Troy Cartwright
Singer-songwriter Troy Cartwright recently added “podcast host” to his resume. More than 30 episodes in, his Ten Year Town podcast sheds light on the plight of Nashville songwriters and the passion and patience needed for just a chance to make it in Music City.
Cartwright has been a lover of songs and songwriting since he was a young kid growing up in Dallas, Texas. After graduating from Berklee College of Music, he moved to Nashville, got a publishing deal and then a record deal.
Years later, Cartwright left his label deal to be an independent artist. With releases such as “Unlove You,” “Wild One” and “Over You By Now,” he has garnered over 115 million streams to date, with 2023 marking his highest streaming success yet. His socials have grown exponentially as well.
As a songwriter signed to Big Machine Music, Cartwright has written songs recorded by Ryan Hurd, Josh Abbott Band, Nickelback and several other chart-topping artists. His resilience and perspective make him the perfect host for a podcast about the journey of songwriters like Ten Year Town.
The first season of Ten Year Town featured hitmakers such as Jimi Bell, Marc Beeson, Trannie Anderson, Billy Montana, Wynn Varble and many more—as well as publishers like Tim Hunze, Courtney Allen, Derek Wells and Chris “Falcon” Van Belkom.
Through his interviews, Cartwright uncovers their stories, takes a look into their craft and ultimately extracts words of advice from those behind the hits.
“I’m a really curious person. I just like talking to people,” he shares. “My wife, Mary Lu, and I are always trying to find creative things to do and ways to market. She was like, ‘We should make podcast called Ten Year Town and talk to people about their journey. Then we got started!”
Cartwright wanted to make sure that the podcast highlighted how everyone’s story is different, so that listeners could visualize different paths to success.
“You move to Nashville and hear that it’s a 10 year town, and you’re like, ‘I’m special. I’m going to do it one year.’ Sometimes that is true. Some people we’ve had on the podcast have been in town for 30 years, and some people have been in town for five,” Cartwright says. “For me it was just about trying to capture everyone’s story so that people just getting started could listen to it and [feel like they’re not alone.]”
Some of Cartwright’s favorite moments on Ten Year Town are when his guests speak to those listeners following in their footsteps.
“At the end of every episode I ask, ‘Do you have any advice that you would give to your younger self or to someone just getting started?’ Pretty much everyone’s answer is some version of, ‘don’t quit,'” he says.
“I hope the answer to that question is finding people at the right time, when they need to hear it most. I hope it’s inspiring for them because it’s been really inspiring for me personally.”
Another piece of wisdom Cartwright extracts from his guests is what their role in the writing room is. He says hearing their answers has helped him in his own craft.
“I try to be more present in the room now,” he says. “Sometimes my role is to be the artist, [but sometimes it’s not]. A guy I was writing with recently was going through something and was on fire, so my role was to be the stenographer. I was just trying to capture what he was getting out. I’m trying to be open to that process of understanding I can wear different hats.”
Cartwright’s first season of Ten Year Town connected so well that he has continued to release more, with new episodes featuring Jessi Alexander, Hardy, Luke Laird, Jerry Flowers and more out now.
With the help of his wife, Mary Lu, and some team members, he’s created a significant library of work with Ten Year Town. But it’s not like the singer-songwriter has much time—he is also constantly writing, recording and touring, building his own fan-base while fitting in time to talk to other creators about their lives.
“I’m so happy I’m doing this. It sets my soul on fire,” he says. “I love getting to talk about the craft of songwriting. It’s important to me. The Nashville community has done so much for me, I hope I [can continue] to elevate that so other people can realize how special Nashville is.”
When he’s not working on the podcast, Cartwright is working on a new record and writing three or four days a week.
“I feel like I’ve got three full-time jobs,” he quips. “I’m so grateful. I know how lucky I’m to get to do this. I’ve had a lot of different points where I wasn’t sure if I’d get to, so I don’t take it for granted.”
Ten Year Town is available to listen to here.
On The Row: Redferrin Pours Heart & Hard Work Into Debut EP
/by Liza AndersonRedferrin. Photo: Sean Hagwell
Prior to the release of his debut EP, Old No. 7, on Friday (Feb. 16), rising Warner Music Nashville artist Redferrin swung by the MusicRow office to tell his story and play some tunes from the project.
The White House, Tennessee native grew up racing dirt bikes while honing his songwriting skills. He met fellow country artist Tyler Hubbard through racing and the two began to collaborate, before Redferrin switched gears to pursue music full time. His songwriting credits include Florida Georgia Line‘s “Countryside,” Nelly‘s “Lil Bit (feat. Florida Georgia Line)” and Dean Brody and The Reklaws‘ “Can’t Help Myself.”
Pictured (L-R): MusicRow‘s Liza Anderson, Madison Hahnen and LB Cantrell; Redferrin; MusicRow‘s Sherod Robertson and John Nix Arledge
After spending the early days of his career writing for others, Redferrin is now writing for himself and coming into his own as an artist. Inspired by an array of influences ranging from Alan Jackson to Ozzy Osbourne, he infuses elements of various genres into his work to create his individual sound, sharing his story through song. The singer-songwriter produced and co-wrote all seven tracks on the EP.
“I try to be as hands-on as I can so that everything gets where I want it to be. There’s a lot of people helping me, but I know I have to steer the ship,” noted Redferrin. “I’ve just been doing my thing and, thankfully, everyone has been so supportive and encouraging.”
He shared his viral smash “Jack and Diet Coke,” which epitomizes his musical style. With more than 30 million global streams to date, the track caught the attention of the famous Jack Daniel’s brand and the company invited him out to tour the distillery. “I fell in love with Jack even more when I got to see the people making it and how down-home it is,” he recalls. “I got to learn about whiskey rather than just drink it.”
As the song’s reach increased, Jack Daniel’s invited him back to write for a week. He stayed in an airstream and fully immersed himself into cultivating the collection, each song leading to the concept of the next.
The artist also shared the track “Lose Her For Nothin'” with the MusicRow team. Redferrin tapped into his White House roots for the song, which he wrote with Cooper Bascom and Rose Falcon. Lastly, he played “Just Like Johnny,” a gritty tune written alongside Micah Wilshire in which he describes the similarities between himself and Johnny Cash while telling the not-as-known side of Johnny and June Carter Cash‘s love story.
To celebrate the release of Old No. 7, Redferrin sold out his first Music City headlining show at Exit/In on Thursday (Feb. 15). He is currently touring with Niko Moon and will join Billy Currington on the road this spring, in addition to several festival appearances.
Redferrin is published independently and managed by The William Gerard Group.
Lainey Wilson & Jelly Roll Take Home People’s Choice Awards
/by Madison HahnenLainey Wilson. Photo: Rich Polk/NBC via Getty Images
Sunday night (Feb. 18), some of music’s biggest stars gathered in Santa Monica, California for the 2024 People’s Choice Awards. The show honored those in music, TV, film, comedy and sports with the fan-voted awards. From the Barker Hangar event center, Barbie star Simu Liu hosted the night.
Broken Bow Records/BMG artist Lainey Wilson was the first artist to perform during the night, delivering a medley of hits including “Things A Man Oughta Know,” “Heart Like A Truck,” “Watermelon Moonshine” and also included her latest release “Country’s Cool Again.”
The next artist to represent Nashville was Wilson’s label-mate Jelly Roll, who won the award for The Male Country Artist of the Year. The Stoney Creek/BMG artist was not in attendance, but shared a message of gratitude on his social media following the win.
“It’s absolutely incredible. Thank you to the fans that voted. Thank you for putting it all over the internet. Thank you for putting it all over your social media, TikTok. Y’all were sharing it for us. That’s what y’all have done every single time for me, my entire career. You’ve never let me down, and I pray I keep making the kind of music that never lets you down. Thank y’all.”
Other music winners from the night include Billie Eilish, Taylor Swift, Bad Bunny, Shakira, Nicki Minaj, Beyoncé, Ice Spice, Stray Kids, Olivia Rodrigo and Aqua. Click here for a full list of winners.
Troy Cartwright Captures The Heart Of Nashville Songwriters With ‘Ten Year Town’ Podcast [Interview]
/by LB CantrellTroy Cartwright
Singer-songwriter Troy Cartwright recently added “podcast host” to his resume. More than 30 episodes in, his Ten Year Town podcast sheds light on the plight of Nashville songwriters and the passion and patience needed for just a chance to make it in Music City.
Cartwright has been a lover of songs and songwriting since he was a young kid growing up in Dallas, Texas. After graduating from Berklee College of Music, he moved to Nashville, got a publishing deal and then a record deal.
Years later, Cartwright left his label deal to be an independent artist. With releases such as “Unlove You,” “Wild One” and “Over You By Now,” he has garnered over 115 million streams to date, with 2023 marking his highest streaming success yet. His socials have grown exponentially as well.
As a songwriter signed to Big Machine Music, Cartwright has written songs recorded by Ryan Hurd, Josh Abbott Band, Nickelback and several other chart-topping artists. His resilience and perspective make him the perfect host for a podcast about the journey of songwriters like Ten Year Town.
The first season of Ten Year Town featured hitmakers such as Jimi Bell, Marc Beeson, Trannie Anderson, Billy Montana, Wynn Varble and many more—as well as publishers like Tim Hunze, Courtney Allen, Derek Wells and Chris “Falcon” Van Belkom.
Through his interviews, Cartwright uncovers their stories, takes a look into their craft and ultimately extracts words of advice from those behind the hits.
“I’m a really curious person. I just like talking to people,” he shares. “My wife, Mary Lu, and I are always trying to find creative things to do and ways to market. She was like, ‘We should make podcast called Ten Year Town and talk to people about their journey. Then we got started!”
Cartwright wanted to make sure that the podcast highlighted how everyone’s story is different, so that listeners could visualize different paths to success.
“You move to Nashville and hear that it’s a 10 year town, and you’re like, ‘I’m special. I’m going to do it one year.’ Sometimes that is true. Some people we’ve had on the podcast have been in town for 30 years, and some people have been in town for five,” Cartwright says. “For me it was just about trying to capture everyone’s story so that people just getting started could listen to it and [feel like they’re not alone.]”
Some of Cartwright’s favorite moments on Ten Year Town are when his guests speak to those listeners following in their footsteps.
“At the end of every episode I ask, ‘Do you have any advice that you would give to your younger self or to someone just getting started?’ Pretty much everyone’s answer is some version of, ‘don’t quit,'” he says.
“I hope the answer to that question is finding people at the right time, when they need to hear it most. I hope it’s inspiring for them because it’s been really inspiring for me personally.”
Another piece of wisdom Cartwright extracts from his guests is what their role in the writing room is. He says hearing their answers has helped him in his own craft.
“I try to be more present in the room now,” he says. “Sometimes my role is to be the artist, [but sometimes it’s not]. A guy I was writing with recently was going through something and was on fire, so my role was to be the stenographer. I was just trying to capture what he was getting out. I’m trying to be open to that process of understanding I can wear different hats.”
Cartwright’s first season of Ten Year Town connected so well that he has continued to release more, with new episodes featuring Jessi Alexander, Hardy, Luke Laird, Jerry Flowers and more out now.
With the help of his wife, Mary Lu, and some team members, he’s created a significant library of work with Ten Year Town. But it’s not like the singer-songwriter has much time—he is also constantly writing, recording and touring, building his own fan-base while fitting in time to talk to other creators about their lives.
“I’m so happy I’m doing this. It sets my soul on fire,” he says. “I love getting to talk about the craft of songwriting. It’s important to me. The Nashville community has done so much for me, I hope I [can continue] to elevate that so other people can realize how special Nashville is.”
When he’s not working on the podcast, Cartwright is working on a new record and writing three or four days a week.
“I feel like I’ve got three full-time jobs,” he quips. “I’m so grateful. I know how lucky I’m to get to do this. I’ve had a lot of different points where I wasn’t sure if I’d get to, so I don’t take it for granted.”
Ten Year Town is available to listen to here.
Late Toby Keith Takes No. 1 Spot On MusicRow Top Songwriter Chart
/by Madison HahnenToby Keith
The late Toby Keith has earned the No. 1 spot on the MusicRow Top Songwriter Chart this week. After the country star’s passing on Feb. 5, the community took to streaming to honor Keith. With his songs “As Good As I Once Was,” “Don’t Let The Old Man In,” “How Do You Like Me Now?!” “Should’ve Been A Cowboy” and “Courtesy Of The Red, White, And Blue (The Angry American),” Keith made his way to the top of the chart.
Ashley Gorley takes the No. 2 spot this week with seven songs represented on the country charts. These tracks include “All I Need Is You,” “Last Night,” “Thinkin’ Bout Me,” “This Town’s Been Too Good To Us,” “Truck Bed, “World On Fire” and “Young Love & Saturday Nights.”
The No. 3 spot belongs to Zach Bryan this week, with his songs “Hey Driver,” “I Remember Everything” and “Sarah’s Place.” Randy Montana (No. 4) and Chayce Beckham (No. 5) round out this week’s top five.
The weekly MusicRow Top Songwriter Chart uses algorithms based upon song activity according to airplay, digital download track sales and streams. This unique and exclusive addition to the MusicRow portfolio is the only songwriter chart of its kind.
Click here to view the full MusicRow Top Songwriter Chart.
Live Nation & Music Forward Foundation Launch 2024 Scholarship Programs
/by Lorie HollabaughLive Nation and Music Forward Foundation’s 2024 scholarship application period for college students pursuing careers in the music and live entertainment industry is now open.
Five $10,000 scholarships will be awarded to outstanding college students in either their junior or senior year majoring in music, music business, production and/or related fields at an accredited college or university in the U.S. The opportunity is specifically designed to support students interested in the core aspects of the concert business, including concert promotion, venue operation, ticketing, sponsorship, hospitality, artist management and more. Applications must be submitted online by March 31. For more information, click here.
“We are happy to once again work with the Music Forward scholarship program as we continue to invest in talented, driven, and dedicated young people pursuing careers in live entertainment,” says Jordan Zachary, Co-President of U.S. Concerts, Live Nation.
“Our ongoing partnership with the Music Forward Foundation reinforces our commitment to champion and empower the next generation of leaders in our industry,” adds Omar Al-joulani, Co-President of U.S. Concerts, Live Nation.
“Scholarships remain a pivotal part of our community outreach and recruitment programming,” says Nurit Smith, Executive Director, Music Forward Foundation. “Music Forward’s mission is to support young people hoping to enter the music and live entertainment industry and this program expands our reach to a wide range of students who may not otherwise be afforded the opportunity to pursue dream careers.”
Scholarship recipients will be selected by a panel of industry executives and thought leaders across academic, entertainment, civic and corporate sectors. Criteria for selection include academic achievement, essay responses and recommendations. Scholarships will be announced in June 2024, and awards will be given for the fall 2024 semester.
Major Bob Music & Dreamlined Entertainment Sign Jen Stegall
/by Liza AndersonPictured (L-R): Emily Hasty, Graham Kothman, Andy Friday, Jen Stegall, Bob Doyle and Keith Stegall
Major Bob Music and Dreamlined Entertainment have signed songwriter and producer Jen Stegall.
Jen has helped various acts develop their own sounds and styles, including Carter Faith, HunterGirl, Sam Hatmaker, Makayla Lynn, Smith & Wesley, Reverie Lane, The Abrams, Ryan Kinder and Janelle Arthur.
Her father, Keith Stegall, founded Dreamlined Entertainment, and has over 55 No. 1 credits as a producer and/or songwriter. He is the longtime producer of Alan Jackson, and has penned hits for George Strait and laid tracks with George Jones, Zac Brown Band, Clay Walker and more.
Major Bob Music is an independent Nashville-based publishing company owned and founded by Garth Brooks‘ longtime publisher and manager, Bob Doyle. Its roster has notched over 70 No. 1 singles, two ASCAP Songwriter of the Year and a SESAC Songwriter of the Year awards over the course of its 38 years in business.
“This is a bucket list collaboration/partnership for Dreamlined and my incredibly gifted daughter,” says Keith. “I’m thrilled to be working alongside Bob and Major Bob’s super crew. Let’s do it!”
“We’re thrilled to have this opportunity to work alongside Jen and with Keith. Jen is the real deal; she gets it honest, and our Major Bob team is honored to work with her,” says Andy Friday, Head of Publishing, Major Bob Music.
Sony Music Nashville Launches New Pop Imprint, Free Flight Records
/by LB CantrellDarren Kiely, Free Flight Records
Sony Music Nashville has launched a new imprint for non-country music called Free Flight Records. Pop/folk singer-songwriter Darren Kiely has joined the imprint’s roster.
“Nashville has always been known as a song first community and as such attracts writers from all over the world to come to practice their craft. As we’ve seen that talent pool become a deep well, we decided to build a home to partner with and support those singer/songwriters that aren’t categorically ‘country.’ Darren Kiely is symbolic of this global new wave,” says Sony Music Nashville’s Chairman and CEO Randy Goodman of the news.
Kiely hails from a quaint town in Co. Cork, Ireland. With influences such as Mumford & Sons, The Lumineers and Noah Kahan, Kiely has mastered his own distinctive sound while drawing in fans worldwide.
He released his debut EP Lost last fall, in which he solo-wrote four of the seven tracks on the project and co-wrote the other three. Kiely has now reached No. 1 on the Irish Homegrown Chart with hit hit “Sunrise” from the project. Lost also features “Mom & Dad,” which debuted in the top 40 on the Irish Singles Chart and also landed him in the top 5 on the Irish Homegrown chart.
Kiely went out on the road last fall, stopping for sold-out headlining shows in Boston and New York before bringing his “The Road Home Tour” to Ireland in November. With stops in Cork, Dublin, Galway and Limerick, the Irish leg of the tour sold out the same day it went on sale. Now he is on “The Lost Tour,” where he’ll stop in major cities across North America including Dallas, Denver, Nashville, Seattle, Vancouver and others.
Briana Galluccio Joins One Country As Director Of Promotion & Partnerships
/by Madison HahnenBriana Galluccio
Briana Galluccio has joined country and southern lifestyle platform One Country as Director of Promotion & Partnerships. In her new role, Galluccio will help shape and execute promotional initiatives with the goal of growing One Country’s audience and brand presence.
“I am honored to be part of the One Country team and help grow this dynamic platform,” says Galluccio. “I look forward to leveraging my experience to enhance the promotional initiatives and contribute to the overall success of One Country by continuing to deliver top-notch experiences and content to its passionate audience.”
Galluccio brings an abundance of promotion experience to One Country. She most recently held the role of Director, Regional Promotion at MCA Nashville.
“We are delighted to welcome Briana to the One Country family as our new Director of Promotion & Partnerships,” shares Chase Locke, CEO of One Country. “Her extensive experience and proven track record in promotion make her a valuable addition to our team. We are confident that Briana’s expertise will contribute significantly to the continued growth and success of One Country.”
Galluccio can be reached at bgalluccio@onecountry.com
Tracy Lawrence Gears Up For New Summer EP ‘Out Here In It’
/by Lorie HollabaughTracy Lawrence has released the title track from his upcoming new EP, Out Here In It, set for release on June 7.
The new project features cuts penned by Rodney Clawson, Wyatt McCubbin, Devin Dawson, Ernest Keith Smith, Lee Thomas Miller and more, and follows the artist’s 2022 Hindsight 2020 Vol 3. album.
“It’s been a while since I’ve been in the studio,” shares Lawrence. “I always have a blast working up new songs so it felt so good to cut new music. My last project, the 30th anniversary album Hindsight 2020, was the closing of a chapter of my life. With this new project, I really wanted to freshen things up a bit. A little bit more contemporary but still very country. I’m very proud of it and hope you all really enjoy it.”
Lawrence will take his new music on the road as he joins Riley Green for his “Ain’t My Last Rodeo Tour,” beginning Feb. 22 in Pikeville, Kentucky. The 33-stop tour will visit amphitheaters and arenas throughout spring, with stops in Houston, Lexington, Tuscaloosa, Knoxville, San Jose and Phoenix. Later on May 4, Lawrence will headline the Ryman Auditorium for the very first time.
On The Row: MacKenzie Porter Shares New Music From Upcoming Album
/by LB CantrellMacKenzie Porter. Photo: Bree Marie Fish
Big Loud Records artist MacKenzie Porter recently dropped by the MusicRow office to share some new music from her upcoming debut album. The 16-track project, titled Nobody’s Born With A Broken Heart, is due out April 26.
After having plenty of success in her homeland of Canada, Porter made her way to Nashville in 2014 and connected with Big Loud Partner and hit producer Joey Moi. Once signed to the label, Porter had success with hits such as “These Days” and “Seeing Other People,” but broke out in a big way in 2021 when she joined Dustin Lynch on his duet “Thinking ‘Bout You.”
Pictured (L-R): MusicRow’s LB Cantrell and Liza Anderson; MacKenzie Porter; MusicRow’s Sherod Robertson, Madison Hahnen and John Nix Arledge
The six-week No. 1 at U.S. country radio built on her momentum from up north, where she’s already notched six No. 1 songs. Porter has earned 873 million global on-demand streams, just wrapped her first headlining tour and won the 2022 subscriber-voted MusicRow Discovery Artist of the Year award. She has also nabbed nominations from the American Music Awards and CCMA Awards.
Now she is gearing up to release her debut album, six years in the making. She is also pregnant with her first child, and is due in just a few weeks.
Porter shared a few songs off the new album with the MusicRow staff, including the reflective title track, the wistful “Easy To Miss,” the romantic “Coming Home To You” and the stoic “Pay Me Back In Change.” All were outstanding.
She talked about how her album has come together over the last six years, sharing that she was grateful for the time she spent on it, as it allowed her to find her tribe of co-collaborators who truly knew her, such as Parker Welling, Lydia Vaughn and Emily Weisband.
Pictured (L-R): MusicRow’s Sherod Robertson & MacKenzie Porter
“You get to the point after being in town for a while where you want to write with friends. They know you—they know how you feel and your situations,” Porter said. “They knew what was missing on the project because they had heard it all. There’s some amazing women in this town.”
Nobody’s Born With A Broken Heart also includes fan favorite “Pickup,” which earned Porter a 2023 CMT Music Awards nomination for Breakthrough Female Video of the Year, as well as the already-released “Bet You Break My Heart.”
Porter is managed by Big Loud, published by Sony Music Publishing and booked by CAA.