"The Rodeo Queen" ©

The story — in my words

I wrote this after watching a pre-dawn workout at a dusty arena in outside of Fort Worth. I was struck by the incredible contrast of the life—the way these women are absolute mechanics of their craft, covered in grease and hay one minute, then stepping out under the lights in hand-stitched sequins the next. I wanted to capture that 'high-tensile wire' energy. We cut this in Nashville with a driving rhythm section to match that heavy drumming of the grandstands. It’s a tribute to the unseen labor, the calloused hands, and the sheer elegance it takes to turn a dusty circle into a stage. She’s not just a performer; she’s the gears, the engine, and the spark that makes the whole machinery of the West hum.