Nashville, TN — Sitting at a table covered with notebooks, pens and dozens upon dozens of photographs of country music superstars, Frank Wainwright can’t help but smile as he recounts the story of how – even in the face of adversity – he chased down a lifelong dream.

The journey from his native Stamford, Conn. to his second-floor office on Nashville’s storied Music Row could never be measured in mere miles alone. It was a roll of the dice, one that took faith, courage and a peerless work ethic.

In the late 1980s, Wainwright still called Connecticut home. He owned and operated a successful locksmith business and thought of writing as more of a creative outlet than a career path. But as Wainwright will attest, life is always at the ready to throw a curveball or two.

“The economy turned. A lot of people owned property and lost money, and I had a lot of property up there at that time. There were a lot of troubles,” he recalls, leaning back in his chair. “I ended up getting a divorce on Monday and filing for bankruptcy on Wednesday, all in the same week. I just wanted to get it all out of the way and over with at once.”

But rather than hanging his head in defeat, Wainwright drew upon his faith as he embarked in search of a new beginning, one that ultimately led him to Music City, U.S.A.

“I put it all behind me … and I said I’d do what I always wanted to do in life, which was to write music,” he said. “I lost everything I’d worked for over 25 years, but I was healthy, and my kids were grown. So, I decided to go to Nashville and give it a shot.”

Wainwright had been writing songs for his entire life, “jotting down little things, ideas here and there,” but he’d never actually pursued songwriting as a career. The rush of changes in his life fueled his decision to take a chance as a tunesmith.

In 1991, at the age of 55, Wainwright began making monthly trips to Nashville. He’d make the 1,800-mile round trip each month for two years before finally relocating to the heart of the country music industry. During his visits to Nashville, he had begun establishing relationships with record labels, folks in the music industry and fellow songwriters. One of his first big breaks came when he met up with producer and arranger Jay Vern, who helped Wainwright make an eight-song demo recording and even gave him a place to stay for a year.

Shortly after recording the demo with Vern, Wainwright fondly recalls attending a Nashville Songwriters Association meeting when someone finally took notice of his talent.

“There were probably about 120 people in the room and a basket full of tapes. You didn’t know whose tape they’d listen to, but all of a sudden, they played mine – just a verse and a chorus. They stopped and asked, ‘Who wrote this song?’ Well, I kind of got nervous and didn’t know whether to answer or not,” he chuckled. “I slumped down into my seat just a bit and slowly raised my hand. They said, ‘We’d like to hold this song.’”

Although the song put on “hold” never moved forward, Wainwright was officially hooked. And the recognition he received at the association’s meeting ultimately led to his signing with Charlie Monk’s Monk Family Music. Monk, more commonly known as the “Mayor of Music Row,” took a liking to many of Wainwright’s songs. At the time, Monk’s team of writers included the likes of Randy Travis and Aaron Tippin.

Still, Wainwright continued working as a locksmith in Nashville; however, as a result of his newfound connections, he was able to use his trade in a way he’d never imagined possible – to open doors in the country music industry.

One of Wainwright’s favorite stories revolves around a chance meeting with then-RCA/Sony Music CEO Joe Galante.

“We were at an event, and I walked up to him (Galante) and introduced myself. I told him I knew he could open doors for artists in the music business and that, well, I opened a lot of doors for people, too, and if he ever had a door he couldn’t open, don’t hesitate to call me,” Wainwright smiled. “I handed him my business card, he read it as he was walking away, and then he started laughing and put it into his pocket.”

Wainwright’s humorous pitch worked. Just two weeks later, the record company’s national promotional director gave Wainwright a call after accidentally locking his keys inside his still-running car.

“I headed over there, and he asked me what it was going to cost him to get that car open. I said, ‘It’s going to cost you a half an hour to listen to some of my music,” he said.

Wainwright forged ahead with his songwriting and, thanks in part to his friendship with Monk, he frequently found himself rubbing elbows at industry events with country music icons like George Jones (for whom he wrote “I Lived To Tell It All”), Willie Nelson, Hank Williams Jr. and Garth Brooks as well as newer artists like LeAnn Rimes and Toby Keith.

As time went on, Wainwright began to earn the accolades of the Nashville Songwriters Association International (NSAI). In 1997, he received the organization’s Horizon Award, given annually to a promising up-and-coming songwriter. Twice in the years that followed, he was nominated for NSAI Songwriter of the Year.

The Songwriter of the Year award remained just out of reach until last fall, when Wainwright finally claimed the title for his compositions, “You the Man, Babe” by Julie Ingram and “Thank God,” which was recorded by 10-year-old inspirational artist Hannah Faith.

“I couldn’t believe it was me,” Wainwright said of his reaction upon winning the coveted award. “I was very surprised by it and very honored to receive it. It took me 15 years to get there. It wasn’t something that happened overnight. It rejuvenated me and motivated me to keep on going.”

He notes the inspiration for a song can come at any moment, which is why he keeps a notepad or a tape recorder nearby at all times – even as he sleeps. “You’ll just wake up at 2 a.m., and it’ll hit you. I’ve learned that if you don’t get the idea down then, it won’t be there in the morning,” he says.

Frequently, Wainwright’s inspiration comes from personal experiences, day-to-day life and “just talking to people.” In fact, a deeply personal experience inspired him to write “I Love You,” another track recorded by Julie Ingram and his personal favorite of his many songs.

“When you hear the title, you’d think it’s a love song, but it’s not – at least not a regular love song,” he says. “It’s a song about people in your life who have passed on, and you regret never having taken the time to tell them you love them.”

Wainwright was inspired to pen “I Love You” after he learned of an old friend’s passing, something he said “really hit me hard.”

“I used to drive by his town, and I always meant to stop by for a visit or to give him a call. I ended up losing his phone number, but I wanted to see him. I called his brother, but he told me, ‘I’m sorry … but he passed away about six months ago,” Wainwright recalled. “It really struck me and inspired the song. It’s happened with several people in my life, and I wanted to make it a point, to stress how important it is to tell someone – your spouse, your friend – how much you love them before it’s too late.”

A self-described amateur keyboardist, Wainwright continues to write his songs at a desktop computer – surrounded by photos of his travels and framed records – in a cozy, second-floor office on Music Row. And while he is primarily drawn to country music, his songs span many genres, including Christmas music, rock and roll and even hip hop.

“I’ve always loved the lyrics in country music. They talk about things that really matter, family, friends … real-life things,” he said of his passion. “It’s just a good fit for me, and I’m thankful it’s been such a part of my journey. I’ve always had the inspiration from God.”