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Jeff Trott

{{short description|American singer-songwriter}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=December 2022}}

{{Infobox musical artist

| name = Jeff Trott

| image = JeffTrott 2015.jpeg

| alt =

| caption = Trott in 2015

| birth_name = Jeffrey Robert Trott

| alias =

| birth_date =

| birth_place = San Mateo, California, U.S.

| origin = San Francisco, California, U.S.

| death_date =

| death_place =

| genre = {{hlist|Pop|rock|singer-songwriter|indie rock|country|blues|alternative rock|indie folk}}

| occupation = {{hlist|Record producer|songwriter|instrumentalist}}

| instrument = {{hlist|Vocals|electric guitar|acoustic guitars|mandolin|bass|keyboards|lapsteel|veena}}

| years_active =

| label =

| associated_acts =

| website = {{URL|www.jefftrott.com}}

}}

Jeffrey Robert Trott is an American songwriter and record producer from San Francisco, California. He is perhaps most well-known for his collaborations with American singer Sheryl Crow, having co-written some of her biggest hits, including "If It Makes You Happy", "Everyday Is a Winding Road", and "Soak Up the Sun"; he also produced tracks on her albums C'mon, C'mon, Wildflower, Be Myself, and Threads.{{cite web|url=http://www.songwriteruniverse.com/trott.htm|title=Jeff Trott Interview – Hit Songwriter & Producer|website=Songwriter Universe {{!}} Songwriting News, Articles & Song Contest|date=September 29, 2005 |language=en-US|access-date=April 10, 2016}} Trott won the BMI Songwriter of the Year award in 1998.{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=jQ4EAAAAMBAJ|title=Billboard|date=May 23, 1998|publisher=Nielsen Business Media, Inc.|language=en}}

Early years

Trott was born and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area and got his start in a post-punk band called the Lifers. He then joined another San Francisco band, Wire Train, first appearing on their third and final album for Columbia Records, 1987's Ten Women, after which the label dropped the band. During this time, Trott was invited to join the successful UK band World Party in the studio, and appeared on their critically-acclaimed 1990 album Goodbye Jumbo.{{cite web|url=http://www.songfacts.com/blog/interviews/jeff_trott/|title=Jeff Trott : Songwriter Interviews|website=songfacts.com|access-date=April 10, 2016}} Wire Train went on to release two more albums on MCA Records, Wire Train (1990) and No Soul No Strain (1992).

Career

= Writing =

Trott's songwriting collaborators include 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 Daltrey (The Who), Joe Cocker, Stevie Nicks, Counting Crows, and Marc Broussard.

= Producing =

Trott's credits as a producer include Sheryl Crow, Stevie Nicks, Augustana, Joshua Radin, Meiko, Pete Francis (of Dispatch), and Griffin House. In 2009, Trott produced the Samantha Stollenwerck album Carefree, which featured members of Beck's band, including Brian LeBarton, Roger Manning Jr., Justin Meldal-Johnsen, Joey Waronker, and Lyle Workman. He also produced Heartstrings, the 2014 debut album by actress/singer-songwriter Leighton Meester. More recently, Trott and Frank Rogers co-produced 2019's Imperfect Circle by Hootie & the Blowfish.

= Movie and television =

Trott scored Kevin Watkins' 2008 animated short film Hose.{{cite web|url=https://www.kidsfirst.org/kidsfirstnews/2008/05/27/kevin-watkins-and-his-animation-hose/|title=KIDS FIRST! News » Blog Archive » Kevin Watkins and His Animation "Hose"|last=TheNetCave.com|first=NetMan Inc.|website=kidsfirst.org|date=May 27, 2008 |access-date=April 10, 2016}} He produced the soundtrack for the indie movie Janie Jones, featuring Abigail Breslin and Alessandro Nivola, in 2011.{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/28/movies/janie-jones-with-abigail-breslin-review.html|title='Janie Jones' With Abigail Breslin – Review|last=Holden|first=Stephen|date=October 27, 2011|newspaper=The New York Times|issn=0362-4331|access-date=April 10, 2016}}

His work has gotten many placements in hit television shows like Parenthood and Grey's Anatomy, as well as in singing competition shows such as American Idol, The Voice, and The X Factor.{{cite web|url=http://jollybuzz.org/music-reviews/ruletheworld|title=Music Review: "Rule The World" by Max Gomez|website=JollyBuzz|access-date=April 10, 2016|archive-date=April 20, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160420024411/http://jollybuzz.org/music-reviews/ruletheworld|url-status=dead}}{{cite web|url=https://www.mlive.com/entertainment/index.ssf/2015/05/the_voice_2015_results_michiga.html|title='The Voice' 2015 results: How did Michigan's Joshua Davis do? Watch his duet with Sheryl Crow|website=MLive.com|date=May 20, 2015 |access-date=April 10, 2016}}

In 2012, Sheryl Crow was invited by journalist Katie Couric to write the theme song for her then-new talk show, Katie.{{cite web |url=http://www.katiecouric.com/features/hear-it-here-first-katie-theme-song-revealed/ |title=Hear It Here First! Katie Theme Song Revealed – Katie Couric |publisher=Katiecouric.com |date=July 26, 2012 |access-date=September 9, 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131028211928/http://katiecouric.com/features/hear-it-here-first-katie-theme-song-revealed/ |archive-date=October 28, 2013}} The song, titled "This Day", was nominated for a Daytime Emmy Award in the category Outstanding Original Song.{{cite web |url=http://abcnewsradioonline.com/music-news/2013/5/1/sheryl-crow-receives-daytime-emmy-nomination.html |title=Sheryl Crow Receives Daytime Emmy Nomination – Music News – ABC News Radio |publisher=Abcnewsradioonline.com |date=May 1, 2013 |access-date=September 9, 2013 |archive-date=October 16, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131016083648/http://abcnewsradioonline.com/music-news/2013/5/1/sheryl-crow-receives-daytime-emmy-nomination.html |url-status=live }}

= Solo project =

In 2000, Trott recorded and produced his first solo album, Dig Up the Astroturf,{{cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/dig-up-the-astroturf-mw0000391900|title=Dig up the Astroturf – Jeff Trott {{!}} Songs, Reviews, Credits {{!}} AllMusic|publisher=AllMusic|access-date=April 10, 2016}} with Keith Schreiner, an electronic musician and producer based in Portland, Oregon. His stated 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."{{cite web|url=https://www.inmusicwetrust.com/articles/54h02.html|title=In Music We Trust – INTERVIEW: Jeff Trott: From Sheryl Crow's Songwriter to a Solo Career|website=inmusicwetrust.com|access-date=April 10, 2016}} The CD was released on Trott's own indie label, Black Apple.

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.{{cite web|url=https://www.imdb.com/event/ev0000106/overview|title=BMI Film & TV Awards: Overview|website=IMDb |access-date=April 10, 2016}}

class="wikitable"
Year

!Award name

!Result

1998

|BMI Songwriter Award

|{{won}}

= 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.{{cite web|url=https://www.emmys.com/awards|title=All Awards|website=Television Academy|access-date=April 10, 2016}} Jeff Trott and Sheryl Crow have received one nomination in the category Outstanding Original Song.{{cite web|url=http://abcnewsradioonline.com/music-news/2013/5/1/sheryl-crow-receives-daytime-emmy-nomination.html|title=Sheryl Crow Receives Daytime Emmy Nomination – Music News – ABC News Radio|website=ABC News Radio|access-date=April 10, 2016}}

class="wikitable"
Year

!Nominated work

!Award name

!Result

2013

|"This Day"

|Outstanding Original Song {{small|(shared with Sheryl Crow)}}

|{{nom}}

= Grammy Awards =

class="wikitable"
Year

!Nominated work

!Award name

!Result

2023

|"Forever"

|Best American Roots Song {{small|(shared with Sheryl Crow)}}

|{{nominated}}

Discography

= [[Sheryl Crow]] =

Sheryl Crow (1996)

class="wikitable"
No.

!Title

!Writer(s)

!Length

2

|"A Change Would Do You Good"

|Crow, Jeff Trott, Brian MacLeod

|3:50

4

|"Sweet Rosalyn"

|Crow, Trott

|3:58

5

|"If It Makes You Happy"

|Crow, Trott

|5:23

8

|"Everyday Is a Winding Road"

|Crow, MacLeod, Trott

|4:16

10

|"Oh Marie"

|Crow, Trott, Bill Bottrell

|3:30

11

|"Superstar"

|Crow, Trott

|4:58

12

|"The Book"

|Crow, Trott

|4:34

The Globe Sessions (1998)

class="wikitable"
No.

!Title

!Writer(s)

!Length

1

|"My Favorite Mistake"

|Crow, Trott

|4:08

2

|"There Goes the Neighborhood"

|Crow, Trott

|5:02

4

|"It Don't Hurt"

|Crow, Trott

|4:49

5

|"Maybe That's Something"

|Crow, Trott

|4:17

C'mon C'mon (2002)

class="wikitable"
No.

!Title

!Writer(s)

!Length

2

|"Soak Up the Sun"

|Crow, Trott

|4:52

3

|"You're an Original"

|Crow, Trott

|4:18

8

|"Lucky Kid"

|Crow, Trott

|4:02

11

|"Abilene"

|Crow, Trott

|4:45

Wildflower (2005)

class="wikitable"
No.

!Title

!Writer(s)

!Length

3

|"Good Is Good"

|Crow, Trott

|4:18

4

|"Chances Are"

|Crow, Trott

|5:16

6

|"Lifetimes"

|Crow, Trott

|4:12

7

|"Letter to God"

|Crow, Trott

|4:04

8

|"Live It Up"

|Crow, Trott

|3:42

9

|"I Don't Wanna Know"

|Crow, Trott

|4:28

11

|"Where Has All the Love Gone"

|Crow, Trott

|3:40

Detours (2008)

class="wikitable"
No.

!Title

!Writers(s)

!Length

4

|"Peace Be Upon Us"

|Crow, Trott, Bottrell, Mike Elizondo

|4:22

5

|"Gasoline"

|Crow, Trott, Bottrell

|5:07

10

|"Diamond Ring"

|Crow, Trott

|4:10

Feels Like Home (2013)

class="wikitable"
No

!Title

!Writer(s)

!Length

2

|"Easy"

|Crow, Chris DuBois, Trott

|4:10

3

|"Give It to Me"

|Crow, Trott

|3:57

Be Myself (2017)

class="wikitable"
No

!Title

!Writer(s)

!Length

1

|"Alone in the Dark"

|Crow, Trott

|3:40

2

|"Halfway There"

|Crow, Trott

|3:59

2

|"Long Way Back"

|Crow, Trott

|5:07

4

|"Be Myself"

|Crow, Trott

|4:22

5

|"Roller Skate"

|Crow, Trott

|3:19

6

|"Love Will Save the Day"

|Crow, Trott

|4:58

7

|"Strangers Again"

|Crow, Trott

|3:51

8

|"Rest of Me"

|Crow, Trott

|3:52

9

|"Heartbeat Away"

|Crow, Trott

|5:35

10

|"Grow Up"

|Crow, Trott

|3:27

11

|"Woo Woo"

|Crow, Toby Gad, Trott

|3:14

Threads (2019)

class="wikitable"
No

!Title

!Writer(s)

!Length

2

|"Live Wire"

|Crow, Trott

|5:09

7

|"Cross Creek Road"

|Crow, Trott

|4:46

13

|"Wouldn't Want to Be Like You"

|Crow, Trott

|3:35

15

|"Nobody's Perfect"

|Crow, Trott

|4:43

= [[Counting Crows]] =

Hard Candy (2002)

class="wikitable"
No.

!Title

!Writer (s)

!Length

14

|"4 White Stallions"

|Trott, John Vickery, Patrick Winningham

|4:21

= [[Marc Broussard]] =

Carencro (2004)

class="wikitable"
No.

!Title

!Writer(s)

!Length

2

|"Rocksteady"

|Broussard, Trott, Mike Elizondo, David Ryan Harris

|4:03

= [[Augustana (band)|Augustana]] =

Augustana (2011)

class="wikitable"
No.

!Title

!Writer(s)

!Length

5

|"Borrowed Time"

|Trott, Dan Layus

|3:10

= [[Joe Cocker]] =

Fire It Up (2012)

class="wikitable"
No

!Title

!Writer(s)

!Length

2

|"I'll Be Your Doctor"

|Trott, Victoria Horn, Steve McMorran

|3:30

= [[Hootie & the Blowfish]] =

Imperfect Circle (2019)

class="wikitable"
No

!Title

!Writer(s)

!Length

1

|"New Year's Day"

|(Tofer Brown, Hootie & the Blowfish, Eric Paslay, Trott)

|3:32

5

|"Turn It Up"

|(Hootie & the Blowfish, Paslay, Trott)

|3:21

9

|"Lonely on a Saturday Night"

|(Hootie & the Blowfish, Paslay, Trott)

|3:10

= Others =

References

{{Reflist}}

{{Wire Train}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Trott, Jeff}}

Category:Year of birth missing (living people)

Category:Living people

Category:People from San Mateo, California

Category:American male singer-songwriters

Category:American multi-instrumentalists

Category:Record producers from California

Category:World Party members