A little California sunshine finds its light among the skyline of Nashville with LA’s Honey County. But don’t be fooled by the West Coast vibes from this duo. Because Dani Rose and Sofie Lynn are as southern as it gets. Thanks to a little grit from country twang and dreamy pop harmonies, these rootsy stars are just as diverse. But before we jump ahead on the roadmap where these two worlds meet, lets head to the Bible Belt where our two muses began their career as individual artists.
Originally a three-piece band, Virginia native Rose came to the sunny side of LA to pursue what many others have sought before. A career in a business where so few truly succeed. But former Texas nursing student, Lynn, was just as driven to her dreams as Rose. The familiar sounds country music, which had been heavily rooted in both of their upbringings, gravitated the artists together. Alongside Venezuelan born and guitarist extraordinaire, Tracy Lambertucci, the three banded together to thrive in their scene better. Since their debut in 2014, Honey County has intrinsically formed the SoCal pop sounds to the swagger of country that’s brought acclaim. With some help from a couple tv shows and a contest. After entering their song, “Blood From A Stone”, on the popular series, True Blood, the band gained instant praise from a national audience. Their appeal landed them a spot in VH1’s Make A Band Famous, with them getting as far as the semifinals. But their story proves you don’t always have to a winner of a reality series to make it big.
Following their widespread attention from millions, Honey County released the single “99 Bottles” which picked up steam for their career. The single gained numerous airplays from their loyal fans in California and national broadcast on CMT. Critics and artists began noting the comparisons from the female singers to other respected vocalists. Lynn, in particular, is transparent in her admiration for Carrie Underwood. “I remember watching her win American Idol”, she says, “and telling my mom I wanted to be just like her.” The obvious inspiration is reflected in their tone as the experts would say, “there is a distinct comparison between their voices and Underwood’s.” The high acclaim placed the trio in touring openers for Lady A and Old Dominion with other prolific gigs at CMA Fest.
But even after the last few years of cultivating an identity as the new women of country, their stagnant rise was met with Lambertucci focusing on her own work. Her pursuit of a solo career left many speculating whether Rose and Lynn would follow suit. Instead of abandoning Honey County, they led a new chapter on being writers of the next generation. 2019’s “Country Strong” showed how the group isn’t just dedicated, they’re relatable. The tribute piece to the victims of the 2017 Route 91 Harvest Festival was praised for being daunting and uplifting. As the trio stated, “They wanted a song to dance to, and they wanted to do a tribute to the survivors and uplift the country community”. But their inspiration to others didn’t stop there as women of every age found new reasons to root for them in the track “Got It From My Mama”. Empowerment has always been prevalent in their lives and career as the duo owe it all to their mothers. This strength continued with more than enough reason for every Nashville country music fan to back them up.
Resiliency is key word for the career of Honey County. Even as they operate as more of a duo these days, with Lambertucci departure into a solo career, the band still remain as a live wire in Nashville. Anyone can find their clout among the playlists of New Nashville Music, CMT and Radio Disney to name a few. Besides a reputable presence on country stations, fans of the pop culture craze behind Yellowstone can find Honey County’s work within the series soundtrack. As their buzz grows among the social outlets of Tik Tok, with over 2 million views, the latest single “Cry Wolf” testify how we haven’t seen them peak quite yet. But with plenty of hooks and rallying lyrics left to write, Honey County shines a light on music city that brings others into their enticing glow. Here’s to the sunshine vibes and excitable sounds to come from a duo with so much left to show.
Written by Trenton Luber