30-05-2025
Lebanon native returns to perform at Summer Fest
Lebanon High School 2015 grads might remember Chase Wright as a soccer player and track athlete.
He even ran track for four years at DePauw University while he pursued a degree in economics.
However, in his junior year in college Wright went in a totally different direction.
'The first time I sang was with Pixie Playhouse when I was 5. I sang 'God Bless America' for a 9/11 memorial service,' Wright said. 'A few years later I sang in a talent show at the 4-H Fairgrounds but then I didn't sing publicly again until I was in college. One of my favorite artists said he didn't start playing guitar until college and I think we often believe 18 is too late to pursue something like this, but it gave me confidence. I started singing and playing the guitar every chance I got.'
An internship at a large corporation's finance department during his junior year of college made it official.
Wright knew, though he'd always had an interest in business and entrepreneurship, perhaps he could use his skills in a different way.
'I had such a good time playing and I felt there might be more to this, so I decided to take the next 18 months to really devote my time to music,' Wright said. 'It was like a risk-free trial.'
And it paid off.
After posting videos on Instagram and Facebook, Wright was approached by a professional in Nashville, encouraging him to attend a writer's workshop. Three weeks after graduating with the economics degree, he had landed in 'Music City U.S.A.'
The independent artist has released two albums in the past six years, with another on the way. He's earned 320 million cumulative streams worldwide and was named Spotify's 'Hot Country Artist to Watch,' among other accolades.
Wright said it's the perfect pairing between passion for creativity and his love for entrepreneurship.
'I think I'm most passionate about running the business. There are so many things I can't control, but one thing I can is how hard I work,' he said. 'It's such a mentally tough business with so many ups and downs but I can continue to post videos and photos and reach people. Obviously, I love going to a writing room with the potential to write an original song that will be around forever. I have that chance every single day, which is super cool.'
This weekend, the musician is headed back to his hometown to take the stage at Summer Fest in downtown Lebanon.
'I think it's awesome,' Wright said. 'It'll be great to see familiar faces I haven't seen in years; teachers I had growing up and family. Lebanon is also in a great central spot and I've had some fans say they're coming in to see the show. It's awesome to be able to bring other people into Lebanon too.'
Wright will head out to the merchandise table after his performance Saturday evening to visit with fans and reunite with Lebanon friends and family.
Summer Fest is a free family-friendly event in downtown Lebanon from 6 to 10 p.m. May 30 and 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. May 31. Wright will close out the event on May 31, taking the stage at 8 p.m.
