It sounds like an overnight success story. It took Garrett exactly one week to get a record deal once he had the idea for the song, "Moose Shootin Mama". But like the song's subject, Sarah Palin, who seemingly came out of nowhere to become the world’s most talked about woman, Garrett has spent years writing, performing and recording before that pivotal moment when someone with vast experience in the industry finally said "I think you have a hit!"
Mike Borchetta, president of Lofton Creek Records, who signed Tim McGraw while at Curb Records, and was instrumental in the career of Leann Rimes, was that person. "Pat's been pitching me songs for years. Then last Thursday morning, I hear Pat singing the chorus of this song on my voicemail. As soon as I heard ‘She's a moose-shootin' mama’, I just knew it was something I had to jump on. I called him right back and told him to come down and cut it."
Garrett called longtime buddy and musician Fred Newell in Nashville who lined up Evergreen Studio and the musicians. Then Garrett and wife Suzy Dalton, co-writer of the song and bass player in Pat's live band, jumped on a plane to Nashville Monday night, and had the song cut and mastered by Thursday noon. Thursday afternoon they sat in Borchetta's office playing the finished song for him, business partner and wife, Martha, and GM Mark Maynard. "It was the best feeling in the world to watch the big smiles on their faces while they listened. I knew I had something!" exclaimed Garrett. The CD single for radio was pressed the next day and mailed September 15..
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