Christian Singer Songwriter Lady Redneck is Keepin’ it Real in this Exclusive One-on-One
Stephanie “Lady Redneck” Lee hails from Dallas, Texas, and has been captivating audiences with her unique blend of humor, heart, and genuine storytelling. Born in Blackfoot, Idaho, and raised in the tiny town of Howe, Stephanie moved to Idaho Falls before junior high. Growing up in a musical family, she played in the family band, Dusty Boots, performing all over the Northwest and selling 40,000 CDs during their career. She is proficient in guitar, piano, bass, fiddle, mandolin, and drums.
Now, carving out her own path, Stephanie has earned the respect of fans and critics alike with her solo releases. Her single, “I Dented Your Truck,” reached the top of the international iTunes country songs chart, and “Pray for Peace” hit #1 on the UK iTunes Christian music chart. Her most recent album, “God so Loved the World,” released in December 2023, continues to showcase her shift towards Christian-based music. Her last single, “3 Days,” also topped the UK iTunes Christian Songs chart and the Saudi Arabia Spotify charts, and it made it to the first ballot of this year’s Dove Awards!
Can you tell us a little bit about your journey in the music industry and how you got started in Christian country music?
I would love to! I’ve performed and written music all my life. I love all genres, but country always resonated with me, my beliefs and personality.
I think we can all agree 2020 wasn’t the best year, and I’m not sure it brought out the best in me. I started feeling more anger and contention than I had ever felt. By December, I went into a deep evaluation of my soul and by the end of the month, I knew I wanted to bring more light and love into the world… I wanted to share His message and His love.
When I would sit down to write, Christian songs just poured out of me, so now I do a mixture of both.
Your new album “God So Loved The World” released in December, can you give us a peek into what listeners can expect from it?
My heart and soul… The album begins with a song I wrote called, “After The Rain, You’ll Find the Son.” This song talks about how when we go through trials, if we choose not to become bitter but turn to Him, we will find the “Son,” meaning the Son of God. The 3 verses in that song specifically are feelings I felt during 3 very big trials in my life so it’s very personal. The other songs are the same way. Two of the songs I had written a few years earlier. They were “It’s His Fight Too” and talked about a time when my husband and I lost everything and how He carried us through those trials.
Christian Singer Songwriter Lady Redneck is Keepin’ it Real in this Exclusive One-on-One
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The song “Tender Mercy” was about a time when for the first time in my life I felt I had lost hope and really understood how important hope was, then later realized that when I thought He wasn’t there – He had truly been with me every step of the way.
So, yeah, the songs are really personal. As I wrote them, I would always pray about what to write about- what this world needed – and “His love” was always part of the answer.
You’ve had multiple #1 hits on the UK iTunes Christian/Gospel Songs chart, what do you think sets your music apart from others in the industry?
That’s a good question. I would say, “because It’s real.” I’m not just going along with an algorithm that makes a hit song. I’m writing from the soul. It’s not that I don’t want a hit song ☹, because I definitely do – but if you can’t feel it, that’s a problem for me.
Your music is often described as relatable and honest. How important is it for you to connect with your audience on a personal level through your music?
I love hearing that and it truly makes me happy. It’s SO IMPORTANT. Especially with AI taking over the way it is. When Chat GPT came out, I jumped on there and asked it to write me a song, gave it a subject, told it I wanted 3 verses and a chorus – gave it specific parameters and it wrote a pretty good song! But it wasn’t REAL….Ya know?
There’s something about truth. Truth resonates in our soul. When the singer feels the song, the listeners feel it. When a songwriter writes a song and it’s true, I believe we feel it. It’s important for me to connect that way with my listeners. I don’t want to sound like everyone else. I don’t want to be like everyone else. I want to be me… the good, the bad, and the ugly part of me – and if they can love me like that, I can love them like that!
Don’t we all want to be accepted and loved for who we truly are? I think that’s one of Christ’s greatest teachings.
In addition to your music, you are also an entrepreneur. How do you balance your music career with your other business ventures?
I’ve been doing a little more business lately than I’d like. Since my hearing accident, it’s made me a little insecure and I haven’t been performing as much as I have wanted to. I’m in the process of getting this figured out so plan on doing a LOT of music in the near future… But it’s a good question. Especially since when I turn on my business side of my brain, It’s quite different from my artistic side – so I have to do one or the other. I love doing business, not as much as music, but it’s so fun for me.
As far as balance, it all goes back to my goals. I am one of those people who write them all out and read them every day. Then I just work with the end in mind… what do I need to work on today, business or music?
Your song “Pray for Peace” received a nomination for “Christian Songwriter of the Year” at the Josie Music Awards. How did it feel to be recognized for your songwriting talents?
Very good! I remember releasing my FIRST song I had written, wondering if anyone would like it. Songwriting is so intimate. You truly share so much of who you are. I think if someone were to sit down and listen to all my CDs, they would pretty much know exactly who I am. My father is a songwriter and I grew up loving his songs. I still do. My mind thinks in song format, so it’s very natural to me.
What inspired you to write the title track “God So Loved The World” and what message do you hope to convey through it?
When I wrote it, it wasn’t “God So Loved The World.” It was about asking, and you shall receive; seek and ye shall find; knock and it shall be opened unto you. It was a great song, but the night before I was supposed to go to the studio, God put different words in my heart, and I changed it that night. Then while driving there the following morning, He gave me more changes! When I got there, I wasn’t as confident with the song because of all the last-minute changes and it made me rely on Him and make sure I shared the message He wanted me to share. I loved how it turned out and love the fact that the spirit instructed me what needed to be said in that song. That one wasn’t mine…
You have a strong faith and it shines through in your music. How do you stay true to your beliefs and values in an industry that can be challenging at times?
It is challenging and thanks for saying that! It’s easy for me to stay true to my faith in God, even though I had never had a true hater until I became a Christian singer, and it was from a Christian so that was sad and weird for me. My faith and love for my Savior is a ROCK. The harder part, for me, is being modest and keeping my values. I’ll see other ladies showing some skin and they get a lot of views and attention for that! I’m not that girl and I don’t necessarily want to be – but maybe sometimes something inside of me does just a little… (one of my weaknesses).
What has been the biggest challenge you’ve faced in your music career so far, and how did you overcome it?
Losing a lot of my hearing 2 years ago. It rocked my world. I was at an outside shooting range and someone shot a large gun when I didn’t have my hearing protection on, and I immediately couldn’t hear. I thought it would probably come back in a couple hours or the following day, like when you go to a loud concert – but it never did. With music being my life: teaching, singing, performing, etc… it was devastating. I was able to continue teaching, because I could “feel” the vibrations and pitches. I did a few live shows but because of insecurities have done mostly recorded music since. I’m working in a solution for this now and hope to have it resolved soon.
In the meantime, I will continue putting out more music and growing my fan base, so when I’m ready – I can START DOING MORE SHOWS!!
What advice would you give to aspiring Christian artists and entrepreneurs looking to break into the industry?
Be real. Pray before every show, everything you write, and everything you do. Trust Him. If you look at it like you’re “an instrument in His hands” to share His message and His love – it makes even your weaknesses become strong in Him. Don’t wait until everything is perfect, and the stars line up.
Start now! I see people all the time who are waiting for ___ (insert excuse here) and then it never happens. God needs you NOW. He needs you to share His message, His love and to touch hearts. Do it for Him and do it now. Vist Lady Redneck at www.ladyredneckmusic.com
