A salt-of-the-earth southerner with a straight-shooting swagger and kind smile, Shane Profitt’s musical toolbox is full of all-natural talent. At the end of 2021, he was still pulling overtime at his job with the city, busting his back about an hour south of Nashville and living for the weekend — with a few decades left to go. But now, the 23-year-old is rocking sold-out crowds at the historic Ryman Auditorium, earning standing ovations at the Grand Ole Opry, and writing modern Country tunes so genuine, they slip on like a pair of broken-in work boots — because no one has to tell this singer-songwriter what a blue-collar life is all about. Profitt’s journey starts about two years ago, when his grandad asked what he wanted for Christmas and his wish was to learn how to play Hank Jr. songs on the guitar. Beginning with G, C, and D chords, he stuck with it. Gifted with a heavy-duty vocal, Profitt became a regular draw at the popular southern cooking chain, Puckett’s, traveling all over Tennessee to weekend shows while still holding down his job back home. While that made for some long hours, it also led to inspiration for original music. On recent track, “Still Picks Up,” the emerging artist introduces more layers and emotion to his usual feel-good, windows-down sound, storytelling in a way that hits close to home every time. The vulnerable tune follows the debut of his boots-on-the-ground writing style and big, barrel-chested voice on the 3-song collection Maury County Line (BMLG Records/Harpeth 60 Records). With tracks like the hook filled honky tonker “Better Off Fishin’,” chest-thumping charmer “Guys Like Me,” and his hopeful heaven-on-earth Top 15 Country radio single “How It Oughta Be,” it’s clear he puts his life to music — along with the lives of so many others.