Mitchell Tenpenny

Part of a new generation of storytellers who have been dubbed 'bro-country', Mitchell Tenpenny is a Nashville songwriter dealing in personal wisdom and soulful, campfire-pop songs. He was initially inspired by his grandmother Donna Hilley, who worked her way up from receptionist to become president of Sony Music Publishing for nearly 25 years. She introduced him to Bobby Braddock and Curly Putman - writers of his favourite song 'He Stopped Loving Me Today' - and Tenpenny instantly set his sights on conquering the music industry too. He began playing in hardcore punk bands in his teens and took a Music Business course at Middle Tennessee State University before deciding to turn to more traditional country songwriting. The glossy, infectious pop hooks of Michael Jackson and Justin Timberlake were also an influence on his sound and, after spending years learning his craft in writers circles and paying his dues performing in small local bars, he got his break when Granger Smith used his track 'If the Boot Fits' as his lead single in 2016. He also played support slots on tour with Dustin Lynch, Lynyrd Skynyrd and Kane Brown and released his debut album 'Black Crow', but really found his feet with the EP 'Linden Avenue' and his track 'Walk Like Him', a tribute to his father, who died of cancer shortly before his career took off. His single 'Drunk Me' in 2018 was typically self-reflective and emotionally raw and became his first major radio hit when it quickly notched up more than 1.5 million streams and reached number six on the Country Charts, while his second album 'Telling All My Secrets' established Tenpenny as one of Nashville's breakthrough songwriting talents.

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