Matt-roy

Who Is Matt Roy? The Story Behind His Journey to Country Music

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Who is Matt Roy? The singer-songwriter joined us to chat about his journey to country music. Get to know the rising star here…

Matt-roy

The Beginning:

This week our spotlight shines on an artist, whose debut EP, Wildflower, made us stop in our tracks! Matt Roy,  a Nashville-transplant, is a true artist and singer-songwriter that deserves all the support in the industry.

Growing up in New Jersey, Roy picked up the guitar at an early age. Drawing inspiration from artists in different genres, such as Tom Petty and Bruce Springsteen, the singer knew the importance of a song. “I was playing gigs at a pretty young age,” shared the entertainer, as he reflected on his upbringing.

At the age of twelve, Roy began to perform in New Jersey, New York, and the tristate area, even learning to craft a song. Just a few years later, the singer was taking trips to Nashville to hone his talent even more. “When I was about 16-17, I took a couple of trips to Nashville and I figured out you could write songs for other people, you could release records,” shared Roy, adding later, “At that time, writing songs became sort of a more serious life and career decision [for me].”

Roy continued to play shows in the tristate area anywhere he could, including at bars and at local events, until he could head off to college. “I had my sights set on moving to Nashville and playing music,” shared the singer, when asked about his decision to attend Belmont University. “It was a pretty easy decision for me.”

The Turning Point:

With his dreams in tow, Roy headed to Nashville to attend Belmont University to work on his craft and learn more about the music business. Roy’s desire was to focus on songwriting and grow his skills. “It was a total dream come true for me to be in Nashville,” shared the singer.

Just before graduating, Roy inked a publishing deal with BMG Music. The singer-songwriter earned cuts from artists like Kane Brown, Chris Young, and Adam Doleac. Roy even earned his first multi-week number one single with Chris Janson’s song “Done.”

“I wrote that song about two years into my publishing deal,” shared Roy. “It gave me a lot of legitimacy and proved to myself and others that I could do this. It was a huge milestone in my career and something I’m ultra, ultra proud of.”

Roy spent time cultivating songs for other artists, until he finally decided to put out his first-ever artist project.

Today:

Just last month, Roy released his debut EP, Wildflower. The record features five high-caliber songs, all co-written by the singer-songwriter. “This EP is sort of the foundation of hopefully a long career doing this, and I’m going to take it step by step, and build this thing from the ground up,” shared the artist.

Each of the songs were carefully chosen by Roy to record. He wanted the record to showcase emotion, his artistry, and true-blue country songwriting. The record started off with the title track, “Wildflower,” which Roy thought was too good of a song to not release.

“I had the first four to five lines of that song written down and we just started writing that song line by line, and let the song guide us where we wanted to go,” shared the singer. This process is unique, as artists typically head into a write with an idea or a name ready, instead of lyrics.

One of our favorites on the record, “When You Lose Someone,” was inspired by a loss Roy suffered. Despite that notion, the song is relatable for anyone who has ever experienced a loss, a break-up or heartbreak in general. Roy shared that he will be continuing to push this song, as well as, “Wildflower,” and “Morning In New Orleans,” as the year progresses.

Fans can anticipate Roy to let the record breathe a little over the next few months before the singer puts out more new music. “I’m itching to play these songs on the road for people and get some reactions.” Roy is the real deal and fans should definitely keep him on their radar! We are already huge fans.

Connect:

Fans can join our Weekly Round-Up e-newsletter here, for the latest in country music and more news and announcements about future Matt Roy releases.

To keep up with Matt Roy, follow him on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.

Matt Roy’s music is available everywhere you buy or stream music. Take a listen below and check out more new recently released tunes on our ‘New Country Music’ playlist. Be sure to give the playlist a follow for your weekly new country music fix.

who-is-josh-ross

Who Is Josh Ross? The Story Behind His Journey to Country Music

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Who is Josh Ross? The singer-songwriter joined us to chat about his journey to country music. Get to know the rising star here…

who-is-josh-ross

The Beginning:

As ya’ll know, we love championing new artists in country music. Today, we get to introduce you to Josh Ross, an incredible singer-songwriter from Ontario, Canada. We chatted with Ross about his journey, his move to Nashville, and his current new music, out now.

“I’ve always loved music. […] It’s a big part of my family,” began the singer. Although his father loved Rock & Roll and his mother loved artists like U2 and Bruce Springsteen, Ross’ first love was the country music genre. “I had a family friend that introduced me to Steve Earle’s music when I was five or six years old,” shared the singer. “I was kind of that weird kid in high school listening to Steve Earle’s music and friends were like what is this, but by the time I got to 12th grade, country music ended up being cool.”

Despite an early love for music, Ross focused on sports during his upbringing. In another life, the singer played hockey, was a professional motocross rider, and even played college football. After some unfortunate injuries kept him sidelined, Ross gravitated towards music. “When I was in my first year of college, a buddy of mine actually had a guitar and I would just sing along, and I started to realize I wasn’t half as bad as I thought.”

From there on, Ross would play music for fun, whether it be singing karaoke or playing at small coffee shops. Eventually, he got entered into an Emerging Artists Festival in Ontario, which led him to bigger stages and a newfound dream. “I went from playing a coffee shop on a Thursday to I got entered into this festival, and got into the top 8 of this, and on Friday, I got to play for close to 7000, 8000 people, and that was my first real show.”

The Turning Point:

The festival and his supporters convinced Ross that he had what it took to succeed in the country music industry. “It was a big eyeopener to find myself as an artist, figure out what I wanted to say, and what I wanted to sound like,” he shared. Ross was encouraged to head to Nashville to work on crafting his skills as a songwriter. After several trips back and forth, the singer decided to relocate to music city.

“I just knew that I needed to surround myself there and if you want to be the best, you have to be around the best,” shared Ross, adding later, “Nashville is one of those special places, where I can go to the house next door and that guy is a great guitar player and I go to the next house, and that guy makes tracks and stuff.”

Since 2018, Ross has worked hard at crafting his songwriting talent and discovering his own type of artistry. Combining his love of many genres, he has cultivated a sound that is all his own. “In a weird way, I think I always wrote music without knowing it. When I was a kid, I would write in a binder and write down stories about what was going on in my life,” shared the singer, when asked about his desire to write his own music. He also added, “There’s definitely an emotional side and a fun side, and I think that really translates to what I want to say, and something that people can relate to.”

Today:

With just a few songs out, Ross has already shown fans that he is the real deal. Most recently, the singer-songwriter released his first ballad, a song called “First Taste of Gone” Written by Ross with Mason Thornley, the song conveys a personal and heartbreaking message. It depicts the feelings we all go through when we finally get to the point, where a relationship is truly over. Vocally driven, Ross’ voice is the perfect combination of gravelly and strong. Lyrically, the song is poignant and deeply emotive.

According to Ross, “I was going through a lot in my life and my personal life with changes. […] It was just one of those songs where I felt like you have that moment where you have to go out again without that person, and it’s a weird feeling being like “well, I don’t have to call someone when I go home tonight” or “she’s not going to be there.”

With each and every release, Ross is cultivating his own sound, clearly influenced by his love of pop-punk music, current industry hitmakers, (HARDY, Morgan Wallen, Thomas Rhett) and rock elements. We look forward to more new music from the singer, coming later this year! Be on the lookout and keep Ross on your radar.

Connect:

Fans can join our Weekly Round-Up e-newsletter here, for the latest in country music and more news and announcements about future Josh Ross releases.

To keep up with Josh Ross, follow him on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.

Josh Ross’ music is available everywhere you buy or stream music. Take a listen below and check out more new recently released tunes on our ‘New Country Music’ playlist. Be sure to give the playlist a follow for your weekly new country music fix.

who-is-matt-koziol

Who Is Matt Koziol? The Story Behind His Journey to Country Music

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Who is Matt Koziol? The singer-songwriter joined us to chat about his journey to country music. Get to know the rising star here…

who-is-matt-koziol

The Beginning:

Today we are introducing you to a singer-songwriter that hails from the tristate area. Matt Koziol is a true-blue country-rock artist that you are going to want to keep on your radar. We chatted with the entertainer about his love for music, his move to Nashville, and everything in between.

Growing up in New Jersey, Koziol was surrounded by hardworking blue-collar people. Although most of his family was not musical, the singer knew at just two years old that he was born to do music for a living. “I had to be two or three, and someone put on a video tape of Elvis and I was like “that’s what I want… and it still hasn’t changed,” shared the singer.

Growing up, Koziol went on to sing in talent shows, choirs, and wherever he could. “Probably since the age of 7, I was singing,” he shared. “I was singing in choirs and doing all that, and then at 12, playing in bands.”

Finding inspiration in all kinds of genres, such as Motown, rock, and bluegrass music, Koziol chased his dream to perform and sing. “I played New York a ton. I played Philly a ton. The whole northeast was my wheelhouse,” shared the singer.

After a stint in Los Angeles, a town where he started songwriting, Koziol found himself moving to Nashville to continue to pursue his dream. Armed with influences like Bruce Springsteen and James Taylor, the young twenty-something year old at the time was ready for more.

The Turning Point:

After moving to Nashville, Koziol kicked his songwriting into high-gear, even signing a publishing deal with RX Songs. “I was brought on to be their country writer,” shared the singer-songwriter. Koziol added later, “When I moved here, I always called it the greatest masterclass in songwriting.” Later, the singer also signed on as an artist to RED Creative Group.

While in Nashville, the singer continued to study different artists and songwriters in the genre. Koziol shared a love for modern-day artists like Cody Johnson and HARDY, as well as, old-school country pros, like Willie Nelson and Waylon Jennings. “When you go down the rabbit hole of the older generation like Waylon Jennings and Willie Nelson, it really makes you think. Willie Nelson was a really prolific writer to me,” shared Koziol.

Most recently, the singer also expressed an admiration for Kacey Musgraves, even covering her song “Rainbow” on social media. “When you look at the caliber of the three people who wrote that song, that’s what got me to want to sing it,” shared Koziol. “When I have a melody that I don’t have to work out and it just feels like, I go “okay, this is it.” It’s such a beautiful song.”

Today:

Of course, Koziol is also releasing music of his own. With a ten song album in the works and slated for release sometime in the spring, the singer is excited to be sharing his own music with the world. Most recently, the artist released his song “Slow Burn.” Written by Koziol with Wes Harllee, the song is enticing and emotive.

“We talked about past relationships […] and they ended in kind of similar ways,” shares the singer, when asked about the inspiration for the new track. “Being the people that we are, we didn’t take a lot of the anger that we had, we kind of tucked it back.” The song is a true personification of the grieving process that we all go through after a break-up.

Koziol shares, “It’s such a slow burn to get over something that took so much of our energy,” adding later, “We tried to write things that were visually honest and somewhat visceral.” It is safe to say that the singer-songwriter accomplished that!

If “Slow Burn” is any inclination of what fans can expect from the forthcoming full-length project than we are in for a great record. Fans can look forward to more new music and more touring by the singer in the months to come.

Connect:

Fans can join our Weekly Round-Up e-newsletter here, for the latest in country music and more news and announcements about future Matt Koziol releases.

To keep up with Matt Koziol, follow him on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.

Matt Koziol’s music is available everywhere you buy or stream music. Take a listen below and check out more new recently released tunes on our ‘New Country Music’ playlist. Be sure to give the playlist a follow for your weekly new country music fix.

who-is-breland

Who Is Breland? The Story Behind His Journey to Country Music

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Who is Breland? The singer-songwriter joined us to chat about his journey to country music. Get to know the rising star here…

who-is-breland

The Beginning:

It is quite evident that the recording artist, Breland is a star in the making! Breland is indisputably an artist to pay attention to. The Jersey native has quite the collection of collaborations that serve as a testament to the music community’s appreciation for his undeniable talent. We chatted with the singer-songwriter to learn more about his journey so far.

“My parents are both ministers and they lead worship at church and they met in a gospel choir, so growing up there was a lot of gospel music around the house,” begins Breland. “They are probably the most talented married couple vocally that I’ve ever come across,” shares the singer. Later, the entertainer paid more homage to his parents. “I definitely credit them for some of the things I am doing now vocally, in terms of arrangement and even melodies as a songwriter.”

Despite his family’s obvious talent and inspiration, Breland honed his artistry during his time away at boarding high school. “Being able to establish my own identity away at high school was really pivotal. I just started telling people on campus that I was an artist,” shared the singer.

The Turning Point:

After high school, Breland continues his education by heading to business school at Georgetown University. While in college, the singer-songwriter decided he wanted to keep grinding in the music industry.

“I kind of decided I wanted to kick things up a notch with music, so I started looking for mentors that could give me meaningful feedback with what I was doing,” shared the singer, adding, “I just started cold reaching out to different producers […] Eventually, some people listened and they were down in Atlanta, which motivated me move there after college.”

Breland truly embodies a passion for the industry. “You can only control your effort. You can only control how you treat people and you can only control your mastery of the craft. I think for me it was a combination of all three of those things,” shared the artist.

While in Atlanta, Breland added more genres to his catalog of music interests. “I kind of developed an appreciation for country music around that time because it was my first time truly living in the south. I was like man these people in country music have figured something out, there’s a formula that they have that I would like to figure out, I want to tap in.”

The singer also credits artists like Stevie Wonder, Keith Urban, Drake, Nelly, and Justin Bieber as some of his inspirations. When it comes to songwriting, Breland shared,”it’s a lot of Motown music like 60s and 70s, the evolution of pop.”

Today:

Breland burst on to the scene with his cross-genre hit, “My Truck,” According to the singer, “’My Truck’” was kind of a demo I had made after living in Atlanta for a few years and there was enough of me in it that I wanted to put it out independently.” This song was the starting point of Breland’s desire to explore the crossroads between the country and hip-hop genres.

“I was really interested in the intersection between country and hip hop, giving that they are both the preeminent genres in the south and recognizing that there’s not really a whole lot that separates the listener base if you look at every factor, other than race.”

Breland also credits the collaborations in hip hop music as his inspiration for his own collaborations. So far in his young career, the singer has already dropped music with Nelly, Dierks Bentley, Keith Urban, Mickey Guyton, and more. “I don’t really go into any of these things thinking I have to be on this song as an artist, I just want to create something and whatever is meant to happen will happen,” shared Breland.

Just this week, Breland premiered his latest collab, a brand new song “Praise The Lord” featuring Thomas Rhett, which the two performed together Monday Night (March 7th) on the ACM Awards. “I know that it’s a song that’s sticky, it definitely gets into people’s heads, and it’s kind of different and adds something cool to the country algorithm. And to have Thomas Rhett on it, I think will really surprise a lot of people and make perfect sense.”

Breland also revealed his debut album, CROSS COUNTRY will be out early this summer.

Connect:

Fans can join our Weekly Round-Up e-newsletter here, for the latest in country music and more news and announcements about future Breland releases.

To keep up with BRELAND, follow him on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.

Breland’s music is available everywhere you buy or stream music. Take a listen below and check out more new recently released tunes on our ‘New Country Music’ playlist. Be sure to give the playlist a follow for your weekly new country music fix.

who-are-nashvillains

Who Are the Nashvillains? The Story Behind Their Journey to Country Music

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Who Are the Nashvillains? The country-rock trio joined us to chat about their journey to country music. Get to know the rising stars here…

who-are-nashvillains

Nashvillains // Photo credit: Annie Noelker

The Beginning:

Today our spotlight shines on one of the most unique acts in country music right now. The Nashvillains, comprised of three incredible musicians, Troy Johnson, Brett Boyett, and Scott Lindsey are a band you are going to want to know about ASAP. The trio is a true gift to music fans.

Johnson, Boyett, and Scott were all primed for success in the music industry at an early age. They all lived full and prosperous lives, prior to forming their band. Nashvillains’ lead singer, Johnson has been playing music all his life. “I have always done it since the age of 5, I kind of woke up singing and I just haven’t stopped. Music has always been the trajectory of my life.” The singer headed to Belmont University in Nashville for college and has been cutting his teeth in the industry since.

Scott also attended Belmont University around the same time. “I’m originally from a place called Beaver Dam, Kentucky, in the heart of bluegrass music,” shared the band member. “I was raised on music and I thought everyone played music, baseball, and basketball growing up.” Scott grew up heading to writes in Nashville with his father, as well as, playing gigs at honky-tonks in music city at as early as sixteen.

Nashvillains’ guitar player and record producer, Boyett got his start in his home state of Colorado. The artist even studied classical guitar, when he attended college in Texas. “I was playing the country circuit in Texas and I was writing songs and he encouraged me to move to Nashville,” shared Boyett about the encouragement he got from George Jones’ bass player. The artist also played in a rock band in New York City, but it was in Los Angeles, where he really honed his skills as a composer and as a songwriter.

Boyett’s faithful move to LA, where he worked on shows like Reba and wrote and produced, the highly-acclaimed feature ‘Forever My Girl’, was the start of the Nashvillains. He just did not know it yet!

The Turning Point:

While working on Forever My Girl, Boyett hired Johnson to sing the demos and background vocals. The two immediately bonded and formed a working friendship. Boyett also was introduced to Scott, during the same time in his life. “We hit it off and I started talking about how I was moving back to Nashville and I wanted to work with this singer I had been using for demos, Troy Johnson, and he was like, ‘oh yeah, I know Troy. We write for the same publishing company.'”

As it turned out, both Scott and Johnson had offices across the hall from one another at the publishing company and knew each other well. After the trio all became friends, Boyett finally pitched his idea of the Nashvillains to the men. “I had this idea of the Nashvillains, this kind of dark, country, cinematic country thing and we all got together,” shared Boyett.

After some convincing, both Scott and Johnson were on board, and the trio that is Nashvillains was born.

Today:

Fans can look forward to the Nashvillains debut album Tumbling Down coming out this Friday, March 4th. “I think that our uniqueness comes from the fact that we actually did draw from each other’s unique backgrounds,” shared the trio. “There’s a lot of different influences in this band. We all three have such diverse backgrounds with where we are from and the music we grew up on.”

The record is a complete concept album that is a unique conglomerate of everything that makes the trio mesh together effortlessly.“We’re all kinda musicologists in a sense that we get all the genres, but we each have a different proclivity to play. And I think because of that a push and pull that’s what creates the [Nashvillains.]”

Tumbling Down is both unique and relatable, begging listeners to listen to the project from start to finish. “One of the coolest things about this is that people should listen to the album from start to finish. It’s a concept album, so there’s an overall story and an arc to the entire album, so each song relates to the next one,” begins the band. “We hadn’t heard of anyone else doing that in country music, so we thought that might be a really cool approach to take with this and we had a pretty good story that we thought would work and we kind of wrote around that.”

Fans can also anticipate unique instrumentation to go along with the rock-country vibes of the upcoming project.“I think we’ve really embodied the name ‘Nashvillains.’ We’re definitely country and we’re definitely based in Nashville, but we sort of have a skewed view of what the Nashvillains sound is and we can kinda explore.”

Country music fans can look forward to the trio supporting the record with tour dates in the upcoming months. Until then, make sure you check back this Friday for our full review of the record!

Connect:

Fans can join our Weekly Round-Up e-newsletter here, for the latest in country music and more news about upcoming Nashvillains announcements and releases.

To keep up with Nashvillains, follow them on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.

“Tumbling Down” is available everywhere you buy or stream music. Take a listen below and check out more new recently released tunes on our ‘New Country Music’ playlist. Be sure to give the playlist a follow for your weekly new country music fix.

minnie-murphy

Who Is Minnie Murphy? The Story Behind Her Journey to Country Music

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Who is Minnie Murphy? The singer-songwriter joined us to chat about her journey to country music. Get to know the rising star here…

who-is-minnie-murphy

The Beginning:

Some people are just born to be in the industry, and Minnie Murphy is one of those artists. A singer-songwriter with music in her veins, Murphy knows how to craft a lyric and a good song. She shares with Country Swag all about her journey thus far.

“I was born in California but we moved to Washington state when I was a baby,” begins the songstress. At an early age, Murphy recalls her parents playing music professionally. “I just kind of grew up around it and my parents played four nights a week. […] That whole lifestyle is what I’ve always known.”

She credits her parents as early influences on her musical interests. Murphy’s musical inspirations run the gamut of genres. She loves classic rock, country, and even Jazz music. “I’ve just kind of soaked it all in. I love R&B and Jazz singers, that probably might be my first love,” she shared. “The vocalists, the real Jazzy singers that do a lot of improv and scatting, but country music has always been a part of me. I love the values instilled in it and I love Nashville.”

At ten years old, Murphy learned how to play piano, which eventually led to her songwriting too.“Once I learned that basic theory, I started writing songs,” she shared, adding later, “In high school, my dad and I would come to Nashville and do co-writing with other writers in town. We put together a 5 song demo and pitched it to some labels.” This led to a series of adventures in Nashville for the singer.

The Turning Point:

Fresh out of high school, Murphy landed a record deal with SONY. Unfortunately, the singer never released music, under the label, due to a merger that left her without a label. Not one to give up, Murphy cut her teeth at the Nashville bars and restaurants, and eventually landed herself another record deal.

When that deal fell through too, the songstress still did not quit! Murphy utilized her connections to land herself a publishing deal at Johnny Morris’ company. “I put my apron down and I walked in there by myself and I asked if I could be a writer. And I’ve been there for the past eight years,” declared the artist.

After several years working as a writer, something began to shift in Murphy. She credits having a son and really honing her skills as a songwriter for giving her the courage and the desire to work as an artist again.“Working at this publishing company and getting better as a songwriter and then having a son, that’s what kind of  made me want to put music out again.”

Today:

Flash forward to today, fans can rejoice in Murphy’s newest single, “Get Over It.” Written by the singer with Don Bedell and Trafton Harvey, the song feels like an old-school country song. “We were like how should we write this and we kicked around some different angles, but we usually resort to a drinking song if we get stuck, and I just thought that the title fit.”

Murphy took that retro-country inspiration to turn the song into one of her favorite tracks that she has ever been a part of. The single is the first of many singles off the songstress’ upcoming debut album. “I just thought, I should make an album and build off this vibe,” shared Murphy. “We’re going to release some singles off of the LP. It’s seven songs and then we’ll put the whole thing out.”

Fans can look forward to this next chapter for Murphy. She will continue to be cutting songs and crafting songs over the next year. Keep your eyes and ears peeled!

Connect:

Fans can join our Weekly Round-Up e-newsletter here, for the latest in country music and more news about upcoming Minnie Murphy announcements and releases.

To keep up with Minnie Murphy follow her on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.

Minnie Murphy’s music is available everywhere you buy or stream music. Take a listen below and check out more new recently released tunes on our ‘New Country Music’ playlist. Be sure to give the playlist a follow for your weekly new country music fix.

who-is-noah-guthrie

Who Is Noah Guthrie? The Story Behind His Journey to Country Music

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Who is Noah Guthrie? The singer-songwriter joined us to chat about his journey to country music. Get to know the rising star here…

who-is-noah-guthrie

The Beginning:

Today our spotlight shines on an artist you may know! Noah Guthrie is a rising singer-songwriter and actor from South Carolina. A fixture on the last season of the popular show ‘Glee’ and a semi-finalist on ‘America’s Got Talent,’ Guthrie’s journey is one for the storybooks.

“I’m from upstate, South Carolina. I’ve been around music my whole life. I kind of grew up watching my dad and my stepmom do a lot of studio singing,” begins the entertainer during our interview. According to Guthrie, singing was something he loved from an early age. He credits his parents for always being supportive of his dreams throughout his childhood and even now.

“When I got to high school, me and my brother started playing in a band together,” shares the singer. The blues band helped transform Guthrie from a shy kid to a bonafide entertainer. “Once I got on stage and realized that the stage was where I could really show this other side of me – I was a pretty shy kid growing up […] But when I got on stage, I got to be this frontman of this band and that was a fun thing.”

Guthrie always knew he was interested in music. During high school he utilized his talents, posting cover songs on YouTube and practicing writing lyrics. Some of his videos went viral, pushing the trajectory of his career to new heights.

The Turning Point:

With a love for rock music, such as Led Zeppelin and The Killers, Guthrie garnered fans across the country.“I got lucky when I was posting these cover songs to get my name out there when I was in my teens. I had some luck with that,” shared Guthrie, adding, “People wanted me to come play for them. Me and my and my dad hit the road for a bunch of shows in the early days.”

It was not until later on in life that the singer-songwriter discovered country music. “One artist that had a huge impact on me and my style would be Ray LaMontagne,” shared the singer.

Guthrie took his love for music and his early found success and catapulted it to a stint on Glee and later,  America’s Got Talent. “They brought me on the show for the last season and it was killer and I gained a lot of fans from that,” shared the singer about Glee.

“I just kind of picked up fans from all different areas along the way.”

Today:

Flash forward to now, Guthrie has three albums under his belt. Most recently, the rising artist released Blue Wall. Interestingly, the record has a handful of solo writes on the tracklist, showcasing the singer’s incredible songwriting prowess.

“I think the album is probably 50/50 solo and co-writes. These are songs that I’ve been playing for a while,” shared Guthrie, “They’re songs that me and my band have been touring and people have reacted well to [them].”

According to the singer, one of his all-time favorites off the new record is the title track – a true love letter to his hometown. “My favorite, favorite, is probably the title track “Blue Wall.” It’s a song about my home,” shared the singer, letting us know the ‘blue wall’ refers to the Blue Ridge Mountains.

Guthrie plans to continue to champion this record throughout the year, as he works on getting some shows on the books. As always though, the singer will definitely get started on new projects and music before the year is up. Fans can also look forward to more livestreams and just more of Guthrie in general!

Connect:

Fans can join our Weekly Round-Up e-newsletter here, for the latest in country music and more news and announcements about future Noah Guthrie releases.

To keep up with Noah Guthrie, follow him on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.

Noah Guthrie’s music is available everywhere you buy or stream music. Take a listen below and check out more new recently released tunes on our ‘New Country Music’ playlist. Be sure to give the playlist a follow for your weekly new country music fix.

nate-smith-number-one

Who Is Nate Smith? The Story Behind His Journey to Country Music

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Who is Nate Smith? The singer-songwriter joined us to chat about his journey to country music. Get to know the rising star here…

who-is-nate-smith

Nate Smith // Photo by Robby Klein

The Beginning:

Today we share with you the humbling story about Nate Smith’s success in the industry. The newly signed SONY music artist is both an incredible vocalist and talented songwriter. Although it has not always been easy for Smith, he shared his story with us in a way that shows faith, humility, and empathy. It is hard not to love him!

Growing up in a small California town called Paradise, Smith always gravitated towards music. “I would play guitar and stuff, and always bother my brother with my singing,” he shared, recalling sharing a bunk bed with his sibling. Music was always on his mind “I just loved singing. It felt as natural as breathing. […] Eventually, when I started playing guitar and stuff, I was like I’m going to play on stage,” shared Smith.

The singer recalls watching Garth Brooks perform on television, and credits both Brooks and Elvis for his early love of singing. “There’s so many artists, a lot of rock, and pop, and some country as well that I love.” Smith also credits his father for his love of Classic Rock and reflects on his own love of bands like Blink 182 and Creed.

The melting pot of musical influences helped Smith curate his own unique sound and voice. At just 23 years old, the singer made the move to Nashville, and got himself a publishing deal. After a tragedy struck, Smith made the difficult decision to go back home to California, leaving music behind for what he thought would be for good.

The Turning Point:

If it was not for another tragic event in 2018 and the love and belief from his friends and family, Smith may have not found his way back to music. “In 2018, in Paradise, my hometown where I grew up, we had a wildfire happen,” shared the singer. “I lost everything that I ever had and a friend of mine sent me a guitar, and I began writing songs just about that experience” he added.

The hardship really inspired Smith to start writing music again. He credits his friends for convincing him to move back to Nashville to pursue his dream. After playing at a few festivals thanks to Melissa Carbone, Smith was able to secure himself a management deal. Through pure heart, and hustle, the singer made connections that led him to his SONY Music Nashville record deal. “They offered me a deal and I could not believe it […] When I signed with SONY, I had $14 left in my account.”

For Smith, this whole experience was truly something out of a storybook. “I definitely look at it as a second chance at life.”

Today:

Now, as a signed artist, Smith is connecting with fans across genres. His newest single, “I Don’t Want To Go To Heaven” is a true masterpiece. Its haunting, innovative, and incredible in every way. Written by Smith with Dan Fernandez, the song was inspired by the way the singer tries to live his life each day.

This whole concept just started happening organically, it was one of the easiest writes ever for both of us,” begins Smith. “It’s just about not taking anything for granted and the people and the things you have right now.”

The song resonated so much with Smith and his fans that the singer just released another version of the mesmerizing track. The new version features a choir. Smith got the idea after listening to a song called “I Found” by Amber Run. “The choir just gave us chills, they brought something so special to that song, that would never have happened without them.” Smith goes on to add, “I honestly probably love it more than the original because it has the extra thing about it.”

Smith also shared with us that there is going to be a third version of “I Don’t Want To Go To Heaven” released soon. The new rendition will feature another artist on the tune. Until then, fans can anticipate more new music coming down the pipeline by the artist, as he shares that he is writing every day and cutting new tracks as we speak. This is sure to be a big year for Smith!

Connect:

Fans can join our Weekly Round-Up e-newsletter here, for the latest in country music and more news and announcements about future Nate Smith releases.

To keep up with Nate Smith, follow him on Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, and Facebook.

Nate Smith’s music is available everywhere you buy or stream music. Take a listen below and check out more new recently released tunes on our ‘New Country Music’ playlist. Be sure to give the playlist a follow for your weekly new country music fix.

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Who Is Elizabeth Lyons? The Story Behind Her Journey to Country Music

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Who is Elizabeth Lyons? The singer-songwriter joined us to chat about her journey to country music. Get to know the rising star here…

who-is-elizabeth-lyons

The Beginning:

A couple of years ago we introduced you to a talented singer-songwriter and one-woman show, Elizabeth Lyons. We caught up with Lyons again to touch base on how her career has blossomed since we last spoke!

Lyons is a Midwestern girl who has had music in her soul since she was a kid. “Since a young age, I’ve always loved music. I basically learned my letters, so that I could learn to play piano,” she tells us, adding, “I joined church choir […]. I auditioned for musical theatre until I made the music theatre production and I ended up being in 18 musicals. So I always performed.”

Fresh out of high school, the songstress embarked on a new journey south to Nashville, Tennessee, where she simultaneously was a student at Vanderbilt University and an intern at a music publishing company. For her, everything shifted when she saw Florida Georgia Line’s song “Cruise” take off, despite the fact that they were newcomers on the music scene.

“[They] inspired me to use word of mouth marketing to do what I needed to do to follow my dreams because I wasn’t super confident when I moved down to Nashville, being an artist.” By the time she reached her senior year of college, Lyons released her debut EP which garnered accolades on iTunes. The singer credits both Florida Georgie Line and Taylor Swift as two artists, who inspired her on her path. “I attribute Taylor for helping me move down to Nashville and Florida Georgia Line for making me pursue my dream.” Of course, Lyons shared that she also loves artists like The Chicks, Shania Twain, Faith Hill, and the Spice Girls.

The Turning Point:

Lyons really took her education at Vanderbilt University and in the Nashville community to heart. She worked endlessly to create a career that made the most sense for her, all while garnering a dedicated fanbase.

As an independent artist, Lyons is finding success in country music, especially in regards to the festival circuit. Most recently, the singer-songwriter played with artists like Jordan Davis and Jimmie Allen. In the past, Lyons has shared the stage with the likes of Sam Hunt and Luke Bryan, as well as, played shows at many festivals across the United States.

The trajectory of her career continues to change and blossom throughout the years. Most recently, the pandemic deepened her connection to music.

Today:

Flash forward to today, Lyons has her first-ever full-length album in the works. “During COVID, I basically jumped into writing and recording, all for this upcoming album,” she begins. “It’s my first full-length album. It’s nine songs broken up into the evolution of my love life over the last ten years. There’s three chapters. There’s three songs about finding love, three songs about falling in love, and then three songs about being in love.”

The upcoming record is slated for release on March 11th. Fans can expect stories, beautiful instrumentals, and exquisite vocals on the new project. “It’s kind of like tales of young heartache, and the nervous/excitement about beginning something special to then the joy of spending time and marrying my lifetime partner,” shared Lyons.

One of the songs off the new album “Edge” even went viral on TikTok. “We got over a million views on TikTok, which is crazy awesome,” shared Lyons. “It was really cool to see how people interpreted the song.”

Listeners have also fallen in love with another song on the project called “Always.” “Always is such a feel-good song about basically always wanting to spend everyday with your lover, just making it forever,” said the singer. The track was inspired by New Oreleans, Lyons’ love for the saxophone, and Kacey Musgraves’ song “High Horse.” “We kind of created this kinda Motown-disco-country,” shared Lyons.

Fans can look forward to the album release date, as well as, the new music video for “Always,” coming around Valentine’s Day. Additionally, Lyons is heading back out on the road as much as possible, so stay tuned for more dates to catch her live set.

Connect:

Fans can join our Weekly Round-Up e-newsletter here, for the latest in country music and more news about upcoming Elizabeth Lyons announcements and releases.

To keep up with Elizabeth Lyons follow her on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.

Elizabeth Lyons’ music is available everywhere you buy or stream music. Take a listen below and check out more new recently released tunes on our ‘New Country Music’ playlist. Be sure to give the playlist a follow for your weekly new country music fix.

who-is-josh-kiser

Who Is Josh Kiser? The Story Behind His Journey to Country Music

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Who is Josh Kiser? The singer-songwriter joined us to chat about his journey to country music. Get to know the rising star here…

who-is-josh-kiser
The Beginning:

Today our spotlight shines on a Tennessee-born artist, Josh Kiser. Growing up just outside of Chattanooga, Kiser’s path to music is an interesting and heartwarming one. Always inspired by music, it is clear that the singer-songwriter is living in his passion.

“What really inspired me to get into music was my uncle, he played bass in Nashville and stuff like that,” Kiser shares. “He gave me my first record, which was ‘The Eagles: Greatest Hits,’ and I just started kind of dove right in to all of that stuff, and I really stuck with the 80s, 90s, music and stuff like that.”

Music was something that his whole family was interested in. From a young age, Kiser recalls trying to get his hands on as much music as he could. “Music was a real hobby. I would sit there and listen to a record,” begins Kiser. “I really didn’t listen to any current music whatsoever, it was always like Ray Charles, Otis Redding, and The Eagles, and Travis Tritt, and things like that.”

That rhythmic, throwback sound followed him throughout his life and even into his career; however, he did not know that at the time. “I never actually thought music was going to be in the cards. I always loved it, but I never thought I’d be doing it for a living now.”

The Turning Point:

Growing up, Kiser never sang in front of anyone, but he credits the church for helping him craft his vocals and his guitar skills. “I grew up in the buckle of the Bible Belt, so naturally the youth group heard that I was playing guitar and stuff, so I ended up doing that whole thing,” shared the singer.

Despite a love for music, it was a friend of his, who really believed in his talent. Kiser recalls a funny story that truly started it all for him.

“I was doing engineering through the road department [as a job],” begins Kiser. “I was actually doing that and a buddy of mine, I was working out at the gym one day, he was like ‘hey man I heard you sing this song, will you sing it for my birthday party?!’.” Kiser agreed.

This led to the singer being recognized by producer, Nathan Chapman, after his friend’s wife posted him singing online. He was subsequently invited to take a meeting in Nashville and earned himself a publishing deal with Warner/Chappell Music.

“I moved to Nashville and quit my job. I went down on Broadway and I knocked on every single door that I could to try to take every opportunity I could […] It’s one of the biggest blessings I have had in my entire life.”

Today:

With a little over two years under his belt, Kiser continues to make a name for himself in country music. Staying true to himself, the artist creates music that is both meaningful and captivating. “I want to write songs that mean something,” shared Kisser, adding, “When I started the songwriting thing, I started studying really really hard, songwriters like Dean Dillon and people like that who paved the way of striking a chord of a melody to a memory.”

Currently, Kiser has released a few songs with “Whiskey Wins” being the most recent. According To Kiser, “That was the first song that I ever really got to be honest and vulnerable with myself in my songwriting.” Written by Kiser with Trent Fisher, “Whiskey Wins” is a true standout, honest, and gritty song.

“I wrote that song to try to touch people’s hearts and for somebody who has an issue with drinking or it could be any vice, I just wanted to speak directly to that and say ‘hey you are not alone and you are able to overcome that kinda stuff.’”

Fans can look forward to more honest and raw music coming from Kiser real soon. The singer-songwriter has an EP in the words, perfectly titled, When Kountry Was, as well as, more new music on the horizon.

The upcoming EP is truly just the start for the singer. “These songs that we’re putting out are the first songs that I ever wrote in Nashville. And kind of just paving the way and building the blocks of the foundation that we’re trying to build a house up on. I’m just really looking forward to that.”

Keep your eyes and ears pealed for the singer. He is the real deal!

Connect:

Fans can join our Weekly Round-Up e-newsletter here, for the latest in country music and more news and announcements about future Josh Kiser releases.

To keep up with Josh Kiser, follow him on Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, and Facebook.

Josh Kiser’s music is available everywhere you buy or stream music. Take a listen below and check out more new recently released tunes on our ‘New Country Music’ playlist. Be sure to give the playlist a follow for your weekly new country music fix.