candi carpenter

"Listening to "The Astronaut" is the best way to get to know me in three minutes," Carpenter says of her new song.

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Carpenter got her start as a teen, performing with classic country stars.

Keep your eyes (and ears!) on these rising stars.

Listen to the country up-and-comer's string-inflected rendition of Merle Haggard's holiday classic, premiering exclusively on the Boot.

Flip through the photo gallery to meet just a few of the new country women you'll want to get to know -- and the legends they remind us of.

"I wanted to write a song that captured the way I felt as a teenage girl on those smoky, neon nights."