Featured Artist: Kacey Musgraves

Born in Golden, Texas, on Aug. 21, 1988, Kacey Musgraves stormed the music scene in 2012 and has been steamrollin' ever since.

She started writing songs when she was 8 years-old and self-produced three albums before signing with Mercury Nashville.

Though she was influenced by Alison Krauss, Lee Ann Womack, John Prine, Bobbie Gentry, and Jim Croce, this six-time Grammy winner has been heralded for her unique lyrics and for putting a twist on old-school country sound. She has released four albums, Same Trailer Different Park (2013), Pageant Material (2015), A Very Kacey Christmas (2016), and Golden Hour (2018).

If you haven't given this amazing talent a listen, we've got seven of our favorite Musgraves songs to help you get started. Give us a week, and we think you'll agree that Kacey Musgraves is a true gem among the costume jewelry that decorates country music today.

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SONG OF THE monDAY

Merry Go 'Round was released in September 2012 as the lead single from Kacey Musgraves' debut, Grammy Award-winning album, Same Trailer Different Park. Co-written by Shane McAnally and Josh Osborne, the song's a cynical observation of life in the American heartland and references Mary, Mary, Quite Contrary, Jack and Jill, and Mary Had a Little Lamb. The song peaked at No. 63 on Billboard Hot 100, but it hit No. 14 on Hot Country Songs, No. 10 on Country Airplay, and won Musgraves another Grammy for Best Country Song.

SONG OF THE tuesDAY

Released in 2015, Pageant Material is Kacey Musgraves’ second album under the Mercury Nashville label. Most of the songs were recorded live in Nashville’s historic RCA Studio A, and the effort earned Musgraves her second Grammy nomination for Best Country Album. The title song was never released as a single, but we think it would have done well commercially. She uses tongue-in-cheek lyrics to poke fun of herself for not being Pageant Material, and many of us here at Vinyl resonate deeply with that sentiment.

SONG OF THE wednesDAY

Silver Lining is from Kacey Musgraves' debut album, Same Trailer Different Park (2012). Written by Musgraves, Shane McAnally and Josh Osborne, Silver Lining was never released as a single, which is a shame. The melody is uplifting and easy-going, and the lyrics explore the idea that we have to weather the darkest, hardest of times to experience the brighter things in life. All in all, it's one of our favorite Musgraves tunes.

SONG OF THE thursDAY

Written by Kacey Musgraves, Luke Laird and Shane McAnally, Blowin’ Smoke was released on April 1, 2013 as the second single from Musgraves’ album, Same Trailer Different Park. The song is about a down-on-her-luck waitress talking shit about this and that and starts and ends with diner sound effects recorded at a Waffle House. It peaked at No. 31 on Billboard Hot Country Songs and No. 23 on Country Airplay. The music video was directed by Honey.

SONG OF THE friDAY

Released on Feb. 11, Rainbow is the fifth single from Kacey Musgraves' latest studio album, Golden Hour (2018). Written by Musgraves, Shane McAnally and Natalie Hemby, it landed at No. 98 on Billboard Hot 100, No. 20 on Adult Contemporary, and No. 17 on Hot Country Songs. It's a message of hope for those facing adversity and was the last song her grandmother heard her write before died.

SONG OF THE saturDAY

Kacey Musgraves’ 2018 album, Golden Hour, won two Grammys for Best Country Album and Album of the Year. Two of the songs also won Grammys. Butterflies won for Best Country Solo Performance and Space Cowboy for Best Country Song. Musgraves got the idea for Space Cowboy when her riding teacher told her that when a horse wanted to run there was no point in shutting the gate. A couple of days later, Kacey, Luke Laird and Shane McAnally put together the finishing touches.

SONG OF THE sunDAY

Biscuits was the lead single for Kacey Musgraves’s 2015 album, Pageant Material, which earned a Grammy nomination for Best Country Album. Written by Musgraves, Shane McAnally, and Brandy Clark, Biscuits peaked at No. 28 on Hot Country Songs, No. 41 on Country Airplay, and Billboard ranked it at No. 16 for the Top 25 Songs of 2015 and No. 1 for 10 Best Country Songs of 2015.

BONUS TRACK

Written by Kacey Musgraves, Brandy Clark, and Josh Osborne, Late To the Party is from the 2015 album, Pageant Material. It was never released as a single, but Musgraves performed the song on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. It’s about being happy in love, and it’s a whimsical, easy-going tune worthy of inclusion on any “Best of Kacey Musgraves” compilation.

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