Sometimes it can feel cliché to say that someone was born to be a musician, but in the case of Carlisle Wright, it couldn’t be more true. With a musical lineage that dates back four generations, it almost seemed inevitable that Wright would follow in those footsteps.
As her father laid the foundation for her love of traditional country music, Wright has taken the flag and carried it forward, with two terrific releases in the last several months that have cemented her as one of the brightest young traditionalists to watch.
As she celebrates winning Belmont’s Country Showcase and earning a slot at CMA Fest, we chatted with Wright about her deep musical roots, her recent releases, her favorite honky tonk songs and more!
Pro Country: You come from a musical family that runs for four generations. When did you begin to catch the music bug yourself?
Carlisle Wright: My dad is a pilot, and my mom is a real estate agent. I spent a lot more time with my mom, because my dad was gone half the time for work. Being with my mom a lot of the time, she grew up on classic rock, but she also has a vast variety of genres that she listens to. My dad, on the other hand, listens to classic country music. Because he was gone a lot of the time, he created CDs that he mixed himself that we called “sleepy time CDs.” Every night before I went to sleep, I’d put a CD in the player next to my bed, and they were filled with classic country gold from the 70s to the 90s: Patsy Cline, Willie Nelson, Ray Charles, Don Williams, you name it.
In pre-school, they made us play an instrument, and I started playing guitar. Being so young, to what extent I played it, I’m not 100% sure [laughs].In kindergarten, I started taking piano lessons from my uncle. I did that for several years, and at the same time, I was singing and writing.
By 4th grade, I recorded my first song. It was a solo-written Christmas song to give to my family for Christmas. I’ve stuck with it ever since, and I found a love and passion for the classic side of country music.
PC: Though you had deep musical roots, was there a moment you realized that you feasibly could pursue music as a career?
CW: Seeing what my family has done in the industry, it’s always been a dream of mine. Once I realized that songwriting was what I wanted to go to college for, it reinforced that dream. Seeing people in my family do it has made me realize that it’s possible.
PC: You released your debut single, “Does Forever Mean Forever,” in late 2023. What emotions were you feeling as you were releasing music into the world for the first time with that song and your subsequent handful of self-penned songs?
CW: The night before felt like Christmas [laughs]. I was a senior in high school at the time. I do all of my distribution and cover art, so it was crazy to see all of the hard work come to fruition. I’m so proud of all of the work I did in high school to get all of those songs out there. The producer I worked with, Danny Rader, was incredible. Now, I’ve gotten to work with a full, live band in the studio with my newer releases. It’s crazy to see the growth within myself and the brand that I’ve created.
PC: You closed 2025 with the release of “Honky Tonk Talkin’,” which was your first recording with a live band. What was it like tracking the song with a band full of so many talented musicians?
CW: I went into the studio that morning and met everyone. For them hearing reference tracks to how the song came to life was crazy. It was eye-opening to know that people heard what I wanted to hear. We had the most talented musicians on that session, too. It was so cool to see.
PC: With a song called “Honky Tonk Talkin’,” and having the experience of playing many honky tonks, we’ll put you on the spot. Can you tell us a few of your favorite honky tonk songs?
CW: George Jones has a song that’s literally called “Honky Tonk Song,” which is a dang good one. “Good Time” by Alan Jackson is a fun one to hear in honky tonks, too. And because you still need to hear heartfelt ballads in a honky tonk, as sad as it may seem, “Misery and Gin” is one of the best songs to get people in their feels.
PC: A few weeks ago, you released your newest single, “Half My Heroes,” which you co-wrote with Jack Rauton. Can you take us in the room and talk about how the song came together?
CW: Everybody has a hero, and for me, it’s classic country heroes. You hear a lot of songs reminiscing on the past, so when I went into the room with Jack, I knew I wanted to write a song like that. We landed on the idea of not just dwelling on past heroes. We have a resurgence of classic country going on right now. We wanted to pay our dues to the heroes that are still around. There’s so many heroes of mine that are still out there doing it, like Willie Nelson. And there’s new heroes that are bringing the classic country sound back, like Zach Top, Mae Estes and Emily Ann Roberts. It was important for us to talk about the artists that created the foundation, but also the artists that are bringing it back.
PC: Earlier, you mentioned the growth in yourself that you’ve noticed since your releases in high school. How do you feel that you’ve grown the most in the few years since?
CW: I think I’ve honed in on what I want to bring to the industry. When people think of Carlisle Wright, I’d like people to think of classic country music. It’s such an important sound to me. As I go into songwriting sessions, I know that’s what I want to bring to the table. I want to write songs that reinforce my brand. I feel like creating that brand in the writing room with that traditional sound is one of the biggest places I’ve grown.
PC: You’re currently attending Belmont University as a songwriting major. What has it been like to be surrounded by the collective talent at the University and to learn from such highly-regarded professors?
CW: It’s been amazing. It took a minute for me to adjust to it. It’s been really cool being around professors that are still in the industry, and so many that love 90s country music and have been a part of that history, and hearing their stories and taking advice from them. It’s important to learn and absorb your surroundings, because there’s so much talent and so many stories, especially in the songwriting program.
PC: Just a few weeks ago, you won Belmont’s Country Showcase. What was it like to win that competition amongst your peers and to have that experience?
CW: It was a great experience. The Showcase team is incredible. Being in the showcase with my band, and the three other talented ladies that I shared the stage with, was really cool. It was neat to see everyone’s vision come to life. We got to choose the content behind us on the screens, the lighting and how we wanted to transition from each song. It was a legit show. They took their time and put effort into every single detail of it.
All my family and friends were there to see it. Having them see that was probably reassuring to them that I’m doing what I’m supposed to be doing too, because it’s not just 15 year-old me anymore saying I wanted to sing as a career [laughs]. Not that they didn’t believe me before, but seeing a show like that, it showed that I was really doing it.
The outcome of the Showcase was the cherry on top. I’m excited to take the stage at CMA Fest, and at Best of the Best in April at Belmont.
PC: You mentioned that winning the Country Showcase also comes with the opportunity to play CMA Fest. How excited are you to play such a prestigious event and to be a part of the bill?
CW: I’d literally applied to play at CMA Fest, and then a week later, I was awarded a spot. It’s a full-circle moment, because my high school friends, my boyfriend and I go every summer to watch shows on the free stages. To be a part of it is a major box that I get to check off. My band is just as excited, too. I’m very excited!
PC: In a recent interview, you mentioned that there is more music recorded that hasn’t been released and that you’ll be returning to the studio soon as well. What information, if any, can you give about what will follow “Half My Heroes”? What can listeners expect to hear?
CW: I have one more song recorded. I released part of it on social media once, a little over a year ago, and people seemed to really like it. Personally, with classic country music, I feel there’s a few boxes that you have to check off. We’ve done the honky tonkin’ and the heartfelt ballads, so now, we’ve got to end it with a bang. It’s a solo-written song, and I’m really excited to release it. I couldn’t believe how it turned out with the band.
PC: What do you have planned for 2026?
CW: I’ll be playing as many shows with my band that I can in honky tonks, dive bars, and even CMA Fest! I’m going to keep writing as much as I can. I think we’re going to have a fun summer full of classic country music!
I’m in the batching process of new songs, so hopefully, I’ll be going back in the studio this year to get new music recorded.
I’m looking forward to taking the next steps and continuing to grow in this career that I’ve got going on!
Pro Country 
Leave a comment