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A singer/songwriter who is a voting Grammy member and co-wrote the song “Childhood Sweethearts” with Randy Travis. She toured with Johnny Rodriguez as a kid and worked with some of the biggest names in country music, such as Waylon Jennings, Tom T. Hall, and Mickey Newbury. She grew up in a show biz family and was a child actress and still acts today. She even has a romantic comedy playing on Amazon.

Notable Guest Quotes

“I’ve been singing my whole life, since I was a little girl, but I only tapped into songwriting and melodies only when Randy Travis gave me the idea… I personally love writing (by) myself.  I love the feeling of coming up with the melodies and the lyrics myself… It’s almost like when I’m doing my five-mile jog and I’m done, it’s ‘Wow, I did it.’  It’s just that feeling of feeling so good and proud that, ‘Hey, I didn’t need anyone to write with me.  This is my own story.’”

“My mom was a casting director – she discovered Michelle Pfeiffer – (and) my brothers are producers.”

“I grew up in New York as a little girl and my parents would drive, we would drive cross country – to, either we’d go to Florida or we’d go to Los Angeles – and they had the country music station on.  And, I always would hear it, at the truck stops, and it just took to me and I would sing and I loved it.  It was just something I loved.  Ever since I was about six years old I loved country music.  So I think it’s just in me.”

“I was able to submit… my songs for Grammy consideration last year… You don’t vote for yourself, obviously, and I would never do that, but I love being a part of the Grammys.  I love it, I love voting also ‘cause you get to see your peers and to root for everybody else.”

“I’m singing and, I’ll never forget, Waylon (Jennings) said, ‘Wow, this little blonde has a big voice.’  I just never forgot that.”

“If you have the producers (in California) and the great musicians you can do a great song.  It doesn’t matter where you live, if you have it – a studio – and you’ve got the song, you can do it here.”

“I gave up my career when I got married at a young age.  So, I gave up my country music.  But, I never really lost it because my family was in entertainment.  And I always kept the music because, you know, you never really lose it when you have it within your heart and your soul.”

Songs on this episode

“Is There More to Life Than This”
“I Still Think About You Everyday, Merle”