And the Hello and joining us today is an American film and TV actress, singer and songwriter with the show business career spanning over four decades. She's perhaps best known for her acting skills, but in recent years her considerable musical abilities have really come to the fore.

She released her eponymously titled First Album of Original Material last year,

a strong collection of songs belonging the fact that she only began writing just four years ago.

We're delighted to welcome the lovely Rita Wilson to the show.

I'm really looking forward to talking to Rita.

As you say, you wouldn't think she was a relative newcomer to songwriting would you?

No. It's clearly something that comes quite naturally to her. She's got a real knack for a memorable

chorus and there's an appeal in directness and honesty about the songs.

Absolutely.

One of those collaborators, Kara Diaguardi was actually the first person to encourage

is to write and kind of set her on the path I think.

I think she helped read to kind of assemble a crack team of writers around her for the album.

I mean there's contributions from Richard Marks, Nathan Chapman, Kara of course and our former guest Dan Wilson,

no relation to name a few.

She also road tested the material by performing at hallowed venues

like the famous Bluebird Cafe in Nashville,

which is intimidating even for grizzled veterans,

so to play there is a relative newbie must have been faintly terrifying I would

have thought. The woman's got guts but that hard work has really paid off hasn't it especially as one of

his songs Strong Tonight has since featured in the US TV series in Nashville, performed by its star Connie Britain.

But I think Rita demonstrated their respect for Quality Songcraft back with a debut album,

AMFM, didn't she?

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