New Faces of Country Music: Katie Armiger

There are many new faces showing up on the country music family tree but a certain branch is drawing a lot of attention.

The branch in question is that of the new female faces of country music. Joanna Smith, Katie Armiger, Maggie Rose, Kacey Musgraves, Sarah Darling, among others.

Over the next few posts I want to take a look at these ladies and their recent releases.

I’ll start with Katie Armiger. I first met Katie in 2008 when she was on a radio tour promoting her self-titled debut and the track ‘Make Me Believe’. She came and played our conference room for a few listeners and staff and we struck up a friendship. She again came back and played a “Listener Appreciation Party” at Dreamland BBQ! A night of fun featuring Katie and I singing an acoustic rendition of the Guns N’ Roses hit “Sweet Child O’ Mine”.

I’m going into such detail because I want you to understand that Katie is not only an amazing vocalist and songwriter but also a sweet, genuine soul.

We met up again this month in Memphis, as we usually do, for the Country Cares for St. Jude Kids seminar and had time to talk about her latest and fourth full-length record Fall Into Me.

She has revealed tremendous growth as a vocalist since her first release and shows a new strength but is still consistent in her vocal delivery. There is a defined maturity in the new release that puts her up the ladder next to Kellie Pickler, Sara Evans and The Band Perry’s Kimberly Perry.

The first single from Fall Into Me is a jangly number called ‘Devil In A Black Dress’. The song is highlighted by a twanging dobro and a sugary sweet vocal delivery. The song has the feel of the best thing you’d expect from Little Big Town.

‘Playin’ With Fire’ is another favorite of mine. This time Katie finds some sass for her delivery and wraps it around a devil may care playfulness.

My third favorite is a track called ‘Safe’. This song exemplifies what Katie’s voice is all about, how it sounds, and how it makes you feel. It’s a beautiful song of feeling safe in the arms of someone you were meant to be with.

If you visit Katie's website there is a music player you can launch and sample these songs before you buy it!

Katie Armiger is the real deal. She must be a hard worker too because I don’t think she has stopped playing shows and making records since the first time we met, and she introduced me to Candy Buttons some six years ago!

Her music is well worth spending some time with and is available for download here or you can be old school and have a CD shipped to you with all the cool album art you don't get from an mp3.

Stay tuned for another installment tomorrow.