Ten Year Town

In today’s episode of Ten Year Town , Troy takes a step back from the noise of marketing hacks and algorithm tricks to talk about something deeper: the art itself. Making music can feel like pulling the lever on a slot machine: the lights flash, it feels like progress, but often it leaves you right where you started. This episode, A Field Guide for Going Slow , explores what it means to create wor...

John Strohm is a musician, songwriter, lawyer, and music industry executive originally from Bloomington, Indiana. He began his career as a drummer in Indiana’s punk scene before co-founding the indie rock band Blake Babies. He also played guitar and drums in The Lemonheads and has released several solo records, including his most recent in 2023. Strohm became a prominent entertainment attorney in...

Bear Rinehart is a GRAMMY-nominated singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist originally from Seneca, South Carolina. He is the frontman and co-founder of the band NEEDTOBREATHE , and in 2019, he launched a solo project under the name Wilder Woods . Over the course of his career, he has released multiple charting albums and toured extensively across the U.S. and beyond. In this episode, we tal...

Ruston Kelly is a critically acclaimed singer-songwriter originally from Georgetown, South Carolina. His catalog includes songs like “Mockingbird,” “The Weakness,” and “Rubber,” as well as his cover projects Dirt Emo Vol. 1 and Vol. 2. His fourth studio album, Pale Through The Window, is set to release on September 12, 2025. In this episode, we talk about Ruston’s journey through Nashville, his cr...

Liz Rose is a GRAMMY-winning songwriter originally from Dallas, Texas, and raised in nearby Irving. Her songs have been recorded by artists including Carrie Underwood, Gary Allan, Eli Young Band, Taylor Swift, Little Big Town, and many others. She is the co-writer behind some of Taylor Swift's biggest hits, including “You Belong With Me,” “Teardrops on My Guitar,” and “All Too Well.” Her song...

Jordyn Shellhart is a singer and songwriter originally from Wheatland, Wyoming, and was raised in Santa Rosa, California . She signed her first publishing deal at just 14 years old with Sea Gayle Music and has since earned cuts by Little Big Town, Kelsea Ballerini, Cody Johnson, and Don Williams. She released her debut album Primrose in 2023. In this episode, we discuss Jordyn’s journey through Na...

Blake Pendergrass is a songwriter originally from Raleigh, North Carolina. A graduate of Belmont University, Blake landed his first major label cut with “865” on Morgan Wallen’s Dangerous. Since then, he has written several more songs for Wallen, including “Dying Man,” “Ain’t That Some,” and “Just In Case” — which became his first #1 as a songwriter. He also has had cuts on albums by Chase Rice, K...

Chris DuBois is a hit songwriter and  award-winning publisher from Nashville. He has written numerous #1 songs, including “You Should Probably Leave” by Chris Stapleton, “Mud on The Tires” by Brad Paisley, and is a two-time recipient of the CMA Triple Play Award (three #1 songs in one year). In 1999, Chris co-founded Sea Gayle Music which went on to win the ASCAP Country Publisher of the Year awar...

Dave Barnes is a GRAMMY-nominated artist and songwriter originally from Knoxville, Tennessee . He’s written songs for artists including Blake Shelton, Carrie Underwood, and Thomas Rhett, but is equally known for his own work as a recording artist. His song “God Gave Me You” became a massive hit for Blake Shelton, earning Barnes a GRAMMY nomination for Best Country Song. In this episode, we talk ab...

Neil Medley is a songwriter originally from Louisville, Kentucky. He’s written songs for some of the biggest names in country music, including Jake Owen, Cody Johnson, Luke Bryan, Hudson Westbrook, and many others. His song "Country Song Came On" is the current single for Luke Bryan. He is signed to Riser House. In this episode, we discuss his journey from Kentucky to Nashville, his firs...

This week on Ten Year Town: Troy Cartwright shares a few thoughts on the creative loop and the story of a Red-Bellied Wood Pecker. If you’re into country music, songwriting, or just like hearing how artists see the world—there’s more like this at https://troycartwright.substack.com . New Episodes every Tuesday. Find the host Troy Cartwright on Twitter , Instagram .  Social Channels for Ten Year To...

Rob Williford is a GRAMMY-nominated artist and songwriter originally from Gastonia, North Carolina. He’s written songs for artists including Luke Combs—penning several #1 hits like “Doin’ This,” “One Number Away,” and the RIAA-Certified Diamond single “Beautiful Crazy”—as well as Tim McGraw and others. His new record, Johnny & Jenny , was released on June 27th, 2025. In this episode, we talk a...

Tammy Rogers is a GRAMMY-winning musician, vocalist, and founding member of The SteelDrivers. Originally from Tennessee and raised in Irving, Texas, she got her start touring with Patty Loveless before becoming an in-demand session player, recording with artists like Bill Anderson, Eric Church, Neil Diamond, Chris Knight, and Reba McEntire. She’s also an accomplished songwriter, with cuts by artis...

Paul Cauthen is a singer-songwriter from East Texas, known for blending country, rock, gospel, and soul. He began his career as one half of the Americana duo Sons of Fathers before launching his solo career in 2016 with the album My Gospel . His 2019 release Room 41 marked a breakthrough, featuring songs like “Cocaine Country Dancing” and earning critical acclaim for its bold sound and storytellin...

This week on Ten Year Town, something new: Troy Cartwright reads his latest Substack post—a reflection on nine years of CMA Fest, how it’s changed, and what it says about industry right now. If you’re into country music, songwriting, or just like hearing how artists see the world—there’s more like this at https://troycartwright.substack.com . New Episodes every Tuesday. Find the host Troy Cartwrig...

Anderson East is a GRAMMY-nominated artist and songwriter originally from Athens, Alabama. Known for songs like “This Too Shall Last,” he blends R&B, soul, and roots rock into a sound all his own. In 2019, he received a GRAMMY nomination for Best American Roots Performance for “All On My Mind.” His new album, Worthy , was released on May 30, 2025, via Rounder Records. In this episode, we talk...

Ben Rector is a singer songwriter originally from Tulsa, Oklahoma. Over the past decade, he has built a dedicated fanbase through consistent touring and a catalog of self-written, self-released albums. His 2015 album Brand New debuted in the Billboard Top 10, with the title track going RIAA Platinum. He is currently on tour and just released his new album The Richest Man In The World. In this epis...

Jon Decious is a Nashville-based songwriter originally from Monticello, Kentucky. His recent credits include three songs on Lainey Wilson’s 2024 album Whirlwind (“4x4xU,” “Counting Chickens,” and “Ring Finger”), “Armadillo” from Miranda Lambert’s Postcards from Texas, and cuts with Anderson East, Ashley McBryde, Tyler Halverson, and Carter Faith. In 2024, he signed a joint publishing deal with Res...

Walker Hayes is a GRAMMY-nominated country artist and songwriter originally from Mobile, Alabama. He gained national attention in 2021 with “Fancy Like,” which topped the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart, became his first No. 1 at country radio, and is now certified 6× Platinum by the RIAA. In this episode, we discuss Walker’s unconventional path to success, the impact of “Fancy Like,” balancing...

Ryan Hurd is a Grammy-nominated singer and songwriter originally from Kalamazoo, Michigan. He began his career as a songwriter in Nashville, penning No. 1 hits like “Lonely Tonight” for Blake Shelton and Ashley Monroe, and “What If I Never Get Over You” for Lady A. His own artist career has included Gold-certified singles like “To a T” and the Platinum-certified duet “Chasing After You.” He is cur...

Kameron Marlowe is a country artist and songwriter originally from Kannapolis, North Carolina. He has earned multiple RIAA certifications, including a platinum certification for his song “Giving You Up.” He is currently signed to Columbia Nashville and published by Sony Music Publishing. In this episode, we talk about Kameron’s journey from working a parts counter in North Carolina to playing aren...

Ryan Whelpley is a touring director at Red Light Management. Originally from Eerie, Pennsylvania - he has built a career working behind the scenes with artists like Kip Moore, Tim McGraw, Jordan Davis, and many, many others. After starting as a bellhop at the Gaylord Opry Hotel, he has served as a sound guy, a carpenter, a production manager, and a tour manager and many other stops along the way....

How do we stay creative and inspired in a digital world filled with constant noise, distractions, and context collapse? In this reflective exploration, we dive into the challenges artists and creators face in today's overwhelming online environment—where attention spans shrink, authenticity is rare, and AI-generated content threatens our creative identity. Drawing inspiration from history&apo...

Logan Mize is a country artist and songwriter from Clearwater, Kansas. Since releasing his debut album in 2009, he has built a career as both a signed and an independent artist. Along the way, he has amassed over 350 million streams and several RIAA Gold certifications. He is currently published by Big Yellow Dog Music. In this episode, we discuss Logan’s journey from Kansas to Nashville, building...

Muscadine Bloodline is a country music duo from Mobile, Alabama, made up of Charlie Muncaster and Gary Stanton. Since forming in 2015, they’ve built a strong independent presence in the country music scene. Their single “Me On You” was certified Gold by the RIAA in 2025, and they received their first ACM nomination for Duo of the Year the same year. In late 2024, they joined Post Malone as a suppo...