daniels, Rory AndrewMorgan WallenOne Thing at a Time"Thought You Should Know" Morgan Wallen, Miranda Lambert 2024Luke GrimesLuke Grimes"Ghost Of Who We Were" Luke Grimes, Rodney ClawsonCarly PearceHummingbird"Rock Paper Scissors"Carly Pearce, Shane McAnally, Jordan Reynolds"Oklahoma"Carly Pearce, Jordan Reynolds"Fault Line"Carly Pearce, Shane McAnally, Jordan Reynolds "Trust Issues"Carly Pearce, Jordan Reynolds "Hummingbird"Carly Pearce, Shane McAnlly, Jordan Reynolds
Awards and nominations YearAssociationCategoryNominated workResult2014Country Music AssociationSong of the Year"Automatic"Nashville Songwriters Association International2015Academy of Country MusicGrammy AwardsBest Country Song2018Academy of Country MusicSong of the Year"Female"2019"Tequila"2019BMICountry Songwriter of the YearWon2019BMISong of the Year"Tequila"Won
References