Kacey Musgraves: influences, peers and legacy

Every connection with its receipt

Kacey Musgraves grew up in Golden, Texas, cutting self-released albums before Nashville Star and the Mercury deal that produced "Merry Go 'Round." Her map runs from the wit of classic country songwriting through Texas troubadours and into the soft-focus pop, disco and R&B textures that made Golden Hour a Grammy Album of the Year. These are the threads behind the rhinestones.

The Kynda mix for Kacey Musgraves

• Key Influence · Coat of Many Colors by Dolly Parton (1971). Musgraves has named Dolly Parton as her north star since childhood in Golden, Texas, and the model is audible: plainspoken autobiography, small-town scarcity turned into dignity, melody that disarms before the lyric lands. Coat of Many Colors is Parton at her most economical as a writer, and the same strategy underpins "Merry Go 'Round" and "Family Is Family." Musgraves also inducted Parton's influence into her stage aesthetic of glitter and sincerity.
• Influencia Obscura · Golden Hits of Roger Miller by Roger Miller (1965). Miller, the Texas-born oddball behind "King of the Road" and "Dang Me," is the hidden ancestor of Musgraves' comic economy — the wink, the internal rhyme, the pun that turns sad on the second listen. Her early self-released records and the wordplay of "Biscuits" and "Family Is Family" work his vaudevillian logic. Miller is revered inside Nashville songwriting circles and largely invisible to pop audiences, which makes him the thread worth pulling.
• Local Roots · Red Headed Stranger by Willie Nelson (1975). Nelson is the patron saint of the Texas outsider tradition Musgraves came out of, and the two later duetted on "Are You Sure" for Pageant Material, recorded with Nelson himself. This austere concept album is the document of a Nashville writer who moved home to Texas and did it his own way — the template for her refusal of Music Row formula, right down to releasing records that sounded nothing like radio.
• Beyond the Medium · Love Deluxe by Sade (1992). Musgraves has repeatedly pointed to Sade as a touchstone for Golden Hour's atmosphere: the restraint, the space around the vocal, the way a quiet performance carries enormous heat. Love Deluxe is the clearest statement of that aesthetic, and it explains the record's unhurried tempos and humid production far better than any country reference. The crossing is what makes the album sound unlike anything else on country radio in 2018.
• Peer · Metamodern Sounds in Country Music by Sturgill Simpson (2014). Simpson emerged in the same mid-2010s window as Musgraves, as the other Nashville-adjacent artist proving critical and commercial success was possible without country radio. His psychedelic reframing of hard-country form parallels her lyrical reframing of small-town subject matter; both were held up as evidence of a generational shift, and both won Grammys while remaining outsiders to the format's gatekeepers.
• From the Canon · Same Trailer Different Park by Kacey Musgraves (2013). The major-label debut that made her reputation: "Merry Go 'Round" dissects small-town stagnation and "Follow Your Arrow" endorsed same-sex love and marijuana on a 2013 country album, which got it limited radio play and a Grammy for Best Country Album anyway. Co-written largely with Shane McAnally and Luke Laird, it establishes the method — acoustic, plainspoken arrangements carrying observations nobody else in the format would risk.
• Key Collaborator · High Society by The Silver Seas (2007). Tashian co-produced and co-wrote Golden Hour and star-crossed, and his own band The Silver Seas is where his sensibility is unmasked: sunlit soft-rock melodicism in the lineage of seventies AM pop, more Laurel Canyon than Music Row. Hearing this record makes obvious what he brought to Musgraves — the chord voicings, the reverb-haloed warmth and the pop instincts that let a country singer make an album about floating.
• Legacy · GIRL by Maren Morris (2019). Morris arrived in Nashville from Texas in the same wave and has been explicit about the path Musgraves cleared for women writing candidly inside country while refusing the format's politics. GIRL pushes further into pop production and openly feminist framing, the commercial extension of the permission Golden Hour established; Morris also became a prominent voice against the industry conservatism both artists spent the decade fighting.

What influenced Kacey Musgraves

• Dolly Parton (1946). Musgraves expresses admiration for Parton and her songwriting. (also via Golden Hour, Coat of Many Colors) “In a Billboard interview, Musgraves said that she is a Dolly Parton fan, saying "Beauty, sex appeal, brains, wit, humor, beautiful songwriting, meaningful songwriting, no apologies for who she is, LGBTQ advocate long before it was even a…” (Wikipedia)
• Imogen Heap. Musgraves has mentioned Heap as an influence. (also via Speak for Yourself) “Noncountry artists whom Musgraves has mentioned as influences include Cher , Selena , [ 106 ] Ryan Adams , Cake , Neil Young , Weezer , Imogen Heap , Bee Gees , Sade , and Electric Light Orchestra .” (Wikipedia)
• John Prine by John Prine (1971). John Prine (John Prine) — titan for Kacey Musgraves “"that man singlehandedly influenced me and my songwriting more than anyone else on this planet".” (Wikipedia)
• Glen Campbell. Musgraves listed Campbell’s albums among influences on her sophomore album. (also via Wichita Lineman) “Musgraves listed albums by Glen Campbell , Bobbie Gentry , Marty Robbins , Charley Pride , Merle Haggard , Roger Miller , and Jim Croce as influences on her sophomore album” (Wikipedia)
• Willie Nelson. The page identifies Nelson as another influence on Musgraves. (also via Red Headed Stranger) “an interview of hers with Rolling Stone Country cited Willie Nelson , Ray Price , Julie Miller , Patsy Cline , and Loretta Lynn as being other influences.” (Wikipedia)
• Sade. Musgraves has mentioned Sade as an influence. (also via Love Deluxe) “Noncountry artists whom Musgraves has mentioned as influences include Cher , Selena , [ 106 ] Ryan Adams , Cake , Neil Young , Weezer , Imogen Heap , Bee Gees , Sade , and Electric Light Orchestra .” (Wikipedia)
• Roger Miller. Musgraves listed Miller’s albums among influences on her sophomore album. (also via Golden Hits of Roger Miller) “Musgraves listed albums by Glen Campbell , Bobbie Gentry , Marty Robbins , Charley Pride , Merle Haggard , Roger Miller , and Jim Croce as influences on her sophomore album” (Wikipedia)
• Bee Gees. Musgraves has mentioned Bee Gees as an influence. (also via Saturday Night Fever) “Noncountry artists whom Musgraves has mentioned as influences include Cher , Selena , [ 106 ] Ryan Adams , Cake , Neil Young , Weezer , Imogen Heap , Bee Gees , Sade , and Electric Light Orchestra .” (Wikipedia)
• Cher. Musgraves has mentioned Cher as an influence. “Noncountry artists whom Musgraves has mentioned as influences include Cher , Selena , [ 106 ] Ryan Adams , Cake , Neil Young , Weezer , Imogen Heap , Bee Gees , Sade , and Electric Light Orchestra .” (Wikipedia)
• Ryan Adams. Musgraves has mentioned Adams as an influence. “Noncountry artists whom Musgraves has mentioned as influences include Cher , Selena , [ 106 ] Ryan Adams , Cake , Neil Young , Weezer , Imogen Heap , Bee Gees , Sade , and Electric Light Orchestra .” (Wikipedia)
• Lee Ann Womack. Musgraves names Womack as a childhood influence. “She lists Lee Ann Womack as one of her childhood influences: "Lee Ann Womack is from near where I grew up in East Texas , so I've always looked up to her."” (Wikipedia)
• Speak for Yourself by Imogen Heap (2005). Speak for Yourself (Imogen Heap) — culture for Kacey Musgraves “She's very present when you're talking to her and I just really love her so much." Noncountry artists whom Musgraves has mentioned as influences include Cher, Selena, Ryan Adams, Cake, Neil Young, Weezer, Imogen Heap, Bee Gees, Sade, and…” (en.wikipedia.org)
• Alison Krauss. Musgraves names Krauss as a career role model. “Musgraves lists Alison Krauss as one of her career role models, stating, "I mean, how many Grammys does she have? She's just remained solid and true and great, and I respect that".” (Wikipedia)
• Marty Robbins. Musgraves listed Robbins’s albums among influences on her sophomore album. “Musgraves listed albums by Glen Campbell , Bobbie Gentry , Marty Robbins , Charley Pride , Merle Haggard , Roger Miller , and Jim Croce as influences on her sophomore album” (Wikipedia)
• Neil Young. Musgraves has mentioned Young as an influence. “Noncountry artists whom Musgraves has mentioned as influences include Cher , Selena , [ 106 ] Ryan Adams , Cake , Neil Young , Weezer , Imogen Heap , Bee Gees , Sade , and Electric Light Orchestra .” (Wikipedia)
• Merle Haggard. Musgraves listed Haggard’s albums among influences on her sophomore album. “Musgraves listed albums by Glen Campbell , Bobbie Gentry , Marty Robbins , Charley Pride , Merle Haggard , Roger Miller , and Jim Croce as influences on her sophomore album” (Wikipedia)
• Julie Miller. The page identifies Miller as another influence on Musgraves. “an interview of hers with Rolling Stone Country cited Willie Nelson , Ray Price , Julie Miller , Patsy Cline , and Loretta Lynn as being other influences.” (Wikipedia)
• Cake (1991). Musgraves has mentioned Cake as an influence. “Noncountry artists whom Musgraves has mentioned as influences include Cher , Selena , [ 106 ] Ryan Adams , Cake , Neil Young , Weezer , Imogen Heap , Bee Gees , Sade , and Electric Light Orchestra .” (Wikipedia)
• Charley Pride. Musgraves listed Pride’s albums among influences on her sophomore album. “Musgraves listed albums by Glen Campbell , Bobbie Gentry , Marty Robbins , Charley Pride , Merle Haggard , Roger Miller , and Jim Croce as influences on her sophomore album” (Wikipedia)
• Love Deluxe by Sade (1992). Love Deluxe (Sade) — culture for Kacey Musgraves “She's very present when you're talking to her and I just really love her so much." Noncountry artists whom Musgraves has mentioned as influences include Cher, Selena, Ryan Adams, Cake, Neil Young, Weezer, Imogen Heap, Bee Gees, Sade, and…” (en.wikipedia.org)
• Ray Price. The page identifies Price as another influence on Musgraves. “an interview of hers with Rolling Stone Country cited Willie Nelson , Ray Price , Julie Miller , Patsy Cline , and Loretta Lynn as being other influences.” (Wikipedia)
• Jim Croce. Musgraves listed Croce’s albums among influences on her sophomore album. “Musgraves listed albums by Glen Campbell , Bobbie Gentry , Marty Robbins , Charley Pride , Merle Haggard , Roger Miller , and Jim Croce as influences on her sophomore album” (Wikipedia)
• Coat of Many Colors by Dolly Parton. Coat of Many Colors (Dolly Parton) — titan for Kacey Musgraves “In a Billboard interview, Musgraves said that she is a Dolly Parton fan, saying "Beauty, sex appeal, brains, wit, humor, beautiful songwriting, meaningful songwriting, no apologies for who she is, LGBTQ advocate long before it was even a…” (en.wikipedia.org)
• Patsy Cline. The page identifies Cline as another influence on Musgraves. “an interview of hers with Rolling Stone Country cited Willie Nelson , Ray Price , Julie Miller , Patsy Cline , and Loretta Lynn as being other influences.” (Wikipedia)
• Selena. Musgraves has mentioned Selena as an influence. “Noncountry artists whom Musgraves has mentioned as influences include Cher , Selena , [ 106 ] Ryan Adams , Cake , Neil Young , Weezer , Imogen Heap , Bee Gees , Sade , and Electric Light Orchestra .” (Wikipedia)
• John DeFoore. Musgraves took guitar lessons from DeFoore. “She first learned to play music on the mandolin , then at age 12 started taking guitar lessons from a local musician named John DeFoore, which she later described as "one of the most important things that ever happened to me."” (Wikipedia)
• Bobbie Gentry. Musgraves listed Gentry’s albums among influences on her sophomore album. “Musgraves listed albums by Glen Campbell , Bobbie Gentry , Marty Robbins , Charley Pride , Merle Haggard , Roger Miller , and Jim Croce as influences on her sophomore album” (Wikipedia)
• Loretta Lynn. The page identifies Lynn as another influence on Musgraves. “an interview of hers with Rolling Stone Country cited Willie Nelson , Ray Price , Julie Miller , Patsy Cline , and Loretta Lynn as being other influences.” (Wikipedia)
• Weezer. Musgraves has mentioned Weezer as an influence. “Noncountry artists whom Musgraves has mentioned as influences include Cher , Selena , [ 106 ] Ryan Adams , Cake , Neil Young , Weezer , Imogen Heap , Bee Gees , Sade , and Electric Light Orchestra .” (Wikipedia)
• Wichita Lineman by Glen Campbell (1968). Wichita Lineman (Glen Campbell) — titan for Kacey Musgraves “Musgraves listed albums by Glen Campbell, Bobbie Gentry, Marty Robbins, Charley Pride, Merle Haggard, Roger Miller, and Jim Croce as influences on her sophomore album and an interview of hers with Rolling Stone Country cited Willie Nelso…” (en.wikipedia.org)
• Electric Light Orchestra. Musgraves has mentioned Electric Light Orchestra as an influence. “Noncountry artists whom Musgraves has mentioned as influences include Cher , Selena , [ 106 ] Ryan Adams , Cake , Neil Young , Weezer , Imogen Heap , Bee Gees , Sade , and Electric Light Orchestra .” (Wikipedia)
• Saturday Night Fever by Bee Gees (1977). Saturday Night Fever (Bee Gees) — culture for Kacey Musgraves “She's very present when you're talking to her and I just really love her so much." Noncountry artists whom Musgraves has mentioned as influences include Cher, Selena, Ryan Adams, Cake, Neil Young, Weezer, Imogen Heap, Bee Gees, Sade, and…” (en.wikipedia.org)
• Golden Hits of Roger Miller by Roger Miller (1965). Golden Hits of Roger Miller (Roger Miller) — ghost for Kacey Musgraves “Musgraves listed albums by Glen Campbell, Bobbie Gentry, Marty Robbins, Charley Pride, Merle Haggard, Roger Miller, and Jim Croce as influences on her sophomore album and an interview of hers with Rolling Stone Country cited Willie Nelso…” (en.wikipedia.org)
• Nancy & Lee by Nancy Sinatra and Lee Hazlewood (1968). Nancy & Lee (Nancy Sinatra and Lee Hazlewood) — ghost for Kacey Musgraves

Peers and kindred spirits

• Noah Kahan. Musgraves collaborated with Kahan on “She Calls Me Back.” (also via She Calls Me Back) “On October 6, 2023, Musgraves collaborated with breakout artist Noah Kahan on a re-released version of the single "She Calls Me Back" from Kahan's album Stick Season .” (Wikipedia)
• Zach Bryan. Musgraves collaborated with Bryan on “I Remember Everything.” (also via I Remember Everything) “Musgraves collaborated with American country star Zach Bryan on the single " I Remember Everything " from his self-titled fourth studio album.” (Wikipedia)
• She Calls Me Back by Noah Kahan. Kahan describes inviting Musgraves to record a duet version of his song. “Having her sing on ‘She Calls Me Back’ is incredible, and being able to have her continue telling the story adds a whole new dimension to the song and what it means” (The Music Universe)
• I Remember Everything by Zach Bryan. Musgraves recalls agreeing to record Bryan’s song despite being ill. “One of the immediate highlights from Zach Bryan ‘s brand-new self-titled album is “I Remember Everything,” a somber duet with Kacey Musgraves .” (Rolling Stone)
• Montevallo by Sam Hunt (2014). Montevallo (Sam Hunt) — collaborator for Kacey Musgraves “He has written and produced songs for Walker Hayes, Kacey Musgraves, Kelly Clarkson, Sam Hunt, Kenny Chesney, Reba McEntire, Jake Owen, Luke Bryan, The Band Perry, Lady A, Keith Urban, Thomas Rhett, Brothers Osborne, Old Dominion, Dierks…” (en.wikipedia.org)
• Walker Hayes (1979). Same Trailer Different Park (Kacey Musgraves) — collaborator for Walker Hayes (via Same Trailer Different Park, Golden Hour) “He also won "Best Country Album" and "Best Country Song" at the 2014 Grammy Awards for his work on Kacey Musgraves's Same Trailer Different Park.” (en.wikipedia.org)
• Josh Abbott Band. Musgraves collaborated with the band on “Oh, Tonight.” “She collaborated with the Josh Abbott Band in 2010 on the song "Oh, Tonight".” (Wikipedia)
• Three Little Birds by Bob Marley and the Wailers. A contemporaneous concert report documents Musgraves covering the song. “To close out the show, Musgraves delivered a rendition of Bob Marley and the Wailers' “Three Little Birds.”” (Rolling Stone)
• All Is Found. Musgraves recorded a cover of the song for Frozen II. “In October 2019, Musgraves revealed that she would cover the song "All Is Found" for Frozen II .” (Wikipedia)
• See You Again by Miley Cyrus. Musgraves recorded an acoustic cover of Cyrus’s song. “Musgraves' two acoustic recordings for Triple Pop (covers of OneRepublic 's " Apologize " and Miley Cyrus ' " See You Again ") are available on a digital EP released in 2012.” (Wikipedia)
• Miguel (1985). Musgraves featured on a remix of Miguel’s single. “Musgraves was featured on a remix of Miguel 's single "Waves", released on February 26, 2016.” (Wikipedia)
• High Society by The Silver Seas (2007). High Society (The Silver Seas) — collaborator for Kacey Musgraves “His first album was produced by T Bone Burnett, and he also started a band called The Silver Seas (originally called the Bees) in 1999.” (en.wikipedia.org)
• Miranda Lambert. Musgraves co-wrote and sang harmony on Lambert’s single. “Musgraves co-wrote Miranda Lambert 's 2013 single " Mama's Broken Heart " and sang harmony on the song.” (Wikipedia)
• Apologize by OneRepublic. Musgraves recorded an acoustic cover of OneRepublic’s song. “Musgraves' two acoustic recordings for Triple Pop (covers of OneRepublic 's " Apologize " and Miley Cyrus ' " See You Again ") are available on a digital EP released in 2012.” (Wikipedia)
• The Flaming Lips. Musgraves sang on several Flaming Lips recordings. “On May 29, 2020, Musgraves was featured on The Flaming Lips single "Flowers of Neptune 6" [ 78 ] and also provided vocals on two additional tracks ("Watch the Lightbugs Glow" and "God and the Policeman") on their album American Head” (Wikipedia)
• The Wurlitzer Prize by Waylon Jennings. Musgraves performed Jennings’s song. “During the broadcast, Musgraves performed Jennings' song " The Wurlitzer Prize ".” (Wikipedia)
• These Boots Are Made for Walkin' by Nancy Sinatra. Musgraves and Carpenter sang a cover of the Sinatra song. “On August 10, 2024, Musgraves and Sabrina Carpenter were in a duet singing a cover of Nancy Sinatra 's " These Boots are Made for Walkin' " during Carpenter's headline set at the Outside Lands Festival in San Francisco.” (Wikipedia)
• Red Headed Stranger by Willie Nelson (1975). Red Headed Stranger (Willie Nelson) — geography for Kacey Musgraves “Musgraves joined Katy Perry on the North American leg of her Prismatic World Tour as well as Willie Nelson and Alison Krauss on select dates during their tour.” (en.wikipedia.org)
• 12 Stories by Brandy Clark (2013). 12 Stories (Brandy Clark) — collaborator for Kacey Musgraves “Her songs have been recorded by Sheryl Crow, Miranda Lambert, The Band Perry, Reba McEntire, LeAnn Rimes, Billy Currington, Darius Rucker, and Kacey Musgraves.” (en.wikipedia.org)
• Luke Laird. Laird co-produced the album. (via Same Trailer Different Park) “The song is included on her major-label debut album Same Trailer Different Park , produced and co-written by Musgraves, Shane McAnally and Luke Laird and released on March 19, 2013.” (Wikipedia)
• Shane McAnally. McAnally co-produced the album. (via Same Trailer Different Park) “The song is included on her major-label debut album Same Trailer Different Park , produced and co-written by Musgraves, Shane McAnally and Luke Laird and released on March 19, 2013.” (Wikipedia)
• Harry Styles. Golden Hour (Kacey Musgraves) — peer for Harry Styles (via Golden Hour) “Through June and July, Musgraves was the opening act on the second North American leg of Harry Styles: Live on Tour.” (en.wikipedia.org)
• Metamodern Sounds in Country Music by Sturgill Simpson (2014). Metamodern Sounds in Country Music (Sturgill Simpson) — peer for Kacey Musgraves (musicbrainz.org)
• By the Way, I Forgive You by Brandi Carlile (2018). By the Way, I Forgive You (Brandi Carlile) — peer for Kacey Musgraves (musicbrainz.org)
• Like a Rose by Ashley Monroe (2013). Like a Rose (Ashley Monroe) — peer for Kacey Musgraves (musicbrainz.org)
• Live at the Old Quarter, Houston, Texas by Townes Van Zandt (1977). Live at the Old Quarter, Houston, Texas (Townes Van Zandt) — geography for Kacey Musgraves (musicbrainz.org)
• Dan + Shay by Dan + Shay (2012). Same Trailer Different Park (Kacey Musgraves) — collaborator for Dan + Shay (via Same Trailer Different Park) (musicbrainz.org)
• Viva Terlingua by Jerry Jeff Walker (1973). Viva Terlingua (Jerry Jeff Walker) — geography for Kacey Musgraves

Who Kacey Musgraves influenced

• Ezra Koenig. Koenig cites Kacey Musgraves' songwriting as a direct influence on their fourth album. “I'm the type of person who has spent hours poring over the avant-garde poetic lyrics of certain songwriters, and there was something that felt so good [about Musgraves' songs and how] from the first verse, you knew who was singing” (Wikipedia)
• GIRL by Maren Morris (2019). GIRL (Maren Morris) — legacy for Kacey Musgraves “Kacey Musgraves, whom Morris had met on the Texas music scene and lived in Nashville, encouraged Morris to also move to Nashville.” (en.wikipedia.org)
• Raised by Hailey Whitters (2022). Raised (Hailey Whitters) — legacy for Kacey Musgraves (musicbrainz.org)