Lyrics can make or break a song, but so can the vocals. This girl has both of those under control. Her song “Not Pretty Enough” is a great example of that. “Am I not pretty enough? Do I cry too much? Am I too outspoken?” You can listen to it on Spotify if you want to hear what I am talking about. Oh, and I LOVE her blue guitar. It boggles my mind someone with a voice like this hasn’t been discovered. I could listen to her sing all day long. It helps that I really like country music! She was fun to talk to, and I can’t wait to see where she goes next. It is my pleasure to introduce you to Josey Milner.
Country music is really popular right now. It’s not all country, though. How do you stay focused in a genre filled with pop artists?
I grew up listening to the traditional country, so that’s just what my ears pay more attention to. Yeah, the music today is still good, but you can’t beat the traditional sound. So I try to stick to that sound as much as I can.
There are so many popular country artists out there right now. Who are you listening to? Who are some of your favorite artists?
My favorite artist period is Miranda Lambert. My mom and I have followed her career since she was on Nashville Star. I just really love how she doesn’t care what anyone thinks about her and she doesn’t let the fame get to her. Besides Miranda, I still love artists like George Strait, Patsy Cline, Eric Church, Carrie Underwood, Justin Moore… the list can just go on and on.
Your new single is great. Tell me more about “Not Pretty Enough.” Did you write the lyrics to that song?
“Not Pretty Enough” was a song that my manager, Michael, found. He thought it would be a good one for me to do, so he sent it over to me and I loved it, especially the lyrics. Unfortunately I did not write it. It’s such a great song and I’m so excited about everything that it’s done for me.
You are all over Facebook and Twitter. You have a pretty successful YouTube campaign, too. Do you manage all of those accounts?
Yes. I’m very active with my social media campaign.
You recently opened for Scotty McCreery. How was that? Did you get to meet him before or after the show?
That experience has been my absolute favorite so far. It was so unbelievable and the crowd was great. I was able to walk out on a stage that went into the crowd and people were giving me high fives and wanting to touch my hands, like the stuff that you see at concerts. It was so cool! I like to say it was my 15 minutes of fame. Plus, after the concert, I had several people taking pictures of me and signing autographs for them. They were even taking pictures of me if I was just standing there! It was truly amazing!
Speaking of live performances, you are on tour. How much do you tour? Any chance we will see you in Arizona this year?
Right now, I’m having a performance almost every weekend, if not every weekend. We haven’t made it that far outside of Missouri and Kansas, but we’re working on it. Maybe someday!
I am originally from Indiana. Do you like going back home for shows? The Midwest is quite popular for country music.
Definitely. Even though it’s nice to get away for a while, there’s no place like home.
What is the best concert you have ever been to?
The best concert I’ve been to would either be when I saw Miranda Lambert and Eric Church, or when I saw Neil McCoy at the American Royal in Kansas City. They we’re both amazing.
You also covered “Walking After Midnight.” When you cover a song like that, do you need permission from the original artist?
Not necessarily. You get the rights from the publishing company or songwriter. Kinda like buying royalties.
Tell me about the guys in the band.
My guys are great. They are literally like my second family. They’re older than me so it’s pretty funny to say that I’m only 17 (soon to be 18), and get to be their boss.
Tell me about your relationship with Angels & Doves.
I am a spokesperson for Angels & Doves and when school starts back up, will be going and talking to schools about bullying.
I am sure it gets hot on stage. What are you drinking on stage?
Only and always water. Occasionally I’ll have hot tea, but that’s only if I have a sore or scratchy throat. Having long, thick blonde hair makes it even worse. I always tell people that I’m going to shave my head and go bald, but I could never do that. (Laughs.)
What is the most embarrassing thing that has ever happened to you on stage?
I haven’t really had anything embarrassing happen. The worst thing was when my cordless microphone was dead and my band had already started to play (this was at the Scotty McCreery concert). Luckily, we found batteries and got everything worked out.
Only because I am curious… how many pair of cowboy boots do you have?
I only have one pair of true cowboy boots, but I have 8 pairs of western looking boots that I wear on stage.
Wait… barrel racing? What is your connection to the rodeo?
I did rodeo for 8 years before I got into my music. My dad did it growing up, so he’s the one who got me into it. I did barrel racing, pole bending, goat tying, and breakaway roping. Plus, some rodeo pageants in which I claimed over 5 titles, starting from Little Miss Rodeo Missouri, to the princess of the rodeo association that I did, then to Jr. Miss Rodeo Missouri, with a few titles in between. I also have over 12 belt buckles that I won as well as some other prizes that I traded in to get instead of getting a buckle.
You have an adorable dog. Tell me more about Opry.
Opry is like my child. I like to say that I love him way too much. (Laughs.) I’ve always wanted a sable Welsh Corgi, and I finally got one as kind of an early Christmas present. He’s so awesome and so smart. I chose to name him Opry because of the Grand Ole Opry, which of course is a big part of country music, so I thought it was pretty cool. Sometimes I think he has more fans on my fan page than I do.
There are a lot of country bars here in Phoenix. If I wanted to bring you to the Valley, what is that process like?
It would just be based on traveling expenses and availability.
Your hair is… well, your hair is incredible! What is your secret?
(Laughs.) My momma does hair. She’s been doing hair for over 20 years now, so that really helps.
You were on a radio tour earlier this year. What exactly is a radio tour?
A radio tour is when you go around to several different radio stations, meet the talent, and talk about the single that you are currently promoting. I loved my radio tour. I got to see so many places, eat a lot of delicious food, and meet a lot of awesome people.
You are from Kansas City. Kansas City is known for the Chiefs and for BBQ sauce. Do you eat a lot of BBQ? What is the best BBQ place in Kansas City?
I eat BBQ every once in a while. I eat a lot of seafood honestly. I love seafood. As far as the best BBQ, there’s a little restaurant in Bates City, Missouri called Bates City BBQ. It’s my favorite. Everything there is delicious. Besides that, Gates BBQ is very popular in Kansas City.
You are a big Miranda Lambert fan. Have you had the pleasure of meeting her?
I have not. I really wish I could. I just think she’s an awesome person and would be awesome to talk to.
What’s next for Josey Milner?
For right now, I’m trying to get back into the studio to get my next single done. Along with that, we’re working on my EP. Besides getting back into the studio, just keep playing out with my band and making a name for myself.
Thank you so much, Josey. Love your voice and I look forward to hearing more from you soon. In all of the interview I do, I always give the artist the last word. Go.
Just a thank you as well. I always appreciate people like you taking your time to help me out and be interested in my music, so definitely. Thank you.
Connect with Josey Milner:
Website: http://www.joseymilner.com/
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/joseymilner
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/josey_milner
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/joseymilnermusic
