Hughes was a part of the platinum selling Little Big Town record "Tornado" where he played guitar and co-wrote "Self Made". He partnered with Sarah Jarosz to co-write on her Grammy Nominated Record "Build Me Up from Bones". Songs included "Mile on the Moon" and "Over The Edge". In the spring of 2013, he became lead guitarist of the Emmylou Harris &amp; Rodney Crowell Tour for their Grammy Award Winning Album "Old Yellow Moon". Hughes also produced Australian Musician Morgan Evans' latest record. In 2014, Hughes relocated to Los Angeles and started Royal Noise Productions.