It's no wonder CHRISTIAN LOPEZ landed a record deal when he was just a freshman in college — his old-soul singing, playing, and writing abilities belie his youthful age. Now 22, Christian is touring his latest album, RED ARROW (Blaster Records), and recently, at the Los Angeles home of his girlfriend, actor SKYLER SHAYE, we sat down and jammed on several of his wonderful songs, and he explained to me how he constructed them. He also shared how he evolved from playing restaurant gigs as a teenager in the tiny town of Martinsburg, West Virginia, to becoming one of the hottest up-and-coming signed artists in Nashville.

—JUDE GOLD, host, No Guitar Is Safe