Phil Vassar (born May 28, 1964 in Lynchburg, Virginia) is an American country music artist, most notable for his songwriting and use of a piano as his most prominent backing instrument. Prior to signing with Arista Records in 2000, Vassar's songwriting talent was no stranger to the airwaves, penning number-one hits for some of the most popular country artists of the late 1990s: Jo Dee Messina ("Bye, Bye" and "I'm Alright"), Alan Jackson ("Right on the Money") and Tim McGraw ("My Next Thirty Years" and "For A Little While").