Rising Country Singer Parker Graye Talks Breakups, Maker's Mark & Bulleit, Writing, Learns She Loves Rum

This time on The Fred Minnick Show, Parker Graye, an ascending country singer-songwriter from Vancouver, British Columbia. Parker released her debut single, “Do Over,” in September 2020 and received 25,000 downloads in the first five weeks of its release. The fun-loving artist was subsequently named “Next Big Thing” by Country Music Television’s Casey Clarke. During her visit with Fred, they talk about Cross Fit, journalism, relationships, whiskey and more.

Whiskeys tasted:

Maker’s Mark (23:42)
Bulleit Bourbon (33:09)
Appleton Jamaican Rum (47:02)

EPISODE SUMMARY

Fred and Parker get into a number of topics, such as:

Fred has heard the term “six-pack,” referring to toned abs. On the show, Parker explains what a “37-pack” is.
They bond over a spirited discussion about crispy tofu.
Parker talks about becoming a songwriter, as well as her first two singles, “Do Over” and “Before You Leave.”
Fred bemoans the fact he couldn’t ship bourbon to Parker thanks to Canada’s laws on shipping alcohol. The result? She is Fred’s first show guest who had to go out and buy her own bourbon.
Later they bond over getting detained at the Canadian border.
Parker gets a lesson in waxed bottle tops and how wax was used in that way before the red wax became a Maker’s Mark signature. And, yes, every bottle of Maker’s is hand-dipped. Fred then tells the story of The Great De-Proofing Maker’s tried to push through in 2013, and the New Coke-esque backlash that followed.
Quoth Parker: “You could just bury me in bourbon, and Bulleit, and I’d be a happy girl.”
In between sipping, Parker talks about her next single, which she refers to as the final installment of a trilogy, preceded by her first two releases. They’re all about a difficult relationship she endured.
Parker talks about writing solo versus writing songs with others.
As they get into tasting the Appleton rum, Fred explains the process of rum distillation. Parker, meanwhile, learns in real time that she likes a rum, and the difference between a good rum and, say, Bacardi. (Mezcal is her first love.)
Fred puts her on the spot to choose a favorite, and she chooses the Appleton. “I’m actually so shocked,” she says. “I was very afraid of this.”

QUOTABLES

On making the switch from pop to country music, Parker says, “I grew up on country music, so I should have just done that to begin with, but I think, where I was in life, I was really just passionate about pop music. Now, what’s amazing is that I’m taking those two worlds and just jamming them together.”

RESOURCES

https://www.instagram.com/parkergraye

https://www.facebook.com/PARKERGRAYE/

FOLLOW FRED

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SPONSORS

Michter’s: https://michters.com/

Distillery 291: https://distillery291.com/

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