How I Keep It Country (I'm starting a blog!)

When I quit my day job I threw myself a “retirement” party hoping I’d never have to go back like these folks did. Side note: My sister made me make one of her!

Toby Keith

My debut album on Show Dog Records

Performing on the Opry with Steve Wariner!

CMT’s Next Women of Country Class of 2023

I’m a late bloomer. I signed a record deal later in life than I thought I would. I thought windows, doors, garages, crawl spaces and attics had all been closed off, but here I am, rip raring, ready to go. I had (still have) a Master’s degree in Speech Pathology and a full-time job just in case things didn’t work out, but looks like they did, or are currently on the upswing. I have worked full or at least part-time through this whole journey because I come from a family of hard workers. I finally got to quit my day job back in May of 2022 after I signed a record deal with Toby Keith’s company ShowDog Records. My record came out in July of 2022 and I will have started a radio tour as you read this.

I have a Border Collie that my husband named “Reba” that I take to agility training once a week. She’s currently learning how to jump over poles, run through tunnels, “walk it like a dog,” and more, and I’m trying my best to keep up! We had another Border Collie named Jessie that was my original sidekick, but she crossed the rainbow bridge recently.

I’m married to a Nashville songwriter. The thing that makes this interesting is that he’ll be going out on some of my radio tour stops with me. I’ll get to tell people, “Please play my song ‘Summers Like That,’ but even if you don’t please continue to play “Wild As Her” (Corey Kent) and “Excuses” (Kolby Cooper) because my husband wrote those, and he promised me a pony if he gets another number one!”

I want a horse because my friend is teaching me how to run barrels. I rode horses when I was young, and my extended family raise bucking bulls, but I’d never been properly taught how to ride, or even thought about running barrels. When you offer to ride with someone because they don’t have anyone to do it with in Nashville and they just happen to be a world champion, forget “horsin’ around for fun.” Like with dog agility, it gives me something to do that frees my mind. Some people like to read or paint, I like to play with dogs and horses. I also got my first shin-strawberry bruise thing from hitting a barrel recently, so I’m very invested now and proud.

My sister is the reason I’m in Nashville. We both started out on the Texas music scene years ago. She signed a record deal while I was finishing graduate school and she offered me a job to come sing backup with her on the road when she was opening for Brad Paisley, Alan Jackson, and Rascal Flatts. I said, “Let me check my schedule, yeah I’ll be there, duh!” I’ve been in Nashville ever since and finally ended up with a record deal myself. The craziest thing about all this is that I’m getting to do a lot of the things she did a decade later. We’ve both played the Grand Ole Opry, we’ve both been named one of CMT’S Next Women of Country, we will have both had an opportunity to be on country radio- there aren’t many instances in country music where that’s the case, and I think that’s the best part is getting to share that with my family!

I’d also like to share all of this with you. I’m just happy to be here, and I’m happy you’re here too!