It’s been more than a decade since Kacey Musgraves’ professional music career began in earnest, and with a summer filled with big festival bookings in 2019, she’s getting the big stage recognition she deserves.

Critical acclaim and grassroots fan support has been present and growing for the Slow Burn singer since the release of her debut album Same Trailer Different Park. But even with its #1 spot on the album charts, along with #1 recognition for her follow-up album Pageant Material, and her most recent release, Golden Hour, Musgraves has rarely been included when people are naming the upper echelon of female country stars.

With seven major award wins in the last six years (2 Grammys, 4 CMAs, 1 ACMA), it’s not like she hasn’t been recognized in a big way. And with four more Grammy nominations in 2019 (Best Country Album, Album of the Year, Best Country Song, and Best Country Solo Performance), there’s a strong chance that she’ll be adding more hardware to her trophy collection soon. This is the kind of recognition that often turn artists into stars and open doors for more mainstream notoriety. But not so much here. And it’s frustrating.

Another thing that likely plays into her omission from those conversations is the lack of love Kacey Musgraves gets at country radio.

We know that women in country music are consistently fighting an uphill battle for radio play, but even among her female peers, she’s been left out. In the last six-plus years, Kacey Musgraves has released three full-length albums (and a Christmas album) with 10 charting singles. 10 singles on the charts isn’t bad. It’s nothing to shake a stick at. But with Album and Song of the Year awards to her name, you’d likely guess that Kacey Musgraves has had a #1 song. And you’d almost certainly guess that she’s peppered the Top 10.

You’d be wrong.

Two times between 2012 and 2019, Kacey Musgraves has cracked the Top 10 at country radio, coming in at #10 on the US Country Airplay chart in 2012 (Grammy-winning Merry Go ‘Round) and #10 again on the US Country chart in 2013 (Country Music Association Award-winning Follow Your Arrow). When we take those 10 singles that have all charted on the US Country chart and average them out, the number we get is 31. We know that not every single (most) artists release goes all the way to the top of the chart. But 31 as an average for the quality of content and the award-winning songs that Kacey Musgraves has released is abysmal.

Anyway, radio aside, fans are taking notice.

Kacey Musgraves has fronted tours of her own four times now (including her current Oh, What A World Tour), selling out venues and making connections with fans that continue that continue to come back for more whenever they have a chance.

She’s also being added to more and more festival lineups. And. We. Love. It.

Note: We have no information or intelligent reason for thinking this, but now that the Oh, What A World Tour has had its Toronto date, we’re in the sweet spot for finding out if she’ll be added to the Boots & Hearts or Havelock Jamboree lineups for 2019.

A look at Kacey Musgraves’ website tour page shows us that she’s already booked for five festivals in 2019, starting at Coachella, The Governor’s Ball, followed by Bonnaroo two weeks later, then Telluride Bluegrass Festival soon after, and Floydfest. These five festivals (including the two-weekend booking at Coachella) will give Kacey Musgraves a chance to do what she does in front of not only country fans, but fans of a wider variety of music as well.

Coachella, The Governor’s Ball and Bonnaroo boast headliners including Childish Gambino, Ariana Grande, Florence + the Machine, The Strokes, Post Malone and more pop, hip-hop and rock names. But not much country. If we’re guessing though, we’re going to say that Kacey Musgraves is okay with that. After opening for Harry Styles on across the United States (and one night in Toronto) in 2018, it’s been more than proven that she can get a non-country crowd. And with the disco and pop-inspired sounds that she included on her amazing 2018 album, Golden Hour, it’s pretty clear that she’s cool with merging into another lane or two as an artist.

What shouldn’t be overlooked here is that not every artist can do what Kacey Musgraves is going to do this summer. There was a time in the 90s when you could hear Shania Twain, Faith Hill, and LeAnn Rimes singles on pop radio, but Shania’s pop remixes aside, they’d never have been able to play a full set at a non-country festival. And from the other side, there aren’t many pop artists that can come over to the country music side and just slide in. In early years at Boots & Hearts, we saw Sheryl Crow bridge the gap wonderfully, and we also saw Lionel Richie put on a great show that didn’t really fit the rest of the country vibe at all.

It isn’t as easy as just popping someone on the bill because they are good. The versatility, talent, and willingness to make it work have to be there too.

Kacey Musgraves artistry, attitude, and her willingness to take chances and be herself all come together to create this perfect opportunity to show thousands and thousands of music fans that she’s a special artist. In California, Tennessee, New York, Virginia and more, we have no doubt that she’ll wow crowds, make new fans of her own, and be a memorable performer on a list of many talented acts.

Since she came onto the country scene as a progressive breath of fresh air, we’ve been fans of Kacey Musgraves. And we can’t wait to hear from all her new fans after run as a festival darling this summer!

Kacey Musgraves Festival Dates, 2019

Coachella – April 12 & 19, 2019 – Indio, California
The Governor’s Ball – June 1, 2019 – New York City, New York
Bonnaroo – June 15, 2019 – Manchester, Tennessee
Telluride Bluegrass Festival – June 23, 2019 – Telluride, Colorado
Winnipeg Folk Festival – July 14, 2019 – Winnipeg, Manitoba
Newport Folk Festival – July 26, 2019 – Newport, Rhode Island
Floydfest – July 28, 2019 – Patrick Country, Virginia
Hinterland Music Festival – August 2, 2019 – St. Charles, Iowa

Kacey Musgraves Major Award Wins

Grammy Awards 2014 – Best Country Song (Merry Go ‘Round)
Grammy Awards 2014 – Best Country Album (Same Trailer Different Park)
Academy of Country Music Awards 2014 – Album of the Year (Same Trailer Different Park)
Country Music Association Awards 2013 – New Artist of the Year
Country Music Association Awards 2014 – Song of the Year (Follow Your Arrow)
Country Music Association Awards 2016 – International Achievement Award
Country Music Association Awards 2018 – Album of the Year (Golden Hour)

all photos via UMG Nashville. 

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