In the 90s and early 2000s Dan Wilson made a name for himself as the lead singer of Semisonic, writing infinitely hummable rock songs. More recently he has had a string of successes as a cowriter- he helped Adele with her #1 hit song “Someone Like You” and worked with the Dixie Chicks on their 2007 Grammy winning song “Not Ready To Make Nice” among other collaborations. In 2007 Wilson also released his first solo album Free Life. Recently he returned with a second solo disc called Love Without Fear. Among the many lessons he has learned over the years, Dan Wilson shares how he knows if a song he is working on with someone is going to be a success. Plus, Brett Dennen. When he released his debut a decade ago, the tall red haired singer seemed to be still finding his voice. With his new disc Smoke and Mirrors he seems to be confidently pursuing commercial success. He reflects on how he has changed over the last ten years and what he now sees as the key to writing a song with mass appeal. That’s this week on Conversations from the World Cafe!