Ten Year Town

Troy Cartwright
  • 4.9 (108)
  • Music Interviews
  • Updated Weekly

Join Troy Cartwright as he sits down with hit songwriters, musicians and music city execs to discuss their journey through Music Row, the uncertainties of getting started and what it takes to stay at the top. 

  1. 2d ago

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

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

  2. Sep 1

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

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

  3. Aug 25

    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

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

  4. Aug 18

    Thoughts on My Grand Ole Opry Debut

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

  5. Aug 11

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

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

  6. Aug 4

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

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

  7. Jul 28

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

    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. -------------------------------------------------- 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. --------------------------------------------------- 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: Youtube Facebook Instagram Twitter TikTok 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.

  8. Jul 21

    The Engagement Trap: Why Great Art Doesn't Chase Attention

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

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4.9
out of 5
108 Ratings

About

Join Troy Cartwright as he sits down with hit songwriters, musicians and music city execs to discuss their journey through Music Row, the uncertainties of getting started and what it takes to stay at the top. 

Information

  • Creator
    Troy Cartwright
  • Years Active
    2023 - 2026
  • Episodes
    168
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Ten Year Town
  • Show Website
    Ten Year Town

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