Celebrate the Heart of Country, Americana, and Roots Music!

Drop Us A Line, Y'all

Y'all interested in advertising, partnering up, contributing stories, joining our team, or just got a question? Well, don't be shy, drop us a line!

Follow Us

Jana Kramer’s Journey From One Tree Hill to Country Music Stardom

Jana Kramer’s Journey From One Tree Hill to Award Winning Songwriter
by
  • Arden is a Senior Country Music Journalist for Country Thang Daily, specializing in classic hits and contemporary chart-toppers.
  • Prior to joining Country Thang Daily, Arden wrote for Billboard and People magazine, covering country music legends and emerging artists.
  • Arden holds a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism from the University of Tennessee, with a minor in Music Studies.

Can you believe it’s been twelve years since country star Jana Kramer first appeared on the beloved CW teen drama, One Tree Hill? Well, who could ever forget her role as Alex Dupre, who rocked and created havoc for the residents of Tree Hill during the series’ seventh season?

Kramer’s appearance on the show was only meant to be in a recurring form, but with Dupre’s confident yet shameless behavior that very much captured viewers’ attention, her role was upgraded to a series regular.

RELATED: Know the Difference Between These Country Music Awards: ACM, CMA, and CMT

However, during the show’s last two seasons, Kramer announced that she would no longer appear regularly on the small screen to pursue her music career.

Here’s How Jana Kramer’s Love For Country Music Launched Her To Fame

Jana Kramer was born on December 2, 1983, in Rochester Hills, Michigan, to parents Nora and Martin Kramer. As a little girl, Kramer fell in love with country music while listening to Patsy Cline, Loretta Lynn, and June Carter at her grandmother’s kitchen.

And indeed, after signing a contract with the very popular Elektra Records in 2011, she quickly became a country star. 

Her debut single, “Why Ya Wanna,” reached No. 3 on Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart – making it the highest-ranking song by a new female Nashville artist since Taylor Swift’s debut. Her first four singles were also featured on the One Tree Hill series soundtrack. 

Moreover, Kramer has also bagged various nominations within her decade-long career, taking home the Top New Female Artist during the 2013 ACM Award.

The actress turned country music sensation went on with a pretty busy career. In 2016, she joined Dancing with the Stars. Though she scored tens several times during the season, she failed to enter the season 23 finale after her partner, Gleb Savchenko, caught the flu and could not rehearse with her as much as he’d wanted.

Her Personal Life Made Headlines Everywhere, Too

In April 2021, Jana Kramer announced in an emotional Instagram post that she had filed for divorce from her husband, former professional football player Michael Caussin, after six years of marriage. According to some sources, Caussin’s alleged cheating sparked the split, which was also why the couple had previously separated five years ago.

Kramer and Caussin have two kids together, son Jace Joseph, 2, and daughter Jolie Rae, 5.

Kramer was previously married twice before she met Caussin. The “I’ve Done Love” songstress was first married to Michael Gambino when she was 19, and it, unfortunately, turned out to be an abusive marriage. Several years later, Kramer married actor Johnathon Schaech – a marriage that lasted less than a month. 

Now, She’s Ready To Move On

Jana Kramer and her then-husband offered honest conversations with their fans in Whine Down with Jana Kramer – where they dish out advice about love, marriage, and parenthood on the weekly show.

But after filing for divorce from Caussin, Kramer will now lead the podcast by herself.

Kramer has spent the last year focusing on her career and family. And with the speed bumps in the road of life that she recently encountered, her creative wheels were set in motion. The country star revealed that she pulled from her real-life experiences to write her recently released songs “Voices” and “You Deserve the Perfect Family.”

Latest Stories

John Foster performs Brooks & Dunn’s “Believe” on American Idol as his emotional mom watches from the audience with a supportive sign on Mother’s Day.

John Foster Sings Brooks & Dunn’s “Believe” for His Mom and Brings Her to Tears in the Audience

It takes guts to sing a Brooks & Dunn song on national TV, especially one like “Believe.” But it takes something even heavier to pull it off on Mother’s Day, ...

Chris Stapleton and Keith Urban side by side as fans debate Stapleton's powerful ACM performance of "Blue Ain't Your Color" and whether it outshined the original.

Chris Stapleton Took On Keith Urban’s “Blue Ain’t Your Color” but Who Sang It Better

Keith Urban may have recorded it first, but Chris Stapleton just might’ve claimed it for good. When Stapleton took the stage at the 2025 ACM Awards and delivered a smoldering ...

Maren Morris appears in a recent interview, attempting to clarify her stance on country music after previously signaling a departure from the genre.

Maren Morris Now Claims She Never Said She Was Leaving Country Music

Maren Morris wants you to know she never said she was leaving country music. Apparently, all that talk about burning it down was just a misunderstanding. In a new interview ...

Alan Jackson grows emotional during his 2025 ACM Awards speech after performing “Remember When” and receiving the inaugural Lifetime Achievement Award named in his honor.

Alan Jackson Breaks Down Thanking His Wife at the ACMs After Lifetime Achievement Win

Alan Jackson has never been one for theatrics. His music has always spoken about love, life, and family in plain, honest language. But on Thursday night at the 2025 ACM ...

Brooks & Dunn share a laugh backstage as they reflect on their journey from million-dollar royalty checks on a bus to breaking records again at the 2025 ACM Awards.

Brooks & Dunn Remember the Day They Got Their First Million-Dollar Check on the Bus

Long before they were legends, Brooks & Dunn were just two guys chasing a country music dream. And like a scene straight out of a Nashville fairytale, they still remember ...

Gretchen Wilson attends the 2025 ACM Awards red carpet, re-emerging after years away due to health struggles and marking the start of her country music comeback.

Gretchen Wilson Reveals the Health Struggle That Took Her Away From Country Music

It’s been a while since we’ve seen Gretchen Wilson in the spotlight, but now we know why. The “Redneck Woman” singer has kept a low profile for the better part ...

Maren Morris appears on a talk show couch expressing her thoughts, shortly before calling out pop artists for "cosplaying" as country singers—a statement stirring irony given her own history with the genre.

Maren Morris Calls Out Pop Stars “Cosplaying” as Country and Yes the Irony Is Real

File this one under “you can’t make this up.” Maren Morris, who all but broke up with country music just two years ago, is now calling out pop stars for ...

Lainey Wilson poses with a horse in a star-studded outfit, capturing the same down-home authenticity and bold flair that earned her Entertainer of the Year at the 2025 ACM Awards.

Lainey Wilson Won Entertainer of the Year and There’s a Damn Good Reason

Another year, another win. Lainey Wilson walked out of the 2025 ACM Awards with the Entertainer of the Year trophy for the second time in a row, and while some ...

Morgan Wallen performs for a packed stadium crowd in an earlier concert moment—just months before his ACM Awards shutout sparked major fan backlash in 2025.

Morgan Wallen Fans Say There Was “Zero Reason He Shouldn’t Have Won” After ACM Snub

The 60th ACM Awards went off in Frisco, Texas, with big performances, big speeches, and big wins. But not for Morgan Wallen. And his fans are not keeping quiet about ...

Old Dominion captured here in a past promo photo, just before breaking Rascal Flatts’ record with their eighth straight Group of the Year win at the 2025 ACM Awards.

Old Dominion Snatched a Record Rascal Flatts Held for Over a Decade

It finally happened. Old Dominion broke a record that most thought would stand forever. At the 2025 ACM Awards, the Nashville-based five-piece won Group of the Year for the eighth ...