meet the 2026 lake martin songwriter's FESTIVAL ARTISTS

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Gloria Anderson is an Americana-Country singer-songwriter from Luling, Texas. As a military brat, she began writing songs while moving around the country. Her talents are on full display in the Lone Star State as the 2026 Texas Songwriter U Ambassador, a supporting act for Jack Ingram & Jake Worthington, and as a performer at Gruene Hall. 

Gloria has featured on SiriusXM Radio, Spotify’s Fresh Finds: Country, Apple Music’s Don’t Mess with Texas, and BMI’s Texas Ten. Her fully crowd funded record, “Run Of The Mill,” is out this summer. 

Gloria’s music combines her humble Texas roots with relatable lyrics to create her image as an empowering girl-next-door who always has a story to tell. Her song credits include: “Burning Blue” (Shelby Stone), “We Should Do This More Often” (Hayden Baker), “Almost Nearly There” (Garrison Nunn), “The Big Break” (Hannah Noel), and “Chisholm Trail Nightingales” + “Black Gold” (Gloria Anderson).

   Inspired by the soulful croons and country swagger of Otis Redding, Gregg Allman, Amos Lee and Travis Tritt, Charlie Argo’s musical influences blend into a sound that’s as unique as it is boundary-breaking. 

In 2015, after dropping his debut track, 'Phenix,' the Selma, AL native took a leap of faith and moved to Nashville. This bold step into songwriting led to a dynamic collaboration with drummer/producer Jay Tooke. 

Together, they crafted Argo’s debut EP, 'In the Name of Love,' which rocketed to the top of the iTunes 'Blues' chart. The single 'Tennessee Will' claimed the #1 spot on the 'Blues Singles' chart. Argo and Tooke went on to record ‘Mindful Man’ at the FAME recording studios in Muscle Shoals, Alabama. Argo’s latest singles, “Mercy of the Weather,” and “Hold On Savannah” are must-listens streaming on all platforms. Argo will be the opener for the Marcus King Band at The AMP on Lake Martin July 25th!

Abbie Callahan is a Nashville based singer songwriter whose emotionally honest storytelling and sweeping vocals have quickly made her a standout in modern country and Americana. An Iowa City native, she cut her teeth performing nearly 300 shows a year before honing her craft on Broadway stages while studying songwriting at Belmont University. Her self described “kaleidoscope country” sound blends Americana, folk, bluegrass, and pop, drawing inspiration from artists ranging from Patsy Cline to Sierra Ferrell, Kacey Musgraves, and Sabrina Carpenter.

Abbie’s newest single “2:38” with Brendan Walter along with “Simon Says” and ‘Grossly Aware’, her debut EP, featuring "Marry Jane" and "Strawberry, California" are out now via Twelve6! 

  Marla Cannon-Goodman, a talented songwriter from Kingston Springs, Tennessee, grew up surrounded by the pulse of country music. Her father, Buddy Cannon, played a key role in shaping the careers of both new and legendary country artists as a producer, songwriter, and record label executive. Inspired by her father’s work, Marla soon found her own voice in the country music scene and quickly became one of the genre’s most respected hit-makers. Since her first cut by Sammy Kershaw in 1996, Marla has established herself as a prolific songwriter with songs recorded by some of country music’s biggest stars. Her songwriting credits include George Strait, Eddie Arnold, Eric Church, Billy Currington, Mindy Smith, Kenny Chesney, and Sara Evans, among others. Her chart-topping hits include Lee Ann Womack’s number-one smash “The Fool,” Tracy Byrd’s “Ten Rounds With José Cuervo,” and Rodney Atkins’ “Cleaning This Gun,” which also reached the top spot on the charts. In addition to these successes, Marla co-wrote Blake Shelton’s top-15 hit single “Don’t Make Me.” Marla’s success has extended beyond commercial hits, as her work has appeared on notable albums such as the Willie Nelson and Merle Haggard duet album *Django and Jimmie*, where her song “Unfair Weather Friend” was featured. This recognition highlights her ability to craft songs that resonate deeply within the country music community, earning her a place among the genre’s most-beloved songwriters. With a career spanning decades, Marla Cannon-Goodman has solidified her position as a respected and influential figure in country music, continuing to leave her mark with every song she writes.

A born front man, Reid Haughton is a singer-songwriter at the crossroads of country, Southern rock and soul. Offering up a rebellious, half-wild intensity with no rules or stylistic taboos, his Higher Than 9 album debut captures the euphoric essence of a badass bar band! 

Haughton's musical influences range from Lynyrd Skynyrd and Wilson Pickett to Hank Williams Jr., combined with a love for The Rolling Stones, Grateful Dead, and Jimi Hendrix. After attending Auburn University, Haughton headed to Nashville in 2020. His 2023 self-titled EP—cut with sharp-elbowed standouts like “Day You Don’t,” “She Is” and “Can’t Please ’Em All”—cemented his live-show-first approach, while touring with Whiskey Myers and 49 Winchester sharpened his road-warrior edge. 

On his latest album, Higher Than 9, he doubles down on the rush of a locked-in band blasting country and rock late into the night. Back in the studio with GRAMMY-winning guitarist Sadler Vaden, he captures that raw, live-band feel—loose, loud and full of expressive freedom!

Relocating from the Northeast to Nashville in 1987, it took Mark Irwin four years to land his first cut - “Meet Me Under The Mistletoe” recorded by Randy Travis for his “Old Time Christmas” album. Soon after, Mark co-wrote Alan Jackson’s first number one hit “Here In The Real World” - a two time CMA Song of the Year nominee, ACM Song of the Year nominee and winner of the Music City News Award for Song of the Year in 1990. Mark co-wrote the Tyler Farr number one single “Redneck Crazy” and Tim McGraw's number one hit song “Highway Don’t Care”, featuring Taylor Swift and Keith Urban. 

Mark also wrote Blake Shelton’s number one hit single, “Neon Light”. His most recent cuts include McGraw’s single “Looking For That Girl” and Chris Janson’s “Power of Positive Drinking.” Also, along with having songs on Jackson’s “DRIVE” CD and Garth Brooks’ “THE LOST SESSIONS”, Mark co-wrote the singles “Bama Breeze” for Jimmy Buffet and That’s How They Do It In Dixie” for Hank Williams Jr. He also had the song “Bet You Still Think About Me” on Shelton’s CD “If I’m Honest” and “Sleeping in the Stars” on Tim McGraw/Faith Hill's duets CD ‘The Rest Of Our Life.”

Over the years Mark has had cuts by Lee Brice, George Jones, Faith Hill, Thomas Rhett, Bomshel, Billy Ray Cyrus, Jessie James, Tracey Lawrence, Sammy Kershaw, Chely Wright, Patty Loveless, Highway 101, The Whites, Chris LeDoux, Bucky Covington, Glen Campbell, Neal McCoy, The Amazing Rhythm Aces and The Dirt Drifters, among others. Actress Gwyneth Paltrow also recorded one of Mark’s songs for her movie “Country Strong.”  Mark’s latest cuts have been recorded by Ben Gallaher and Lainey Wilson. He is prominently featured in the Bluebird Café documentary “Bluebird” 

Kristen Kelly is a Texas-born and raised singer-songwriter who has been captivating audiences with her powerful vocals and heartfelt lyrics for years.

She first made a name for herself touring in the classic rock cover band Big Dave & The Freaks, then in a duo Modern Day Drifters, and later as Kristen Kelly and the Modern Day Drifters. Her songwriting career took off when she co-wrote "Down In Flames" with fellow Texas Red Dirt artists/songwriters Stoney Larue and the late Brandon Jenkins, scoring her first #1 hit. She also found solo success in radio with her first Top 10 on the Texas charts with "I Remember When" and was named TRRMA New Female Vocalist of the Year in 2011. Kristen's success caught the attention of Arista Nashville, which led to a major-label debut overseen by Country Music Hall of Fame producer Tony Brown and Grammy-winning songwriter Paul Overstreet. Her first single, "Ex-Old Man," skyrocketed to the top 30 on the Billboard charts, cementing her place as one of CMT's Next Women of Country. Kristen has graced the stage of the Grand Ole Opry and the Ryman, and has shared the stage as an opener and toured with renowned artists like Wade Bowen, Cory Morrow, Eli Young Band, Dwight Yoakam, Gary Allan, Dierks Bentley, Alan Jackson, Sheryl Crow, Jake Owen, Little Big Town, Brad Paisley, Rascal Flatts, and Willie Nelson. She has also headlined her own shows and had her song "Ashes" featured in the hit Netflix show The Ranch. Kelly’s latest album Warrior was released in 2024. It includes "How Do You Sleep At Night" (written with Brandy Clark and Shane McAnally), along with other hits like "Drink Myself Out Of Love With You" and the fan favorite “He Loves To Make Me Cry.”

SJ McDonald is a rising country artist from the rolling hills of Rockbridge Baths, Virginia, where she grew up working on her family farm and shaping a sound that blends grit, heart, and 90s-country nostalgia with modern storytelling. 

A first-place winner in American Songwriter’s Traditional Country category and the NASCAR Nashville Superspeedway Headlining Artist, she’s been featured in Billboard’s “Must Hear New Country Songs.”

A true farmer’s daughter, SJ cut her teeth on stages across the Southeast from a young age, fronting bands for years and playing over 75 shows annually. Her breakout single “Honky Tonk Pie” captures the grind of chasing a dream as a woman in country music, drawing from her years singing for tips on Nashville’s Lower Broadway. Whether in an intimate acoustic set or a full-band high-energy show, she delivers performances that leave a lasting impression.

She’s currently on tour with Emily Ann Roberts, John Anderson, and Cooper Alan, with her debut EP “Sweet At First” produced by Andy Sheridan released in December 2025, and new music released January 2026 with her punchy & fun single “You Say Vegas”. SJ McDonald is carving her own lane in contemporary country — bringing authentic stories, blue-collar charm, and a bold new energy to a new generation of listeners.

Maxwell Sadler writes songs in search of understanding, pairing a reserved wit with elegant, arresting storytelling. Known for quieting even the rowdiest Nashville barrooms with a single song, he performs with a calm intensity that draws listeners in. A lifelong musician, Sadler grew up listening to his father’s piano and spending Saturdays at Mark’s Guitar Shop in Spokane, where he unknowingly tuned guitars later bought by his heroes - Joe Bonamassa, Eric Johnson, Myles Kennedy. By high school, he was recording two albums and opening for Allen Stone with his band, Late for the Parade. Chasing a career in music, he moved to Nashville to study under Grammy‑nominated songwriter Thomm Jutz at Belmont University. There, he launched “Maxwell & The Shakes,” winning Belmont’s 2023 Country/Americana Showcase and Best of the Best, debuting at the Bluebird Café, and earning radio play across the Pacific Northwest. Now 25, Sadler writes and performs his own music while also playing for artists like Troubadour Blue, Josiah Queen, and Catie Offerman — with whom he has opened for Parker McCollum, Ian Munsick, Ashley McBryde, and even George Strait. From makeshift stages to the Grand Ole Opry, he’s gathered a lifetime of stories, often told with the grin of someone who knows he got away with something. He continues to chase songs that might change just one mind — a treasure he considers worth more than gold.

  Texas native Russell Sutton is a Nashville-based singer, songwriter, and guitar player. He is currently signed with Sony Music Publishing Nashville and Droptine Music Publishing. 

Sutton first achieved prominence as part of the duo Grassroots Revival. As a songwriter, he‘s earned chart success with his first No. 1 single “My Boy” by Elvie Shane as well as with cuts by Drew Green. Sutton’s latest hit “Whiskey On You” by Nate Smith has topped the Canadian charts and reached No. 1 on Billboard’s Country Airplay chart.

With wisdom from years of writing and building his career, Sutton is a perfect example of how persistence, passion, friendships, and great songwriting can open doors in the music industry!

   Award-winning songwriter Brian White has built a career on crafting songs that connect—and hit. With more than 400 cuts to his credit, he has earned 18 #1 songs, 2 Dove Awards, SESAC Song of the Year honors, and nominations from the ACM, CMA and Grammys.

His songs have been recorded by Rascal Flatts, Trace Adkins, Jason Aldean (#1 hit “Blame It On You”), Rodney Atkins (“Watching You” – SESAC & Billboard Song of the Year), Terri Clark, Kix Brooks, BlackHawk, and many more. Brian has also made an impact in the Christian music space, with songs recorded by We Are Messengers, Danny Gokey, Consumed By Fire, Avalon, Point of Grace, Mandisa, and more. Brian's reach extends globally, with cuts from Canadian artists Chad Brownlee and Tim Hicks, as well as Australian country artists Travis Collins, Amber Lawrence, and Jayne Denham, whose albums Wanted and Moonshine received Golden Guitar nominations. Brian has also had cuts recorded by UK icon Cliff Richard. He is a speaker and worship leader at conferences nationwide and a featured clinician at songwriting seminars. Brian writes for Red Street Publishing and lives in Nashville with his wife, recording artist Karyn Williams.

Emma Zinck is a dynamic force in the world of “Electric Country,” and an artist on the rise in the Nashville music scene. Known for her powerhouse vocals and magnetic stage presence, Emma is making waves with her bold approach to country music. Originally from Fredericksburg, Virginia, Emma moved to Nashville, bringing her passion for music to Music City. She signed her first production deal with Tatum Town. Emma has continued to push creative boundaries, blending country with electrifying, contemporary sounds.

In addition to her own artistry, Emma has played guitar and sung backup vocals for Lainey Wilson, the 2022 ACM Entertainer of the Year.

In 2023, Emma’s vocal prowess went viral when her cover of “Talking to the Moon” by Bruno Mars, showcasing her incredible four-octave vocal range, reached over 7 million views. The video helped her amass over 100,000 new followers, adding to her growing fanbase. Her ability to connect emotionally with her audience, coupled with her unique vocal ability, has made her a standout in the country and crossover music scenes. Now, Emma is co-producing her upcoming project, blending her roots in country with a fresh, modern sound that promises to captivate listeners and push the genre forward.