Ten Year Town

Latest Episodes:

Episode 11: Emily Landis Sep 04, 2023

Show notes

Originally from St. Louis and a graduate of Belmont University, Emily Landis is a Nashville hit songwriter currently signed to BMG Music. She's written songs for many major country music artists including Larry Fleet, Seaforth, Tiera Kennedy, Kassi Ashton and more. Emily's first big success was with Gabby Barrett's "The Good Ones" which spent three straight weeks at Number One and is now 3x certified platinum.

On this episode, Emily shares how songwriting became her free therapy, what it was like quitting social media for an entire year, how the journey of her first number one felt like "dominoes of dreams coming true," and how it taught her to focus on family and life first, and let the career take care of itself.

New Episodes every Tuesday.
Find the host Troy Cartwright on Twitter, Instagram.
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This podcast was produced by Ben VanMaarth.
Intro and Outro music for this episode was composed by Troy Cartwright, Monty Criswell, and Derek George. It is called "Same" and you can listen to it in it's entirety here.
Additional music for this episode was composed by Thomas Ventura.
Artwork design by Brad Vetter.
Creative Direction by Mary Lucille Noah.

Episode 10: Wynn Varble Aug 29, 2023

Show notes

Wynn Varble has had 30+ year career as a hit songwriter in Nashville with songs cut by country's biggest stars, including Garth Brooks, Lee Ann Womack, Brad Paisley, Darryl Worley, Montgomery Gentry, and Trace Adkins to name a few. Wynn's been nominated multiple times for the CMA or ACM Song of the Year Award and his first number 1 song, "Have You Forgotten" by Darryl Worley, spent 7 weeks at the top of the Billboard Country Chart.
Wynn's seen Music Row through many changes over the years and shares insight on where the industry's been to where it's now headed, and how it's important to ensure that the Nashville songwriter community remains sustainable and strong.

Episode 09: Cameron Bedell Aug 22, 2023

Show notes

Hailing from Wichita, Kansas, Cameron Bedell is a Nashville hit songwriter and producer currently signed to Liz Rose Music and Warner Chappell music. He's written songs for many major country artists such as Dylan Scott, Hailey Whitters, Seaforth, Lauren Alaina, and recently had a two-week number one with Jimmie Allen’s "down home."

Cameron shares his journey, from making songs in high school on his dad's work computer, to moving to Nashville and transitioning from R&B to Country, how he keeps a level head after success, and focusing on writing songs that "resonate" with the listener.

Episode 08: Brett Tyler Aug 15, 2023

Show notes

Minnesota’s own, Brett Tyler, is a hit songwriter currently signed to Combustion Music Group. He’s written songs for the biggest names in country music (Morgan Wallen, Blake Shelton, HARDY, Lainey Wilson and Maren Morris) and had his first number one with Jameson Rogers’ and Luke Combs’ “Cold Beer Calling My Name.” Brett’s second number one came earlier this year with “Wild As Her” recorded by Corey Kent.
Brett shares with the pod his journey through Nashville, how he preps for writes, why he considers himself a “professional in patience,” and how making others’ jobs easier is a sure fire path to success.

Episode 07: Courtney Allen Aug 08, 2023

Show notes

This week's episode welcomes our first publisher-guest Courtney Allen!
Courtney is a Senior Director of A&R at Concord Music. As a music publisher, she pitches and provides support for many talented songwriters in Nashville including Russell Dickerson, Corey Crowder, Hillary Lindsey, Justin Wilson, Ruston Kelly and more. Courtney shares how she works with writers to build them a great calendar, what new songwriters can do to get on a publisher's radar, and generally what it means to be a champion of songs.

Episode 06: Billy Montana Aug 01, 2023

Show notes

Billy Montana has had a 30+ year career in Nashville with songs recorded by some of the biggest stars in country music, including number ones with Garth Brooks, Jo Dee Messina, Sara Evans and Lee Brice.

On this episode, Billy reflects on both the lows (writing for 12 years before having a hit), and the highs (one of his songs entering the chart already at number one), and what it was like hearing his Grammy-nominated “Bring on the Rain” on the radio for the first time right after 9/11.

Episode 05: Brad Clawson Jul 25, 2023

Show notes

This week’s guest is Brad Clawson. Brad was born and raised in Texas before moving to Nashville and signing a publishing deal with Tape Room Music where he's had his songs recorded by many major artists including Chris Janson, Parker McCollum, Mitchell Tenpenny and more.
This episode discusses two of Brad's biggest hits - "Up Down" by Morgan Wallen and Florida Georgia Line, and "Happy Does" by Kenny Chesney - and the crazy stories of how those two songs made their way to the biggest artists in the format.

Episode 04: Trannie Anderson Jul 18, 2023

Show notes

No. 1 Songwriter Trannie Anderson moved to town right after college ready to take on whatever flexible jobs she could so she could write at 11am everyday, "when everyone who is serious about it is writing."
Listen to her incredible Nashville journey - from posting on local facebook groups to meet other songwriters to writing Lainey Wilson's smash hit "Heart Like A Truck." Over the years, Trannie has had her songs cut by Dan + Shay, Reba McEntire, Nate Smith, Meghan Trainor, Gabby Barrett and more. Hear how Trannie focuses on the relationships she's built with her artists collaborators, is intentional about casting a wide net with her writes as a female songwriter, and how staying healthy, emotionally and physically, is the key to sustaining a lasting career.
1:40 - So how long have you been in town?
24:15 - Writing her first #1 song (Heart Like A Truck)
38:40 - Surrendering to the process
43:15 - Having hobbies besides music

Episode 03: Matt Roy Jul 11, 2023

Show notes

Matt Roy is a singer and songwriter from Glen Rock, New Jersey. Matt has had cuts with artists like Morgan Wallen, Kane Brown, Chris Young, and earned his first multi-week number one single with Chris Janson’s “Done.” Since moving here in 2018 as a college freshman, Matt’s beeline to now established hit songwriter is due to both his talent as an artist and his sense of songwriting as a business. Get ready to hear a lot of inside baseball on this one.
Want more Ten Year Town? Subscribe to the TYT YouTube channel here.
Submit questions for the Q & A episode here.
3:00 - Getting his first major label cut
5:35 - Developing Different Songwriter Muscles
9:00 - Similarities between Baseball and Music
12:40 - Getting Your Foot In The Door
16:30 - Meeting Your First Co-Writers
19:50 - Looking for your Champion
23:10 - Signing with BMG
28:10 - The story behind his first #1
33:10 - Flying To The Moon
35:40 - Taking Personal Responsibility
43:40 - Where would you start?
46:00 - Process for finding ideas

Episode 02: Marc Beeson Jul 04, 2023

Show notes

Marc Beeson has had a 30+ year career as a hit songwriter in Nashville. Along the way he has written multiple #1 radio singles and songs for legendary country artists such as Willie Nelson, Garth Brooks, Blake Shelton, Carrie Underwood and more. Marc's massive crossover hit “When She Cries” by Restless Heart won the ASCAP Best Country Song and Best Pop Song of the Year Award.

Marc's seen Music Row through many changes over the years and on this episode shares his wealth of experience and insight on what it takes to build a lasting career as a songwriter in Nashville.
Want more Ten Year Town? Subscribe to the TYT YouTube channel here.
Submit questions for the Q & A episode here.

MARKERS:
1:32 (SO, HOW LONG YOU BEEN IN TOWN?)
5:00 (MOVING TO LA)

7:17 (LA COWRITING SCENE IN THE 80’S)

8:50 (WHY HE MOVED TO NASHVILLE)

11:20 (HOW YOU USED TO SHOW PEOPLE SONGS)

12:30 (HANGIN AROUND KENNY ROGERS' STUDIO)

14:20 (MAKING THE FIRST DIGITAL RECORDING IN LA)

15:15 (GETTING THE CALL TO COME TO NASHVILLE)

17:05 (A SIGN OF WHERE HE SHOULD BE)

17:55 (MAKING RECORD WITH MARK BRIGHT, TOM SKYLER)

18:35 (ON GETTING TOLD NO)

20:00 (GETTING HIS FIRST PUBLISHING DEAL)

21:55 (WORKING WITH PROS)