Payton Smith

Payton Smith, born on January 26, 2000, in Beaumont, Texas, and raised in Houma, Louisiana, developed an early passion for music. Inspired by a Keith Urban performance at the CMA Awards when he was five, Smith received his first guitar at age 10 and taught himself to play. By 14, an impromptu hotel lobby performance in Nashville led to an introduction to producer Buddy Cannon, prompting Smith’s family to relocate to Nashville to support his musical aspirations. There, he honed his songwriting skills, working with established writers and building a catalog of over 500 songs before signing his first publishing agreement with Eclipse Music Group in 2018.

His career quickly gained momentum after performing at the BMI stage at CMA Fest in 2018, where he caught the attention of Scott Borchetta, CEO of Big Machine Label Group. This encounter led to a record deal. Smith released his self-titled debut EP in October 2019 with Nashville Harbor (formerly BMLG), which charted in the top 20 on Apple Music on its release day. The single “Like I Knew You Would” from this EP was released to country radio on March 9, 2020, and quickly amassed over 50 million streams. His talent was recognized by CMT, which selected him as one of 17 promising new artists for their 2020 Listen Up campaign. In February 2020, Smith made his Grand Ole Opry debut. He has also shared stages with artists such as Brad Paisley, Florida Georgia Line, and Lady Antebellum. In November 2022, Combustion Masters signed Payton Smith to its label roster. In April 2024, Smith signed with The Familie for management, coinciding with the release of his EP, ‘Up From Here.’ His discography expanded in September 2025 with the release of ‘The Bridge,’ an album featuring 10 songs, including collaborations and a collection of his recent singles, showcasing his evolving artistry.