“High Noon,” Texas Country & Women in Country Music | Jenna Paulette
Jenna Paulette joined Heart of the Gulch host Tony Mendoza during CMA Fest 2026 for a conversation about “High Noon,” Horseback (Deluxe), Texas Country, life as a working cowgirl, and why authenticity still matters in country music.
Raised around cattle and ranch life, Jenna doesn't simply borrow Western imagery for her music. It's the world she comes from. That upbringing continues to shape everything from the songs she writes to the way she approaches her career.
Jenna Paulette talks “High Noon,” Horseback (Deluxe) and building a country music career rooted in her real-life Western upbringing.
The Story Behind “High Noon”
Jenna's latest single “High Noon” brings another piece of her Western identity into her music.
During her Heart of the Gulch interview, she dives into the song and where it fits within the next chapter of her career following Horseback (Deluxe).
The project helped further establish Jenna's blend of traditional country storytelling, Western culture and the real experiences she's accumulated from years spent around ranches, horses and cattle.
For Jenna, those aren't characters created for songs. They're pieces of everyday life.
Texas Country vs. Nashville Country
Growing up around Texas and Oklahoma gave Jenna a front-row seat to a country music culture that can feel very different from Nashville.
She shares her perspective on the differences between Texas Country and Nashville Country, from the venues and audiences to the way artists build careers.
Texas dance halls and honky-tonks remain an important part of that world.
Nashville, meanwhile, has given Jenna access to another community of songwriters, musicians and opportunities.
Rather than choosing between the two, her career has increasingly become a bridge between them.
Heart of the Gulch host Tony Mendoza sits down with Jenna Paulette during CMA Fest 2026 to talk Texas Country, ranch life and authenticity in country music.
Country Music Has to Be Authentic
Authenticity comes up repeatedly throughout the conversation.
Jenna believes country music's roots still matter, particularly as the genre continues expanding and welcoming different sounds and artists.
Her own approach starts with writing about what she knows.
That means ranching. Horses. Marriage. Faith. Western culture. Hard work.
And sometimes actually working cattle before it's time to get back onstage.
Women Carving Their Own Path in Country Music
Jenna also reflects on the changing landscape for women in country music and the importance of female artists continuing to create opportunities on their own terms.
Her career has developed alongside a generation of women finding audiences through touring, independent releases, social media and communities outside the traditional pathways that once determined who received attention.
For Jenna, staying true to herself remains more important than changing to fit whatever happens to be working at the moment.
George Strait and the “Three Kings”
Few artists represent Jenna's musical world better than George Strait.
During the conversation, she explains the meaning behind “Three Kings” and the role that country music, faith and cowboy culture have played throughout her life.
Those influences also connect her to the broader Texas country community.
Jenna discusses artists including Jake Worthington and Aaron Watson, and the tradition of artists who have built careers while maintaining a strong connection to Texas.
Jenna Paulette opens up about motherhood, women in country music and getting Back In The Saddle for her next chapter on the road.
Back in the Saddle
Jenna's life has changed away from music, too.
After becoming a new mom, she has been finding her footing again and returning to the road with the Back In The Saddle Tour.
It's an appropriate name for someone whose relationship with horses and ranching runs far deeper than an album aesthetic.
The road ahead includes stops at places that represent very different pieces of her career—from legendary Texas venues like Gruene Hall to the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville and honky-tonks across the country.
Through all of it, Jenna Paulette continues building a career around something remarkably simple:
Sing about the life you actually live.
From “High Noon” and Horseback to motherhood, ranch life and the next album ahead, Jenna Paulette isn't playing the part of a cowgirl in country music. She's bringing her own life into the songs.
Watch Jenna Paulette on Heart of the Gulch
Watch the full Jenna Paulette interview from CMA Fest 2026 as she joins Tony Mendoza to discuss “High Noon,” Horseback (Deluxe), Texas Country vs. Nashville, ranch life, women in country music, George Strait, motherhood and the Back In The Saddle Tour.
Interview Chapters
0:00 — Jenna Paulette Interview | CMA Fest 2026 Nashville
0:31 — Jenna Paulette's Cowboy Hat, Western Fashion & Cowgirl Lifestyle
1:15 — “High Noon” Song Meaning & New Music
2:03 — Texas Roots, Oklahoma Ranches & Country Music Beginnings
2:22 — Texas Country vs. Nashville: Jenna Paulette's Perspective
3:45 — Authentic Country Music in 2026
4:08 — Life as a Working Cowgirl & Ranch Wife
5:40 — Horses, Ranching & Country Songwriting Inspiration
6:52 — Nashville Success Through Hard Work & Western Values
7:56 — Breaking Barriers for Women in Country Music
8:10 — “Three Kings” Explained: George Strait, Faith & Cowboy Culture
8:48 — The Most Underrated Jenna Paulette Song
9:42 — Jake Worthington, Aaron Watson & Texas Country Legends
10:48 — New Album, New Songs & Touring Plans
11:34 — CMA Fest, Live Shows & Following Jenna Paulette
Tony Mendoza and Jenna Paulette together following her Heart of the Gulch interview at CMA Fest 2026 in Nashville.
Tony Mendoza is the Nashville-based host and creator of Heart of the Gulch, featuring conversations with country artists, songwriters and personalities from Nashville and beyond.
