SPOTLIGHT: The Honky-Tonks Are For All [ESSAY]

Editor's Note: Emily Nenni, whose new LP Movin' Shoes came out May 1 via New West, is No Depression's Spotlight Artist for May 2026. Check out the feature profile about her here and stay tuned for more from Nenni the rest of the month.

Living in San Jose, California through the '90s, life was good. We had two CD cabinets full of something for my mother and father, sisters and their friends, and myself. Including the soundtrack to That Thing You Do! and my mom’s favorite, Salt n Pepa’s Very Necessary. Thanks to my parents, sisters, and the radio, I had an early appreciation for music of every genre.

My father worked in radio under the moniker of “Ex-Con Ron” from the '70s until he retired last year. My mother, an educator, was just as passionate about music as he was. Not sure why I’m using past tense here, as parents are healthy, married, and still in love with music now as they ever were. I believe my parents initially bonded over rock 'n' roll, but have been avid listeners of jazz, funk, hip-hop, R&B, country, and classical music. My two older sisters were super fans of artists of the time like No Doubt and Hanson. As we grew older, I joined in on their listening and dance parties consisting of Prince, David Bowie, and ABBA. I grew up in this nurturing environment of music fanatics to the point where I decided to make my own. 

When I began to write songs in my bedroom behind closed doors, I was a year into lessons, with a limited skill on guitar. Much to a patient and kind teacher’s dismay, I could only play songs by ear and one-handedly on the piano. Thankfully, the songs I aimed to imitate in my teens were girl groups of the 1960s-70s, as well as Hank Williams Sr.’s personal, to the point lyricism and catchy hooks: It was three chords and the truth. I enjoyed the way girl groups displayed joy and pain through sing-along melodies and intelligent arrangements. I believe that’s what inspired my attempt to take the truth that country music manages with such simplicity one step further.