Ten Year Town

In this bonus episode, we take a look at the songwriting and philosophy of Tom Petty—what made his songs work, why simplicity matters, and what artists can learn from the way he approached music and career. --------------------------------------------------- If you want to read the Mundanity of Excellence you can find the PDF here: https://academics.hamilton.edu/documents/themundanityofexcellence.pdf --------------------------------------------------- This episode is sponsored by The Grap...

Randy Montana is a songwriter and artist raised in Nashville, Tennessee. He has written songs recorded by artists including Luke Combs, Parker McCollum, Justin Moore, Riley Green, and many others. His No. 1 hits include “Beer Never Broke My Heart,” “I Hope You’re Happy,” “Pretty Heart,” and “Sleepless In A Hotel Room.” On March 16, 2026, Montana claimed the No. 1 spot on the MusicRow Top Songwriter Chart. In this episode, we discuss Randy’s path growing up in Nashville, the stories behind so...

Zach Abend is a songwriter and producer originally from Syracuse, New York. He has co-written songs for artists including Morgan Wallen, HARDY, LOCASH, Kenny Chesney, and Blake Shelton. His #1 songs include writing Kenny Chesney’s “Take Her Home,” LOCASH’s 2025 single “Hometown Home,” and most recently as a writer on HARDY’s “Favorite Country Song.” He is currently published by Relative Music Group. In this episode, Zach talks about his path from Syracuse to Nashville, his approach to songwri...

Mitchell Tenpenny is a singer-songwriter from Nashville, Tennessee. He broke through with his multi-Platinum No. 1 hit “Drunk Me” and has since earned additional chart success with songs like “Truth About You,” “At The End Of A Bar” (with Chris Young), and “We Got History.” He has released multiple albums including Telling All My Secrets and This Is The Heavy, and has toured with artists like Jason Aldean, Luke Combs, and Jordan Davis. He is currently on his Speed Of Light Tour. In this episo...

This episode originally aired on January 20th, 2025. Kip Moore is an artist and songwriter originally from Tifton, Georgia. He has several multi-platinum records including songs like “Somethin’ ‘bout a Truck,” “More Girls Like You,” and “The Bull.” He is also known for his live show and a rabid touring audience that spans the US, the U.K., Australia, South Africa, and Europe. “Solitary Tracks” was February 28th, 2025; he is currently signed to Virgin Music Group. In this episode ...