Ten Year Town

Latest Episodes:

Dylan Scott: From Bastrop, Louisiana to Seven #1 Hits | Ten Year Town Ep. 129 Jul 27, 2026

Show notes

Dylan Scott is a country artist and songwriter from Bastrop, Louisiana. He is a multi-Platinum artist with seven number one singles at country radio, including the triple-Platinum "My Girl," "Nobody," "New Truck," "Boys Back Home" (with Dylan Marlowe), and his most recent chart-topper, "What He'll Never Have." He has nearly 5 billion career streams, a CMT Music Award for Breakthrough Video of the Year, and a GMA Dove Award. He is currently signed to Curb Records.

In this episode, we discuss Dylan's journey from signing a record deal while still in high school — and learning the hard way that a deal doesn't "make it happen" for you — to almost quitting after three failed singles, until a phone call with his future wife convinced him to keep going and inspired him to write "My Girl," his first number one. We also get into the question his wife asked him on the way to a t-ball game that changed how he measures success, and his brand new single, "Dear Big City." There are, of course, many other stops along the way.

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This episode is also sponsored by The Graphic Guitar Guys. They create eye-catching custom guitar wraps for some of the biggest artists and festivals in the music industry. Their work is perfect for adding a unique touch to album pre-sale bundles or VIP package items—check them out and discover how they can transform a guitar into a show-stopping work of art.

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Troy Cartwright is a Nashville-based artist and songwriter originally from Dallas, Texas. His songs have collectively garnered hundreds of millions of streams, and he is currently signed to Big Machine Music for publishing. Cartwright has written songs recorded by Cody Johnson, Lee Brice, Nickelback, Ryan Hurd, Josh Abbott Band, and has upcoming cuts with several A-list artists.

#DylanScott #TenYearTown #CountryMusic.

New Episodes every Tuesday.
Find the host Troy Cartwright on Twitter, Instagram.
Social Channels for Ten Year Town:
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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.

The Engagement Trap: Why Great Art Doesn't Chase Attention Jul 20, 2026

Show notes

What happens when a company—or an artist—starts optimizing for engagement instead of trust?

In this solo episode, I unpack why Netflix's biggest competitive advantage isn't its algorithms or its catalog, but the relationship it has with its audience. That same tension exists in music, where creators are constantly tempted to simplify, explain, and optimize their work for platforms that reward attention over originality.

We talk about the difference between commodities and premium brands, why record labels used to function as curators, how streaming changed the value of recorded music, and why the best songwriters refuse to sand off the very edges that make their work memorable.

Ultimately, this episode is about resisting the pressure to make art that's easier to consume—and instead making work that's harder to forget.

Brice Long on Writing No. 1 Hits for Gary Allan, Jon Pardi & His New Album All I Ever Wanted | Ten Year Town Ep. 128 Jul 13, 2026

Show notes

Brice Long is a songwriter and artist from Hopkinsville, Kentucky. As a songwriter, he has written No. 1 hits including Gary Allan's “Nothing On But The Radio” and Jon Pardi's “Heartache On The Dance Floor,” along with Randy Houser's “Like A Cowboy,” which was nominated for CMA Song of the Year. As an artist, Brice recently released his new album, All I Ever Wanted.

In this episode, Brice shares the story of leaving Kentucky for Nashville, the years it took to land his first major hit, and the lessons he's learned from a career spanning decades in country music.
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#BriceLong #CountryMusic #Songwriting #AllIEverWanted #JonPardi #GaryAllan #RandyHouser #TenYearTown #Podcast #Nashville

Shane McAnally (Part 2) on TONY Awards, SMACK Publishing, Sobriety and Advice For His Younger Self | Ten Year Town 127 Jun 29, 2026

Show notes

Shane McAnally is a songwriter, producer, and publisher originally from Mineral Wells, Texas. He is a 4x Grammy Winner, 2x ACM Songwriter of the Year, a Tony-nominated composer, and has written and/or produced over 50 number one songs. Some of his hits include Body Like a Back Road, recorded by Sam Hunt, American Kids, recorded by Kenny Chesney, and Merry Go Round, recorded by Kacey Musgraves. Recently, he was named as one of the New York Times’ 30 Greatest Living American Songwriters.

In Part 2, we discuss his TONY award winning musical, his publishing and record company SMACK, sobriety, and his advice for his younger self.

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#ShaneMcAnally #CountryMusic #Songwriting #TenYearTown #NashvilleSongwriters #CreativeProcess #MusicPodcast #KaceyMusgraves #HitMaker #MusicBusiness #Songwriter #BluebirdCafe

Shane McAnally (Part 1) on Kacey Musgraves, Why Chasing #1 Hits is a Mistake & His 14-Year Grind | TYT 127 Jun 22, 2026

Show notes

In Part 1 of this two-part episode, we discuss Shane’s early days, including dropping out of college to chase the Nashville dream in his grandmother's borrowed minivan, his unique philosophy on songwriting, including why he believes Nashville's obsession with chasing #1 hits can be a mistake, and the magic of his very first co-write with Kacey Musgraves. There are, of course, many other stops along the way.

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#ShaneMcAnally #CountryMusic #Songwriting #TenYearTown #NashvilleSongwriters #CreativeProcess #MusicPodcast #KaceyMusgraves #HitMaker #MusicBusiness #Songwriter #BluebirdCafe

Charles Wesley Godwin on Trusting the Tip Jar, The High of Songwriting, Making Seneca & his new album Christian Name | Ten Year Town Ep. 126 Jun 15, 2026

Show notes

Charles Wesley Godwin is a country music artist and songwriter born and raised in Morgantown, West Virginia. He first discovered his passion for music in college, picking up a guitar after realizing his WVU football dreams weren't going to pan out and watching the Avett Brothers perform at the 2011 Grammys. He spent years developing his sound by playing small bars, cafes, and breweries across the country—often sleeping in his car—before breaking through with his independent 2019 debut album, Seneca. He is currently signed to Big Loud and Warner Chappell, and following the success of albums like How the Mighty Fall and Family Ties, he is preparing to release his newest record, Christian Name, on July 24th.

In this episode, we discuss Charles’s journey from playing his very first paid gig at a lingerie show in Estonia to building a nationwide audience. We dig into his early years trusting the tip jar on the road, the freezing winter studio sessions that shaped Seneca, navigating the pressures of the music business, and the night he almost quit music entirely. We also talk about why he considers songwriting to be his true creative high, his five-year wait to co-write with Lori McKenna, and many other stops along the way.

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#CharlesWesleyGodwin #CountryMusic #TenYearTown #Songwriting #AltCountry #AmericanaMusic #CWG #ChristianName #Seneca #IndependentArtist #MusicPodcast

Brad Tursi on Old Dominion, His new solo album Colorado & Trusting Your Gut | Ten Year Town Ep. 125 Jun 08, 2026

Show notes

Brad Tursi is a songwriter, guitarist, and member of Old Dominion. As a songwriter, he has penned hits for artists including Kenny Chesney, Dierks Bentley, and Luke Bryan, including Chesney's “Save It For A Rainy Day.” As a member of Old Dominion, he has helped create some of the band's biggest songs, including “Snapback,” “No Such Thing As A Broken Heart,” and “One Man Band.” He has a new solo album, Colorado, available everywhere June 12.

In this episode, Brad shares his journey from finding his dad's guitar in the attic in Connecticut to landing in Nashville, the chance encounter that led to writing “A Guy Walks Into A Bar,” and how he ended up joining Old Dominion almost by accident. We dig into the creative process behind his upcoming solo record Colorado, the difference between writing for yourself versus writing for other artists, and why following your gut is the most important skill you can develop in this business.

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This episode is sponsored by The Graphic Guitar Guys (https://thegraphicguitarguys.com) They create custom guitar wraps used by artists and festivals across the industry. A great option for pre-sale bundles, VIP packages, or one-of-a-kind gear.
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Troy Cartwright (troycartwright.com) is a Nashville-based artist and songwriter originally from Dallas, Texas. His songs have collectively garnered hundreds of millions of streams, and he is currently signed to Big Machine Music for publishing. Cartwright has written songs recorded by Cody Johnson, Lee Brice, Nickelback, Ryan Hurd, Josh Abbott Band, and has upcoming cuts with several A-list artists.

#BradTursi #OldDominion #Colorado #CountryMusic #Songwriting #TenYearTown #Podcast #Nashville #KennyChesney #SaveItForARainyDay#SaveItForARainyDay

Jake Worthington on Texas Country, Traditionalism & Touring with Luke Combs | Ten Year Town Ep. 124 May 11, 2026

Show notes

Jake Worthington is a country music artist and songwriter raised in La Porte, Texas. He first gained national attention as the runner-up on Season 6 of NBC’s The Voice before spending years developing his sound playing dance halls and honky-tonks across Texas. His latest record, When I Write The Song, was released in 2025, and he is currently signed to Big Loud Texas. Worthington has shared stages with artists including Stoney LaRue and Post Malone, and is currently an opener on Luke Combs’ Growin’ Up and Gettin’ Old stadium tour.

In this episode, we discuss Jake’s journey from garage bands in Texas to national touring stages, growing up on George Strait and Keith Whitley records, his early years in Nashville, the call from Seth England that helped change the trajectory of his career, and many other stops along the way.

#JakeWorthington
#TexasCountry
#TraditionalCountry
#LukeCombs
#CountryMusic
#BigLoudTexas

#GeorgeStrait
#Nashville
#TenYearTown
#TroyCartwright

Lessons from Tom Petty on Songwriting, Simplicity, and Staying True | Ten Year Town Bonus Episode May 04, 2026

Show notes

In this bonus episode, we take a look at the songwriting and philosophy of Tom Petty—what made his songs work, why simplicity matters, and what artists can learn from the way he approached music and career.
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If you want to read the Mundanity of Excellence you can find the PDF here:
https://academics.hamilton.edu/documents/themundanityofexcellence.pdf
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This episode is sponsored by The Graphic Guitar Guys (https://thegraphicguitarguys.com) They create custom guitar wraps used by artists and festivals across the industry. A great option for pre-sale bundles, VIP packages, or one-of-a-kind gear.
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Troy Cartwright (troycartwright.com) is a Nashville-based artist and songwriter originally from Dallas, Texas. His songs have collectively garnered hundreds of millions of streams, and he is currently signed to Big Machine Music for publishing. Cartwright has written songs recorded by Cody Johnson, Lee Brice, Nickelback, Ryan Hurd, Josh Abbott Band, and has upcoming cuts with several A-list artists.
#TomPetty
#Songwriting
#Songwriter
#RockAndRoll
#MusicTheory
#CreativeProcess
#TenYearTown
#TroyCartwright
#AmericanMusic
#WriteSongs

Randy Montana on Writing No. 1 Hits for Luke Combs & Parker McCollum, his Songwriting Approach, and More | Ten Year Town Ep. 123 Apr 27, 2026

Show notes

Randy Montana is a songwriter and artist raised in Nashville, Tennessee. He has written songs recorded by artists including Luke Combs, Parker McCollum, Justin Moore, Riley Green, and many others. His No. 1 hits include “Beer Never Broke My Heart,” “I Hope You’re Happy,” “Pretty Heart,” and “Sleepless In A Hotel Room.” On March 16, 2026, Montana claimed the No. 1 spot on the MusicRow Top Songwriter Chart.
In this episode, we discuss Randy’s path growing up in Nashville, the stories behind some of his biggest songs, his approach to songwriting, and many other stops along the way.

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