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The Morning Brew with Chris Bennett
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The Morning Brew with Chris Bennett
The Country Climb of Todd Cameron
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Todd Cameron embodies the authentic country climb that Nashville dreams are made of. The West Virginia native shares his fascinating journey from working on his grandfather's farm at age nine to becoming a rising star in Music City with over 1,500 shows under his belt.
Growing up on a steady diet of CMT music videos at his grandparents' house, Cameron fell in love with country music watching George Strait, Clay Walker, and Daryl Singletary. His first performance experiences came through church, where he gradually introduced guitars, drums and bass to traditional services. That initial rush of audience appreciation—"they still clapped and it felt so good"—sparked a passion that carried him through coffee houses, high school dances, and eventually to forming his own band in 2012.
What makes Cameron's sound distinctive is his self-described position in the musical landscape: "too rock for country, too country for rock." Drawing inspiration from diverse influences like Bryan Adams, Jason Aldean, and Matchbox 20, he delivers a compelling fusion that honors country's storytelling tradition while incorporating rock's driving energy. This unique blend shines through in his high-energy track "Light It Up," inspired by bonfire parties and community celebration, and his more contemplative upcoming single "Calling Home," which beautifully reimagines the concept of home as a person rather than a place.
Cameron's philosophy on performing reveals why he connects so deeply with audiences: "Make sure everybody in the crowd realizes they are part of the show—without them, there's not a show. They need to feel more important than you." This genuine appreciation for fans comes through in both his music and his engaging personality. Pre-save "Calling Home" before its September 5th release and follow @ToddCameronMusic on all platforms to join this authentic artist on his country climb to the top!
Introduction to Todd Cameron
Speaker 1From the Horn Auto Center Studios , chris Bennett's Country Climb Star of the Week .
Speaker 2And this week it is Todd Cameron , originally from West Virginia , now living in Nashville making big things happen and writing new music that we're going to play today on our show . Todd , thanks so much for joining us . Chris , thanks for having me man on our show , todd , thanks so much for joining us . Chris , thanks for having me man . Heck , yeah , before we get into the nitty gritty , we like to have a little fun with some rapid fire questions . Are you ready ?
Speaker 1Let's go .
Speaker 2All right , first one cowboy boots or sneakers , oh , but something . First job you ever had growing up .
Speaker 1Man , I guess probably working on Grandpa's farm putting up hay , cleaning fence rows . That's really good , I guess . If I had to be I guess not under the table would be working at a gas station stocking how old were you when you were on the farm ? I started working there , typically probably about 9 or 10 years old .
Speaker 2Dang , as Brooks and Dunn would say , you're a hard-working man .
Speaker 1Hard-working man . That's it , we're going for it .
Speaker 2Better snack pepperoni rolls or biscuit and gravy ?
Speaker 1Oh , so in West Virginia it's the pepperoni roll 100% , but I grew up on biscuits and gravy too . That's tough man .
Speaker 2I think my answer is just yes and you're from a small town , originally right in west virginia . I am , yeah , small town or big city . I was small town all day . What do you miss most about living in a small town ?
Speaker 1uh being able to get fifth gear .
Speaker 2And last question it's going to be the hardest question I ask you today . If you had one country song you could request for the rest of your life . What country song are you requesting , and why ? For the rest of my life ?
Speaker 1Golly , that is a tough one , you know . I still go back to one of my favorites , the story of Sherry Carrying your Love With Me . I mean West Virginia down to Tennessee . I mean , I grew up . I used to wait for this song to come on CMT when I was too young to be outside . It was summers at my grandparents' house . I just watched CMT all day long . Music videos , all that .
Speaker 2And I do not wait for this song , todd , why don't you give us a little recap of your story , of your country climb ? How did music hook
Rapid Fire Questions
Speaker 2you ? And tell us about your journey .
Speaker 1Man , definitely . I fell in love with country music when I was a kid . Cmt was probably one of the only channels that my grandparents got on their cable plan and I used to just live on that during the summers . I remember watching George Stray and Clay Walker . It was always on Daryl Singletary . I was just constantly watching the TV and I thought , man , every time they'd have one of those live music videos I was like that's what I want to do , I just want to do that so bad .
Speaker 1I grew up in church too , so I was kind of accustomed to music . Obviously , at that time my church was pretty traditional , probably a piano , but we were able to talk them into doing like a youth Sunday thing and got to bring in guitars and then we slowly brought in drums and bass . So that was like my first experience of actually playing in front of a crowd . And when they clapped afterwards I was like I know we were terrible , but they still clapped and it felt so good and I was like I just I just want to do this again and again . So I kind of went from there coffee house , the old coffee house , uh , dances that they would have at high school , and yeah , I play at those . And then , uh , when I got to college , it was more about there was some like open mics . Uh , specifically in like uh , huntington , west Virginia . I went to uh grad school and so I played a couple up there all throughout the state of West Virginia . That's when I was really kind of just like enjoying an opportunity to play like one of my songs .
Speaker 1That's when I was dabbling in songwriting , but probably about 2012 , I just really decided to like get some guys together and form a band and we started out doing it and worked our way around the festival world and it just , you know , it's a slow roll . My first person I ever opened up for actually was brett michaels from poison . So that was such a cool experience . We won a uh , I guess , the battle . The band's competition was like us and one other guy , and I remember we just asked all the girls in the sororities we're like , hey , we'll hook you up with free beer , just come down to . I think it was like Silver City or one of the bars , I can't remember and we were like hey , when we're done playing , just scream as loud as you can . That's all we need to do . Screams is what's going on . And they did so . We won .
Speaker 2That's how we got to do that .
Todd's Musical Journey
Speaker 2We've been having fun with you and it's now time for some more fun with musician . Questions for a musician First question you've played you front manned over 1,500 shows , is that correct ?
Speaker 1Yeah , I front manned a lot .
Speaker 2What would you say is the biggest lesson or thing that you have learned about front manning so many shows ?
Speaker 1learned about frontmanning so many shows . Make sure that you make everybody in the crowd realize that they are part of the show and without them there's not a show . They need to feel more important than you .
Speaker 2What top three musical influences ?
Speaker 1Man , definitely if I had to , if I had to say I'm definitely going to give Brown Adams one If I had to . If I just say I'm definitely going to give Brown Adams one . He was one of the first rock acts that I actually got to listen to . I was kind of shielded for the rock world for a long time . I tell people this all the time . I am a rocker by heart . I love rock . That's where I actually kind of started .
Speaker 1More I love the country , I love the storytelling aspect of the country , but when I put a little drive behind some guitars I just get fired up and so I might be too rock for country , too country for rock . I don't know one of the two , I'll sit in the middle , but I love both . So I just kind of keep it in there . But that was the first rock I ever got to listen to , only because my mom loved it . Kind of modern day . Just from the songs that he writes and all the songs that he cuts , I think he cuts a lot of the Kringle crop . I really appreciate Jason Alley and I have really always really enjoyed a lot of his stuff . I mean , from that my kind of party album was kind of a change like for me . That was like really one that just really just kind of , you know , made me kind of fall back in love with country again , because I was coming off of some rocks . I was tough there and , um , if I have to , I guess , pick so hard because I appreciate music so much .
Speaker 1This is probably one of the most difficult questions ever , but there's there's two like I wish I picked somebody that's closer to modern , still kicking it and stuff . Not that brown adams isn't , by the way , he still sounds as good today as he did years ago . But let me throw in there . Honestly , I'm going to throw in Matchbox 20 in there too , because I appreciate Rob Thomas a lot for the songwriting and that sound was definitely a band that shaped me and my sound too . I'll tell a lot of people I'm somewhere between Tom Petty and Matchbox 20 meets Jason Allen and maybe Sprinkle three doors down in there . That's kind of where I fall .
Speaker 2You talked about how your music is a little country rock . How about we play one of your latest hits that is a little bit of country rock ? What's this one about ?
Speaker 1Man , honestly , I went in to uh to write this with a couple friends of mine and uh , I said , guys , one thing I love and you learn this when you play it live is that people love punk pop games . And I don't think I really had that and I was like man , I just remember the bonfire parties back in the day and , you know , open , wake up in the middle of the field tomorrow the next day trying to figure out where everything was . Sorry about that if you're watching this . But anyway , I say I was like those are some of the best times ever , like just the craziest . Like it was always somebody taking a freaking bottle , you know , with a light and a rag , and throwing it on a bonfire .
Speaker 1You know , always somebody taking a freaking bottle , you know , with a light and a rag , and throwing it on a bonfire . You know , always somebody gotta have this look kind of crazy thing . We'd always have bonfires and be bloody too high and uh . So anyway , I just think about those parties and just the crazy truck circle stuff . I was like man , I want to write a song that people will get , make people want to lift their cup up . That is just like call everybody . That's what we used to do . It's like we're spreading the town , call up everybody , we're throwing a freaking barn burn tonight , let's do it . So I wanted to write a song that just encourages that , and that's all I want heck , yeah , that's what you did .
Speaker 2And everyone raise those cups up now and let's get it . Get ready to rock . Is this the first time this song's been played on Arizona radio ? It is let's go . Woo , here we go . It is Todd Cameron , today's Country Climb Star of the Week , with his hit Light it
Discussing "Light It Up"
Speaker 2Up on Q Country 92.5 .
Speaker 1Light it up , just light it up . Light it up . Light it up . Light it up , light it up , light it up , light it up , light it up . Light it up . Light it up . Light it up , light it up . Light it up . Light it up . Light it up . Light it up . Light it up . Light it up , light it up , light it up . We'll be right back . Little things . We got it all in the coolest and it's all we need . It's time to light it up .
Speaker 2Pour a little something , something in your cup and raise them up , cause it's about to go down . Y'all about to find out how we roll away after showing up .
Speaker 1Let's light it up . We'll be right back and it's about that time to light it up . Pour a little something , something in your cup and raise them up Cause it's about to go down .
Speaker 1Y'all about to find out how we roll way out . So now let's light it up . Let's light it up . It's time to light it up . Pour a little something , something , make up and raise them up , cause it's about to go down . Y'all about to find out how we roll way out , so now it's time to go down . Y'all about to find out how we roll way out , Showing up , it's time to light it up . Pour a little something , something In your cup and raise them up , cause it's about to go down . Y'all about to find out .
Speaker 2How we roll way out Showing up . Let's light it up , let's light it up . Let's light it up . Let's light it up .
Debut of "Light It Up"
Speaker 2Ooh , yeah , let's light it up . We are back with Todd Cameron , today's Country Climb Star of the Week . We heard his song Light it Up , which is country rock at its greatest and a great pump-up song . I absolutely loved it and we're going to play one more song . Normally I just play one , but you sent me two and I couldn't pick , and this one's coming out soon . It's not even out yet . It hasn't
New Single "Calling Home"
Speaker 2been played on radio anywhere , right , no ?
Speaker 1you were the first one for me .
Speaker 2And what's this one called ? What's this one about ? How did it come about ?
Speaker 1Yeah , this one's called Calling Home and we wrote this one from a little bit different angle . It's even the song structure itself . I had this idea that it's kind of like you always hear you know , a house is just a house , you know . The people would make it a home , you know . But then I was like , well , what if it's like this ? If home was actually a person , who would you call home ? And then , yeah , I've kind of seen like some stuff , you know , people even ask that question around on the internet , it's like . So we took a step further . It's like if home was a person , I know who I'm calling home and we wrote this from an angle of the people out there . They got their person , they know who their home is . So for that one , you know , and home's not a physical home , it's you and your person . So that's how we wrote this song .
Speaker 2I love it . It gives me chills every time I listen to it and I think our audience is going to love it too . And we in our small town of Show , low Arizona , in the White Mountains , are the lucky ones that get to play at birth on Country Radio . That's right , we're shaking things up , baby and , ladies and gentlemen , let me introduce for the first time it's Todd Cameron with his new song Calling Home , coming out September 5th . We could hear it right now on Q Country 92.5 . Let's get it .
Speaker 1If home was a person , I know who I'm calling home , if home's where the heart is and you've got my heart too , thank you . It ain't a number on a mailbox At the end of some country road . No , it ain't a quarter mile driveway , a porch swing or an old wood stove . We'll be right back . If home was a person , I know who I'm calling home , leaving a light on waiting , with a smile on .
Speaker 2The place where I go rest my head , my son up , my son down . My home ain't no house , it's anywhere and everywhere . She is . At home was a person .
Speaker 1I know who I'm calling home . She puts her arms around me like the wood and the brick and the white picket fence in the yard . She's the roof when it's raining . There won't ever be even . She keeps us from falling apart and she's my home .
Speaker 2Leaving her light on Waiting with a smile on . The place where I go is mine , my son . I love my son . Now , my home ain't no house , it's anywhere and everywhere she is . If home was a person , I know who I'm calling .
Speaker 1Home . If home was a person , I know who I'm calling . I said if home was a person , I know who I'm calling . If home was a person , I know who I'm calling .
Speaker 2That is Todd Cameron , today's Country Climb Star of the Week , with his new hit Calling
Upcoming Shows and How to Connect
Speaker 2Home . It is coming out September 5th . Todd , how can we help that song succeed ? Can we pre-save it ? How can we get our hands on that song ?
Speaker 1Yeah , yeah , Pre-save link actually should be updated today . It actually should be out . I was actually waiting on that to come through for my distributor , but pre-save link will be up . I have a link to be linked up . You just click on it and it'll say pre-save Colin Holland . That's phenomenal . And then , obviously , using the song in your own videos and stories on social media , tagging me like that helps more than you'll ever know . Like I tell fans that all the time , the more people that do that , that's what makes songs go viral .
Speaker 2And you have . You're actually going to be on our side of the country coming up . You're going to be in Vegas doing some shows . How can we catch you and how can we follow your country climb ?
Speaker 1Yeah , yeah , absolutely ORED out there . They've been so good to us . Ored and Hospitality have been so awesome about keeping us pretty busy and putting us on shows , so they're actually taking us out to do four days . We're going to do four shows , september 4th to the 7th . They'll be posting it up on their website . You can get ORED at the Vegas website . You can get all read Sorry , the Vegas location . You'll be able to see us there . I don't have all the time secured just yet , but the dates are secured . We're lucky to see everybody come out . Vegas is always a good time .
Speaker 2Heck yeah , we could follow you on all your socials . It's Todd Cameron Music , is that correct ?
Speaker 1Yeah , at Todd Cameron Music All together . You know , FarmersOnlycom , MySpace , all that stuff , Heck yeah .
Speaker 2Well , todd , you have been amazing , your music is amazing and it's just been great to learn about your country climb , and I can't wait to see what you continue to do . These songs are awesome and we want to have you back September 5th when this song drops .
Speaker 1Let's do it . I love it , man . I appreciate you . Thank you , chris , for having me on . I'm super excited , so thank you .
Speaker 2Heck , yes , everyone Go out . Follow Todd Cameron Music . Today's Country Climb Star of the Week .