Music Spotlight artist Annie Bosko hails from California, not from San Francisco or Los Angeles, but from a farm near Thousand Oaks. While people often associate country music with Nashville and the South, real cowboys come from the western US, where they tend ranches and have cattle drives.

Bosko explained, "I know California has its issues. I used almost to hide that I was from California because it meant I couldn't be country. But when I lived in Nashville, I lived on 8th Avenue South which was way less country than when I go home to California."

The idea for the song, "California Cowgirl," is serendipitous. Recently, Bosko was doing a podcast with Dwight Yoakum, and he said, "The California cowgirl, Annie Bosko, is here today."

She instantly thought, "That's a title for a song."

Not too long later, songwriter Jason Seller came up to her and said, "Lance Miller gave me an idea for a song, 'California Cowgirl.'"

She replied, "You won't believe it, but Dwight Yoakam just called me that in a podcast."

Bosko scheduled a co-write with different people, and they said, "We have an idea for you—California Cowgirl." 

She knew it was time to write and release this very personal song.

She shared, "I'm proud of growing up in California because my dad was a third-generation farmer. And you know my grandpa started a farm with nothing. He sold my grandma's car. When they got married, it was their only car. He bought the first tractor in the area. And he's really my hero in so many ways because no one worked harder than him and totally lived the American dream."

The words, I'm just a California cowgirl/Homegrown as a Georgia peach/ Hold on, cause boy I betcha I can Texas two-step ya/ Right off your feet/ Just a California cowgirl true blue as the grass in Kentucky/ Sweet as Tupelo honey, just as country as country/ California cowgirl portray an accurate description of the California crooner.

"This song is my way of saying that country is more than a place, it's a way of life," Bosko stated. "It's anyone who's ever felt like they had to prove their country roots."

Before releasing "California Cowgirl," Bosko teamed up with Joe Nichols for their sensational duet, "Better Than You." It landed in the top 5 most-added songs at Country radio for five consecutive weeks, including one week before its impact date, as Music Row Magazine boasted that the song is "Terrific listening... goosebump-thrilling sounding."

While researching the music Bosko had released since our last interview, I was awestruck by her exquisite cover of Kris Kristofferson's "Help Me Make It Through the Night." I know that the song has been covered a multitude of times, but something in the pureness of Bosko's delivery stopped me in my tracks. I had to listen to it several times.

Her producer, Trent Willmon, encouraged her to cover the song. Bosko's crystal-clear vocals are magical between the achy pedal steel guitar and the airy harmonica.

Following her Rodeo Houston debut last month, where she kicked off opening night with a performance of the National Anthem (watch here), Bosko will perform in her home state at the famed Stagecoach Festival on April 26 and at the Headwaters Country Jam in Montana on July 25. Click here for a full list of tour dates.

Be sure to follow Annie Bosko on her website, Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, YouTube, X, and all streaming platforms.

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Bethany Bowman is a freelance entertainment writer. You can follow her blog, Instagram, and X.