District 142

Born and raised in the heartland of North Carolina, 20-year-old Eli Winders is a classic yet fresh voice in Country music. After only having access to music through the radio until his teens, Winders’ musical exploration truly began when he received a phone for his 16th birthday – a gift that opened the door to streaming music for the first time. As he delved into a rich tapestry of melodies and lyrics, he found himself captivated by the timeless sounds of Country music’s golden era and wanting to write songs of his own.

Throughout 2022, Winders dedicated his days to working in a feed mill, attending college classes at night, and scribbling song ideas between it all. His first breakthrough arrived when he began sharing his musical talents online. By posting heartfelt covers and soul-stirring original songs, Winders quickly gained an enthusiastic following, drawing in listeners with his genuine artistry and Carolina charm. In 2023, Winders made his Atlantic/Bad Realm Records debut with the bittersweet “Pack My Hometown”, recorded in Nashville with producer/co-writer Eric Arjes (Tim McGraw, Kane Brown, Eli Young Band) which quickly amassed over 3.5M views on TikTok and 2 million streams across DSPs.