#makehimwait

It was ladies night Tuesday night (Aug. 21) as newcomer Abby Anderson ("Make Him Wait") and Lindsay Ell ("Criminal") brought electric performances to the BMI (Broadcast Music, Inc.) rooftop for their Rooftop on the Row Series. Hosted by Nash FM's Elaina Smith and Kelly Ford, the special series returned for the summer taking advantage of Nashville's warm weather and scenic views. First up, Abby got the crowd rocking with performances of her current single, "Make Him Wait," "Dance Away My Broken Heart," "I'm Good" and the rousing "The Naked Truth."  "All I ever wanted to do was write songs that people would want to hear on the radio," Abby said from the stage. "One day I was writing with some friends and we were talking about life struggles and things we're all going through. I learn that day that there's a lot of strength in being vulnerable and there's a whole lot of beauty in sharing your story with others. This is a little bit of mine," Abby said before breaking into the ballad "Closet." It was Lindsay's turn to take on the industry crowd. The "By the Way" singer took the stage by introducing her producer and one half of Sugarland, Kristian Bush. Lindsay started her set with "Mint," featured on her  2017 album, The Project and followed it up with a crowd favorite, "Criminal."

Name: Abby Anderson Single: "Make Him Wait" Hometown: Dallas, Texas Influences: Ray Charles, Aretha Franklin, The Temptations, The Supremes, Stevie Wonder,Elvis Presley, Linda Ronstadt, Freddy Fender, K. T. Oslin, The Judds. Abby Anderson is making her mark on country music with her debut single, "Make Him Wait." A song, written by Abby, Josh Kerr and Tom Douglas, about knowing your worth when it comes to giving yourself to a man. "Make him wait by the phone / At the door to meet your dad / Before that first kiss he's gotta hold your hand / You can't get it back when you give yourself away / Yeah a boy's gonna run but a real man's gonna stay / Girl make him wait / Make him wait," she sings in the chorus. The second oldest of seven kids and a self-admitted old-fashioned girl,  Abby lives by the lyrics of her song. "I just recall everything my dad ever taught me about dating, and boys, and relationships," she tells One Country. Making the move from Dallas Texas at the age of 17, Abby dove head first into making her dreams a reality. "This is it for me. This has always been it," Abby said. "Music has always been my passion, always will be, and I just wanna sing for the rest of my life. There is no plan B. This literally has to work if I wanna eat tomorrow." With soaring vocals, a record deal with Black River Entertainment, a debut single on radio and invitations to join Brett Eldredge's The Long Way Tour and to make her debut on the Grand Ole Opry, Abby Anderson will most definitely be eating for years to come.

Family Time

"I'm born and raised in Dallas, Texas, and I'm one of seven kids—six girls, one boy. Same mom and everything, if you can imagine that. We were just a really musical family. And my mom is an amazing singer, she plays guitar, my dad's a businessman but he plays piano and he sings, and I grew up singing' in church with my sisters. My dad composes hymns, I mean what's so funny is they always knew where the Andersons were sitting because my dad sings so loud. And I think that's why I'm so loud. Come from a big family and you literally have to yell when you talk to be heard. So I've learned. Ever since I moved to Nashville, I learned I don't have to yell when I talk, and I don't have to eat so freakin' fast.  I can slow down when I eat because nobody's stealing my food. But I was really blessed to grow up in a really loving, supportive home, and it's the kind of place where I knew from a very young age that I was gonna do music, that I wanted to be a performer, be on stage."

Nashville Bound

"My mom and I drove up here together and actually, we had some family friends here that I kinda knew, so she dropped me off at their house. And then that was it, we went to the airport, said goodbye to her, and then I got my own place a couple weeks later. I was really lucky. I mean, my parents were supporting me financially, of course, because I was 17.  It was hard because you're 17 not going to college and how do you meet people? You get a fake ID. That's how you meet people. So I got a fake ID. I don't even drink, but I just wanted to go—you gotta network. This is a networking town, you gotta be seen, gotta be heard. I started going out and networking. That's what's great about Nashville, people are so kind here and want to lend a helping hand."

Story Behind the Song

"I wrote this song with Josh Kerr and Tom Douglas back in January. That day I went into the studio with this fun little up-tempo idea of a song about this crush I had at the time, I don't remember who the guy was now—the poor guy.  I go in there with this idea and we're writing it, it's probably like one o'clock, and we take a break just eating snacks and talking.  Josh turns to me and he goes, 'Well Abby, how are you gonna get this guy to like you? Like, what are your moves? Tell me what your moves are!' And I told him, 'I make the boys work for it. I'm gonna make this boy wait. Gonna make him wait all day.' And he just kinda stopped and he's like, 'Whoa. Hold on a minute.' And he literally just turned around to his keyboard and started playing these chords, and that song came in 45 minutes, I'm not even kidding. I just recalled everything my dad ever taught me about dating, and boys, and relationships, and it was probably one of the easiest songs to write." 

Song Response

"The messages I get from these girls, that's been the coolest. And it's something that you hope for. I didn't think anything of it because I absolutely take my childhood for granted. I was raised in that bubble of having a dad. First of all, having a dad. Second of all, having a father who treated my mother the way he did, with respect and love. Third of all, teaching that to us girls. So just having a strong knowledge of my worth is rare. And so, I did not realize, when these girls message me telling them how much it means to them, that this is the first time they ever heard, 'Oh, I don't have to do anything I don't wanna do. I can make the boys work for it.' It blows my mind. That's been the coolest."

Pinch-Me Moments

"Honestly, like even right now. And I'm not blowing smoke. No no no no no, listen to me. I'm not blowing' smoke up your butt when I say this. But I mean, last year I didn't have a record deal. I have a record deal, I'm on radio tour, I have a first single. How many people move to Nashville and even get a shot at a first single? 'Specially in the first couple years. I'm like, 'God is spoiling the crap outta me 'cause this doesn't happen to people.' And I like to think I work hard for it."

All-Star Friends

"I got to know Marie Osmond, who has turned into quite the mentor for me. You talk about a business-minded, smart woman who has been in the business for 50 years, and is still having a career in it. I'm like, picking her brain all the time, I feel like a sponge. She's amazing to me. And very gracious with her brain and time. And, you know, just sharing information."

Debut Album

"We're working on it, 'cause everyday I'm like, 'How can I beat it? How can I beat it?' And that's what I think I love about Nashville, people work hard in this town. It makes me wanna be a hard worker. So every day we're still writing, and again, best song wins, even if I don't write it.  I love living in Nashville because it's a writer's town, and if I don't write it, the guy in the next room will. So if I hear a song that is something I wanna say and something that needs to be heard, absolutely I'll cut that. We'll do an EP this year and then album next year."

Sounds Like...

“A boy is going to run but a real man is going to stay”