Ten Year Town

Latest Episodes:

Ward Davis on Cody Jinks and Going His Own Way in Country Music | Ten Year Town Ep. 110 Nov 10, 2025

Show notes

Ward Davis is a singer, songwriter, and musician originally from Monticello, Arkansas. As a songwriter, his work has been recorded by Willie Nelson, Merle Haggard, Cody Jinks, Trace Adkins, and many others. He has several critically acclaimed records in his own right, including Black Cats and Crows and songs like "Get To Work Whiskey" and "Another Bad Apple."
In this episode of Ten Year Town, we talk about Ward’s path from Arkansas to Nashville, his evolution as an artist, and the stories behind some of his most powerful songs.

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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, Nickelback, Ryan Hurd, Josh Abbott Band, and has upcoming cuts with several A-list artists.

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.

Lee Brice on Songwriting, Nashville, and his new single "Killed The Man" | Ten Year Town Ep. 109 Nov 03, 2025

Show notes

Lee Brice is a GRAMMY-nominated country artist, songwriter, and producer originally from Sumter, South Carolina. Over the course of his career, he has earned multiple No. 1 singles as both a performer and songwriter, including “A Woman Like You,” “I Drive Your Truck,” “Hard to Love,” “Rumor,” and “Memory I Don’t Mess With.” As a writer, his songs have also been recorded by Garth Brooks, Jason Aldean, Tim McGraw, and the Eli Young Band — whose version of “Crazy Girl” became a multi-week No. 1 hit. Brice has received multiple CMA and ACM Awards, and just released a new single “Killed The Man.”

In this episode, we discuss Lee’s journey from South Carolina to Nashville, his creative process as both a songwriter and artist, the stories behind some of his biggest hits, and many other stops along the way.

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Laura Veltz on Writing “The Bones,” “Speechless,” and the Art of Great Songwriting | Ten Year Town Ep. 108 Oct 27, 2025

Show notes

Laura Veltz is a four-time GRAMMY-nominated songwriter and artist originally from New York City. Her credits include hit songs for Maren Morris (“The Bones,” “I Could Use a Love Song”), Dan + Shay (“Speechless”), Lady A (“What If I Never Get Over You”), and Demi Lovato (“29”). In 2023, she was nominated for Songwriter of the Year, Non-Classical at the GRAMMY Awards. She is currently published by Big Machine Music.

In this episode of Ten Year Town, we talk about Laura’s journey through Nashville, her creative process, the evolution of modern country songwriting, and the stories behind some of her biggest songs.

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Adam Wright on Songwriting, “Yellow Bird,” Alan Jackson & The Nature of Necessity | Ten Year Town Ep. 107 Oct 20, 2025

Show notes

Adam Wright is a two-time GRAMMY-nominated songwriter, artist, and musician originally from Newnan, Georgia. His songwriting and musicianship have led to collaborations with some of Nashville’s most respected artists, including Alan Jackson, Lee Ann Womack, Trisha Yearwood, Garth Brooks, John Legend, Brandy Clark, Robert Earl Keen, and many others.

In this episode of Ten Year Town, we dive into the stories behind his songs “Billy Get Your Bicycle” and “Yellow Bird” from his new record Nature of Necessity, as well as his creative process, book recommendations, and more.

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Ben Johnson on writing "Truck Bed," Finding Inspiration, and Timing | Ten Year Town Ep. 106 Oct 13, 2025

Show notes

Ben Johnson is a GRAMMY-nominated songwriter, producer, and artist originally from Meridian, Mississippi. He has earned 11 No. 1 songs, including “Truck Bed” recorded by HARDY and “One of Them Girls” recorded by Lee Brice. His songs have also been recorded by Morgan Wallen, Justin Timberlake, Charlie Puth, Jelly Roll, John Legend, Thomas Rhett, Kane Brown, and many others.

In this episode, we discuss Ben’s journey from Mississippi to Nashville, his approach to writing across genres, the stories behind some of his biggest hits, and many other stops along the way.

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Brent Cobb on What Gives a Song Staying Power, His Journey To Nashville, and More | TYT Ep. 105 Oct 06, 2025

Show notes

Brent Cobb is a Grammy-nominated singer, songwriter, and musician originally from Ellaville, Georgia. He’s released several critically acclaimed albums, including Shine On A Rainy Day, Keep ‘Em on They Toes, and his most recent endeavor, Ain’t Rocked In A While. In addition to his success as an artist, Cobb is also an accomplished songwriter, with songs recorded by Luke Combs, Keith Urban, Kenny Chesney, Miranda Lambert, Riley Green, and many more. His song “Snakebite” was recently featured in the Paramount+ series Landman.

In this episode, we discuss his unorthodox journey to Nashville, making a rock record, working with Dave Cobb, his mentors, and many other stops along the way.

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Matthew Ramsey on Old Dominion, Kenny Chesney, Trusting Your Instincts & More Sep 29, 2025

Show notes

Matthew Ramsey is an artist and songwriter originally from Buchanan, Virginia. As a founding member and lead vocalist of Old Dominion, Ramsey has contributed to the band’s string of chart-topping hits including “Break Up With Him,” “Written in the Sand,” “Hotel Key,” “One Man Band,” and “I Was On A Boat That Day.” The band has won the Academy of Country Music Award for Group of the Year a record breaking eight consecutive times. In addition to his success in Old Dominion, Ramsey has co-written songs recorded by Kenny Chesney, Sam Hunt, Keith Urban, Blake Shelton, Dierks Bentley, Kelsea Ballerini, Craig Morgan, Luke Bryan, and The Band Perry.

In this episode, we discuss Matt’s journey from small-town Virginia to the top of the country charts, how Old Dominion first came together, his approach to songwriting—both for the band and for other artists—and many other stops along the way.

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A Field Guide for Going Slow | Making Music That Lasts Beyond the Algorithms Sep 22, 2025

Show notes

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 work that lasts and why slowing down might be the key to fulfillment in a fast-paced industry. Drawing from conversations with artists like Steven Wilson Jr. and inspired by voices like Charles Bukowski and Tom Petty, Troy shares a framework for building a career rooted in authenticity rather than quick wins.

If you’re looking for wisdom on how to make art that sustains, beyond the algorithms, this one’s for you.

Episode 103: John Strohm Sep 15, 2025

Show notes

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 Nashville, representing artists like Bon Iver, The Civil Wars, and Alabama Shakes. He later served as President of Rounder Records from 2017 to 2022. Currently, he is a partner with Meitus Strohm. He also has a Substack called Ready For Nothing.
In this episode, we talk about John's journey from musician to attorney, how he found his first big client, his thoughts on AI, what he's looking for in an artist, and many other stops along the way.

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Episode 102: Bear Rinehart Sep 08, 2025

Show notes

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 talk about Bear’s journey through the music industry, how he balances solo work with band life, his best advice, and many other stops along the way.

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