[(L-R) Caitlin Cannon, Kyle Coroneos, Susan Gibson | Photo: Max Cunningham | Download JPG]
Hit songwriter Susan Gibson performs & shares behind-the-scenes insight for her #1 hit “Wide Open Spaces”
Filmed live from landmark Austin honky tonk, Sagebrush
Next tape dates scheduled for May 31, June 14 & 21
More information online at savingcountrymusic.com/thehook
AUSTIN, Texas. (May 26, 2026) – The newly launched live-taped songwriting showcase The Hook has unveiled their first two episodes on YouTube [WATCH: Ep. #1 | Ep. #2], capturing raw storytelling, unscripted musical moments and informed panel lead conversations with hit songwriters and emerging talent. The Hook is filmed live from landmark Austin honky tonk and music venue Sagebrush (5500 S. Congress Ave.), with an additional tape date scheduled for May 31, from 2:45 to 4:45 p.m.
The standout performance came on Episode #2 from hit songwriter Susan Gibson (The Chicks), who performed her iconic 2x Platinum, #1 hit composition “Wide Open Spaces,” and then shared behind-the-scenes insight into the song’s evolution, including discussion of a removed third verse and the balance between artistic integrity and accessibility.
On Episode #1 emerging Austin-based songwriter and performer Katrina Cain won The Hook’s coveted Gold Patch with an empowering performance of her unreleased song “Midnight Ballerina.” Another standout performance from Episode #1 came from Alex Evans, who performed her song “Southpaw.”
Other Texas-based touring songwriters who’ve performed on the inaugural episodes include Jake Busby, Bill Cody, Dave Endlessly, Tyler Richards, Drew Preston and Phill Brush.
Hosted by veteran music journalist Kyle “Trigger” Coroneos of prominent online news outlet SavingCountryMusic.com, and songwriter Caitlin Cannon, The Hook continues its mission of spotlighting songs first — giving performers of all backgrounds the opportunity to present original material live before an audience, cameras and an expert panel.
“We’re really excited about the reception we’ve received so far, and have already had a couple of launching pad moments that we were hoping The Hook would facilitate,” Kyle “Trigger” Coroneos says. “It feels like The Hook is about to pop off.”
Originally launched in Nashville before expanding into Austin, The Hook was created to provide an open forum for songwriting discovery in an increasingly algorithm-driven music landscape. The showcase combines live performance, commentary, artist interviews and documentary-style storytelling into a filmed series distributed online.
The next Austin tapings of The Hook are scheduled for May 31 at Sagebrush from 2:45 p.m. to 4:45 p.m. Songwriters interested in participating are encouraged to arrive early to sign up.
To stay in touch with The Hook visit savingcountrymusic.com/thehook, follow on Instagram (@the_hook_songs), Facebook (@thehooksongs) or to watch previous released performances, subscribe on YouTube (@The-Hook-Songs).
About The Hook:
Since so many of the greatest songs go unheard, and their composers are resigned to virtual obscurity, The Hook aspires to open up a new and exciting forum for songs and their creators to find the audience and support they deserve. By breaking down the siloed perspectives that everyone suffers from in the digital age and completely opening up the opportunities to everyone, the best songs and songwriters will emerge with the help of artistic criticism and a dash of humor.
Though singing competitions abound, and forums for songwriters are not uncommon, The Hook is unique in how it centers the song first, not the singer, or the performance. A good performance can help sell a great song, but a great song can go much further, changing hearts and minds, changing our perspectives on the world, and changing the world itself.
The Hook believes the next world-changing song is out there just waiting to be heard. It seeks to create a platform to discover and showcase songs in a way that would preserve the small and pure tones of truth that would be otherwise smothered by mainstream noise. The Hook wants to hear the next world changing song, and is ready to dig through the ugly, the profane, and the downright bad to find them.
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