LEWISBURG, WV (WOAY) – Zoe Jean Fowler has fond memories of growing up at the West Virginia State Fair.
The Nashville singer-songwriter says it means so much to continue her family’s 40-year legacy in a place they all love.
“Grandma and my aunt ran a fair stand called the ‘Three Little Pigs’ for almost 40 years,” Fowler said. “So being here, being able to play my music for them when they made this such a special experience for me as a kid is amazing.”
The singer-songwriter says taking center stage at the State Fair she wanted to give people an experience and some good downhome country music — playing classic songs, her songs and unreleased songs coming out later this year.
“For the past three years I’ve been making country music in Nashville, released an album within six months of going there, which gathered over 200,000 streams,” said Fowler. “So we kind of got shotput into the country music scene there. And we’ve just been kind of cutting our teeth all over town ever since.”
While country music as a genre is expanding, the singer-songwriter says classic country roots are valuable and something we should hold onto. Through social media, you can now pave your path.
“And pave your own lane in a new way now, which my music leans toward (country pop),” she said. “So it’s something I really enjoy — kind of the cross-genre.”
Fowler cites Kacey Musgraves as a major inspiration, along with Kelsea Ballerini and Maren Morris.
“And I’m listening to the new and up-and-coming artists in Nashville, girls like Lauren Watkins, Carter Faith,” she said. “There’s some really incredible female voices coming out of country music right now, and I always gravitate to that.”
According to the singer-songwriter, her music (including) the new ‘Cry Baby’ album and singles: ‘The Long Haul’ and ‘Better Woman’ may induce both dancing and tears. She couldn’t be happier to take center stage at the West Virginia State Fair.
“It’s an honor to be coming back to a place that means so much to me and my family,” Fowler said. “It’s a really exciting, full-circle moment you don’t get to do every day.”
