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When does the process of making a record begin? Is it when the engineer in the studio says ‘Rolling?’ Is it when the first bit of ink sinks into an otherwise blank sheet of paper? Is it when a band first gets together and promises kinship through an inevitably up and down handful of years, or longer?

For the popular duo-brother band For King & Country, the first light of their forthcoming LP (their fifth), What Are We Waiting For? flickered at 3 in the morning one night on a tour bus. The group had released a track or two that would find their way onto the new LP by that time, but it was then that entire concepts began to take shape.

That record is set to drop on Friday, March 11 and what it means for the band and for its fans will soon be seen, heard and felt in real-time as the brothers hit the road on a lengthy spring tour.

For acclaimed blues guitarist Christone “Kingfish” Ingram, who is often hailed as the “next big thing” when it comes to both the guitar and the genre in which he excels, the pressure of this reality can sometimes be a bit (too) heavy. So, to navigate his position in the world of music on a day-to-day basis, Ingram works to keep ideas of accolades, attention, and lineage out of his mind, for the most part. In its place, the artist focuses on the roots of the music he loves. He thinks about writing, playing, getting better, and adhering to what got him to the place where he is now. Any other deviations might lead his proverbial forward-moving car into a ditch. As such, as Ingram prepares for a lengthy tour this spring (see dates below), he’s focused on improvement first and foremost.

For Ben Bridwell, frontman and principal songwriter for the indie rock group Band of Horses, his career still makes no sense. That is to say, Bridwell remains rather astonished by it. That the now-43-year-old Irmo, South Carolina-born artist has earned a Grammy nomination or played to tens of thousands of people at festivals like Lollapalooza makes his head spin. He never started out wanting to front a band. In fact, when he landed in Seattle years ago, he was homeless, living on the street with a sleeping bag tied to his back. But even then, he knew one thing was essential for forward progress in any endeavor: hard work. It’s an instinct that remains with Bridwell today and it shines through on the latest Band of Horses album, Things Are Great, which is set to drop on Friday (March 4).

When you tell Grammy, Oscar, and Emmy Award-winning artist Jennifer Hudson that you’re starting the interview for the American Songwriter Magazine Legends issue, of which she is a central figure, her response is, “Me?” Then she laughs quickly and follows up with a “thank you!” She does all this in a way that is true and honest. Hudson expresses the kind of “Thank you” that a friend might when you tell them their book of poetry is well-written or their apartment is well-put-together.

In terms of accomplishments, Hudson sits atop a mountain that’s all her own. Yet, there remains something about her that lives outside of that lofty peak. Perhaps this is the result of a hard life combined with a lot of hard-won hardware. Hudson, who experienced unspeakable lows in 2008 with the murder of three of her close family members, has constantly pushed forward in her life and career.

Indeed, that’s often the mark of a legend: perseverance, resilience, and some unimaginable sense of poise. Most recently, Hudson demonstrated all three when she took on the role of fellow music legend Aretha Franklin in the 2021 biopic, Respect (out now via MGM and Universal Pictures Home Entertainment to own on Blu-ray, DVD, and Digital). But perhaps more than anything else, Hudson credits a single mentality with allowing her to succeed in ways few—if any—artists have before her.

Country singer Jon Pardi doesn’t have a rocket ship. The Nashville-based songwriter and performer knows this to be true (both literally and metaphorically). But that doesn’t stop him from sonically taking flight. For Pardi, his proverbial flying machine is much more akin to a warplane, he says, one of those double-winged metallic creatures that soar steadily in the air as many others whiz and whir past.

But for Pardi, a career is not a sprint. It’s a marathon, a lifetime of work. And the California native recently added new fuel to his journey with the release of his latest single, “Last Night Lonely,” which he unveiled on February 18. Now, Pardi is exclusively announcing an extensive summer tour with American Songwriter. Dubbed the Ain’t Always The Cowboy Tour, the 25-date trek is set to kick off in July and run through September with friends and collaborators Lainey Wilson and Hailey Whitters. (See tour dates below).

Luther Campbell always liked when he got to hear the music first—before the radio stations. As a young DJ in Miami, Florida, in the 1980s, Campbell was part of a “record pool” which gave him early access to new singles and new artists. In his early twenties, he would spin records at parties, often at his mother’s house. He’d play reggae or whatever else got the people moving. That led Campbell—who also goes by Luke, Uncle Luke, Luke Skyywalker, and likely several other names throughout his career—to join a like-minded DJ group. He both produced beats and spun the records he had early access to at local parties. Little did anyone know that these humble, music-loving beginnings would eventually lead Campbell and his group, 2 Live Crew, to upending the world with their brash style of “nasty,” sex-infused, boundary-breaking songs.

Captivating rock star Joan Jett thinks about her legacy, but not in the way many others might. Hers is a nuanced perspective in which she hopes her name can help carry on her music and the important songs and messages she’s been a part of. Yet, at the same time, Jett works to consciously sever herself from the potentially egotistical sensibility that somehow the musical sun could ever rise and fall at her behest.

In truth, Jett is, of course, a legend. She’s rebellion personified, which is and was no easy task to achieve. But to let in the various permutations of what that word—legend—means it can cloud or blind one to what’s important. Namely, maintaining a personal openness to the world and to others. Instead of living starry-eyed, Jett wants to live a philosophically-minded life, to be one of those people who leans into encouragement and not dismissal. She wants to tell others: Go for it!

Alynda Segarra, frontwoman for the indie rock band Hurray for the Riff Raff, knows what it’s like to feel at-risk. She knows what it’s like to feel invisible. She knows what it’s like to hop trains, sleep under trees, duck into bushes and hedges and she knows what it’s like to be on the run. In many ways, these moments are the foundation for who she is, both as a person today and as an artist. But these days she is also creating new formative moments upon which she’ll stand, assured. She’s continuing to grow and evolve in big ways. She’s continuing to listen as well as to make new music. These are the ingredients of her newest record, Life On Earth, which is set to drop on Friday (February 18). These are the lenses through which she sees and experiences the world around her.