Payton Smith 504

Payton Smith is proof that working hard, taking risks and finding just a little luck really does pay off. When the singer, songwriter and self-taught guitarist landed a slot on one of the smaller stages at CMA Fest in 2018, he decided to play as if he were headlining an arena, tearing through original songs like “92” and “Like I Knew You Would” all while delivering supercharged guitar solos Scott Borchetta, the head of Big Machine Label Group, happened to be walking by that afternoon and the performance stopped him in his tracks.