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History Of Our Company


Alex Zanetis

In 1962 singer-songwriter Alex Zanetis enjoyed his first #1 hit song as recorded by crooner Faron Young. The song was called BACKTRACK and it would be the beginning of a 40-year career writing songs for a veritable "who's who" in pop and country music, including:

Merle Haggard, Dolly Parton, George Jones, Waylon Jennings, Ronnie Milsap, Charley Pride,
Hank Williams Jr, Brenda Lee, Dean Martin, Lou Rawls, Sammy Davis Jr, Jerry Lee Lewis,
Eddy Arnold, Bill Anderson, Dottie West, Jim Reeves, and the list goes on.


Eric Zanetis

Son Eric Zanetis began working at the family record label and publishing companies Samos Island Music and Jack O'Diamonds Records while still in high school. Young Zanetis would spend the next 15 years learning the dynamics of the music business and the art of song writing at his father's elbow.

Two unknown singer-songwriters Craig Martin and Larry W. Johnson walked in Eric's office one day and changed the course of music history. With Eric's indomitable spirit and encouragement, they would co-write a string of great songs including DON'T TAKE THE GIRL. Eric pitched the song to the still unknown singer Tim McGraw who immediately fell in love with it. But, DON'T TAKE THE GIRL was not released as a single when radio programmers suddenly started playing it, catapulting the song, its writers, and McGraw to fame. The song became a huge success with no promotion from the record label whatsoever!

"A great song will promote itself if you just let people hear it!" Eric has been known to say. In this case he was right on the money. The song went on to sell more than 20 million records.


Mack Vickery

Family friend, entertainer and hit songwriter Mack Vickery would join Alex and Eric in starting a new recording company designed to help professional and amateur songwriters get their songs ready for the marketplace. This company, originally called Nashville Co-Writers Association, was the genesis of Eric Zanetis Publishing Company and Diamond Garden Music.

Some of the many hit songs Mack wrote include THE FIREMAN recorded by George Strait, I'LL LEAVE THIS WORLD LOVING YOU recorded by Ricky Van Shelton, and I'M THE ONLY HELL MY MAMA EVER RAISED recorded by Johnny Paycheck. Vickery also wrote songs recorded by Johnny Cash, John Anderson, Tanya Tucker, Waylon Jennings, Jerry Lee Lewis, Lefty Frizzell, Faron Young, and George Jones.


Troy Martin

Troy Martin is an important adviser and coach to many new songwriters. He has already written songs that have been recorded by a dozen major recording artists including three #1 hits: George Strait's BABY'S GOTTEN GOOD AT GOODBYE, Rick Trevino's SHE CAN'T SAY I DIDN'T CRY, and Jeff Carson's NOT ON YOUR LOVE.

Troy's brother Tony is also a highly-accomplished songwriter with songs recorded by Rascal Flatts, Dierks Bentley, Josh Turner, Billy Currington, Sara Evans, George Strait, Tim McGraw, and many others.

It's all in the family because Troy and Tony's father Glenn Martin wrote the classic hits IF WE'RE NOT BACK IN LOVE BY MONDAY for Merle Haggard, STATUE OF A FOOL for Jack Greene, IS ANYBODY GOIN' TO SAN ANTONE for Charley Pride, and IT'S NOT LOVE BUT IT'S NOT BAD for Marty Robbins, among others.

Troy wrote our newest song MARGARITA MARGARITA with Marty Brown. Marty also wrote the #1 hit I'M FROM THE COUNTRY (AND I LIKE IT LIKE THAT) for Tracy Byrd. Marty was a second place finisher on 2013 America's Got Talent. MARGARITA MARGARITA is just now hitting radio.

Troy brings his broad experience and prodigious talent to our team.

It is easy to see why we are called a family-operated publishing company.



Telephone: 615-754-7055

E-mail: newsongs@diamondgardenmusic.com

Diamond Garden Music
346 Belinda Parkway
Mount Juliet, TN 37122
(a suburb of Nashville)

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