Carter Sampson - Queen of Oklahoma

If you, like me, think it's really hard to find actual country music in Nashville, you have to look elsewhere.  As it turns out, Oklahoma is a renewable resource for real country music indy artists.

Artists like singer-songwriter Carter Sampson who is a breath of fresh air in a genre of over-produced cooky cutter sounds. (*cough* Bro-country *cough)

Making a living as an independent act is hard work, and for a long time she would bartend in the evenings and write songs during the day.  Gigs first came slowly and then more frequent.  She recounted on a radio interview how she got a call one day from the restaurant where she worked.  She hadn't had a shift in 2 months and they wanted to take her off the rotation.  She realized that she was a full time singer.

Her voice is distinctive, in some ways reminiscent of Elle King, only country.  Real country, not Nashville Country-Pop.  With seven albums to her credit, there's a lot to like.  This is perhaps her signature number.