To some, in order to be a country singer, you must be from the country. For KC Johns, this is not a problem. A champion barrel racer and competitive dancer from the small sleepy town of Hernando, Mississippi, Johns is using her energy and her country roots to create amazing songs.

Not afraid to be on a stage, Johns began singing on her mother’s coffee table as a young girl. “I fell absolutely in love with singing. It became a passion,” says Johns. She goes on to say, “I started playing guitar when I was 15 and it was easier to put everything together and write an actual song. So, the guitar inspired me [to write].”

While the guitar served as inspiration, George Strait, another cowboy familiar with the rodeo circuit is her biggest influence. Johns also credits Loretta Lynn and Patsy Cline as influences.

One of the best parts of being a musician is that you never know who might be in the crowd and what they can do for you. This was the case for Johns when a fan spotted her at a show. Knowing that talent of this caliber does not come along often, they contacted Billy Block, Nashville’s legendary radio DJ, musician, and host of The Billy Block Show. After hearing Johns on a rough demo cassette recording, he was amazed with what he heard and invited her to play on his show. “She’s one of the brightest young talents I have seen in a long time,” Block said of Johns. Block was so impressed that he took Johns into the studio and they cut a 10-song album.

All of the hard work seems to be paying off. Her single, “Tell Me You Love Me,” the first off the debut album of the same name, is turning heads and gaining airplay around the region.

A regular at rodeo events, churches and a variety of other venues, Johns has graced over 40 unique stages including the World Famous Tootsie’s Orchid Lounge in Nashville, the Nashville Palace and BB Kings in Memphis. With her background and writing, it looks like Johns might be giving George Strait and Julianne Hough a run for their spot on stage.