photo by steed media service

Miko Marks once drove a beat-up Chevy Nova 18 hours from Louisiana to Flint, Mich., to perform in front of 20 people at her mother's church. Though Flint was her birthplace, Marks will tell you her being African American and embracing country music came from her days in Louisiana at Grambling State University, where country music was played in excess and she was an Northern girl blown away by the powerful storytelling in the lyrics of the artists. Last year, Marks made her grand introduction to the country music mainstream with her debut album, Freeway Bound. In what almost seemed like seconds, Marks was named "Female Vocalist of the Year," by Indie World in Nashville and at the praise of awards judge and country icon, Wynonna Judd, she took home the "Country Album of the Year," at the Independent Music Awards in Montclair, N.J.

When asked what an African American woman is doing playing country and how she deals with criticism, Marks, like her lyrics, is sincere. "I have to be honest . [I'll] stay rooted and grounded in what I'm doing because I believe in it wholeheartedly," she says.

Mark's also believes her new album, It Feels Good, and the recent boom of African American country stars will alter the mind-set that country and African Americans don't mix.

"That's the misconception, but I think that only stems from not having much representation and now that the doors are finally opening on that level, [country is a] whole other place to be," she says. - gavin p. godfrey

For more information, visit www.mikomarks.com.

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