Lebanon’s Chase Wright Is Shining Bright in the Country Music World
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Like many artists, country musician Chase Wright started his career with somewhat of a humble beginning.
“My dad surprised me with a $20 garage sale guitar that was kind of broken,” Wright says. “He was like, ‘You’ve mentioned that you wanted to start learning guitar, so here’s this. If you learn it then we’ll get you a better one.’”
Now making a career in Nashville, Tennessee, Wright released his debut album “Intertwined” in 2021, which has seen a great deal of success. Recently named a “Spotify Hot Country Artist to Watch” for 2022, the Lebanon native is set to perform at CMA Fest in Nashville this June alongside some of the biggest names in country music.
A graduate of Lebanon High School, Wright credits both of his parents with getting him into music at a young age.
“My mom went to school for music education so she always wanted me to be in band and stuff like that,” Wright says. “I think I get a lot of my musical influences, though, from my dad. I have fond memories growing up of him showing me videos of Keith Urban playing live, and those 10-minute guitar solos that he’d rip on.”
After graduating from high school, Wright moved on to DePauw University, where he studied economics. He realized quickly that a sedentary office lifestyle wasn’t for him.
“I went to college for economics, so corporate life was always the move,” Wright says. “Then once I got there I was like, ‘I cannot do this – it’s just not for me. I feel like I have so much untapped potential.’”
With this in mind, Wright started putting more energy into music, building an online fanbase by posting videos of himself playing.
“I started researching social media marketing and different things like that,” Wright says. “I was trying to figure out how to get my music off the ground without the severe overhead of moving locations physically. I just started learning how to post effectively and I posted all the time. I was really grinding at it.”
Wright’s hard work paid off fast after his current manager Rob Filhart stumbled across one of the videos he’d posted.
“He hit me up and I thought it was kind of fake at first,” Wright says. “I had heard all these horror stories about people being taken advantage of in music, so I dismissed it. He followed up with me again and then a third time. Then I was like, ‘OK, this dude is pretty persistent.’ I reached back out, we got to talking and he seemed legitimate.”
Filhart was indeed legitimate and has since helped Wright take his music career to the next level.
“There was obviously a lot to learn – just going through the steps of learning the industry, taking it day by day and going through all the trials that come with being a new artist,” Wright says. “But my team is top-notch. I could not imagine a better team and that really is what makes the difference.”
In addition to the dedication of his team, Wright is also grateful for the support his family has given him through the years.
“I definitely would not be able to do what I’m doing without them and their endless support throughout this journey,” Wright says of his family. “Doing music is not easy. Having your parents and family be your biggest fans since day one really, really does help.”
Released last November, “Intertwined” has racked up millions of plays on Spotify. Featuring songs like “Drive,” “Wish You’d Miss Me” and “Why Should We,” the album is a proper introduction to Wright’s pop-country sound.
“It’s something I’m super proud of,” Wright says. “There’s so much work that goes into creating a record, and I took it upon myself to take on a lot of responsibility with that.”
Since releasing the album, Wright says he’s savored all the moments seeing fans singing along to songs from “Intertwined” at his concerts.
“Obviously I love it or I wouldn’t have put it out,” Wright says. “It’s so inspiring to see other people love it too. I’m starting to play shows now and get out on the road. Seeing people be so passionate about your music and sing it back to you is something that never, ever gets old.”
With more live shows on the horizon, Wright also says he’s currently in the midst of working on new music.
“Now we’re working on the second project,” Wright says. “We’re not really sure what that’s going to look like necessarily, but we’re going in to record more songs. Those will hopefully be out in the summer some time.”
