‘Catch of the Day’ – Eric Paslay – “High Class” [AUDIO]

Today the spotlight falls on an artist whose songwriting prowess has provided #1 hits for not only Jake Owen, Rascal Flatts, Love and Theft and the Eli Young Band, but for himself.

It all started for Eric Paslay when he began playing guitar and writing songs at 15. His first songwriting effort came when he wrote a poem for a girl, which he never gave her. But with that poem, he soon discovered that most songs were just poems, so he added a melody and chords, and he had his first song. By the time Paslay was 16, he produced a CD on his home computer, of songs he had written and played around his home town.

While the native Texan loved music from an early age, Paslay attended Middle Tennessee State University with the original intent of becoming a pediatric endocrinologist. He graduated from MTSU, but not before changing not only his major, but the path of his life, graduating with a Bachelor of Science degree in Music. During his college years, Paslay became the president of the MTSU student chapter of the Nashville Songwriters Association International (NSAI) .

After graduation, an internship at publishing company Cal IV Entertainment led to the company offering him a publishing deal in 2006. His time at Cal IV proved to valuable, not only providing invaluable lessons about the music business and the craft of songwriting, and supplying Paslay contacts that led to his eventually signing with EMI Nashville in 2011.

While preparing his debut album for EMI, Paslay had an incredible run with other artists recording his songs. Jake Owen hit #1 with "Barefoot, Blue Jean Night", while the Eli Young Band scored a chart topper with "Even If It Breaks Your Heart", Rascal Flatts with "Rewind" and "Angel Eyes" for Love and Theft all hitting the top of the chart.

But Paslay always intended to record his own material. His first two singles for EMI, 2011's "Never Really Wanted" and 2012's "If The Fish Don't Bite" failed to crack the top-50, but in 2013, Paslay landed his first #1 as a performer with "Friday Night". In 2014 his self-titled debut album was released, featuring his first three singles, as well as the top-10 hits "Song About A Girl" and "She Don't Love You".

Paslay is currently part of the ultimate tongue-twisting tour, as part of Brad Paisley tour of college campuses, while also back in the studio, working on his follow-up album. The first single from the as yet unnamed project is featured today as the Catch of the Day. Eric Paslay and "High Class", new music you haven't heard, but you'll want to hear it again.