Runaway June Talks Reality TV, Family, Dixie Chicks and Other Musical Influences

Runaway June Talks Reality TV, Family, Dixie Chicks and Other Musical Influences

Lisa chats with Runaway June about their very different origins, how they came together as a trio in Nashville, Jennifer’s famous grandfather John Wayne, Naomi’s happy Amish childhood, Hannah’s vegetarian cooking website, The Poor Herbivore, songwriting with Eric Paslay and more!

Show Participants

  • Runaway June
    • Naomi Cooke, lead singer and guitar
    • Hannah Mulholland, singer and mandolin
    • Jennifer Wayne, singer and guitar
  • Lisa Konicki, NCD Editor in Chief

Show Notes & Links

Show Quotes

  • “It was [about] midnight and I remember thinking, ‘We must be the only people on Music Row writing right now.’ And “She Don’t Love You” turned out to be nominated for a 2016 ACM Awards Song of the Year. I still can’t get over all of the response it got.” Jennifer Wayne
  • “My dad was a huge John Wayne fan, so I grew up watching John Wayne movies. It was always a special thing. He was always sacred to me. So, when I met Jen, I was like, ‘What is my life right now?’” Naomi Cooke
  • “It’s called ‘The Poor Herbivore’ for broke vegetarians, because people think it’s expensive [to be a vegetarian].” Hannah Mulholland
  • “All I’ve heard is good things about pit bulls. How sweet they are.” Lisa Konicki
  • “They’re like humans. They’re just, ugh. I have a special place in my heart for [pit bulls].” Jennifer Wayne
  • “Don’t go there, Lisa. Don’t take the bait!” Naomi Cooke
  • “I think initially I wanted to be a rock star. Then the more I got involved in songwriting and telling my own story in songwriting, country was the only thing that felt right for me.” Hannah Mulholland
  • “There were so many stories that I related to and artists that I related to. I felt immediately at home when I started listening to the music. Dolly Parton had a lot of siblings. Shania Twain grew up really poor and had to take care of her siblings. I felt like my identity was there.” Naomi Cooke
  • “It’s always been country for me. I mean, I love all music but it’s always been country. My dad wouldn’t let me listen to anything except oldies when I was growing up, because everything else was devil music. So, I really transitioned from oldies to country and I feel like, if you listen to oldies now, it would be what country is.” Jennifer Wayne
  • “We can’t say, ‘We sound like the Dixie Chicks,’ because they are way too sacred to say that.” Hannah Mulholland

The Writers Room, Ep. 20, 32 minutes
photo courtesy Red Light Management; (Clockwise from top-left) Jennifer Wayne, Hannah Mulholland and Naomi Cooke

Playlist