First Listen: Adam Hood, 'Somewhere In Between'

There's a fascination with music-makers who go from creating behind the scenes to working in the spotlight, like Carole King, Bruno Mars, Chris Stapleton and so many others have. That strikes us as the natural progression for someone motivated by artistic vision, ego, ambition or any combination of the three. So we tend to be even more curious about those who are content to straddle the divide between keeping a relatively low profile as a songwriter-for-hire and seeking an audience of their own. Sia, for instance, crafts hits for others, but still craves a certain amount of anonymity in her own performing career. Native Alabamian Adam Hood has his own arrangement, which involves contributing to the catalogs of big-name country acts (Miranda Lambert's "Good Ol' Days" and Little Big Town's "Front Porch Thing," for instance) while taking a leaner, more low-key approach with his own output.