Charley Crockett, Stephen Wilson Jr. and Drayton Farley share a night of music and connection

An excited crowd of country music festival goers and Palm Springs locals gazed across the intimate stage as Charlie Crockett kicked off the night by espousing a truth every songwriter knows. “It's easy to start a song. It's much harder to finish one.” Stephen Wilson Jr. and Drayton Farley nodded alongside him. Rolling Stone Senior Editor Joseph Hudak kicked off the evening by asking the three pioneering country music artists about their songwriting process in the latest installment of Rolling Stone Writers HallGeorge Dickel presented.

The three artists blazed their own path in the country music genre by planting roots in their own sensibilities, and the night brought them all together to delve into their process and hear their own way of storytelling through their music.

Crockett's prolific status in Americana country has been cemented by his incredible work ethic as a singer-songwriter, releasing nine records in five years. In many interviews, Crockett has talked about how much being on the road inspires his music, but it was his struggles with living on the road and busking that made him the artist he is today. “When I was playing on those street corners, I learned how to play in front of people… I'm proud of that and they can't take that away from me.”

He performs his song A dream come truefor the first time in Writers' Room, Drayton Farley devoted himself fully to music after years of working on a factory line to support his family. Making the leap to pursue his art full-time was one of the hardest decisions he ever made. “I jumped out of a plane with my family strapped to my back and I wasn't sure if there was a parachute.” But it paid off. “My dream was to do what I'm doing today.” The soulful Alabama native also performed 'Pitchin' Fits' and 'Dreamer'.

As for Stephen Wilson Jr., the self-proclaimed “recovering microbiologist” originally from Indiana, he quit his job as a scientist and pursued his dream of becoming a musician even through the grief of losing his father. The grunge-country artist performed 'Cuckoo' first, captivating the crowd with his powerful vocals and nostalgic beat. After a series of hilarious introductions that drew laughter from the crowd, the songs of “The devil' and '1994' he brought the Palm Springs venue to life as well as his colleagues.

As the excited crowd toasted, laughed and cheered along with each artist, Joseph Hudak reminded everyone of the importance of songwriting itself. All three acts agreed – some songs take months, even years of you, and some take less than an hour. “I always write my lyrics first, the music comes later,” Wilson Jr. said.

Crockett surprised the crowd by revealing “I don't write my lyrics. It's all in my head, so I have to play it over and over to get it down.” Running “Game I can't win' and 'One Trick Pony'his latest album '$10 cowboy' was released a few hours after the Writers' Room performance. The audience was lucky enough to hear the album's title track the day before the Stagecoach show.

George Dickel is a historic 160-year-old whiskey brand that has been revitalized by innovative General Manager and Distiller, Nicole Austin. Based outside of Nashville in Cascade Hollow, the award-winning Eight Year Old Dickel Bourbon is a testament to the successful combination of the best whiskey tradition with new and innovative techniques.

Creating new ways to enjoy bourbon, rye and more, Dickel roams tradition with a new edge and pays homage while pushing the art of creating beautiful whiskey. Like these artists, he is confident, authentic and unwavering in the product they create.