Sisters Ivy Dene and Sophie Dawn make up the country girl duo, Walker County. Natives of Sulpher Springs, IN the two girls discovered their passion for music while making frequent trips to Nashville Tennessee. In order to live their dreams as full time musicians they packed up and moved to Music City.
Courtesy of Walker County
Ivy creates vocal melodies while Sophie harmonizes and plays the drums. The duo have shared stages with artists such as Loretta Lynn, Martina McBryde, Willie Nelson, Old Dominion and Eli Young Band.
Walker County’s most recent hit, “Liar” has harnessed 110,163K streams on Spotify alone, overall accumulating over 2 million streams. The sisters made their television debut on The Kelly Clarkson Show in May of 2021.
BC: You both had knew music was what you wanted to do from a young age but what are your backgrounds with music?
WC: “We have been playing music as sisters since Sophie was nine, and I (Ivy) was twelve. We went on a family vacation in 2007 to Nashville, Tennessee, and dad asked Sophie and I if we would want to street perform on Broadway just to say we did it. We opened the guitar case, and played a few songs, and that’s the day the band started. We went back home and started playing anywhere and everywhere they would have us, and have been playing ever since!”
BC: That’s such a unique beginning of a band story, I love it! When was the first time ya’ll performed in front of a large audience?
WC: “Our first performances were when we were younger in church.”
BC: Where did the band name Walker County come from?
WC: “Our last name is Walker. We grew up surrounded by the Walker family on the farm back in Indiana. We were just a field away from all of our cousins. So when you drove through a section of our town, you would drive though what we like to call “Walker County”. “
BC: You made your National TV Debut on The Kelly Clarkson Show in May of 2021, what was that like?
WC: “The Kelly Clarkson show was a dream come true. Our mom used to let us stay up past our bedtime and watch her on American Idol! So to have our TV debut be on her show was such a full circle moment.”
BC: What is the biggest goal/dream for your music?
WC: “We want to take Walker County as far as it will go. We dream big. We want to share our music with the world because our passion is to connect with people through music.”
BC: What is something you want to achieve as artists/a duo?
WC: “We would love to play the Grand Ole Opry. That is something not only we have dreamed of forever, but our family as well.”
BC: In 2019 you let out your song, “The Hamptons” what can you tell me about that song?
WC: “When we first heard “The Hamptons” we knew we wanted to record it. It felt like it was written for us. We grew up in a town of 390 people, in a double wide, and are now going out and pursuing our dreams. That song is all about no matter where you go in life, or how big your dreams are, remember the people and the places that made you who you are.”
Cover Art for The Hamptons || Courtesy of Walker County
BC: The next year after the release of “The Hamptons” COVID hit, what was that like for you guys music wise and just getting through it with the rest of the world?
WC: “That was a crazy year for everybody. But we still got to release music throughout the year, and that’s what kept us sane. We tried to stay in touch with our fans by doing live sessions and being active on social media.”
BC: “Liar” is your most recent single, what was the creative process like with writing and recording this single?
WC: “We wrote “Liar” a few years back, and it came from a personal experience of two sisters talking about boys. I remember telling Sophie that I was over somebody, and her looking me directly in the eyes and saying, “You are such a liar!” The song idea stemmed from that conversation, and we ended up going in and writing it with our producer David Garcia and the amazing writer Hillary Lindsey.”
BC: What can fans expect next from you?
WC: “We have so much new music we are so excited to share with you all. A lot of new songs that have come straight from our hearts.”
BC: And lastly, If you could say one thing to the world and everyone would listen, what would you say?
WC: “Stay true to who you are. The world is going to try to push and pull you into so many directions, trying to make you fit a certain mold, but just hold strong and remember who you are.”