Jeff Trott


Jeffrey Robert Trott is an American songwriter/producer and multi-instrumentalist who has collaborated with prominent artists across genres in the United States and abroad. Trott has been named BMI Songwriter of the Year.
He is known for writing many hits with Grammy winning artist Sheryl Crow, “If It Makes You Happy,” “Every Day is a Winding Road,” “My Favorite Mistake,” “Soak Up The Sun,” and “Good Is Good” as well as the Top 10 Billboard Country single “Easy” from her 2013 album Feels Like Home. He has produced tracks on her multi-platinum albums C’mon, C’mon and Wildflower, also co-writing and producing Crow's 2017 album Be Myself. Trott also appears on Crow's final album Threads that was released in 2019 - credited as a songwriter, producer and musician.
In 2019 Trott produced, wrote and performed on the Hootie and the Blowfish album Imperfect Circle. The band's first new album in 14 years. The album was met with positive reviews.

Early years

Trott’s roots are West Coast. He got his start in San Francisco where his band was post punk outfit The Lifers. He then went on to join 415/Columbia recording artists Wire Train and in 1990 subsequently joined the UK band cult favorite World Party playing on their critically acclaimed album Goodbye Jumbo.

Career

Writing

Trott's songwriting collaborations including Gemma Hayes, Colbie Caillat, Jason Mraz, John Paul White of The Civil Wars, Augustana, Rob Thomas, Guster, Natasha Bedingfield, Michelle Branch, Meiko, Liz Phair, Roger Daltry for The Who, Joe Cocker, Stevie Nicks, Counting Crows, Marc Broussard, Holly Conlan, Cider Sky and many others. Trott wrote “I’ll Be Your Doctor” for Joe Cocker on his latest record Fire it Up.

Producing

In 2015, Trott produced an album with actress/singer songwriter Leighton Meester from "Gossip Girl" and the movie Country Strong. The album was named "Heartstrings". Producer credits include Sheryl Crow, Stevie Nicks, San Diego rock band Augustana, Joshua Radin’s Wax Wings, Meiko, Griffin House, Pete Francis from Dispatch. In 2009, Trott produced the Samantha Stollenwerk record "Carefree". "Carefree" was recorded with members of Beck's band -Joey Waronker, Justin Meldal-Johnsen, Brian LeBarton, Lyle Workman and Roger Manning. Trott also produced latest record “” featuring the single “” with a video directed by Keifer Sutherland. Randy Jackson chose Trott to produce his musical ensemble venture, The Canyons. Trott and Frank Rogers co-produced 2019's Imperfect Circle by Hootie & the Blowfish.

Movie and television

Trott produced the soundtrack for the indie movie “Janie Jones” featuring Abigail Breslin and Alessandro Nivola. He also scored the short film animation, “”.
Trott was nominated for an Emmy Award for writing and producing the theme song for the Katie Couric talk show The Katie Show. His songs have gotten many placements in hit television shows like Parenthood, Grey's Anatomy', as well as songs in American Idol, The Voice, and The X Factor.

Solo project

In 2000, Trott recorded and produced his first solo album, Dig Up The Astroturf, with Portland electronic whiz kid . It was released on Trott's own indie label Black Apple. Trott's reason for making a solo record was to understand “every aspect of making a record, mastering, artwork, branding and PR in order to know firsthand what an artist goes through during the process of making a record.”

ole-2016

In January 2016, Trott signed a publishing and catalogue purchase agreement with the world's fasting growing independent rights management company, ole.

Accolades

BMI Songwriter Award

The BMI Awards are annual award ceremonies for songwriters in various genres organized by Broadcast Music, Inc.. The main pop music award was founded in 1952. The 63rd Annual BMI Pop Awards were held at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel in Beverly Hills, California, on May 13, 2015.

Daytime Emmy Awards

The Daytime Emmy Awards are awards presented by the New York–based National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences and the Los Angeles–based Academy of Television Arts & Sciences in recognition of excellence in American daytime television programming. Jeff Trott and Sheryl Crow have received one nomination in the category "Outstanding Original Song".
YearNominated workAward NameResult
2013'This Day'Outstanding Original Song

Discography

Sheryl Crow

1996

- Sheryl Crow
No.TitleWriterLength
2"A Change Would Do You Good"Crow, Jeff Trott, Brian MacLeod3:50
4
"Sweet Rosalyn"
Crow, Trott3:58
5"If It Makes You Happy"Crow, Trott5:23
8"Everyday Is A Winding Road"Crow, Brian MacLeod, Trott4:16
10"Oh Marie"Crow, Trott, Bill Bottrell3:30
11"Superstar"Crow, Trott4:58
12"The Book"Crow, Trott4:34

1998

- 'The Globe Sessions'
No.TitleWriterLength
1"My Favorite Mistake"Crow, Trott4:08
2"There Goes The Neighborhood"Crow, Trott5:02
4"It Don't Hurt"Crow, Trott4:49
5"Maybe That's Something"Crow, Trott4:17

2002

- C'mon C'mon
No.TitleWriterLength
2"Soak Up The Sun"Crow, Trott4:52
3"You're An Original"Crow, Trott4:18
8"Lucky Kid"Crow, Trott4:02
11"Abilene"Crow, Trott4:45

2005

- Wildflower
No.TitleWriterLength
3"Good Is Good"Crow, Trott4:18
4"Chances Are"Crow, Trott5:16
6"Lifetimes"Crow, Trott4:12
7"Letter To God"Crow, Trott4:04
8"Live It Up"Crow, Trott3:42
9"I Don't Wanna Know"Crow, Trott4:28
11"Where Has All The Love Gone"Crow, Trott3:40

2008

- Detours
No.TitleWritersLength
4"Peace Be Upon Us"Crow, Trott, Bottrell, Mike Elizondo4:22
5"Gasoline"Crow, Trott, Bottrell5:07
10"Diamond Ring"Crow, Trott4:10

2013

- Feels Like Home
NoTitleWriterLength
2"Easy"Crow, DuBois,Trott4:10
3"Give It To Me"Crow, Trott3:57

2017
Sheryl Crow - Be Myself
NoTitleWriterLength
1"Alone In The Dark"Crow, Trott3:40
2"Halfway There"Crow, Trott3:59
2"Long Way Back"Crow, Trott5:07
4"Be Myself"Crow, Trott4:22
5"Roller Skate"Crow, Trott3:19
6"Love Will Save the Day"Crow, Trott4:58
7"Strangers Again"Crow, Trott3:51
8"Rest of Me"Crow, Trott3:52
9"Heartbeat Away"Crow, Trott5:35
10"Grow Up"Crow, Trott3:27
11Woo WooCrow, Toby Gad, Trott3:14

2019
Sheryl Crow- Threads
NoTitleWriterLength
2"Live Wire"Crow,Trott5:09
7"Cross Creek Road"Crow, Trott4:46
13Wouldn't Want To Be Like YouCrow, Trott3:35
15Nobody's PerfectCrow, Trott4:43

Counting Crows

2002

- Hard Candy
No.TitleWriter Length
14"4 White Stallions"Trott, John Vickery, Patrick Winningham4:21

Marc Broussard

2004

Carencro
No.TitleWriterLength
2"Rocksteady"Broussard, Trott, Mike Elizondo and David Ryan Harris4:03

Augustana

2011

Augustana
No.TitleWriterLength
5"Borrowed Time"Trott, Dan Layus3:10

Joe Cocker

2012

Fire It Up
NoTItleWriterLength
2"I'll Be Your Doctor"Jeff Trott, Victoria Horn, Steve McMorran3:30

'''Hootie and the Blowfish'''

2019

– 'Imperfect Circle'
NoTItleWriterLength
1"New Year's Day"3:32
5"Turn It Up"3:21
9"Lonely on a Saturday Night"3:10

Others