There was a time when AB Eastwood was a jazz-head trumpet player at Nashville School of the Arts, and that was followed by a period when he apprenticed in Miami recording studios with trap hit-makers. What’s become evident as he’s expanded into producing tracks, A&R-ing entire projects and music directing live shows for artists who work in an array of hip-hop, R&B, neo-soul and pop styles is that his ears are broad, his musicianship is nimble and his breakthrough has already begun—that and he’s bent on helping elevate the multiple music communities that he easily moves between in Nashville.
More: Nashville AB Eastwood’s Ever-Expanding Beat
Eastwood is our slightly unconventional pick for July Nashville Artist of the Month, and he made a playlist that takes us on an 18-song tour of his production work and reference points. He told us, “This is a playlist of songs I’ve produced, followed by songs that either inspired those productions or songs that make me think of those songs.”