A rootsy singer/songwriter known for his passionate but down-to-earth approach, Sean McConnell found success as a Nashville songsmith, penning tunes throughout the 2000s for country, rock, and pop artists like Brad Paisley, Jason Castro, and Meat Loaf. His concurrent solo career yielded strong outings like 2009's Saints, Thieves, Liars, his eponymous 2016 album, and 2019's Secondhand Smoke.