Jan 152015
1. Your debut single “At Least It’s Something” is out on iTunes…what’s next on the horizon for you?
Right now, my main goal is to get “At Least It’s Something” on mainstream country radio. I think it’s a song that everyone can relate to. We all know how painful it can be to lose someone, especially when we’re still trying to hold onto what we had with them. I’m keeping my fingers crossed that this song makes it on the airwaves!
2. What has been the biggest “Wow” moment of your career?
Recording at RCA Studio A (Grand Victor Sound). It was a one of those pinch-me moments! The minute I stepped into the studio, I was completely surrounded by its rich history. It is truly humbling to stand in the same recording booth that so many great artists like Dolly Parton, Keith Urban, and Elvis Presley had been in before me! You feel apart of something bigger than yourself. This was my first time doing a professionally recorded album, and being able to record it at RCA with me being 16 was just incredible. The musicians, sound engineers, and producer that worked with me were all knowledgeable and made it seem effortless. Being in the midst of musicians who play for guys like Tim McGraw and James Taylor shows you what true musical talent is. I sometimes catch myself thinking it was just a dream, but nope! It was real!
3. What is the #1 item on your Bucket List?
My bucket list is long—and by long I mean very long—but I have always wanted to play at the Ryman. I find myself being drawn to historic places, because each one has a unique story to tell. I’m a home builder’s daughter, so I have a soft spot for historic architecture. The best of the best have played at the Ryman, and I would love for my music to be apart of a place that is home to some of the most outstanding music in the world.
4. Outside of music, what is something that you are extremely passionate about?
Ever since I can remember, I’ve worked with horses. Horses are very much like people. They’re intelligent, resilient, forgiving, and loving. Horses have a way of seeing the best in you and challenging you to reach your full potential. They taught me that even if you fall, dust yourself off and get back on. There’s something about riding a horse that just makes you feel free, like nothing in the world can stop you.
5. Have you heard yourself on the radio yet? If so, where were you and what was your reaction?
I was in a country music competition in Las Animas, Colorado when I was approached by Bill James from KRKV 107.3 FM in La Junta, which is just outside of Las Animas. He invited me to be a guest on his6:00am show, so I joined him at the local coffee joint from where he broadcasted his morning show. On my way home later that morning, I got to hear the broadcast of the show and my song, “Small-Town Colorado Girl.” I just about died! I told my parents to pull over and we just sat there in the car, glued to the radio in disbelief and grinning from ear to ear.
6. What’s the most played song on your iPod?
“How Bout’ Them Cowgirls by George Strait. It’s kinda been an anthem for my best friend and I, since we both grew up on old country. It keeps the cowgirl spirit in me alive. I could listen to that song on repeat all the time!
7. What has been your favorite city to visit?
A couple of years ago, we visited the sleepy little town of Augusta, Kansas, where my dad was born and raised. It one of those places where if you blink, you’ll miss it. It’s a cozy town with a population under 10,000, brick streets, and nothing but fields for miles. In it’s hayday it was booming town with the Mobil Oil Refinery, but that closed in the early 1980’s. My dad’s family owned the local lumber yard—Safford Lumber—but it’s long gone too. Still, I loved watching my dad point out all the places where he had spent time at as a kid, from the Tastee-Freez where he’d get ice cream with his friends in the summer to the lake where he’d skip rocks. I’m definitely a daddy’s girl and hope to go back and visit Augusta again.
8. If you could go on tour opening for anyone in country music, who would it be?
Keith Urban. I went to his concert with my best friend this summer and it was nothing short of fantastic. I don’t think there was a soul that wasn’t dancing like there was no tomorrow! He really knows how to connect with his fans on a personal level, and just has a great time up on stage. I would love to be apart of a tour that’s all about having fun and jamming out, so Keith Urban’s tour it is!
9. What are your thoughts on the state of today’s country music?
Today’s country is very drum and electric guitar heavy, which gives it more of a southern rock feel. I love all of the upbeat, summer-inspired songs on the airwaves right now. But I’ve been know to be an old soul, so I enjoy writing and listening to songs that have a more traditional sound. I am seriously in love with steel guitars and fiddles. I hope that in the future I can become a mainstay in the country music scene.
10. What’s the best advice you could give to an aspiring artist?
Don’t ever quit. You will get a million no’s before you get that one yes, and it’s that one yes that matters. You have to find the one person that believes in you as much as you believe in yourself. If you’re patient, persistent, and have a little faith, that yes will come.