Drew Ryder Smith Releases TEXTILE TOWN with Steve Earle

Singer-songwriter Drew Ryder Smith has released 'Textile Town,' a new single and music video featuring Steve Earle. Inspired by a drive through a former South Carolina mill town and informed by generations of his own family's history as factory workers, the song reflects on the communities built around the textile industry and the people who called them home.

The idea for 'Textile Town' came after Smith passed through a once-thriving textile community that had been reduced to a shadow of its former self.

'I drove through this little textile town in South Carolina, and it looked like a bomb had gone off,' says Smith. 'There were empty buildings, boarded-up storefronts, and hardly anybody around. But you could tell it had once been a thriving community. You could almost see the generations of people who had worked there, raised families there, and built their lives there. My grandmother and great-grandmother both worked in factories, so the story felt personal. The song isn't really about a building or a factory. It's about the people whose lives were tied to those places.'

Smith later developed the song with co-writer Jason Jones, transforming the experience into a vivid portrait of a community shaped by hard work, resilience, and the passage of time.

Adding another layer of significance to the project is the participation of Steve Earle, whose music has been part of Smith's life since childhood.

'I finally worked up the courage to ask Steve,' recalls Smith. 'Before I could even get the words out of my mouth, he said, 'I'll be glad to. Just send it to me.''

For Smith, the moment was surreal.

'I was four years old when Copperhead Road came out,' he says. 'Steve's music has been part of my life for as long as I can remember. To have him become part of this song and help tell this story means the world to me.'

Earle shares vocal duties throughout 'Textile Town,' bringing together two generations of songwriters on a track rooted in memory, place, and working-class experience.

Produced by Glenn A. Tabor III, 'Textile Town' was recorded in Charlotte, New York, and London and features an accomplished ensemble of musicians including Gordon Mote, Tony Creasman, Eric Darken, Kevin 'Swine' Grantt, Sol Philcox-Littlefield, David Johnson, Julia Tabor, Jason Jones, and Glenn A. Tabor III.

The accompanying music video was filmed at Boott Cotton Mills in Lowell, Massachusetts, pairing narrative scenes inspired by the song's themes with footage of Smith and Earle recording together in the studio.

A Nashville-based songwriter and performer, Smith has shared stages with artists including Lady A, Lee Brice, and Big & Rich, opened for Merle Haggard at the Ryman Auditorium, and written songs recorded by artists including Randy Houser and John Schneider. 'Textile Town' marks the first release from Smith's forthcoming album, due later this fall, and finds him stepping back into the spotlight with one of the most personal songs of his career.

'Textile Town' is available now on all digital streaming platforms at unitedmasters.com/m/textile-town.

Upcoming Tour Dates

October 25 — Boston, MA — City Winery, Haymarket Lounge

October 29 — New York, NY — Lucinda's

November 6 — Asheville, NC — The Grey Eagle

November 12 — Charlotte, NC — GAT3 Studio Showcase

November 16 — Knoxville, TN — WDVX Blue Plate Special

For more information and upcoming shows, visit www.drewrydersmith.com.