Texas-bred musical powerhouse, KRISTYN HARRIS, is noted for her solid swing rhythm guitar style, unique songwriting, award winning yodel, and captivating stage presence. At 27 years, she is the youngest person in history to be awarded the International Western Music Association Entertainer of the Year, which she received 4 years in a row (2016-2019), and her latest album was most recently awarded the prestigious Wrangler Award from the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum. She is also a 5-time recipient of the IWMA Female Performer of the Year (2014, 2015, 2018, 2019, 2021), and was named the Ameripolitan Music Awards Western Swing Female Artist of the Year (2017) and the Pro Cowboy Country Artist Association’s 2017 Entertainer of the Year and Female Vocalist of the Year. Her singing has been praised as “timeless” with “the warmth and power of Texas sunshine”. You might have also seen Kristyn featured on the 2018 season of ABC’s American Idol, where she was given a special invitation by the producers to come on the show and audition with a yodeling song.
How did your singing career start?
I decided I wanted to learn how to play the guitar like two of my idols; Roy Rogers and Gene Autry, who also had horses and played the guitar. I taught myself out of a book and learned some western songs. I would practice when I was riding my horses, and in the beginning, the horses were pretty much the only ones who would listen to me!
When did you first starting riding?
I’ve always loved horses but my parents weren’t horse people. I begged for a horse and finally got one when I was eleven.
Tell us about your horses?
My first horse is retired now at 27 years old. He was supposed to be gentle but he didn’t quite turn out that way! He like to buck and bolt, so I worked with him to get him out of those bad habits. Then, I talked my parents into letting me adopt a completely wild mustang.
What was training a wild mustang like?
Velvet is about 5 years old now, she came off the range in Wyoming and she’s my best friend. She is sweet and will run up to me from the pasture. I really wanted to train her by myself, so my retired horse gave me the experience to try it. It was the greatest experience. I’ve learned so much from my horses. The hardest part of training Velvet, was touching her because she was so wild. Mustangs are smart, so once she trusted me, she learned fast.
Did I hear you have a second Mustang?
Yes – I have a 2 year old Mustang colt.
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