Troy Cartwright channels Vulnerability of Ryan Adams + Eric Church stature on 'Don't Fade,' out Oct. 7

On Fri., Oct., 7, Nashville-by-way-of-Dallas musician Troy Cartwright will deliver a genre-blurring five-song EP titled 'Don't Fade,' via Hard Luck Recording Company. Channeling the heartfelt vulnerability of Ryan Adams and the commanding arena-ready stage presence of Eric Church, the charismatic artist uses the collection's title as his own mantra for his own career. Produced by fellow songwriter Rob Baird and Brian Douglas Phillips, Cartwright hones in on the sharp lyrics and soulful delivery that earned his self-titled debut widespread praise in Texas and beyond. For Cartwright though, that was only the prelude.

Growing up in a conservative Texas home, Cartwright's exposure to modern music was limited primarily to the 'Forrest Gump' soundtrack and Steven Curtis Chapman records. For his twelfth birthday, his parents gave him an acoustic guitar, and he discovered singer-songwriters and alt-country troubadours, contemporaries like Pete Yorn and classic artists like John Prine. It led him to begin penning his own songs, and by the time he hit high school, he was playing regularly in bars and churches. A summer program at NYU exposed Cartwright to the world outside of Dallas and inspired him to head even further from home to attend the Berklee College of Music in Boston.

Cartwright worked his way through school with odd jobs in the music industry and wedding band gigs, unsatisfied and more convinced than ever that he needed to take the leap with his own music. He moved back to Texas and recorded an EP, 'Bull Run,' that earned him top honors in the B.W. Stevenson Songwriting Competition. Then, a performance with John Fullbright led Cartwright to Oklahoma, where he collaborated with producer Wes Sharon on the self-titled debut that would break him onto the Texas radio charts.

Pushing further and playing 100+ shows per year without an agent or a manager, the quality of his music and the exhilarating live performances caught the ear of fellow Texas songwriter Rob Baird, who offered to produce 'Don't Fade' with Brian Douglas Phillips at Phillips' Austin-based Rattle Trap Studio.

The sound that they ultimately landed on is instantly appealing, a warm, radio-friendly blend that calls to mind everything from Will Hoge to The Old 97's. Earworm opener "Never Coming Back" is an ideal showcase for Cartwright's gifts, with his silky-smooth vocals riding a laid-back drum groove punctuated by dynamic electric guitar riffs and classic rock organ swells. The songwriter takes a darker turn on "Busted," a driving, gritty tune inspired by the breakdown of a truck in the west Texas heat that mirrored the breakdown of his own crumbling relationship, while "Nobody But You" channels the pain of staying behind while a loved one leaves, and the sweetly emotional "Don't Fade" battles the inevitable passage of time. One of the most special moments for Cartwright, though, comes at the end of the EP, as the stripped-down acoustic meditation of "Arkansas" drifts off into an ethereal soundscape like the last rays of light at sunset.

Cartwright is now signed to William Morris Endeavor and has shows slated through the fall, including opening slots for Granger Smith, Wade Bowen and others, and a run of EP release shows in Texas. For more information, please visit troycartwright.com.

'Don't Fade' EP Tracklist:
1. Never Coming Back (Cartwright, Ty Graham)
2. Busted (Cartwright)
3. Don't Fade (Cartwright, Clint Daniels)
4. Nobody But You (Cartwright)
5. Arkansas (Cartwright)

Troy Cartwright on tour:
Thurs., Sept. 8 / The Blue Light Live / Lubbock, TX*
Thurs., Sept. 15 / George's Majestic Lounge / Fayetteville, AR
Mon., Sept. 19 / TBA / Kansas City, MO
Tues., Sept. 20 / Fiddlestrings / San Angelo, TX
Wed., Sept. 21 / Twighlight Lounge / Dallas, TX
Thurs., Sept. 22 / The Tap / College Station, TX
Fri., Sept. 23 / Magnolia Motor Lounge / Fort Worth, TX
Sat., Oct. 1 / Midnight Rodeo / Amarillo, TX**
Sat., Oct. 8 / Mo's Place / Katy, TX ***
Thurs., Oct. 13 / TBA / Tulsa, OK
Fri., Oct. 14 / Denim & Diamonds / Wichita Falls, TX
Sat., Oct. 15 / Gruene Hall / New Braunfels, TX
Thurs., Oct. 20 / Fat Daddys / Mansfield, TX
Sun., Oct. 23 / The Truck Yard / Dallas, TX
Fri., Nov. 4 / TBA / San Angelo, TX
Sun., Nov. 13 / TBA / Lubbock, TX
Thurs., Nov. 24 / Billy Bob's / Ft. Worth, TX

*w/ Flatland Cavalry
**w/ Wade Bowen
*** w/ Granger Smith

Troy Cartwright press page (photos, bio and more): shorefire.com/client/troy-cartwright