Between her devastatingly beautiful country hits and her impressive run on NBC’s Dancing with the Stars, Jana Kramer is one of the hottest country stars on the scene. After touring with Blake Shelton, her deeply personal “I Got the Boy” has been storming the charts. While you’ve definitely heard the country songstress’ name, there’s a lot more to Kramer than meets the eyes.
Here’s five things you probably didn’t know about this multi-talented artist.
1. She Was A Soap Opera Actress
While you may remember her for her powerful portrayal of the complex One Tree Hill character, Alex Dupre, you probably don’t remember her first ever gig as an actress. Back in 2003 Kramer landed her first acting role on daytime drama All My Children.
2. Patsy Cline Was Her First Country Music Influence
Kramer says her first ever country music influence was the iconic Patsy Cline. The country songstress explains that her grandmother played her music constantly in the kitchen, recalling loving Cline for her signature unique sound. The singer goes on to say that like Cline, she has a very different sounding voice and that the legend inspired her to embrace the unique aspect of her voice.
3. Her High School Boyfriend Inspired “I Got The Boy”
In an interview with Billboard, Kramer admits her hit single, “I Got the Boy” was inspired by her high school sweetheart, Matthew.
“It’s a very true and honest song about my high school sweetheart Matthew. It’s one of those that is as true as it can get,” Kramer told Billboard. “He loves it. It’s like the lyrics say: I got the boy. He’s married to a lovely girl now, and they have two kids, so she got the man.”
4. Before Acting And Singing, She Was An Ice Skater!
Truly a woman of many talents, Kramer was once formerly a well-known ice-skater. Working as an opening act for the Detroit Red Wings, Kramer used to skate around the rink before the games all the way back in 2002.
5. Her Favorite Gift Was From A Fan
The best gift she has ever received was an iPod touch with the word “Believe” inscribed on the back. The fan sent it to her in celebration of her first album at the release party, according to Fame10.