Vina grad writing for Warner Chapel

By Staff
Melissa Cason, Franklin County Times
A Vina graduate is making headway in her attempts to make her dream of becoming a singer a reality.
Brianna Lawler Dean, 21, has been hired as a songwriter for Warner Chapel, a publishing company for Warner Brothers. Dean was hired to write songs for the company in August, but has been writing songs for a while.
"I have been writing songs since I was 14," she said. "Songwriting has proved to be an outlet for me to express my emotions."
Since being hired by Warner Chapel in August, Dean finds herself in Nashville a few days a week to write songs. She has written songs with known songwriters such as Ritchie McDonald (a member of the group Lonestar), Daryl Worley, (a solo artist), and Gary Baker, who wrote the popular country and pop hit, "I Swear."
"I usually spend my day in a room with a co-writer," Dean said. "I usually help write two to three songs per week."
In addition to writing for Warner Chapel, Dean also writes for 43 South, a Muscle Shoals writing company, so that she can split her time between home and Nashville.
"None of my songs have been picked by an artist yet, but I'm hoping that will change soon," Dean said.
When she is not writing songs, she is busy performing for various audiences. In 2005 she spent three weeks overseas entertaining troops in Italy, Greece, Portugal, and the Azar Islands.
"We changed flights 36 times in three weeks," Dean said. "So most of our time was spent in the air."
Besides performing for the troops, Dean also performs for audiences at home. In 2003 she opened for Loretta Lynn.
"I enjoyed opening for Loretta Lynn," Dean said. "She is genuinely nice."
Dean also performs at clubs in Nashville, and with her husband's band, Locke Six. She will be performing at Lyrics in Nashville on March 21, and with Locke Six on April 23 at a benefit at Brooks High School.
"My husband, Garrett, is a social worker by day and a drummer by night," Dean said.
Dean performed on a Russellville-based television program, "What's Happening in the Tennessee Valley", earlier this week. She performed some of her favorite gospel songs with band members Randy Bassum and David Tracey. Dean's mother, Tina Lawler, who sings back up vocals for Dean during her performances, was also at the taping.
Unity Broadcasting has DVDs available for anyone who wishes to purchase a copy of Dean's performance, host Cecil Langcuster said.
With all this performing under her belt, Dean hopes that she will earn herself a record contract.
"We hope to have a recording contact in another year," Dean said. "I am so blessed to be given the opportunity to do this for a living. I know that I am very blessed."
Dean is the daughter of Crayton and Tina Lawler of Vina.