To say that Kacey Musgraves changed the game when she released Same Trailer Different Park even feels like a bit of an understatement.
The Texas native burst onto the scene in 2013 with her incredibly impressive, bold debut, and she hasn’t looked back since, most recently released her fifth studio album Deeper Well last Friday.
But to fully understand how and why this album was so important, especially 11 years ago considering how country radio was at the time, you have to recall that, unfortunately, female artists were not a priority. The only female with a solo #1 in 2013 was Taylor Swift, if that gives you any indication of what it was like.
That’s why the fact that Kacey came out swinging, with lines like:
“Mama’s hooked on Mary Kay
Brother’s hooked on Mary Jane
And daddy’s hooked on Mary two doors down”
Or:
“So, make lots of noise
Kiss lots of boys
Or kiss lots of girls, if that’s something you’re into
When the straight and narrow gets a little too straight
Roll up a joint, or don’t
Just follow your arrow wherever it points, yeah
Follow your arrow wherever it points”
Was taboo to say the least (and I could go on…).
It paid off, though, because Kacey ultimately won the Grammy Award for Best Country Album at the 56th Annual Grammy Awards, in addition to the Grammy for Best Country Song with “Merry Go ‘Round.”
In an interview with Today’s Sunday Sitdown with Willie Geist, she recently echoed sentiments she previously shared about deciding to put out “Merry Go ‘Round” as her debut single to the behest of certain label executives, which spoke to their larger feelings about the album as a whole.
Kacey was willing to “go down in flames” in order to release the music she believed in:
“This is depressing. It’s not going to do well for a first time a female in country.
It’s going to go down in flames. I’m just like, okay, well, if I am going to go down in flames, I’d rather it be wholeheartedly for something that I truly believe in.”
Clearly, they couldn’t have been more wrong, and that passion and willingness to be bold, even if everyone else is telling you it “won’t work” has always been a central piece of who she is as a person and artist.
She continues push boundaries in her sound and writing today, and that is to be admired. Personally, I still believe Same Trailer Different Park is one of her best albums, and I will have it on repeat all day long…
“Merry Go ‘Round”
“Blowin’ Smoke”
“Follow Your Arrow”
“Keep It To Yourself”
