MEET PAIGE, In a quiet North Carolina town 22 miles south of Raleigh, as a young 9-year-old girl, Paige King Johnson spent her days imitating the styles of Loretta, Patsy, Waylon, and Merle. Having a grandpa as her biggest fan also meant receiving the gift of her first guitar – a baby Taylor – and enrolling in lessons. After her grandpa passed, the bright-eyed dreamer carried on his memory by taking her newfound discovery to local fairs, festivals, and any other stage she was allowed to stand on. As she grew older, Johnson added “opening act” to her resume, supporting chart topping artists like Kane Brown, Oliver Anthony, Randy Houser, Joe Nichols, Gabby Barrett, Clint Black, Diamond Rio, Scotty McCreery, Kylie Morgan, Lonestar, Neal McCoy and more. And with high school graduation came the realization that this was more than a hobby. The Angier native traded in horse pastures for the bright lights of Music City in 2015. Upon starting school at Belmont University for Music Business, Johnson honed in on the magic that had heavily influenced her as a child: the art of storytelling thru songwriting.
“I started finding my own voice through writing, becoming more confident, and owning the fact that my personal feelings and experiences were worth talking about, singing about, and putting on paper,” Johnson reflects.
The famous Bluebird Café was just one of many writers’ circuits around Nashville that provided a safe space for Johnson to meet other writers, try out new tunes, and get feedback. In return, Johnson began captivating audiences with her down-home stage presence, cut straight to the bone stories and raw country voice, reminiscent of the classic country era. In the last seven years, Johnson has traveled back and forth between Nashville and the Carolinas, playing shows like the North Carolina State Fair and running her festival series, The Country Yard Party. Johnson has a passion for bringing live music to her hometown area and giving young songwriters a place to share their talents. A five-time Carolina Country Music Awards Winner for Female Vocalist of the Year, Single of the Year, Country Emerging New Artist, Songwriter of the Year, and Tour of the Year, Johnson’s devoted homegrown fan base continues to expand farther than just her backyard.
In 2022, the North Carolina Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services “Got to Be NC” division named Paige as their first ever musical ambassador. Through her 18-month ambassadorship, Johnson wrote and released the song “Homes in the Hometowns” inspired by local North Carolina farmers and ranchers, traveled through North Carolina visiting middle and high schools to educate their students on the importance of agriculture, and performed at multiple statewide fairs and festivals, all while helping shape the future of agriculture in her home state – a project near to the former FFA and 4-H member’s heart!
After stepping into the spotlight with her debut single “Water Down The Whiskey”, climbing to the #29 spot on Music Row charts, Johnson moved on to her next projects with the release of her singles “Just Like You”, “She Holds This House Together”, “Baby Don’t” & more that completed her debut album, Honky Tonk Heart. Working alongside country-legend Pam Tillis, Johnson created multiple music videos which premiered on Country Music Television (CMT), RFD-TV, Cowboys & Indians, Heartland TV & Newsmax. Most recently, Johnson & Tillis took on The Grand Ole Opry stage together for Paige’s first time stepping into that hallowed circle.
“My main goal with music is to keep it authentically me and authentically country. As long as I continue to achieve those two things, I will remain satisfied and happy on this journey, no matter where it takes me.”
Website: https://www.paigekingjohnson.com/
Listen To Paige on Spotify