NEWLY SIGNED ARISTA NASHVILLE ARTIST CARLTON ANDERSON RELEASES DEBUT SINGLE, “DROP EVERYTHING”
Nashville, TN – Carlton Anderson proves on his Arista Nashville debut single, “Drop Everything,” that he’s not afraid to “go for it.” From being the first in his family to graduate college, to landing a record deal, to getting the girl, Anderson takes chances and swings for the fences.
“A love song about a guy speaking up for the girl that he wants and taking a chance,” Carlton Anderson describes his first single’s theme. “I first heard ‘Drop Everything’ at the last minute when we were cutting our first batch of songs in the studio. It was catchy and sexy, and, if anyone could relate to the lyrics, it was me,” he continues. “For the most part, if you haven’t personally been in this situation, you know somebody who has.”
Although it was co-written by Rhett Akins, Matt Dragstrem and Ashley Gorley, Anderson admits that the song is autobiographical and based around seeing a girl with another guy, but not letting that deter him from making his move. And like “Drop Everything,” Anderson’s musical journey has been about living in the moment and not “what ifs.”
He grew up in Cypress, Texas, a town northwest of Houston where the family motto was “go to work or go to war” with the men enlisting for military service or employment in the oil fields. Anderson followed musical pursuits, but he applied the same dedication and tireless work ethic to his budding career and earned the respect and support of his blue-collar family in the process.
He honed his craft playing in the road houses and dancehalls of Texas, where the band better be as good as the jukebox or red dirt playlist. And when he moved to Nashville to study music business at Belmont University, he applied those same skills to finding a regular gig at one of the world-famous honky tonks off Broadway.
Hard work, practice, paying his dues in Texas, and playing for tourists and bachelorette parties in Nashville paid off. He focused on “connecting” with his audience, no matter how distracted or inebriated they were. It wasn’t long before more than tourists were taking notice.
He was signed as a songwriter at Warner Chappell Music, where he has written with some of the most sought-after songwriters in Nashville. He’s earned a solid reputation for his wry observations, traditional grounding, and skill at expressing contemporary topics, which are all central themes in his music.
Carlton Anderson’s “Drop Everything” is available now to stream and download HERE, and ships to country radio today with an official impact date of June 11.