Ten Year Town

Latest Episodes:

Dasha on Writing "Austin," Trusting Her Roots, and What She'd Tell Her Younger Self | Ten Year Town Ep. 137 Oct 05, 2026

Show notes

🎟️ Ten Year Town: A LIVE Episode with Jessie Jo Dillon. Monday, October 19, Analog at Hutton Hotel. Doors 5:00, show 5:30.

Tickets: https://ffm.link/tenyeartownlive

Dasha is a California-born, Nashville-based singer-songwriter whose 2023 single "Austin (Boots Stop Workin')" became a viral breakout and a member of the Spotify Billions Club. She was nominated for New Female Artist of the Year at the 2026 ACM Awards. Her latest single, "82 Chevy," is out now.

In this episode, we discuss the ex-boyfriend who sent her back to country music, the freestyle that became "Austin," and what she'd tell her younger self about surviving the spotlight. 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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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.

Jamie Moore on Muscle Shoals, "May We All," and "Chasin' You" Sep 28, 2026

Show notes

LIVE SHOW TICKET LINK: https://ffm.link/tenyeartownlive
Jamie Moore is a four-time Grammy-nominated songwriter and producer from Muscle Shoals, Alabama. His songs have been recorded by Carrie Underwood, Blake Shelton, TobyMac, Mackenzie Carpenter, Florida Georgia Line, and Tim McGraw. They include the #1 "May We All" and Morgan Wallen's diamond-certified "Chasin' You," which earned him NSAI's "10 Songs I Wish I'd Written" award. He's an elected board member of NSAI and signed with Spirit Music in 2026.

In this episode, we discuss growing up blocks from FAME Studios, how one co-write got his foot in the door at EMI, finding out "May We All" was the next single from Tim McGraw in a Whole Foods, and the day Craig Wiseman walked out of a write and came back with the first verse of "Chasin' You."

There are, of course, many other stops along the way.

Joybeth Taylor on "Choosin' Texas," "Weren't for the Wind," and Three Songs a Day | Ten Year Town Ep. 135 Sep 21, 2026

Show notes

Joybeth Taylor is a Nashville songwriter from Pelham, Alabama. She's written for Morgan Wallen, Jordan Davis, Kane Brown, and Hudson Westbrook, co-wrote Ella Langley's "Weren't for the Wind" and Langley and Wallen's "I Can't Love You Anymore," and is a writer on "Choosin' Texas," the 2026 ACM Song of the Year and the longest-running non-holiday No. 1 in Billboard Hot 100 history. She has Corey Kent's "Empty Words" climbing at radio now. She is currently published by Sony Music Publishing and Verse 2 Music, with TAYCAN Entertainment as a creative partner.

In this episode, we discuss 4 a.m. lifeguard shifts and writing three songs a day for five years before she signed, writing "Weren't for the Wind" on a stranded tour bus in Wyoming, the dinner conversation that turned into "Choosin' Texas," and why that song has been the best and worst thing that's ever happened to her.

There are, of course, many other stops along the way.

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Danny Myrick on "She's Country," "Truck Yeah," and the Demo That Became the Record | Ten Year Town Ep. 134 Sep 14, 2026

Show notes

Danny Myrick is a Nashville songwriter from Laurel, Mississippi. He's written for Tim McGraw, Jason Aldean, Craig Morgan, and Joe Cocker, co-wrote Craig Morgan's "International Harvester" and Tim McGraw's "Truck Yeah," and had 2009's most-played country song with Jason Aldean's "She's Country." Before writing full time he sang lead in Western Flyer and cut hundreds of demos and background vocals.

In this episode, we discuss a life-changing call from Bobby Braddock, how a run-in with Jeffrey Steele changed everything, why "International Harvester" has a half-verse, and how a goof-around demo with his engineer became a hit for Jason Aldean.

There are, of course, many other stops along the way.

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Dan Alley on Quitting the Day Job, "Country Song Came On," and "House Again" | Ten Year Town Ep. 133 Sep 07, 2026

Show notes

Dan Alley is a Nashville songwriter from Miamisburg, Ohio. He's written for Lainey Wilson, Luke Combs, Jon Pardi, and Drake Milligan, co-wrote Hudson Westbrook's "House Again," and landed his first country radio #1 with Luke Bryan's "Country Song Came On." He's a writer on Luke Combs' current single "Be By You," and is releasing his own music through River House Artists.

In this episode, we discuss walking away from a city job, making the leap to write songs in Nashville, Luke Bryan cutting "Country Song Came On,", co-writing "House Again" with Hudson Westbrook, and quitting drinking and finding "High and Dry" on a back porch in Fort Myers. There are, of course, many other stops along the way.

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Zane Williams on Being 10% Better, Building for the Long Term, and The Wilder Blue | Ten Year Town Ep. 132 Aug 31, 2026

Show notes

Zane Williams is a Texas singer-songwriter and the frontman of The Wilder Blue. He spent years as a college coffeehouse performer and a staff songwriter in Nashville, where he wrote "Hurry Home," a top 20 hit for Jason Michael Carroll, before moving back to Texas and building a grassroots following as a solo artist. He formed The Wilder Blue in 2019, and when the band's debut landed in the middle of the 2020 shutdown, a tweet from Luke Combs changed everything. The band just released their new album, Cinco, recorded at Sonic Ranch in Tornillo, Texas.

In this episode, we discuss his journey from Texas to Nashville and back, how a book jacket about making his product 10% better changed his life, making his new record at Sonic Ranch, and many other stops along the way.

Little Big Town on their new record, what makes a Little Big Town Song, and our first ever LIVE Episode | Ten Year Town Ep. 131 Aug 24, 2026

Show notes

Little Big Town is Karen Fairchild, Kimberly Schlapman, Phillip Sweet and Jimi Westbrook — the same four people since they started singing together in 1998. Along the way: "Boondocks," "Pontoon," "Girl Crush," "Better Man," three Grammys for Best Country Duo/Group Performance, six straight CMA Vocal Group of the Year wins, and Opry membership since 2014. Their new record is called It's a Dying Art.
Recorded live in front of an audience in Nashville, the four of them join Troy to talk about making their new record, chasing a song that was already on hold for somebody else, and the early-career night they had to go on in George Strait's place in front of a stadium that came for him.
Ten Year Town is a podcast about the songwriter's journey, hosted by Troy Cartwright. New episodes weekly.

Thoughts on My Grand Ole Opry Debut Aug 17, 2026

Show notes

There's a circle of wood in the middle of the stage at the Grand Ole Opry House. They cut it out of the floor of the Ryman and carried it over when the Opry moved, so that anybody standing in the middle of that stage is standing on the same boards Hank stood on.

This week, I get to stand on it.

These are a few thoughts I have about that. About my ten years in Nashville, an Opry debut, and the two songs I'm playing — including one called "Shoulders," which is about the fact that I didn't get anywhere by myself. It's about my dad, who's been a fan since before there was anything to be a fan of. It's about a kid at home who was born in May and is going to learn what a life looks like by watching mine.

Somebody carries it forward so you can stand on it. Then it's your turn to carry it on.

Michelangelo, the Sistine Chapel, and Why the Bullsh*t Is Ancient | Ten Year Town Bonus Episode Aug 10, 2026

Show notes

Michelangelo didn't wake up one morning wanting to spend four years painting a ceiling. He was a sculptor. But the Pope had a ceiling, and the Pope had money.
In this bonus episode, Troy Cartwright reads an essay about an artist named Aaron Reese, who bought a newsstand at 39th and 4th in New York City to sell his ceramics — and about the uncomfortable, ancient intersection of art and commerce that every working artist has had to figure out.
There was never an Eden where artists made exactly what they wanted and everybody showed up. Aaron Reese has an old newsstand. Michelangelo had a pope. And I have an Instagram.
This piece started as a letter I wrote for my newsletter, Letters to Myself, at https://troycartwright.substack.com — short things like this, whenever they come to me. All free.

Wyatt Flores on Stillwater, Music Row, and his new album Scared of Heights | Ten Year Town Ep. 130 Aug 03, 2026

Show notes

Wyatt Flores is a country artist and songwriter from Stillwater, Oklahoma. He has over 1.4 billion career streams, RIAA certifications including 2x Platinum for "Please Don't Go," and a debut album, Welcome to the Plains, released in 2024. His new album, Scared of Heights, produced by Charlie Handsome, Jacob "JKash" Hindlin, and Gian Stone, is out now via Island Records and MCA.
In this episode, we discuss Wyatt's journey from his first paid bar gig in Oklahoma — and writing "Travelin' Kid" in a barn that same night, then refusing to play it for nearly a year — to dropping out of school without telling his parents, getting labeled a TikTok artist and touring into debt to prove it wrong, and the Music Row co-writes where he felt like a box someone had to check. We also get into the making of the new record. There are, of course, many other stops along the way.
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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.
#WyattFlores #ScaredOfHeights #CountryMusic #RedDirt #Songwriting #Nashville #Oklahoma #Stillwater #DriveAllNight #HateMyself #HalfTheMan #TenYearTown #TroyCartwright #MusicPodcast #NewMusic

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