By Michael “Doc” Studard – Kickin Kountry 101 / The Local Voice
Kickin Kountry Indie Spotlight Artist Interviews: Launch Edition
We’re kicking off a brand-new feature here on Kickin Kountry 101 — the Indie Spotlight Artist Interviews, hosted by Doc from Mornings with Doc. This ongoing series shines a light on rising independent country artists from across the map — the voices carving their own path and keeping real country alive.
First outta the shoot is Oklahoma’s own Chris Kizzia — a hard-working, small-town artist whose blend of throwback country heart and Southern-rock grit is making waves on the MusicRow charts. Doc caught up with Chris to talk about his roots, his songwriting, and his wild Nashville stories.
If you want to understand what makes Chris Kizzia tick, picture the glow of a backyard bonfire in Fort Gibson, Oklahoma — a small-town night filled with guitars, smoke, and laughter. That’s where the Oklahoma native first learned that songs are built as much from dirt and sweat as from melody.
“We didn’t have much to do growing up,” Kizzia laughs. “We’d make our own fun — sit around, build fires, listen to music, blow stuff up. Just redneck stuff. That was life.”ChrisKInterview
The Working-Man Foundation
Kizzia’s hands were calloused long before they ever gripped a microphone. The son of a home-builder, he spent years framing houses under the watchful eye of a father determined to teach more than blueprints.
“Dad made sure I worked the hardest jobs,” he says. “He told me, ‘I’m gonna work you so hard you won’t want to do this forever — but you’ll learn what real work feels like.’ ”ChrisKInterview
That work ethic still drives him, whether he’s behind a hammer or a guitar. Construction, audio-video gigs, even church music — every job, he says, taught him discipline. “Music’s work, too,” he adds, “but it’s the kind that feeds you.”
A Legacy in His Blood
Music wasn’t optional in the Kizzia household. His grandparents nudged him onto a church stage as a kid, and his grandfather — a country artist and radio DJ — became his model.
“They’d tell me I was always singing, so they got me up in front of people,” Kizzia recalls. “My grandpa was even in that old movie Country on Broadway with George Jones. I found it online recently and was like, ‘There he is!’ It’s just kind of been in my blood.”ChrisKInterview
Finding His Sound
Raised on Ronnie Milsap and Sunday hymns, Kizzia’s style blends classic throwback vocals with the grit of Southern rock.
“I grew up on country, but when I heard those guitars — Skynyrd, Aldean — I dove in,” he says. “I love that edge. My music just ends up a mix of both.”ChrisKInterview
The storytelling tradition matters most to him. “I start with a title or a line,” he explains. “‘I Hate It That I Love You’ came from that idea of being hooked on someone like it’s a bad habit. Good songs tell stories — like The Dance, In Color, or Colder Weather. Those songs get you.”ChrisKInterview
Heart Over Hardware
When talk turns to artificial intelligence in music, Kizzia doesn’t mince words.
“I hate it,” he admits. “You can’t fake heart. AI might make cookie-cutter stuff, but it’ll never write The Dance. That’s God-given.”ChrisKInterview
He’s fine with technology as a studio tool — not as a substitute for soul. “Nothing compares to a person with a pen,” he adds.
Balancing Family and the Road
Between recording sessions in Nashville and home life in Broken Arrow, Kizzia’s balancing act is pure working-dad reality.
“I’ve got three girls,” he says, grinning. “When I’m home, I’m present. We FaceTime every day. They’re old enough now to understand why Dad’s gone — and they’re still proud. I haven’t hit the dorky-dad phase yet.”ChrisKInterview
Defining ‘Real Country’
Ask him what real country means, and he’ll pause.
“People argue about sounds — 90s vs 60s — but to me it’s a lifestyle,” he says. “It’s who you are when the song’s over. Are you real or pretending? I’m just a small-town guy who hunts, fishes, and works hard. That’s country.”ChrisKInterview
Turnin’ the Night On
That authenticity is paying off. His debut single, “Turn the Night On,” cracked the MusicRow charts at #29 — a feat for an indie newcomer. The song, penned by hitmakers Ashley Gorley and Rhett Akins, found its way to Kizzia through his manager.
“It was sitting there, uncut,” he says. “We needed something to come out strong, and that one just fit.”ChrisKInterview
With more than 50,000 Spotify streams and counting, Kizzia jokes, “That’s enough to buy a Big Mac.” Then he turns serious: “Streaming’s great for exposure, not for income. Where you make your money now is shows and merch. But that’s okay — it keeps you connected to people.”ChrisKInterview
Next Up in Nashville
In Nashville, he’s cutting a six-song project with Grammy-nominated producer Jeff Huskins of BMG Music — the same Huskins who’s worked with Clint Black and Little Texas.
“It’s wild,” Kizzia says. “I got this random email: ‘Jeff Huskins wants to work with you.’ I thought it was a scam! But it’s real. His band tracked six songs in one day — it was nuts. We’re hoping to release early next year.”ChrisKInterview
The White Castle Epilogue
Before wrapping up, Kizzia shares one last Nashville story that seals his down-to-earth charm. After a late night of recording a few years back, he and some buddies celebrated by hitting the legendary White Castle downtown.
“We turned one on that night,” he laughs, “and thought, ‘Let’s grab some White Castle.’ Bad idea. It didn’t settle well.”ChrisKInterview
That moment — a chart-climbing artist still laughing about a greasy burger run gone wrong — says everything about who Chris Kizzia is. A working man with a guitar, a storyteller with calloused hands, and an artist who still knows how to laugh at himself.
“Dad taught me to work hard, Grandpa taught me to sing, and my girls remind me why I do it,” he says. “That’s country. That’s real.”ChrisKInterview
🎧 Spotify: open.spotify.com/artist/7cRpgwdXXS0GpuOL4p34YH
📘 Facebook: facebook.com/profile.php?id=61563701115142&mibextid=LQQJ4d
📸 Instagram: instagram.com/chriskizziamusic
🎵 TikTok: tiktok.com/@chriskizziamusic
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