Mickey Guyton Talks Growing Up in Texas, Her Grandmother’s Influence, and the Inspiration Behind Her Song “Sister”
UMGN
About Biscuits & Jam: In the South, talking about food is personal. It’s a way of sharing your history, your family, your culture, and yourself. Each week Sid Evans, Editor in Chief of Southern Living, will sit down with celebrity musicians to hear stories of how they grew up, what inspired them, and how they’ve been shaped by Southern culture. Sid will take us back to some of their most cherished memories and traditions, the family meals they still think about, and their favorite places to eat on the road.
Episode 20: October 27, 2020
Download the episode now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and everywhere podcasts are available.
To say Texas native Mickey Guyton is having a big 2020 would be an understatement. Written over a year ago, her song “Black Like Me” has gained a massive following, and the week of our interview, Mickey had just made history as the first Black woman to ever perform solo at the ACM Awards. On this episode, you’ll hear how seriously she takes the success she’s earned, and what it means for other artists of color, particularly women, in country music.
On Growing Up In Texas
“My childhood centered around church. My mom and my dad are both Deacon and Deaconess at a Southern Baptist church. So our life consisted of church choir, rehearsal, vacation Bible school, school, and just family time out in the South. I spent a lot of time riding my bike down gravel roads and through ditches and storm drains and that kind of stuff. That's kind of what my life consisted of. And climbing trees.”
On Church’s Influence on Her Music
“Church is where I learned how to harmonize. I learned how to sing with a group of people. It was a major influence on me. My parents loved BeBe and CeCe Winans and Yolanda Adams and so many different gospel artists. That was a huge part of my life. My parents were very religious and before I even really could listen to country music, I was listening to gospel music.”
On the Inspiration Behind Her Song “Sister”
“The inspiration behind that song was just being in country music and how hard it is for women. It has been really difficult to navigate that industry as a woman period. And I was really inspired by that…And that song, was like, “girl, I've got your back,” and the relationship that you have with your sisters and with your best friends. Those are some of the most important relationships that we have that we don't always sing about. It's a love relationship in itself. And I've been that for my sisters, I've been that for my girlfriends. They could call me at 2:00 AM, just breaking up with their boyfriend. Who comes to get you? It's your girlfriends and they surround you and love you and help you through those times.”
On Her Grandmother Introducing Her to Country Music
“My grandmother just loved Dolly Parton. She just loved her so much. And so that's when I found my love for her. And it's crazy how music finds you, your destiny finds you. And it was LeAnn Rimes that I heard at a Texas Rangers baseball game that truly made me want to become a professional country singer.”
On the Cook In Her Family
"Definitely not me. My youngest sister is actually a really great cook. And my grandmother is a great cook. My grandmother made the best homemade cornbread."
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