Josh Grider with Michael Cansler

Josh Grider

Josh Grider is grateful. That might sound strange coming off a year in which the hardworking Texas troubadour was forced to cancel nearly all of his tour dates, but Grider’s never been one to second guess the way his life unfolds.

“In spite of all the turmoil we may face on a daily basis, there’s peace and contentment to be found wherever you are if you choose to look for it,” he reflects. “I believe I’m exactly where I’m supposed to be.”

Grider’s exceptional new album, Long Way From Las Cruces, suggests the same. Recorded at the legendary Yellow Dog Studios in Wimberly, TX, the collection is a celebration of life’s silver linings, an ode to all the ups and downs and twists and turns that have shaped the critically acclaimed journeyman’s 20-year career. Grider wrote much of the record in the run-up to his 40th birthday, a period that encouraged more than a little soul searching, and the resulting songs reveal the kind of confidence and maturity that can only come with age and experience, a firm self-assurance rooted in deep integrity and devotion to craft. Working with a tight knit crew of longtime friends and collaborators, Grider produced the record himself, and the chemistry and camaraderie is palpable in the band’s raw, rootsy performances, which overflow with all the joy and electricity of true human connection. That’s not to say Long Way From Las Cruces is all sunshine and blue skies, though. Like any timeless country record, the album tackles its fair share of longing and loneliness and heartache, but it never veers into despair, instead pressing forward with resilience and determination at every turn.

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Michael Cansler

Michael Cansler is a Singer Songwriter based out of Hickory, NC. He is a first generation Singer Songwriter. Even though no one in his family played an instrument, his parents always had music playing in the house as a child. Music from Hank Williams to the Four Seasons found Michael sitting in front of the stereo listening to the words and melodies.

His lyrics paint pictures of small-town life, nostalgia and relatable life experiences. Michael's gravelly voice and storytelling ability invite listeners to journey through familiar landscapes and bygone eras. His debut EP 25 was released in 2018. His sophomore effort is a four song EP called Small Town that came out in June 2022. Followed by the release of two singles in 2023, Modern Day Daniel Boone and Proof. His newest release Why Did You Lie to Me? came out on March 25th, 2025. His stories are real and full of emotion.

In an effort to hone his Songwriting skills, in 2019 Michael participated in the first inaugural Songwritingworkshop hosted by Courtney Patton and Jason Eady in Stephenville, TX.

In August 2022 he won the WSGE 91 seconds of Fame honors, which has led to multiple radio and tv interviews, as well as a standing relationship with the station.

For three years running he was an “In the Wild” Artist each September, for Antlers and Acorns, Boone Songwriter Festival. (2022 thru 2024)

In 2023 the Iredell Arts Counsel invited Michael to participate as a featured artist in the Singers Songbirds Songwriting Festival, Statesville, NC, for both the Spring and Fall Festivals. He continues to participate in the festival in 2024 and 2025.

In September 2025 he preformed in the Mississippi Songwriter Festival in Ocean Springs, MS.

In the past couple years he has played in support of Ben Danaher and Jason Eady at the Evening Muse in Charlotte NC, Victory Junction Celebration with Kyle Petty at Shelton Vineyards in Dobson NC, Abe Partridge at the Birds Nest Listening Room in Dunn NC and Lucas Jagneaux & the Road Show in Fort Worth TX. 2025 has lead Michael to Texas and Tennessee playing Songwriter Rounds with some of the areas top writers.

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