Q&A with Paige King Johnson
As Paige lands in the UK for a 10-day whirlwind tour, we sat down for a fireside chat. I hope she packed all of her waterproof gear.
I first came across PKJ last October when she began her new album release cycle with the catchy Cowboys Ride Away, a song I am still listening to every week. Paige has bags of talent and appears to reel these songs off effortlessly. Soothing, laid-back vocals, yes, but there's nothing laid-back about the lyrics.
They sit tall in the saddle, let loose of the reins
A heart tough as leather so they don’t feel a thing
Keep their eyes toward the sun, not back where they were
Just gotta ride fast enough to try and outrun the hurt
I was thrilled when Paige agreed to fight off the jet lag by answering my questions about her music, and about her current UK tour. This is her first time on our shores so there is no better time to grab a ticket now! And there will be a full review of the Ron's Honky Tonk show here on the Vibes next week.
Q: Which of your recent releases means the most to you and why?
Probably I Get Old Too because it was inspired by my sweet Granddaddy. In a conversation we were having a while back, he unknowingly reminded me of just how much of a privilege it is to be able to get old in this life & to have a life lived fully. I pray I get to do the same.
Q: Favourite shoot for one of your music videos?
Probably Famous Enough a couple years back. I shot it with my dear friend, Pam Tillis. It was a two-day shoot, very exhausting and a lot of outside people & cast members involved in it, but it was one of the most rewarding projects we have worked on. I really felt like I got back to my roots & portrayed that well with that video.
Q: Your top three interesting things about Nashville for UK readers?
On top of some great music, Nashville has SUCH good food options all over the city. Also, in just 15-20 minutes outside of the city you can get to some of the prettiest horse farms I have ever seen. And lastly, it is home to, in my opinion, some of the world's worst drivers 😂
Q: Favourite restaurant, bar, or live music venue in London?
I've never been to London - this will be my first time. So, I'm excited to try some new places & figure out which is my favourite.
Q: You’re heading to Glasgow soon. What do you love most about Scotland?
I've heard to expect very lush, green scenery everywhere with immaculate castles, so that's what I'm looking forward to.
Q: Best live venue in Nashville?
My favourite has to be The Local. It's an unassuming little bar, but always has top notch live original music & I always run into friends there. It ain't called The Local for nothing!
Interesting choice of venue there, not one of the all-time famous ones. So the next time you're in TN in your boots and Stetson, you know where to head for. You can follow Paige King Johnson on Instagram, TikTok and read more on her own website. You can still grab your UK tickets here!
PKJ is a Belmont-trained songwriter with a home base in Nashville and North Carolina. She is seven Carolina Country Music Awards deep, has charted on MusicRow, premiered videos on CMT and Heartland, serves as the official Got To Be NC musical ambassador, and contributes regularly to WRAL television with stories that spotlight music and culture in her home state.
Paul Dettmann
Paul Dettmann
Comments ()