It was a typical corporate event setup: dinner rounds, table linens, dim lights, and the clatter of silverware as guests settled in for dinner. In the corner of a hotel ballroom in Perrysville, Ohio, a young local musician named Preston Cooper strummed his guitar and sang a few familiar covers for the crowd. Hired by the client for background reception and dinner music, he didn’t know who was listening.
He certainly didn’t know his life was about to change.
Backstage, Brett and Brad Warren—the Grammy-nominated duo behind hits for Tim McGraw, Toby Keith, Blake Shelton, Keith Urban, and so many others—were relaxing in the green room before their Songwriter City corporate event performance after dinner. Over the ambient sound of the event, a voice cut through.
“Who is that?” Brett asked.
They stepped out into the ballroom and watched Preston perform along with Songwriter City owner Mike Severson.
“Don’t let him leave,” they told Mike. “We want to talk to him after our show.”
A Chance Encounter
After their set, Mike introduced them to Preston. He was humble, soft-spoken, and entirely undiscovered. No songs released. No social media presence. No label. He’d never even been to Nashville. Just a young artist playing local gigs in small-town Ohio.
But he had it. The Warrens knew it the moment they heard him.
They invited him to join them at the Bluebird Café in Nashville—a sacred space for songwriters and a huge opportunity for someone so new to the scene. Preston agreed and showed up. And he didn’t just blend in—he stood out.
A Spark Becomes a Fire
That Bluebird performance was only the beginning. What followed were songwriting sessions, co-writes with the Warrens, and eventually, time in the studio. Brett Warren stepped in to produce his tracks. As the music developed, so did the momentum.
Word got out. People in the industry started listening. And soon, three major labels were in discussions to sign him. In the end, Big Machine Records sealed the deal.
Now, less than two years after that unexpected moment in a hotel ballroom, Preston Cooper is on a national radio tour. His first releases are already streaming, and his debut single “Weak” hits country radio in May 2025. An album is in the works, and the buzz around him continues to grow.
Looking back, Brett Warren reflects,
“This generation needed a Preston Cooper.”
Brad Warren adds,
“Preston has a generational voice and has an amazing, long career ahead of him. We can’t wait for the world to get to hear him.”
Their belief in Preston’s potential hasn’t just launched a career—it’s created a moment the industry is already paying attention to and so are country music fans.
