Jenny Tolman Says Clothes Come Second Only To Music!

Jenny Tolman is quite possibly the next Emmy Lou Harris! She says the clothes she gets to wear on stage come second only to her music.

“I was born and raised in Nashville, TN, as my dad moved to Nashville in the 80’s as a singer in a group called The Indian River Boys. They sang on Garth Brooks’ No Fences album on the track “Wolves.” So, I was very lucky to grow up around the music business. I’ve sang since before I can remember, started playing piano by ear when I was three, and enjoyed writing short stories when I was in elementary/middle school. It all kind of came together when I turned 16 and got a guitar for my birthday. I realized that I could combine everything I loved about music and writing and call myself a singer/songwriter – a country music artist. Ever since then, a light bulb turned on for me, and it hasn’t flickered once! Being an artist is all I’ve ever wanted to do, and all I ever will do. I remember hearing “We Danced” by Brad Paisley when I was around 5 on the way home from dance class. I said to my mom, “I love country music, because it tells a story,” so I guess that love has always been instilled in me.

“Now, I’m in the process of recording my very first album, produced by Grammy nominated Dave Brainard. I have written or co-written all of the songs, so they all have a special story to tell from my heart. I love making people laugh, so there’s a lot of humor too. Some of my favorite writers/artists include Shel Silverstein, Roger Miller, Lee Ann Womack, and Dolly Parton. They all do such an amazing job at telling stories that can be both humorous, yet enlightening. That’s one of the cool things about country music to me, that it has always been rooted in high-level thought and storytelling while being expressed in the most relatable communication.

“One of the best things about being a country artist is the clothes! I’m all about rhinestones and fringe. I’ve gotten to turn a couple of my dad’s old pieces from the 80’s into outfits that I now wear on stage – he had a royal blue rhinestone suit and a denim fringe jacket that we completely reworked and tailored for me. It’s very special to have a piece of him up on stage with me. Plus, I think the clothes bring out a whole other level of my persona when I put them on; it’s really fun!

“In 2018, I got to experience some really awesome things, such as having my music videos premiere on CMT and go to No.1, open for some of my heroes (Lee Ann Womack & Sunny Sweeney), and go on tour for the first time with Adam Hood. A couple of my favorite places to tour were Texas and Oklahoma because they had some of the best two-steppers I’ve ever seen. It’s such an amazing feeling to watch people experience your music in different areas of the country, and I loved getting to meet everyone as well. This year, I am really looking forward to putting out my new music, and getting to tour even more. There’s so much I am grateful for, and I can’t wait to experience what’s to come.

Want more awesome country music? You’ll love Jenna Paulette!