The Raw Emotion in Margo Price’s Autobiographical Songs

Margo Price’s autobiographical songs aren’t just tunes; they’re open entries you might have found in the pages of your own diary. From her early days of struggle and scraping by to finding her footing in Nashville, Price turns her scars into stories and her pain into pure poetry set to tones you can sing along to while crying in the shower.  

In this post, we’ll dive into how she channels her personal struggles into songs that hit hard.  

Price’s 2016 debut album, Midwest Farmer's Daughter, was her breakthrough after years of struggle with extreme financial hardship. She and her husband, Jeremy Ivey, tried to make a living doing odd jobs, including waiting tables, teaching dance classes, and installing, before pawning Price’s wedding ring to pay for her recording sessions in Sun Studio in Memphis, Tennessee. Ivey sold their car to get the ring back, so the music critics' love for it, despite its limited commercial success, made their sacrifices worth it.   

This deeply autobiographical album drew from her family's history, including losing their generations-held family farm in Illinois. Initially rejected by multiple major labels, Midwest Farmer's Daughter was picked up by Third Man Records. From there, Price went on to receive Grammy nominations, was a musical guest on Saturday Night Live, and had her debut album and sophomore album, All American Made, make it onto the Billboard 200.  

Price’s most powerful songs emerge from her deepest personal traumas, making some of the listeners who have experienced the same feel seen and heard. In 2010, Price lost her infant son, Ezra, two weeks after birth due to a genetic heart condition. This tragic event caused her to have recurring nightmares for three years about not being able to save a drowning infant. She became depressed and dependent on alcohol.

What makes her songs resonate with listeners is that her source material is her own lived experiences. “Hey Child” is a track about her struggles with depression and substance abuse brought on by grief. Hearing the lyrics, “But when you wake up to find there's nothin' left / Don't you know your future's almost gone?” paints a picture of hopelessness and intense emotional pain.  

“Hurtin’ (On the Bottle)” details her alcohol abuse. Aside from writing songs about painful memories, Price also wrote her first memoir Maybe We’ll Make It: A Memoir in 2022 and her editor observed that “whiskey was like a character.” Price turned her life around during the COVID-19 pandemic and quit drinking. She called her sobriety “the most rebellious thing I've ever done.”  

Price’s autobiographical approach creates a universal appeal and lasting impact that not only resonate with listeners but also with other artists, including country music legend Willie Nelson. Nelson embraced her work and was gracious enough to provide a blurb for her memoir, saying, “Margo's book hits you right in the gut — and the heart. Just like her songs.” Sharon Van Etten also praised Price’s skill at using “the vernacular of traditional country” to open the discussion about the gender wage gap.