Why We Must Vote

"We talked played the jukebox while democracy fell."

Oct 25, 2024

I voted early the other day and when I emerged from the voter booth after casting my balot for Kamala Harris, Gloria Johnson, Megan Barry and Aftyn Behn, I began to weep. It was so empowering to see so many strong, qualified women on the bill and as I walked into the parking lot of North Nashville library on Wednesday afternoon, I felt incredibly emotional.

I thought of those who fought for women’s suffrage to make it possible for me to vote. Women were excluded from voting in ancient Greece and republican Rome, as well as in the few democracies that had emerged in Europe by the end of the 18th century. I was also emotional because of all that is hanging on the line including the future of our democracy, our environment, abortion rights, LGBTQ rights, Trans rights, Cannabis legalization, gun safety… the safety of our children. I’m voting for Kamala because she is well spoken, SANE and also because the other day she became the first ever major party presidential candidate to say that we should federally legalize weed.

KAMALA SAID LEGALIZE IT

My sorrow quickly turned to rage when I thought of those who would be throwing away their vote this year. Tennessee has the lowest voter turn out in the Nation and I’m hopeful that this election will change that. Check in on your friends and family, hold them accountable and help folks get to the polls.

This whole election season has made me ruminate on the title track of my album All American Made which was released on October 20th, 2017 and was coincidentally Tom Petty’s birthday. The album had mentioned Mr. Petty’s name where in a verse, I asked him a question to which I never heard the answer to because only a couple weeks prior, Tom Petty tragically passed away.

My band and I performed on NPR’s Tiny Desk the day after Trump was elected and I sang the title track which lyrically was fitting. At the end of the performance, I ripped open the pearl snaps on my western shirt to reveal a T-shirt that said “ICKY TRUMP.” The shirt had been sent to me by my then label ‘Third Man Records and was made by Jack White himself. During this time, many people warned stepping out of line and saying anything negative about Trump would get me barred from many of Nashville’s awards shows and radio. They said, “You’ll get Dixie Chicked, don’t do it” but I did it anyway.

“When I greeted Margo Price in the NPR garage before her Tiny Desk performance, tears were streaming down her face. It was Wednesday morning, Nov. 9, the day after the 2016 election. For her — as for many Americans — it was a stunning and bewildering moment in time, a day when life and the everyday took on new meaning. And so when she and her band began to play "All American Made," a song she's sung many times before, those words about America's changes and failures in the 21st century seemed even more powerful. Margo Price is a Nashville-based musician, the sort of country artist that captures the hearts of those both inside and outside the country-music scene. Her debut album, Midwest Farmer's Daughter, is one of the brightest moments in country in a very strong year.” ~ Bob Boilen | November 28, 2016

Also, I am so excited to share an update on my next album. The band and I have been working really hard in the studio and we’re finally in the final stages of the recording process. We recorded it at RCA studio A (where Dolly Parton recorded ‘I Will Always Love You’ and ‘Jolene’) and I’m so excited for everyone to hear more details.

Until then, I’m going to share some lyrics from one of my favorite songs that we wrote called, ‘Close To You.’ It feels timely with all that’s going on right now. The wild thing about the record business and how slow everything moves sometimes. A musician can start working on writing an album in 2023 and we won’t even have a chance to get it released until maybe spring or summer of 2025. So by the time you get those songs out, you’re already working on the next thing behind the scenes.

Margo Price at RCA Studio A on Sept 17th in Nashville, TN. Photo by Jeremy Ivey

While working on the songwriting for this album, there’s been opinions along the way, as there always are. But I’ve tried to drown some of them out this time and really listen to myself. What do I want this album to sound like? What is the story that I want to tell. What feels true to me? Once you get into the “business” of songwriting, all sorts of people are going to try to tell you what YOU should sound like, but all they’re really concerned about is making money. No one knows best what I sound like except for me and this album is that. Not too polished, not too overproduced, a little tenderness mixed with the tough, a little rowdy and a little rough around the edges and a lot of good old fashioned American storytelling.

Close To You by Margo Price & Jeremy Ivey

I walked out on my job, I drove across the Delta

I had to be close to you

Rolled the windows down, singin to Lucinda

I had to be close to you

I didn’t wanna hear what my mama would say

I didn’t care if I was pissin’ my money away

All I knew, I had to be close to you

I left my phone in a truck stop diner

I had to be close to you

I honked my horn at the Tennessee border

I had to be close to you