After her debut single climbed to No. 29 on the radio, seven-time Carolina Country Music Award winner and North Carolina native Paige King Johnson moved on to new singles, such as “Baby Don’t,” completing her debut album, “Honky Tonk Heart.” With legend Pam Tillis, Johnson made her first Grand Ole Opry appearance after creating multiple music videos airing on CMT, RFD-TV, Heartland TV and Newsmax. She has shared the stage with artists such as Kane Brown, Oliver Anthony, Clint Black and many more.
NRAC: Is King really your middle name?
PKJ: Yes, it was my grandmother’s maiden name. My parents found out they were pregnant with me just a couple weeks after she passed away, so they gave me a little piece of her in my name.
NRAC: How nervous were you while singing the first song at the Grand Ole Opry?
PKJ: It was not so much my nerves while performing—because I’ve sang for so long now it’s second nature—but I was just anxious for the time to get there. I was lucky to be surrounded by friends and family all day who continued to comfort me, make me laugh and get my mind off it. I also kept saying little prayers throughout the day to ease my mind.
NRAC: How’s Nashville and the country music industry treating you? We hear it can chew people up.
PKJ: Nashville is treating me well! When I moved to town in 2015 for college and to pursue music, I was a nobody, and that town and the people in it didn’t owe me a thing. I’ve spent the last 10 years paying my dues. I’m a big believer in hard work and God’s timing. I have been so fortunate to have some really amazing opportunities come my way over the years, and I just pray that they continue.
NRAC: Can you tell us about the Women on Target (WoT) event you attended?
PKJ: I loved the WoT event in Durham, N.C.! I had never been to anything like that, and I left feeling so empowered and knowledgeable. It was such a safe atmosphere for beginners like myself to really gain confidence in handling different firearms and learning techniques. I would 1000% go back again and again!
NRAC: If your grandpa appeared in front of you, what would you say to him, if anything? And, if you had time to play him one song, what would it be?
PKJ: I would probably hug him for a long while and thank him for believing in me at such a young age and for introducing me to what is now my whole life and career. I would play him the song I wrote about him, “Grandpa’s Little Girl.”
NRAC: Tell us about “Country See Country Do.” What is the inspiration behind it?
PKJ: I wrote this song with two Nashville friends, Pete Sallis and Todd Pachey, with hopes of just having fun while telling some truths about country living. There’s not one line of the song that I haven’t lived out and my hope is that a lot of people can find themselves in the story when they listen to it.
NRAC: What’s coming from PKJ, musically speaking, in the near future?
PKJ: We have a few more singles in the vault ready to release this year, so more new music and projects alongside them as well as a bunch more shows!
For more information, go to nracountry.com, paigekingjohnson.com or @PaigeKingJohnson on social media.
NRA Country is a lifestyle and a bond between the country music community and hard-working Americans everywhere. It’s powered by pride, freedom, love of country, respect for the military and the responsibilities of protecting the great American life. For more information visit nracountry.com, follow us on Facebook facebook.com/nracountry, Twitter @NRACountry, and NRA_Country on Instagram.
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