While we are currently celebrating Woman’s Month, Friday (March 8th) is International Women’s Day, which is a global day celebrating the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women. The day also marks a call to action for accelerating gender parity. International Women’s Day has been observed since the early 1900’s.
Many of your favorite female country artists are also celebrating this day in honor of women everywhere and of their influences and inspirations.
Audio / Carrie Underwood talks about her amazing professional influences.
DownloadCarrie Underwood (Musical influences) OC: …do it too. :54
“I think my biggest influences musically, or career-wise, would have to be women like Reba, like Dolly, like Faith Hill, like Martina McBride. You see all of these women just juggle everything masterfully and many of them are moms and they’re superstars and they’re talented, and you know, I know how hard they work because I’m in their shoes somewhat and doing the same juggling. You know, you have the kids and the career and you’re just trying to crush everything you do and being pulled in a million different directions. And to see women like that who are just beautiful and smart and strong and talented, knowing that they have come first and they’re still getting to do what they love and they’re still getting to be the mom and the wife and all the things – that’s just such an inspiration to me and just lets me know that I can do it too.”
Audio / Carrie Underwood talks about her biggest female influence – her Mom.
DownloadCarrie Underwood (biggest female influence) OC: …ever had. :25
“I would say my biggest female influence would have to be my Mom. She was the first person that I was around that really taught me what it was like to be a woman, to be a Mom, to be a wife, to be a daughter and a sister. And just watching her and how she did everything with grace and integrity and she’s so strong. I mean, she was just the best role model anybody could have ever had.”
Audio / LINER Carrie Underwood (IWD)
Download“Hey, this is Carrie Underwood, and today is International Women’s Day. Let’s celebrate and encourage the achievements of women and girls around the world today and every day.”
Audio / LINER Carrie Underwood (NWM)
Download“Hi, this is Carrie Underwood, and March is National Women’s month. Celebrate and encourage the achievements of women and girls everywhere today and every day.”
Audio / LINER Catie Offerman (International Women's Day)
Download“Hey y’all, this is Catie Offerman. Happy International Women’s Day. This is such a special chance for all of us to celebrate each other and all the women around the globe and all their amazing accomplishments. We love you!”
Audio / Caylee Hammack talks about her professional inspirations, including Loretta Lynn, Dolly Parton, Reba McEntire and more.
DownloadCaylee Hammack (Loretta Lynn and professional inspirations) OC: …look up to. :31
“My first concert ever was Loretta Lynn. I was 13 years old and I got to see her in Columbus, Georgia. I begged my Dad to bring me, and I just remembered sitting on the edge of my seat waiting to see what she’d sing or say next. Loretta Lynn has been such an inspiration to me and all of the women who came before me – Patsy Cline, Tammy Wynette, Dolly Parton, Reba McEntire, all the way to Miranda Lambert and the legends of today. It’s unreal how many amazing women I have been given in this world to look up to.”
Audio / Caylee Hammack talks about seeing Loretta Lynn in concert when she was 13 years old.
DownloadCaylee Hammack (Loretta Lynn) OC: …should listen. :28
“My female idol growing up was Loretta Lynn. I was 13 when I got to see her live in-concert for the very first time. It was my first concert ever, and I will always remember sitting on the edge of my seat waiting to just see what she was gonna sing or say next. The power she had on stage is something you don’t see much; there’s a magic there. I think that when a woman tells her story – a woman like Loretta Lynn – everyone should listen.”
Audio / Caylee Hammack talks about the women in country music who have become her friends and supportive country music family.
DownloadCaylee Hammack (Miranda, Ashley, Tenille) OC: …more grateful. :46
“I could on and on about Loretta Lynn and Patsy Cline and Tammy Wynette and Reba and Dolly, but I want to actually mention a few friends that I’ve recently made in this year of quarantine and that’s Miranda Lambert and Ashley McBryde and Tenille Townes, these women that I’ve really gotten to connect with over this time in random group messages and such. I‘m just so very grateful that not only do I have women that have paved the way for us coming up in the country music industry, but I also have amazing women around me that I get to celebrate every single time that they put a new song out or win an award. I feel like I’ve found a family in country music, in the women of country music and I just couldn’t be more grateful.”
Audio / During a backstage press conference at the CMA Awards a few years ago, Kacey Musgraves talked about being inspired by two of her idols, Loretta Lynn and Dolly Parton, and hoped she could carry that inspiration on in her own music.
DownloadKacey Musgraves (women in Country Music) OC: …of it all. :37
“I look at people like Loretta Lynn and Dolly Parton, songwriters who were sassy and intelligent and beautiful and also intelligent and humorous. They inspired me, and if I can be at all any part of that in carrying that on, then I feel like, that’s just the icing on the cake for me, and I feel like I’ve done my job.”
Audio / Kacey Musgraves talks about meeting the legendary Loretta Lynn.
DownloadKacey Musgraves (Loretta Lynn) OC: …was amazing. :26
“I’ll never forget getting to meet her and open for her. It was just something I’ll never forget. I was so excited to meet Loretta. I mean, what can you say to her that no one else has said? You can’t, so I just shook her hand and held her hand and said, ‘You can’t understand how much you inspire me. Thank you.’ It was crazy. She was sitting there in her ballgown looking all like a country barbie doll. It was amazing.”
Audio / LINER Kylie Morgan (IWD)
Download“Hey y’all, it’s Kylie Morgan. Happy International Women’s Day, which is a global day celebrating the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women. Celebrate yourself and others on this special day. Let’s Go Girls!”
Audio / Kylie Morgan explains what International Women’s Day means to her.
DownloadKylie Morgan (International Women’s Day) OC: …so young. :21
“For me, International Women’s Day is not only about women supporting women but also looking up to other women. And the very first tiny woman, actually, I ever looked up to was Shirley Temple. Not only was she a child star, but she never let her age hold her back. And I feel like I continue to grow up with that mentality and why I started my career so young.”
Audio / Prior to the Grammy Awards a few years ago, Little Big Town’s Karen Fairchild talked about their nominated song, “The Daughters,” and its message.
DownloadLBT (Grammys 2020) OC: …speaking about. 1:28
“We put it out as a moment to kind of kick off the record Nightfall, and we just love the song so much and we’ve had so many opportunities to share it on television and lots of radio opportunities. For it to just get nominated for Country Song of the Year by a Duo or Group, that’s an incredible category to be in because that’s any collaboration that’s been done on any country record plus by any duo or group. It encompasses so many incredible performances, that it really, it’s an absolute honor for that song to have gone all the way to the Grammys. Just so cool. It speaks to the message too. It speaks to how important that message is. We’re still talking about it all the time – equal play, equal play. We’re talking about it in just the way women are treated, and we need the champions out there for the daughters and that’s the heart of the song. Luckily, we’re in a band with two guys that believe in that, but there’s a lot of people out there that need that reminder that it’s not an equal playing field. It still isn’t. It’s time for us to change it so that the next generation doesn’t know what we’re speaking about.”
Audio / The late Loretta Lynn talks about two of her songs that had a big impact.
DownloadLoretta Lynn (which songs had most impact) OC: …double hits. :10
“‘You Ain’t Woman Enough (To Take My Man)’ and ‘Fist City’ is another one. They both hit women, you know? I wrote them about other women at the time and myself too, so I think that’s why they were double hits.”
Audio / Maddie & Tae talk about some of the women they most admire.
DownloadMaddie & Tae (women most admire) OC: (Maddie) …everybody! :43
“I definitely can’t pick just one inspiring woman in my life, because I’ve been blessed by many. (TAE INTERRUPTS) Yeah, I was gonna say Tae is definitely one that inspires me always for many different reasons. You are really good at living in the moment, I feel like; very good at being present and I always pick that up from you every time we hang out. (TAE SAYS, “Your joy inspires me.”) My mom, she is just a baddie and amazing. I would say our manager Haley. She is just so great at balancing work life and family life, and I really admire that. And I would say, I don’t know. All the women in my life – my sister, my sister-in-laws, my mother-in-law. I love ‘em all. My grandma…everybody!”
Audio / Maddie Font of Maddie & Tae talks about her admiration for Carrie Underwood.
DownloadMaddie & Tae (Carrie Underwood) OC: …her friendship. :23
“I really, really love and admire Carrie Underwood. I love that she balances family and her work life so well, and she really, really took us under her wing on her Cry Pretty Tour back in 2019 and just really gave us once-in-a-lifetime moments. So, I will always be grateful for her and her friendship.”
Audio / Mickey Guyton talks about the female country artists she admired growing up.
DownloadMickey Guyton (on pursuing a career as a singer) OC: …all those people. :50
“It wasn’t like something where I was like, ‘Dad, I want to be a professional singer.’ It wasn’t until I was older when I finally admitted it. When you say something like that, it’s pretty crazy. What are we normally supposed to be? We’re supposed to be a teacher, a doctor, a lawyer, go to school and for me to even say that was just kind of crazy. So, I took an interest in singing. I started doing solos in the church choir or the school had a talent show. I’d bring my boom box, and I’d sing ‘I Will Always Love You.’ I was just mesmerized by big-voiced women, so from LeAnn, I started listening to Dolly and Patsy Cline and Patty Loveless and Reba McEntire and Faith Hill and Martina McBride, all those people.”
Audio / Priscilla Block talks about Dolly Parton.
DownloadPriscilla Block (Dolly Parton) OC: …me some Dolly. :19
“Hey-this is Priscilla Block, and I would say one female country legend that I look up to would be Dolly Parton. I love how honest she is, and she’s always just embraced who she is as a woman, and I love that so much, you know. Big hair, big hoops and you know what’s next. I love me some Dolly.”
Audio / Priscilla Block says she is inspired by her mother.
DownloadPriscilla Block (Mom) OC: …in the butt. :25
“I would honestly say one of the most inspiring women in my life is my mom because she raised five kids, and honestly had no clue what she was doing, but kind of always just made life so fun. She was there when we needed to laugh and when we needed to cry, and she was also there when we needed a little kick in the butt.”
Audio / REBA MCENTIRE TALKS ABOUT THE VERY FIRST TIME SHE MET LORETTA LYNN.
DownloadReba McEntire (on loving Loretta Lynn) OC: …I love Loretta Lynn. :22
“Well, see what they would do, they’d play the rodeo. They would pull a trailer out and then the country music star for the night would come out and perform for the audience and then they would go over to the dance hall and put on a dance. That’s the first time I actually met her. I whipped off my belt for her to sign and man, I wish I still had that belt. I love Loretta Lynn.”
Audio / A FEW YEARS AGO, TAYLOR SWIFT SAID REBA MCENTIRE WAS ONE OF HER FAVORITE PEOPLE IN THE WORLD.
DownloadTaylor Swift (Reba) OC: …factored in. :33
“Reba is absolutely one of my favorite people on this planet. And yk, I think when you’re making your way up in the music industry, you have all these heroes and the reasons why they’re your heroes are one thing, and then as soon as you kind of get in the industry, your guidelines change a little bit. For me, my heroes now are great people first and great artists second – people that I just feel strive to be great people and kind people first before anything else gets factored in.”
