A Dirty Dozen with EMERALD BUTLER – April 2026

Photo credit: Rachel McIntyre Smith

According to a recent press release: “Since her guitar-strumming grandfather suggested that she start taking fiddle lessons, Emerald Butler has been fiddling on the tops of bars, tables, and stages, engaging audiences with lively and passionate performances. Cultivated by the Chattanooga mountain music scene, Emerald began fiddling with local bands and pickers at the age of 12. However, it wasn’t until she saw the Johnny Cash biopic, Walk The Line, that her passion for classic country, rockabilly, and Americana music became clear.” We get Emerald to discuss new music, influences, and more…

1. Tell us a little about your latest release.  What might a fan or listener not grab the first or second time they listen through?  Are there any hidden nuggets you put in the material or that only diehard fans might find?

My new single, “You’ve Got Nothing Over Me,” was recorded at the legendary Sun Studio in Memphis, Tennessee. I wrote the song when I was a teenager. I was trying to get through a period of my life where I was experiencing some bullying and rejection. The song is basically me telling off the people who excluded me, but in a sassy kind of way. I think the nuggets in this single are really the musical tributes to the early Sun Records recordings. If you’re a Sun Records nerd like I am, you’ll hear styles and sounds that are straight out of Sun. Literally. If listeners aren’t as familiar with the sound of Sun Records, they might not get it until after listening through a few times.

2. What got you into music, and can you tell us about the moment you realized you wanted to be a musician?

I started taking fiddle lessons when I was about seven or eight years old. My papaw Butler played rhythm guitar, and my dad grew up listening to him backing up fiddlers. My parents wanted to provide me with an opportunity to try to learn an instrument, so they ended up getting me fiddle lessons. I started with “fiddle lessons” rather than “violin lessons,” but, a few years later, I switched to classical violin lessons. Well, I didn’t like that, so I just quit. When I was about 12 years old, I started taking fiddle lessons again and really started enjoying it. I wanted to play country and bluegrass music. Not long after that, I saw the Johnny Cash biopic, Walk The Line, and I immediately fell in love with traditional country and rockabilly music. I loved the music, the fashion, and the whole vibe of the ’50s and ’60s. I would read any book about Johnny Cash or other country artists that I could get my hands on. I loved the history and stories. I quickly discovered my love for putting on a show, and it became about more than just the music for me; it was about entertaining people.

3. Building on that, is there a specific song, album, performer, or live show that guided your musical taste?

I think that it definitely started with Elvis and then Johnny Cash. My mom had a few of Elvis’s Christmas albums that we would play every year, so I think that was the beginning of my journey. I also watched this show as a kid called Kidsongs, and they had an episode where they performed oldies but goodies from the ’50s and ’60s. Songs like “Personality” and “See You Later Alligator.” Then came the Johnny Cash biopic, and I loved everything Johnny Cash. Then there was a local classic country radio station that I discovered, and I began to listen to artists like Patsy Cline, Loretta Lynn, Merle Haggard, and more. It’s hard to pin it all on just one album or performer. I’ve been guided by multiple influences.

4. If you could call in any one collaborator to do a song with, who would it be, and why?

I would call in Marty Stuart to do a song with. Marty Stuart is my living hero. He is an incredible artist, musician, storyteller, and historian. To me, he’s just so freaking cool, and I’d like to think that he would see my love for the music and history of it. Plus, we both have beautiful hair. Sounds like a good match to me.

5. What is your favorite activity when out of the studio and/or not on tour? What do you like to do to unwind?

Oooh, that’s a good question. I like to wake up while it’s still kind of dark outside, fix a cup of black coffee, journal, and have some reflection time. Then, I want to go on an adventure with loved ones. Sometimes that looks like wandering around an instrument store, going to a museum, or just having dinner and eating good food. I really value having some quiet and quality time. That’s what I like to do to unwind.

6. How would you describe your music to someone who’d never listened to you before? What is the one comparison a reviewer or fan has made that made you cringe or you disagreed with?

I would probably describe my music as Americana with a traditional country and rockabilly fiddle flair. Elvis Presley and Bob Wills morphed with the Highwomen. I was at a Christmas karaoke party singing “I Fall To Pieces,” and, right after, a lady told me that I reminded her of k.d. lang. I didn’t know who that was at the time. I looked her up, and was kind of like “Naaaaah,” but, years later, I can kind of see where she got that. I remember my dad not liking that comparison, though.

7. When your band is hanging out together, who cooks, who gets the drinks in, and who is first to crack out the acoustic guitars for a singalong?

I’m the one who cooks. I like making peach cobbler for my band when they come over for a rehearsal. I learned hospitality from my mamma. I think that hospitality is her artistic talent. As far as the sing-along, I think that kind of depends. Unfortunately, I don’t feel like I really get to hang out a whole lot with my band. Usually, it seems like it’s all down to business. Having that hang and camaraderie is something that I’ve always wanted, though. It’s just felt hard for me to find and hang onto, unfortunately. I hope that changes soon.

8. When was the last time you were starstruck, and who was it?

I think the last time that I was starstruck was the night of the Sun recording session. Chris Scruggs, grandson of banjo pioneer, Earl Scruggs, had popped into the studio with his son after performing a show as the bass player for Marty Stuart and His Fabulous Superlatives. Towards the end of the session, the studio manager told me that she had a couple of friends stopping by for just a few minutes. I figured that they were probably just some college buddies. My band and I were looking around the gift shop when in came Chris. I couldn’t have seen that coming. I asked him how Marty Stuart does his hair. I facepalm every time I recall this. Although it probably wasn’t that bad, because I’ve actually been taking some steel guitar lessons from Chris Scruggs. So I don’t think he’s totally written me off as crazy, ha ha.

9. What is the best part of being a musician? If you could no longer be a musician for whatever reason, what would be your dream job?

I feel like the best part of being a musician is the opportunity to entertain people, and the special moments when you get to connect with people. If I could no longer be a musician, I would love to be a historian and archivist at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum. I truly love the history of this music. I want to preserve it and tell people stories that come from it.

10. What is one question you have always wanted an interviewer to ask – and what is the answer? Conversely, what question are you tired of answering?

I think that right now I would like someone to ask me more in-depth questions about specific lines of my songs, my performances, and me as a person in general. I want to know that they really listened to the music and got curious about it. I would like someone to try to dig in deep. My answer would just depend on which song and lyric. I know you have to start with the general picture of things, but I’d like for someone to look a little closer to figure out what colors or brush strokes I used and why. A lot of good music is simple, but there’s usually a lot of complexity underneath the simple words if you look hard enough.

11. Looking back over your career, is there a single moment or situation you feel was a misstep or you would like to have a “do over,” even if it didn’t change your current situation?

Yes, there are times that I would like to have some “do-overs.” I think that time teaches you things, but it’s probably not very productive to keep thinking about what I could have done differently. Instead, I think it’s better to think about what I can do differently presently. I appreciate the question, however.

12. If you could magically go back in time and be a part of the recording sessions for any one record in history, which would you choose – and what does that record mean to you?

I think that I would probably want to go back in time to the recording session of “That’s Alright” at Sun Studio with Elvis Presley, Scotty Moore, Bill Black, and Sam Phillips. That’s one of those random days that led to a world-changing explosion that nobody knew was coming. That’s what would help combine country music and rhythm and blues on a whole new level. I would also like to see what Elvis was like before his fame. I’d love to ask Sam Phillips questions and just listen to him talk. I’d love to get Scotty Moore to show me some guitar licks, and I would love to be cutting up and acting a fool with Bill Black. Adding a Coca-Cola to all that would be really nice, too.

EMERALD BUTLER LINKS:

OFFICIAL SITE

FACEBOOK

INSTAGRAM

Category: Interviews