9781422273258

GROWING UP GOLDEN Musgraves was able to tap into rural America with her first album because it was her hometown story. She was born in the northeast corner of Texas, about 800 miles east of Dallas, in the small town of Golden. The population was less than 200 people—talk about a small town! Musgraves was the first child to her parents and gave them a scare when she was born. Musgraves was born six weeks prematurely, coming in at just a little over five pounds. A fighter from the beginning, Musgraves grew up healthy and strong, and along with her younger sister Kelly, was exposed to the arts at a young age. Music was constantly playing in the home—Tom Petty and Sheryl Crow were some of the favorites. But Musgraves didn’t just listen. From as young as age eight she would be inspired to create by the music she heard. NASHVILLE STAR . . . OR NOT Musgraves had been seeking fame since she moved to Nashville at age twenty. She went all out to get noticed—even auditioning for a reality show Nashville Star. After being chosen frommore than 50 regional finalists, she made it to the Top 10. Each week she had to perform a song to a panel of three judges and then endure their feedback and criticism. At the end of each episode, live voting opened to people watching the show. Then the following week the unlucky contestant with the fewest votes was eliminated. Musgraves only made it three episodes before being eliminated, coming in at No. 7. Musgraves, however, said she learned a lot. “It was a great platform to get myself kind of accustomed to being in the industry and seeing what it was like being away frommy tiny little hometown inTexas.”

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a star is born