A Texan who emerged as one of country’s most remarkable new talents in the 2010s, Troy Cartwright creates songs whose depth of feeling is matched by their high level of craft. That rare combination speaks to Cartwright’s background as a youngster who grew up playing guitar and singing in church before heading east to study the music business and songwriting at the Berklee College of Music in Boston. In 2017, he moved to Nashville to join the city’s bustling creative community. His 2021 debut EP for Warner Music Nashville, Halfway To Houston, demonstrates his balance of rustic authenticity and songwriting sophistication. But for all the thoughtfulness of “God Is Good,” the record’s standout, Cartwright also keeps some room for the rowdier side he shows off in “What Are You Drinking,” a song he cowrote for fellow writer turned solo artist Ryan Hurd’s Pelago.