Rissi Palmer

She sounds like a country singer. She’s got the soul of a country singer and the moves to match. But some say Rissi Palmer doesn’t look a country singer.

To that, the 26-year-old Palmer responds, “I’m what you might call real corn-fed, I’m a country girl, born and bred.” Those are lyrics from her hit single, “Country Girl.” The song is the first by an African-American woman to hit the Billboard Hot Country chart in 20 years.

Palmer’s success is a big “touche” to the critics but it’s an even bigger inner victory for herself. She was offered a pop record deal with top producers who worked with the likes of Janet Jackson. But Palmer held out, while struggling with odd jobs, for her true passion — country music.

Update: Watch the CNN.com Live Video interview

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