From A California Ranch to the Grand Ole Opry: Callie Twisselman Breaks Down Her Musical Journey [Exclusive]

With a voice shaped by her upbringing on a seven-generation grain and cattle ranch in Central California and a catalog fueled by real-life stories of love, faith, and family, Callie Twisselman is emerging as one of country music’s most compelling new voices.

Since moving to Nashville in 2017, the rising star has achieved more than she could have imagined when she first set out in pursuit of a music career. Highlights include collaborating with Dolly Parton on 2024’s “Gonna Be You” alongside Maddie & Tae and Jessie James Decker, supporting major country acts like Jelly Roll and Jon Pardi, and making her Grand Ole Opry debut in December 2025.

Along the way, Twisselman has also built a catalog of songs that celebrate the values she was raised with, including hard work, country living, and a deep connection to faith and family. Her most recent Growing in Grace EP, a five-song collection was inspired by a year of growth and reflects themes of imperfection, resilience, and gratitude.

Keep reading to learn more from Callie Twisselman’s discussion with Country Now, where she reflects on her journey, shares what inspires her music, and offers a sneak peek at the new songs she’s preparing to release ahead of opening for Dolly Parton in Las Vegas this September.

You grew up on a ranch in California that’s been in your family for seven generations. Can you share how that upbringing has influenced your career today?

Well, I grew up on a grain and cattle ranch in Central California. And it’s been in my family for seven generations. So pretty much bred in me to be a country girl. And I grew up listening to country music. My mom was a singer in a country band local around where we’re from and so I’d watch her sing and just decided that’s what I wanted to do. But a lot of my inspiration for songwriting comes from my upbringing. So I feel like that also helped me a lot as a songwriter and just shaped me and what I write about and my lifestyle. And I just always knew I wanted to sing. 

A recent example of this is the song “God Made a Farmer.” Can you tell us about this song and why it was important for you to share a glimpse into your roots through it?

Yeah, “God Made a Farmer” is a song I wrote about my dad. We have barley grain on our ranch and just he’s always working so hard, up at the break of dawn and then working till night. And I just grew up watching him and thinking that’s just how everybody works. But I thought these farmers deserve a song to shine a light upon all that they do because there’s really not a lot of songs about them. And so I thought, I better write it and it just describes who I am and where I’m from.

Did you learn anything from watching your mom pursue music that you now carry into your own performances?

I would watch her perform and I was pretty young at the time, so took in what I could, but I’d pretend with my little microphone outside. But also, all the music that she listened to inspired me as well. Shania Twain, I listened to her and then came across more of her music videos one day and was like, wow, I just want to do that. I love her fashion sense, her sound, her style, everything. And so those two combined really made me decide, okay, country music and I can do all the things. 

What was the push that motivated you to make the move to Nashville in 2017?

Everybody was always telling me, “You got to move, you got to move.” And I never listened until it was Danny Nozell, who I now am managed by. But I was going back and forth for a while to Nashville to record songs and whatnot. And it was hard for me to leave California because I’m so close to my family. But when I met up with him and he told me, “This is where you got to be. You’re around when opportunity knocks.” And so I finally listened to him and I’m glad I did because it’s been a great move. And ever since I moved here, I’m always inspired and writing more songs than I’ve ever written since living in California.

From teaming up with Dolly Parton on “Gonna Be You” to opening for her in Las Vegas later this year, she’s been a big part of your journey lately. How has she impacted your music and career?

It’s pretty crazy even thinking back when she was just another artist that I’ve dreamt of and becoming and kind of idolizing and now working with her, it is very full circle and she’s an amazing person and the sweetest soul. And just getting to collaborate on that song, “Gonna Be You” was a dream come true. I’m like, well, now I could say I’m on a song with Dolly Parton. So if that’s all there is, I’m happy. It’s been pretty neat. Dream come true for sure. 

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What goes into preparing for a gig where you’re opening for a legend like Dolly Parton?

Well, preparing for it, it’s like picking the right songs, obviously, and then making sure you have your show set up because you got to entertain the crowd that loves Dolly. They love the storytelling and all that. So just kind of making sure I have all that together. And she has a guy named Steve Summers, who’s helped me in the past when I’ve gone on tour, creating my tour and what I’m going to speak about and say between songs. So he’s really helpful at that and might have to get him again. 

At the end of 2025, you released your EP Growing in Grace. Can you talk about the themes in this project and what they say about this chapter of your career?

It has all the songs that I released throughout last year, as well as the additional song, “Tilted Halo,” and all the songs were basically about my faith and family and relationships. And I thought this perfect timing to put it out around Christmas with “Tilted Halo” because the title came from a line in that song of “Growing in Grace” and just basically talks about all that I’m going through in life and the different aspects. And I’m growing in grace through it all. I feel like in this industry as well, all the years that I’ve spent chasing this dream, I feel like with each step, I’m getting even closer to it and I choose to grow with grace through it all. 

How does it feel to release songs like these that are so personal to you and then hear fans connect with them, making them a part of their own stories?

That’s what it’s all about. I always hope that people can take my music and kind of relate to it in their own way. And it’s very special to me. I feel like if I can feel emotion through these songs, somebody else has got to. So I love that I can connect with people through the songs. 

Following the project, you made your Grand Ole Opry debut. Was the night everything you hoped it would be?

Yes. The Grand Ole Opry was always a dream of mine. And I got the phone call from my manager, I was at home on the ranch and I just couldn’t believe it because I’ve been telling him this is something I’ve always wanted to do. And so he called me and said it was going to happen. And my whole family flew in, most of them, my grandma who had said that she was going to come to Nashville if I ever got to play. And she did. She flew after 40 years and made the trip to see me. So it was very special and I couldn’t have asked for it to go any better. 

You recently posted about being back in the studio. Is there anything you can share about what you’re working on or what fans can expect from you this year? 

Yes, I’m working on a lot of new music. I’ll be releasing some singles this year that are going to be leading up to an album next year. So that’s the plan, my first ever album… I feel like it’s really going to dive into who I am and where I’m from and the Cowgirl lifestyle and rodeo and just more of my brand, I guess you’d say. I feel like all these songs are so fun and I don’t know, I’m really excited about this project. 

Fans can keep up with Callie Twisselman on Instagram.