By Chip Chandler — Digital Content Producer
As a nationally ranked athlete in equine events, Jordan Mitchell got used to hearing she was "pretty good for a girl." Now a touring country musician, she's hearing the same faint praise.
She's turning that thinly veiled sexism into material, though: Pretty Good for a Girl is the title track to her debut EP, released in April.
She'll make her Amarillo debut at 10 p.m. Thursday at Leftwoods, 2511 S.W. Sixth Ave. Cover is $5.
"It's a lot better than it has been in the past, but I'm certainly glad I'm living when I am," Mitchell said. "It's tough to be a woman in country music. There's only one in the Top 20."
She's used to breaking out from the pack, though.
As a college athlete at West Texas A&M University, she led the equestrian team to a national championship in 2009.
"I grew up showing horses and thoguht I would be a professional trainer and have my own facility," Mitchell said.
But during college, she couldn't stay away from her equally strong love for music, eventually earning what must be a rare degree — a major in equine business and a minor in musical theater.
"I equally love horses and music," Mitchell said. "But having a career in the equine field, you are so limited. I mean, that is your life. You don't have time for a lot of other interests.
"I didn't want to be riding 30 horses a day and attending horse shows every weekend, but I do miss it a lot."
Instead, the Las Vegas native moved home after college, "started performing at some big venues and making a living." She saved up enough to move to Los Angeles, but she realized "it wasn't really my scene" and decided on Nashville instead.
"It's a lot more diverse (musically) than I realized," Mitchell said. "The opportunities here are amazing. The community is awesome, and the people are so warm and supportive."
That includes the songwriters she's working with, like Pete Sallis, who cowrote "Pretty Good for a Girl."
"He had the idea, and I just really identified with it," she said.
She said she's laying the groundwork for a long career in music.
"I've made a plan as much as one can in this industry," she said. "It's not easy. It's not, not easy at all. I picked the hardest, most turbulent career possible, but it's what I love."
Chip Chandler is a digital content producer for Panhandle PBS. He can be contacted at Chip.Chandler@actx.edu, at @chipchandler1 on Twitter and on Facebook.
