Today we’d like to introduce you to Daniel Kim Ethridge.
Hi Daniel Kim, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
I grew up in Long Beach, California, technically Lakewood, in a house where music was always part of daily life. My mom’s a great piano player, and my dad’s passion for music meant I grew up listening to everything from the Beatles and the Stones to the Beach Boys and the Eagles.
We moved to Austin when I was in fifth grade, right around the height of Guitar Hero. I was obsessed with that game until my dad finally said, “Why don’t you learn the real thing instead?” So I picked up a guitar, started taking lessons, and that decision really changed the trajectory of my life.
That passion eventually led me to Belmont University in Nashville, where I started out in the School of Music before switching to the Curb College to finish my degree in Entertainment Industry Studies. That’s where I really fell in love with songwriting, not just as an art form but as a profession. I started writing constantly, taking meetings, and learning how songs move from ideas into careers.
After graduation, I spent several years working at Louis Vuitton in Nashville while writing every day. It was a demanding balance, but it taught me a lot about persistence and professionalism.
Somewhere along the way I signed my first publishing deal, got married, and formed my band, Troubadour Blue, not necessarily in that order. It’s been a winding road from Lakewood to Nashville, but every step has shaped the kind of artist and songwriter I’ve become.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
I think the biggest challenge in the music industry is that we’re constantly working in a space defined by opinion. We create art from our own perspective, and then it’s filtered through someone else’s, and ultimately its value is determined by yet another layer of perception. That can be difficult because the best songwriters I know create from a place of deep personal intent and experience. When you’re walking around with your heart on your sleeve all the time and are regularly told that something isn’t good enough, it can be confusing and disheartening.
It’s rarely personal, though. It’s simply part of the business. But when you’re creating from such an honest place, it can feel personal. Sometimes your work just doesn’t align with the moment or the zeitgeist of where music happens to be, and that can make you question your path.
For me, the bumps in the road are a huge part of my story. I had a couple of publishing deals that got really close and then fell apart at the last minute. From the time I was about 18 into the middle of my twenties, there were several moments where I thought, “This is it,” only to watch it
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I’m an artist and songwriter based in Nashville. I sing and play guitar in the band Troubadour Blue, and I’m also a professional staff songwriter at Curb | Word Publishing. My focus has always been on lyric-driven writing. I love stories, I love words, and while I wouldn’t necessarily call myself a poet, that’s where I feel most at home — trying to find the truth inside a lyric and say it in a way that feels human.
As of this past Friday, I was nominated for my first Grammy for The SteelDrivers’ new record Outrun, which is up for Best Bluegrass Album of the Year. I have two songs on the album, “When The Last Teardrop Falls,” written with Tammy Rogers King, and “The River Knows,” written with Tammy Rogers King and Tom Douglas. That recognition has been a huge highlight in my life and a real culmination of years of hard work and dedication to the craft.
I’m also incredibly proud of convincing my wife, Callie, to marry me. Most days, I’m still not entirely sure how that happened, and honestly, it might be an even bigger miracle than the Grammy nomination.
As for what sets me apart, I’m not really sure. I just try to show up every day, work hard, stay consistent, and be a good person. Whether that makes me different or not isn’t really for me to decide. I’m just doing my best to keep growing and make honest music along the way.
What sort of changes are you expecting over the next 5-10 years?
Honestly, I’m probably not the best person to ask to forecast where our industry is headed. But I do think one of our greatest strengths as songwriters and artists is our individuality.
The way I see it, the music industry and art in general is a pendulum. Trends come and go, and then they find their way back again, just like fashion or film or TV. I think it’s important for creatives to stay aware of what’s happening and to stay relevant, especially when you’re collaborating with artists who live inside the trends. But I also think there’s tremendous value in knowing who you are and standing firmly in that.
Instead of chasing the pendulum, I try to be patient and trust that it will eventually swing back my way. It’s not always easy, and there’s no guarantee of how long that takes or what it looks like when it does, but that’s the approach I believe in. It’s a philosophy rooted in faith, patience, and self-understanding. Some of my friends who are far more successful might disagree with me, and that’s okay. This path feels honest to me, and that’s what matters most.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://troubadourblue.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/danielethridge/?hl=en
- Other: https://open.spotify.com/artist/3EadWMHUn9FfrzAWxMM7GG?si=lRK9aBBcQAOfc11xXA4LXQ
