For Phillip White, listening to the positive songs of Paul Overstreet while growing up inspired him to take up music and begin writing songs himself. Little did he know that one day he'd actually be writing with his musical hero, Overstreet, and working in the same industry that has turned out such great talents as Dolly Parton, Aretha Franklin, Kris Kristofferson and Bob Dylan, all of whom have influenced White's music.

Though he was born in Music City, White grew up in Rogersville, Alabama, where his father moved to work when Phillip was three. In his teens, he began tinkering with a guitar his dad had bought him, and hanging around with a cousin, Spooner Oldham, who is a talented and successful writer himself ~ with some pretty hefty music industry ties. Also, being a session piano player, Oldham had played on records for various artists, such as Aretha Franklin and Jim Croce. With this additional influence, White became instantly enthralled with the sounds of Rhythm &: Blues. Seeing his cousin's success fueled White's interest in the business, and he began writing with Oldham on a regular basis. When the two traveled to Nashville to work on a session that Oldham had been hired to play, White met another writer named J Aaron Brown, who would soon become his employer.

Brown hired White as a professional manager for his publishing company. A chance meeting with Blue Miller, of the musical group Gibson Miller Band, gave White some added encouragement to continue pursuing his craft. He was soon writing with some of the biggest names in town, including Paul Overstreet. White says, "I was so fortunate, because I moved to town with a job. Soon after that, I met Blue and we immediately hit it off and started writing together on a weekly basis. Being around Blue and watching his success helped me not be so intimidated by the business, because I kept thinking, 'we're getting holds on our songs, so we must be doing something right.' It gave me confidence."

While employed at Brown's company, White co~wrote the title cut of the Grammy~ nominated children's album, "Love Songs And Lullabies," with a co~worker named Amber.
She would later become his wife. The two often spent time dreaming about the day they would open their own publishing company together. During that time, White also began writing with renowned writer Roger Murrah, who eventually recruited him as a staff writer for his company in 1996. At Murrah Music, White was reunited with his old college buddy Paul Compton, who is Murrah's Senior VP. The two had attended Calhoun Community College together in Decatur, Alabama years earlier and ended up arriving in Nashville about the same time.

Since signing with Murrah, White has landed several significant cuts, such as "I'm A Survivor" by Reba McEntire, which is also the theme song for her current WB sitcom, entitled Reba. In addition to that, he co~wrote Academy of Country Music Song of the Year, "I'm Movin' On" recorded by Rascal Flatts. He's also had songs recorded by Blackhawk, Tanya Tucker, Gary Allan, Chris Ledoux, Brian McComas, George Strait, Blake Shelton, Kenny Rogers and Chalee Tennison. Realizing yet another longtime dream, in 2002 White formed his own publishing company Texabama Music with Murrah Music Corporation administering.

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