Paige King Johnson: Paige King Johnson is a female country singer/songwriter who values the roots of country music, and she hopes to preserve those roots with her own music
Interview conducted on May 01, 2020
by Dan Locke
Ms. Johnson- “I was born and raised in the small town of Angier, NC. I fell in love with country music from the very beginning to the voices of amazing artists such as Loretta Lynn, Waylon Jennings, Merle Haggard, and Patsy Cline. Fast forward a few years and I found myself with a guitar in my hands trying to sound just like those great people I heard coming out of my country radio.”
Dan Locke: What is your upbringing?
Paige King Johnson: I was born and raised in a small North Carolina farming town called Angier. My family has lived on the same farm my entire life where we’ve had horses and sheep and mules all my life. Country music was the soundtrack of my childhood, and I loved it because what I was hearing on the radio was the life I was living – I thought it was pretty normal.
How did you discover music?
I was always around music whether it was at church as a kid, or listening to old tapes with my Papa in his truck, or singing in the house. It was inherently part of my life from the beginning, but I didn’t start playing music until I was about 6 years old. My older sister was taking piano lessons at the time, and I wanted to be just like her so I BEGGED my mom to let me tag along. The rest was history! From there I started taking guitar lessons and performing at local events and festivals and fell in love with it.
How did you start to write music?
I started writing music when I moved to Nashville. Up until then I was busy studying all the songs, I grew up listening to and trying to sound just like them while making them my own. It wasn’t until I had moved away from home and truly started living life as an adult that I found my voice in songwriting.
Your first guitar was a baby Taylor given to you by your grandfather. Do you remember how he presented it to you? And do you still have it?
Yes, my first guitar was a baby Taylor that was a Christmas gift from my Papa one year. I still remember it as if it were yesterday – I was 10 years old that Christmas and had really been getting into music that year. He saw the passion I had and believed in me enough to gift me my first guitar and get me into lessons. I love that guitar so much and still have it – in fact, since quarantine I have actually gotten it out of the case and played it a few times. I will always have it as a reminder of his support of me and the love for music we shared while he was still with me.
In your bio. You said, “My main goal with music is to keep it authentically me and authentically country. As long as I continue to achieve those two things, I will remain satisfied and happy on this journey, no matter where it takes me”. Can you explain more about these goals? And how you will do that with the ever-changing market of music?
I fell in love with country music because of the beauty in the simplistic storytelling – there’s no other genre of music that can make you want to sit down and cry, get up and dance, and grab a beer all in the same song! As a songwriter and an artist, I feel it is my calling to keep that raw, true spirit alive in my own music. That’s what made me love it so much and eventually want to devote my life and career to, and that’s what I hope to continue to share with others too. I’m happy and passionate and overly content with the way this job continues to bless me and help bless others each time I step on a stage or release a new song or video, and as long as I’m able to do that as my job I will be the luckiest girl in the world!
What artist today is pure country?
There are so many artists out there bringing back more of the classic sounds and type of songwriting that country music used to be including people like Ashley McBryde, Hailey Whitters, Luke Combs, Riley Green, Miranda Lambert, Jon Pardi, Jessi Alexander, Cody Johnson. It makes my heart so happy to see this new wave of “old” country coming back into style as new releases come, and i hope it continues!
What was your first performance like?
Probably very rough (haha). The first official performance with me playing guitar and singing was at my 5th grade talent show, and I sang “Red High Heels” by Kellie Pickler. I remember thinking I was a true superstar being the only person to actually play an instrument, and of course with a new pair of red pumps! But I had sang many times before in church or at school.
You have performed with the likes of Scotty McCreery, Neal McCoy, Luke Pell and James Otto. What tips about the music business have they taught you?
I love getting to perform with artists like Scotty and Neal because I always leave those shows feeling like I was in school – learning new ways of working a crowd, or putting together a set for a show, or how to treat your band, or even how to interact with fans at the merch table. No matter what it may be, all of these artists have been so generous to allow me to share a stage with them and watch every move they make to help me become a better artist and performer, which is something I could never thank them enough for.
You have been nominated 3 times for Country Female Artist of the Year. Do you feel it is time for a Grammy nomination?
HAHA well don’t we all?? Of course, being nominated and receiving all the highly esteemed nods from organizations such as The Recording Academy, and CMA, and ACM and so many more is a dream because it lets me know that I’m doing my job well. Yes, I would love to one day receive a Grammy and I will keep busting my butt everyday to make music and play shows that will one day get me there.
How do you stay healthy while touring?
I absolutely LOVE exercising, not just for my physical health, but also a mental reset each day. Whether it’s a short walk or lifting weights or taking a Jazzercise class or doing my own home workouts, I try my best to get in some physical movement each day just to give my brain a break from everything. I also try my best to eat healthy foods with plenty of nutrients, but I also love ice cream, so it’s all a balance 🙂
Your current single is “Water Down the Whiskey” Tell me about it?
“Water Down The Whiskey” is what I call my sassy-girl song because it tells the story of a relationship that’s slowly falling apart, but the person who seems to be fading away doesn’t have the nerve to just break things off. I think this is a situation we can all relate to on some degree or another, and when I sat down to write it with my cowriter, Mike Astrachan, I wanted to bring light to this kind of situation because I don’t think it’s really talked about in music that much. It’s an anthem for anyone who has been on the “unloved” end of a withering relationship as empowerment to stand up for themselves and how they deserve to be loved.
What is your drink of choice?
Red wine, all day! Preferably a Cabernet, but I’m not too picky 🙂
What are your feelings about streaming music?
I personally love that music is so readily available online for us to listen to constantly. As a songwriter, it does hurt my heart a little that the royalties side of streaming isn’t very fruitful, but I’m proud of the progress that has been made and I’m hopeful that it will continue to improve so us songwriters can benefit from all the love and support that we do receive on streaming platforms.
Digital vs. vinyl?
I’m very old-fashioned when it comes to loving to own physical pieces of work, but if I’m being honest, I don’t own one vinyl record, nor would I know how to play it.
Any plans to tour?
Before quarantine and gathering restrictions, I had some very high hopes for the spring/summer/fall 2020 touring season that I was very excited about! Sadly, most of those have been put off or rescheduled for now. Touring is my absolute favorite part of my job because I’m such a people person, and I love getting to hug people’s necks who spend their hard-earned money on supporting artists and live music! I hope we can get back out on the road very soon.
What song from the past is in your mind right now? And what is the meaning that song means to you?
I’ve been playing piano a lot lately trying to dust off the cobwebs from piano lessons WAY back in the day. But with that, I’ve been trying to teach myself a lot of old church hymns I grew up listening to and that I often turn to in trying times like these. Recently, “How Great Thou Art” and “Peace in the Valley” have been playing in the back of my mind constantly. I love their meanings and feelings of hope they give in their message.
How do you feel the Covid-19 virus is going to affect the music business in the future?
I think that with the prospect of social gatherings being limited until a vaccine is found, many concerts will no longer be able to take place or may look very different moving forward. I think that more and more artists will have to turn to their online presence through releasing music on digital platforms and virtual concerts to stay afloat and keep their fans happy for now.
What have you been doing with your self-quarantine?
I have taken this time to spend time with my family that I miss so much when I’m back in Nashville or on the road. I’ve also been doing a lot of writing and practicing, and even trying to pick back up my piano skills that I left in the dust many many years ago!
Lots of people are doing nightly concerts over either YouTube, Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. I see you have an almost daily live stream. How is that going? Are you gaining new fans?
Yes, I’ve been enjoying getting to interact with fans (new and old) over Facebook and Instagram LIVE over the past few weeks. It’s definitely a new normal to have to adjust to, but it’s been refreshing to see some familiar names pop up on the screen as well as reaching new audiences as I’ve partnered with different companies and radio stations to do online takeovers.
There was an article in the New York Times this week talking about concerts may not start again until Fall of 2021. Do you think it could happen?
I feel as if I’m very ignorant when it comes to all the implications COVID-19 has and will continue to have on us, so when I hear things like this I can only trust that the doctors and researchers who are releasing these statements are doing so with everyone’s best interest and health in mind. The reality of that is very daunting and hurts my heart, but if that’s what will help all of us get over this, then I know us artists will make the necessary changes to our “normal” to do so.
Are you going to continue your Angier Unplugged Songwriter Showcase?
Yes! I started this showcase in my hometown a few years ago, and it’s a favorite of mine. Once we can have regular shows again, we will be ramping Angier Unplugged back up to continue showcasing the songwriters in and around my hometown.
How do you see yourself in the next five years?
In the next 5 years, I see myself hopefully still madly in love with my life and all the people I’m surrounding myself with! I see my career as a country artist still flourishing and taking me to new heights. I see my relationships with my boyfriend and friends still strong and loving. I see my faith still moving me to uncomfortable places that are for the glory of God. I just hope that whatever I’m doing, I’m happy and fulfilled and continuing to challenge myself each day.
Anything you would like to say in closing?
I just can’t wait for things to get back to normal again. And I will never EVER take for granted going to Target without fear of catching a virus and having to wear a mask!
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