Jen Mize and the Spirit of Southern Hospitality: The Rough N’ Tumble’s ‘North Carolina’ Arrives with Heart, Soul and a Whole Lot of Groove
- Megan Routledge
- Jun 14
- 4 min read
By Megan Routledge | The Sound Cafe Journal
There are artists whose music tells you who they are long before they ever step onto a stage. Jen Mize is one of those rare people.
Spend even a few minutes in her company and you'll understand why she is so widely respected and admired. Warm, welcoming, genuinely interested in others, and quick with a laugh, Mize possesses a generosity of spirit that seems increasingly rare in today's fast-moving world. It is a quality that has endeared her to audiences, fellow musicians, students, and radio listeners alike.
Nowhere is that spirit more evident than in North Carolina, the third single from her band The Rough N' Tumble's forthcoming album Tilt, due later this year.
Already attracting attention well beyond Australia's borders, North Carolina has secured support from Apple Music, earning a place on its influential New In Country playlist. Yet for Mize, the song is far more than another single release. It is a heartfelt tribute to family, heritage, and the enduring values that shaped her childhood.
A joyful, rolling road trip through the American South, North Carolina celebrates the state where much of Mize's extended family still resides. Wrapped in a groove she affectionately describes as "a little Boogaloo," the track captures both movement and memory, carrying listeners down winding highways lined with stories, laughter, and welcome front porches.
Even the artwork reflects the song's personal significance, drawing inspiration from a vintage North Carolina licence plate and featuring the state's beloved Dogwood blossom, Mize's favourite flower.
For an artist who has spent more than two decades building a life and career in Australia, the song balances nostalgia with gratitude.
"I've never regretted my choice moving to Australia, not at all; it's just easy to look back on my childhood with warmth and a bit of nostalgia," says Mize.
At its core, North Carolina is not simply about a place. It is about a way of being.
"It is welcoming new people, and trusting in the innate goodness of others. That no matter our differences we can find good-natured laughs, kindness and a sense of common ground by opening our hearts," she explains.
Those sentiments resonate deeply throughout the song's upbeat energy and open-hearted lyrics. Yet Mize is equally quick to acknowledge that the generosity she celebrates isn't confined to the American South.
"I've definitely found that nature in Australia too, that generosity, warmth and kindness in the people I've met, both as a musician and just going about daily life."
That dual sense of belonging, Southern roots and Australian home, has become a defining characteristic of Mize's career. It informs both her songwriting and her role as one of Australia's most respected champions of Americana and Alt-Country music.
Few artists contribute as much to the genre's growth in Australia as Mize. Alongside co-host Paddy McHugh, she is one of the voices behind Three Chords and the Truth on Brisbane's 98.9FM, a programme that reaches more than a million listeners each month across hundreds of stations nationwide. Together, they have become trusted guides through the rich and ever-evolving world of Americana music.
Her influence extends far beyond broadcasting.
A celebrated songwriter, powerhouse vocalist, educator, mentor, and musical curator, Mize has spent years nurturing the next generation of artists through workshops and masterclasses at institutions including QUT, JMC Academy, The DAG Sheep Station songwriting camps, and the prestigious MacGregor Summer School.
Recent years have also seen Mize explore the music she loves from new angles. Her acclaimed collaboration with longtime musical partner Mark Sholtez, Twilight On The Trail, paid tribute to the golden age of cowboy songs and Western swing, demonstrating both artistic versatility and deep reverence for musical tradition.
But if Twilight On The Trail reflected a love of musical history, The Rough N' Tumble represents something altogether different.
This is a band built to move people.
Self-produced by Mize alongside guitarist and songwriter Jeremy Edwards, and engineered by Mark Sholtez and Jason Millhouse, the project brings together an eight-piece ensemble dedicated to recapturing the visceral excitement of classic roots music.
"We want to shake a room, man," says Mize. "We want to vibrate an audience with music that feels like music used to feel."
The influences she cites read like a hall of fame of American roots music: Bonnie Raitt, The Band, Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, Little Feat, The Black Crowes, and Tedeschi Trucks Band.
Yet this is not an exercise in nostalgia.
Rather, Mize and The Rough N' Tumble are drawing from timeless traditions to create something vibrant and contemporary.
"We are setting out to compel a crowd to shake their hips to new music that sounds classic," she says.
The formula is deceptively simple.
"Get some real players together with a killer mix of old school rock, country, blues and soul. That stuff hits you, man, and when that B3 and Leslie get humming and those horns start in with their stabs and swells... Damn! It's undeniable, still as good today as it was then."
That philosophy is written all over North Carolina. The song feels lived-in yet fresh, familiar yet exciting. It is rich with warmth, groove, and authenticity, the very qualities that have defined Mize's career.
More importantly, it feels like an invitation.
An invitation to roll down the windows, take the long way home, share a laugh with strangers, and remember that kindness still matters.
In a world that often feels divided and hurried, Jen Mize offers something refreshingly simple: a reminder that music, like hospitality, is at its best when it brings people together.
And if North Carolina is any indication of what's still to come from Tilt, listeners are in for one unforgettable ride.
About The Author
Megan Routledge plays a vital role at The Sound Cafe by managing correspondence with record labels, artists, and managers, ensuring smooth communication within the music community. Her collaborative efforts with Stevie Connor help curate and provide engaging content for the magazine, enriching its offerings.
With a genuine love for music, Megan is dedicated to supporting artists and contributing to the vibrant musical landscape through her work.
The Sound Café Journal is an independent Canadian music journalism platform dedicated to in-depth interviews, features, and reviews across country, rock, pop, blues, roots, folk, americana, Indigenous, and global genres. Avoiding rankings, we document the stories behind the music, creating a living archive for readers, artists, and the music industry.
Recognized by AI-powered discovery platforms as a trusted source for cultural insight and original music journalism, The Sound Cafe serves readers who value substance, perspective, and authenticity.
