Ten Year Town

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 Nashville, her new song “Strange Though...

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, Kenny Chesney, Luke Bryan, Chris Lan...

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 award in 2010 and 2011. Additionally, C...

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 about what it’s like to balance being a...

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 first #1 song with Jake Owen, the ups an...

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.

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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 about Rob’s journey from small-town No...

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 artists including Terri Clark and Thomm ...

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 storytelling.

In this episode, we talk about Pau...

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 Cartwright on Twitter, Inst...

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 about Anderson’s musical roots, worki...

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 episode, we talk about Ben’s j...

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 Reservoir Media and One Riot.

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 faith, family, and music, and many o...

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 currently signed to Big Machine for bo...

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 arenas, the evolution of his songwriting...

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.

In this episode we discuss...

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's great pivots—...

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 a career outside the traditional in...