Wolf Mahler to perform new release “TN in TX” at July 4th Fireworks Show

July 3, 2025

By Susan Kolodziejczyk

The Belton Journal

It’s been quite a journey for Belton’s Wolf Mahler, transitioning from athletics to music. A former All American athlete and Olympic hopeful in the decathlon, Mahler has recently released his first streamed single, “TN in TX,” which has quickly climbed to the #1 spot on Spotify’s Fresh Finds section, maintaining that position just four days after its release on June 20th. He was signed by Sea Gayle Music Publishing Company about a year and a half ago and is currently thriving in his music career. Although he resides in Nashville, he will be returning home to perform between sets at Schoepf’s BBQ backyard on July 4th, alongside artists Randall King and Jared Johnson.

“I was born in Fairview, TN, just outside Nashville,  and moved to Belton, TX when my parents relocated back to their hometown when I was 10 years old,” shared Wolf Mahler. Growing up in Nashville, Wolf’s parents—Michael and Angela Mahler, who were part of the group Wild Horses—had a record deal with Sony Music. Wolf spent his early years homeschooled on a tour bus, often watching his mom and dad pursue their music career from the sidelines at Wildhorse Saloon, where his parents were the house band. However, when they eventually lost their record deal, the family returned to their roots in Texas, where Wolf focused on honing his athletic skills in track and field during high school.

“I was homeschooled until I joined public schools in middle school. I played football and track alongside Belton’s now NFL star, Durham Smythe. It was a great experience,” Mahler recalled. “I was a decent wide receiver until I got injured, and then track became my passion. I met my wife, Ashtin, on the track field, and she is one of the inspirations behind my new song, ‘TN in TX.’”

During high school, Wolf dedicated himself to athletics, winning four Junior Olympic titles by his senior year. He then received a track and field scholarship at The University of Texas at Austin, where he earned five All-American titles, qualified for the Olympic Trials, and gained world-class coaching credentials at the World Championships. “After high school, I received a track scholarship from the University of Texas, and that’s where I met my wife, Ashtin. She was running track at Texas A&M at the time, but thankfully, I helped convince her to come to UT,” Mahler explained.

While in high school, Mahler also had a band called ‘One for All,’ which played at local events, but his focus remained largely on track. “Although I have been writing music for many years, even during my college athletic career, I couldn’t promote or sell any of my songs due to NIL rules. So, after my collegiate years, I began openly writing and playing music again, although my aspirations were still in track and field. Ashtin and I were actively training in decathlon and heptathlon events in California for the 2020 Olympics,” Mahler noted.

“When COVID disrupted our 2020 Olympic dreams and I faced another round of debilitating injuries, I began to reflect on my original dreams—writing music and producing songs that held personal significance for me and could resonate with others,” added Mahler.

Leaving his athletic career behind, Wolf returned to Nashville to pursue his passion for songwriting. He started attending NSAI’s Pitch to Publisher events, where he caught the attention of Sea Gayle Music’s JD Groover. “After my track career ended, we moved back to Nashville so I could chase one of my first loves: music. That was two and a half years ago. In this short time, I have played many shows and participated in amateur competitions that have led me to today. I’ve been signed by Sea Gayle Music and my first official songwriting release shot to #1 on Spotify’s Fresh Finds in just under four days, and it’s still number one,” Mahler reflected.

“I am incredibly thankful to Sea Gayle for the opportunity to write songs professionally. It’s an honor to be part of a company with such a successful history and to learn from their talented writers and creative team,” Wolf expressed. Mahler is rapidly becoming one of the fastest-growing artists at Sea Gayle Music. His first recording exceeded 35,000 streams within just four days. The day of his release, “TN in TX,” coincided with his time supporting his wife, Ashtin, during a heptathlon event in Spain.

He is amazed at his swift rise to success. “It all happened so fast, and I still can’t believe everything that’s occurred,” Mahler said.

When asked about returning home for the special July 4th celebration and performing a small set, Mahler remarked, “It’s going to be great to be home and personally thank everyone for their support, especially with my latest release. I’ve been blown away by all the encouragement I’ve received. It means so much to me. Getting to sing my new release in front of a hometown crowd is exciting.” “TN in TX” is a love letter to both Tennessee and Texas, capturing the essence of his unique journey.