Annie Bosko is making serious waves in Nashville. Her Top 40 duet with Joe Nichols, “Better Than You,” is rapidly climbing Country radio charts, she’s set to perform at Stagecoach this Saturday, and her debut album is slated for release later this year. Even before all this, she’s toured alongside major country stars including Tim McGraw, written songs recorded by Willie Nelson and Jessica Simpson, and made her debut on “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” with her hit tune, “Neon Baby.”
Now, with the release of her latest single, “California Cowgirl,” Bosko is embracing her West Coast roots with bold authenticity. Co-written by Bosko, Jason Sellers, Lance Miller, and Terri Jo Box, the song reflects her distinct upbringing in the heart of California’s agricultural country.
We caught up with her about the song and her rise to success.
LL: “California Cowgirl” dives into your rural roots. What was it like growing up on a farm in California?
AB: It’s not the typical California upbringing you might imagine. It was actually more rural than when I moved to Nashville. We got to ride horses – my uncle was a rodeo cowboy and my dad was a third-generation farmer, and that definitely played into how I was raised. I spent a lot of time outdoors, which you’re able to do in California, going trail riding on weekends and working at the corn stand. It was a really lucky upbringing.
LL: What did your family grow?
AB: They grew real crops, mainly vegetables: onions, lettuce, radishes, carrots, artichokes, celery, cilantro, parsley – all the vegetables. They also grew strawberries, though they no longer do.
LL: Tell us more about your upcoming album!
AB: I think it tells the story of who I am, which is really important in anyone’s artist career. For so long, I almost hid that I was from California because I thought being from California meant I wasn’t country, or at least that’s how people perceived it. I was quiet about it or tried to hide it for a while.
The older I’ve gotten, the more proud I am of it. That’s what makes me different. I’ve been really leaning into the music from California, everything from Dwight Yoakam to Buck Owens and Merle Haggard – some of the greats. I’d put Merle up there as one of the all-time greats of country music, and he was from California.
That being said, I’m proud of how I was raised. I’m one of five kids. We went to church every Sunday. My mom made dinner for us every night. We prayed before every meal. I come from a background built on the foundation of family, faith, and hard work. I mean, I’ve never seen anyone work harder than my grandpa who started the family farm. He was farming three days a week until he was 92. Even my dad still wakes up at 4:45 every morning. When you come from that world, working hard is just hardwired into you.
LL: There’s country and rural in every state in America. It’s something I feel like people don’t realize.
AB: Totally. Even if people grew up in a city, that way of life can call to your heart and become part of your soul. I know a bull rider from the Bronx, and one of my favorite Western photographers, David Stoecklein, was from Philly. He grew up in a city but loved the West and Western photography, so he traveled the world following cowboys. That way of life speaks to people, even those who didn’t grow up in the country.
LL: Well you bring up bull-riding…you made your Radio Houston debut this year. I know how massive a deal that is. What was that performance like and how was it different from your normal shows?
AB: Houston Rodeo was really unbelievable – it’s hard to put into words. It’s one of the king of rodeos. There are a few that are huge – I got to sing at the NFR, which was unbelievable too. Houston Rodeo is unique, because there’s a mega concert every night for 21 nights.
I even sang at the barbecue contest, which had thousands of people – it was insane with thousands of tents and amazing barbecue. It was surreal to be in that arena and sing in front of all those people. They filmed it and played it every night.
I love singing patriotic songs. I grew up very patriotic with a family proud to be American. My grandpa was a Croatian immigrant who really lived the American dream. Before he passed, he asked me to sing “God Bless America” at his funeral. It was important to him since he was so proud to be American. That’s been ingrained in me, so whenever I’m asked to sing the national anthem, I do it. It’s always a great honor.
LL: You’ve had collaborations with legends like Dwight Yoakam, Vince Gill, and Joe Nichols. What have you learned from working with these artists, and how has it shaped your approach to your upcoming album or the music you put out?
AB: Anytime you get to be around one of the greats, it’s always a huge learning lesson. Dwight is an enigma – a really enigmatic force. I’ve never met someone more intelligent than him. He’s an encyclopedia of music – you’ve never met someone who knows more about music, and it’s fascinating.
What I’ve gotten to know about him is that he’s got a great heart. He and his wife have been so sweet and supportive to me throughout my career. I’m really grateful for that. Getting to know one of your heroes has been a huge honor, and for them to support you and bring you out to play shows has been awesome.
Joe Nichols has one of the greatest voices ever in country music. He’s a perfectionist like me, so I appreciate that. I recorded that vocal like three times just to get it right. It wasn’t so much about perfecting it as capturing the emotion, and I love how that was important to Joe. He’s a perfectionist who knows what he wants.
We both knew this was a special song and wanted to make sure it was great and that the emotion was being conveyed.
LL: How would you describe how your sound fits in today’s country music landscape?
AB: I don’t know that it does fit in [Laughs] I’m starting to think it doesn’t! I was raised on ’90s country and old-school country, so that’s just what my heart wants to make. Maybe it’s not the most “in” thing, but I think with artists like Cody Johnson and Zach Top, there’s a lot of real country coming out that resembles the country music that encouraged me to move to Nashville.
At the end of the day, you have to do what’s in your heart. If you don’t, you’re not doing justice to yourself. Maybe that’s the only way to actually be different – to play off the things you love instead of trying to fit into what’s currently popular.
LL: With the album in the works now, what can fans expect from this collection of songs that they might not have heard in your previous releases?
AB: There’s more of a Western play on it, in terms of the music and production. Even in tiny details like the way the steel sounds – the lap steel. Those small details are important in making something sonically different.
There’s also maybe a bit more fearlessness in saying, “This is who I am.” Before, there was music that came out that anyone could have recorded. Now, I feel like there’s stuff coming out where I don’t know who else would sing “California Cowgirl.” Love it or hate it, it’s different, and it’s me.
Listen to “California Cowgirl” below, and catch Annie at one of her live shows here!