Brad Paisley, Mat Kearney Team Up for Songwriting Sessions

Brad Paisley is undeniably one of country's best songwriters and pickers, so it's no wonder that pop artist Mat Kearney was a little blown away when he got a call from Brad asking to write some tunes together. The singer/songwriter, who lives in Nashville and is currently opening for Train, admits he was a little intimidated at first writing with the country powerhouse, but says he was thrilled to get the chance and to find that Brad admires his music.

"Brad says he's a fan and invited me over to write songs," Mat tells the Leesville Daily Leader. "You don't say no to him. It was a little nerve-wracking at first. But then you get out there, and he's super humble. He's like a workaholic, awesome musician. After the first 15 minutes, it was like writing a song like you would with one of your friends."

Growing up in Oregon, Mat didn't discover songwriting until he picked up his roommate's guitar in college one day, and soon he was writing songs and selling his own CDs. After moving to Nashville in 2006, he hit big with his single "Nothing Left to Lose," which has already sold over 500,000 copies and won numerous awards. Country fans eager to hear a sample of his collaborations with Brad can check out his iTunes Sessions CD, which features a solo by Brad on the tune "Rochester."

Brad may become an even bigger part of the pop world soon if any of the recent rumblings are true. He's rumored to have been in talks with the "American Idol" people about possibly becoming a judge on the longtime show. But he'll definitely join Carrie Underwood as host once again for a fifth time on the upcoming CMA Awards Nov. 1 on ABC-TV.