Multi Award Winner Jodi Marr on What it Means to be an Educator

Songwriter, professor, polymath Jodi Marr shares her journey to the classroom

Leading with empathy can land a songwriter in unexpected places. For Instructor of Songwriting Jodi Marr this was appearing in a music video alongside Dolly Parton, sharing her story as Parton sang lyrics that she wrote. 

Months prior, Marr was co-writing with her mentor Victoria Shaw and then-unsigned artist Erin Kinsey. Kinsey came in with a heavy heart having just received news of her manager’s breast cancer diagnosis. 

“Right then, Victoria and I knew to focus on her instead of trying to write a hit song,” Marr said. “Rule number one of the songwriting room is to care about the person more than the song.” 

The three women put aside their plans to write a hit that day and set to work on a cathartic project — channeling their grief and mustering hope with a song intended for an audience of one. “We just let the conversation flow naturally and wrote a song encouraging her to get through this,” Marr reflected. 

What resulted was the song “Pink,” which passed through the music industry milieu before finding its way to Parton’s desk. So impressed with the song, Parton decided to cut the track and was joined by collaborators Jordin Sparks, Monica, Rita Wilson and Sara Evans to release a music video and start up an annual concert benefitting the Susan G. Komen Foundation. “Once Dolly Parton sings your song, you can die happy,” said Marr. 

The Road to Nashville 

Born in Hialeah, Florida and raised in Miami, Marr got her professional start through a publishing deal with Warner Chappell. “Most of the record labels for the Spanish speaking world are in Miami,” she said. “So, since I lived there and spoke Spanish, I signed to Warner Chappell's Latin division.” 

In less than a year, writing credits on Alejandro Guzman’s album “Soy” earned Marr her first Grammy award and established her as a creative powerhouse. Soon, she was collaborating with artists of all calibers and writing songs for some of the biggest artists in the world. 

This professional momentum took her career international, spawning collaborations with established artists like Charli XCX, Paloma Faith, Mika, Ricky Martin, Richie Sambora and Kristen Chenowith. 

Marr spent the first part of her career as a pop writer and producer in the UK while keeping roots in Nashville. “I always wanted to settle down someplace where I could have deer in the front yard when I became a mom,” she said. “But I also wanted to live in a town with a music business presence.” 

In 2013, Marr moved to Nashville to raise her daughter. One day, while co-writing with owner of Relative Music Group Dennis Matkosky, her next step appeared on the horizon. Matkosky connected her with James Elliot, creator of Belmont's Songwriting program, and she was hired as an adjunct professor. 

Dolly Parton: Songteller  

In 2025, Belmont launched the Dolly U program which explores Parton’s legacy by teaching students with the example of her life and career. As a lifelong Parton fan, Marr leapt at the opportunity to teach a class in the program and set to work with fellow songwriting instructor Victoria Banks on developing the course “Dolly Parton: Songteller.” 

“In the class, we study Dolly’s career and craft through her songwriting,” she explained. “By looking hard at her journey to becoming one of the biggest artists in the world, students are able to see how her songs built her life and made her into who she is.” 

Parton's extensive career - spanning more than seven decades - is a perfect case study. Marr's course narrows in on details of the icon's life to reveal the bigger picture of how Parton found success while maintaining integrity in the music industry. 

“We're studying songwriting, but we're also studying entrepreneurship, personhood and being a member of a community because Dolly is so much more than a songwriter,” she said. 

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Marr’s Classroom

As a working songwriter, Marr structures her professorship so that she has time to both write and teach. 

“I’m in the classroom Tuesday through Thursday, so that Mondays, Fridays, weekends and holidays I can continue to work in artist development, production and songwriting,” she said. “To me, the cornerstone of our program is that none of the professors are retired songwriters — we’re all right there in the thick of the business with our students, winning awards, working on projects and developing artists.” 

Marr’s industry connections often visit her classes as guest speakers. The Music Row site is a tremendous benefit for students in the classroom, as the close proximity allows representatives from music groups like Sony, Black River and Warner to easily walk over during their lunch hour and give guest lectures or feedback to students.  

“I think that's what makes Belmont unique,” shared Marr. “There are certainly outstanding schools that can teach songwriting and even music business, but we're the only one on Music Row and bringing industry connections into the classroom.”  

At Belmont, the songwriting faculty is encouraged to display their awards in their offices, which for Marr would mean multiple Grammys and several multi-platinum records. “My most important award is a sign my students made for me that reads ‘Music Mama,’” she explained. To her, being an educator is a mentorship role with a scope extending past classroom material and into the whole life of the student. 

“Songwriting is a noble profession, but I think teaching is even more so," she mused. "You are helping someone build their dreams, so it's important to give them everything you can as a teacher." 

Marr says that she sees herself as a kind of tour guide, "helping students fill their tool kits so they're best prepared for what comes after graduation, and as they make their way in the world." 

"When I see my students I always think, that's somebody's kid," she continued. "They belong to someone who’s entrusting me to guide them on this journey. So I give them everything I have –– tools for writing songs and a leading a full, balanced life as a creator.”