The Franklin Theatre Songwriters Series returns in 2025 featuring Brandon Will, Scotty Hasting, and Doug Johnson! This series is made possible by Stable Reserve.
Brandon Will
Brandon has earned respect in Nashville as a songwriter. He has collaborated with many artists including John Schneider ‘ Bo from Dukes of Hazzard’ renowned Music Row producer David Huff, Grammy award-winning songwriter Bill Champlin, Hall of Fame songwriter and author Ralph Murphy, award winning and former Nashville staff writer, Multi #1 songwriter Michael Garvin ("Waiting For Tonight" J. Lopez), Multi #1 songwriter Doug Johnson ("Three Wooden Crosses" Randy. Travis) Anthony Smith, Ashe Underwood, The Warren Brothers, Earl Bud Lee, Bridgette Tatum, platinum-selling producer Anthony J. Resta, as well as many others. Brandon has been featured as a virtual performer opening James Taylor’s 2022 tour and many venues including The legendary Ryman in Nashville TN.
Has opened for Eddie Money, The Wailers, Keith Urban, Hootie And The Blowfish, Edwin McCain, Chris Young, Phil Vasser, The Frontmen and many more. Brandon is poised to be a top talent in the Nashville community.
Josiah Siska
Josiah Siska started his career on American Idol at 18 years old, getting the "golden ticket" to goto Hollywood. After getting cut at group rounds, Siska moved to Nashville. At 22 Josiah signed his first recording deal and publishing deal with Black River Entertainment, releasing an EP called 3 Chords At A Time. The radio single "3 Tequila Floor" went on to have a hit line dance. In January 2025 Josiah landed his first television cut, writing and performing the theme song "On The Hunt" for the Sportsman Channel show "Haymaker Hunting." Josiah recently has parted ways with Black River and is looking forward to releasing new music as an independent artist.
About Doug Johnson
Whether it’s behind the pen as the writer of record-breaking hits like the Billboard “Song of the Year,” Love Like Crazy (Lee Brice) or the CMA, ACM, CCMA and NSAI “Song of the Year,” Three Wooden Crosses (Randy Travis), at the console as the producer of artists like Lee Brice, Hank Jr., Clay Walker and John Michael Montgomery, or behind the desk helming an A&R department, Doug Johnson knows his way around a hit.
Throughout his 30-plus year career as a songwriter, Johnson has had over 100 cuts, including 7 Number One Hits and 10 Top 10’s by everyone from Bertie Higgins and Alicia Bridges to George Strait, Rascal Flatts, Trace Adkins, Wynonna and Kenny Rogers, among others. Johnson made history when he broke a country music record with artist Lee Brice with the hit, Love Like Crazy, which spent an amazing 56 weeks on the charts.
His production credits are equally notable as well: as VP/A&R for Epic Records in the early 90’s, he oversaw the careers of Patty Loveless, Collin Raye, Doug Stone, Joe Diffie, Ty Herndon, the Sons of the Desert and many others. He later moved to Giant Records as President, where he guided the careers of Clay Walker, The Wilkinsons, Blake Shelton, Joe Nichols and Neal McCoy among others.
Following his time at Giant Records, Johnson lead the A&R department of Curb Records, whose roster included Tim McGraw, Leann Rimes, Wynonna, Hank Jr, Rodney Atkins, Lee Brice, Clay Walker and Heidi Newfield, among others.
In 2012, Doug Johnson joined the team at Black River Entertainment as the V.P. of A&R and is currently working with artists Pryor Baird, Josiah Siska, and MaRynn Taylor.