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Country artist Olivia Harms will appear after the rodeo on Saturday, Sept. 11.

Recording artist Olivia Harms will entertain audiences at the Harney County Fair this year!

She will appear after the rodeo Saturday night (Sept. 11) and be the opening performance in the Blackburn Real Estate 8 Second Saloon ‘Ride It Out Zone.’

Olivia was born into Western music royalty, but the rhinestone cowgirl stepped out on her own to craft a sound that is equal parts Bakersfield, Texas, and Nashville country.

The daughter of Western Music Hall of Fame member Joni Harms, Olivia grew up on a 150-year-old farm in Canby, Ore., and made her first appearance on stage when she was two days old. Her mother had labor induced so she wouldn’t miss her show. Twenty-six years later, Olivia is following in her mother’s creative bootsteps.

Olivia’s second album, Rhinestone Cowgirl, is available now. Produced by D. Scott Miller, the 11-song collection calls out to the cowboys, name-drops George Strait, swings through Buckaroo territory, and packs plenty of twang and steel guitar.

Olivia co-wrote every song.

“I was going for a very traditional country vibe, but with some Bakersfield and some country-western swing to bring back honky-tonks,” Olivia explained. “I think it boiled down to very traditional ‘90s-style country.”

Her artistic identity has been honed since she was an infant. The singer grew up performing on stages with her mother. 

Olivia remembers yodeling in Europe and singing I Want to Be a Cowboy’s Sweetheart in New Zealand. Santa Claus gave Olivia her first guitar when she was 6 years old, sparking her love of songwriting. 

Ten years later, Olivia came to Nashville to record her first album. At the time, Taylor Swift was queen, and 16-year-old Olivia was brimming with adoration for contemporary country music. However, it didn’t take Olivia long to remember her roots and creatively steer back to the tenets of her authentic Western sound.

In the meantime, she structured her backup plan. Since Olivia grew up on a century farm, agriculture is her second passion. She graduated college with a degree in agriculture business management. Then she dove headfirst into the music business. Olivia books shows, handles public relations, and manages social media accounts in addition to writing, recording, and playing more than 120 shows a year.

“I try to be a one-woman production,” she said.

In 2019, Olivia was ready to head back to Music City to record her second album. She wrote songs with noted country writers, including Wood Newton (The Oak Ridge Boys, Bobbie Sue), Kenny Rogers (20 Years Ago), and Dennis Morgan (Barbara Mandrell, I Was Country When Country Wasn’t Cool), and Ronnie Milsap (Smoky Mountain Rain). After interviewing producers, she knew D. Scott Miller understood her vision. The pandemic forced her to reschedule recording twice, but as restrictions lifted, Olivia came to Nashville with her mother to make the album. From her autobiographical Gypsy to the lighthearted Hey There Cowboy and the deeply personal Goodbye, Rhinestone Cowgirl is Olivia Harms.

“The best thing for me to be doing is playing music about what I love and what I know and who I am,” Olivia said. “That way, hopefully, my listeners can connect to it even more.”

These days, Olivia splits her time between Nashville and Oregon. Regardless of where she hangs her hat, she’s well in touch with her Western roots.

Olivia will be the opening performance Saturday night, ahead of local favorite, Desert Roze Band. 

Desert Roze Band will entertain fans in the ‘Ride It Out Zone’ Friday and Saturday nights after the rodeo!