Singer-songwriter Mitchell Tenpenny is one of the relatively few country hitmakers native to Music City. He was born in 1989 to a family with some heavy Nashville history; his grandmother, who had been CEO of a major music publisher, connected him to some veteran songwriters. Tenpenny played in a rock band in high school but ultimately embraced his country legacy, and he first gained attention by co-writing Granger Smith’s 2016 hit “If the Boot Fits.” He would go on to write for Alana Springsteen, Kid Rock, and other performers. But he broke out as a recording artist with “Drunk Me” from 2018’s Telling All My Secrets, displaying the unfettered, passionate vocals, country-pop-R&B amalgam, and storytelling savvy that would become his signature. He’s since proved his staying power, racking up more hits as well as duetting with Colt Ford, Chris Young, and others.