Tx2Tn Podcast Ep244 Cole Stephens

Cole Stevens has the voice, the songs, and the hustle, but the real story is how he’s building a full-time music career from East Texas without waiting for permission. In this conversation, he breaks down the live-performance mindset, the songwriting reps that turned self-doubt into confidence, and the business instincts that are helping him turn momentum into a sustainable career.Cole shares how choir, church music, and late-night jam sessions in Nacogdoches shaped his path from college gigs to opening bigger rooms, why he treats playing as the “fun part” and everything else as the job, and what changed once he started writing 100 songs to get to the good ones. He also opens up about the nerves that hit at the LJT Songwriter Showcase, the value of writing with strangers in Nashville, Austin, and Fort Worth, and why sometimes the best studio decision is being willing to throw out the original plan.You’ll discover:How Cole went from Baylor dorm-room experiments to releasing his first full albumWhy performance is still his strongest slice of the pieThe songwriting process he keeps coming back to, whether it starts with a riff, a hook, or one lineWhat he learned from recording in Nacogdoches, and why he’s already changing the plan for the next projectHow social media, networking, and showing up in the right places can matter as much as raw talentCole also gets real about the non-music side of the grind—merch, budgeting, travel, and the constant work of staying visible when you’re based far from the major music hubs. If you’ve ever wondered how independent artists actually build traction, this episode makes the answer feel a lot more tangible.Perfect for fans of Texas country, red dirt, and behind-the-scenes music conversations with artists who are still hungry and still building. If you like hearing how the career really happens—not just the polished version—this one’s for you.