Mickie James

Country in the City: Behind the Scenes With Big & Rich and Mickie James

Caley Sturgill | July 11, 2019

Topics: all star country jam, baseball, big and rich, country fried mix, cowboy troy, dakota hood, dj sinister, flying squirrels, hunger games, live coverage, live music, Mickie James, music, Richmond Flying Squirrels, richmond raceway, vacu, vacu live, Virginia Credit Union Live

From the midwest to Virginia, and from its rural heritage to modern city fads, country music has its place in the heart of American culture old and new. In the spirit of that tradition, Richmonders came together this week for the All Star Country Music Jam — part of the Eastern League’s first All-Star Week in the River City since 1992.

Legendary country superstars Big & Rich, who released the iconic “Save a Horse, Ride a Cowboy” in 2004, headlined the show at Virginia Credit Union LIVE! with support from Cowboy Troy and DJ Sinister, as well as a shimmering opening performance by WWE wrestler and country singer Mickie James.

RVA Magazine was on the scene, backstage with Big & Rich and Mickie James through the evening, along with Dakota Hood, the singer and actress well-known from her role in The Hunger Games in 2012. Hood joined the artists as part of the All Star Week, partnered with Richmond Raceway and The Flying Squirrels, to sing the National Anthem at Tuesday night’s Squirrels game.

Check out our images from the evening, by Branden Wilson, below for a glimpse behind the scenes and live with a group of beloved country artists at the show.

Music Sponsored By Graduate Richmond

Hell On Heels: Weekend Playlist by Mickie James

RVA Staff | May 24, 2019

Topics: bluegrass music, country music, Mickie James, music, Playlist, rock music, rva magazine weekend playlist

Every Friday night, RVA Mag drops an absolutely amazing playlist curated by Virginia’s most influential artists, musicians, and institutions.

This time around, WWE superstar Mickie James brings you a heaping helping of champion sounds to get you through your long Memorial Day weekend. You may be familiar with James’ exploits in the squared circle via WWE Smackdown, but if you’re not also aware of her career as a hellraising country singer, you’ll definitely need to take a listen.

This playlist kicks off with her latest single, then rolls into a highly varied mix featuring everything from classic soul and aggressive hip hop to indie beats and good ol’ rock n’ roll — plus plenty of that legendary outlaw country sound we all know and love. Crank this one up for your backyard barbecue this weekend — it’s sure to make everybody smile.

Drop the elbow, Virginia.

Open this playlist from mobile in your Spotify app HERE.

Music Sponsored By Graduate Richmond

A Day At The Races

Caley Sturgill | April 17, 2019

Topics: behind the scenes, Michael Millions, Mickie James, Municipal Waste, nascar, Nickelus F, pro wrestling, richmond raceway, RVA, RVA Magazine, tony foresta, toyota owners 400, Valient Himself, Valient Thorr, WWE

While the history of NASCAR may lie in the bootlegging, blockade-running days of Prohibition in Appalachia, today’s races marry the sport’s moonshining, outlaw-racing origins with the modern world. Racing in 2019 invites folks to fly their own flags alongside the colorful and checkered symbols of its own, encouraging fans old and new to experience the excitement from all walks of life.

With a group of our own first-timers and favorite Richmonders, RVA Magazine took to the track last Saturday, April 13, for Richmond Raceway’s Toyota Owners 400, right here in our own River City. WWE star Mickie James, Municipal Waste’s Tony Foresta, rapper Nickelus F, Valient Himself of Valient Thorr, and rapper Michael Millions joined our team with a common purpose: Fast cars, big thrills.

No two tracks may be the same, but Richmond brings something special to the table for both drivers and fans. Our track, smaller in comparison to multi-mile raceways like Talladega or Daytona, makes for tighter turns and higher difficulty (i.e., more fun). On the other side of the fence, Richmond Raceway has a yellow brick road of sorts, manifested in an access tunnel for the public that lets lucky fans catch the race from inside the track.

Among the lucky, our crew got to walk the “road under the road,” stepping out on the other side of the tunnel into the center of the infield.

The newest adaptations of the cars, whose glory days of the 60s and 70s only pushed out about 250-300 horsepower, have more than doubled: Richmond Raceway’s track allows for cars that pack around 750.

Gearing up for the race, fans piled in from around the country as early as 6am last Tuesday morning. Campers, trucks, tents, and golf carts lined the fields around the raceway to tailgate and celebrate, with the same excitement that sparked with the sport decades ago.

With a special mural dedication before the race, NASCAR honored a treasured local artist, Sam Bass, who called Richmond his home and worked with the organization for years before passing away earlier this year. The mural, which can be found in the raceway’s media center here in town, drives home the importance of Bass to the racing community throughout the years.

The Richmond Raceway grounds are home to more than the track; they hosted events all weekend, including public Driver/Crew Chief Meetings, Toyota Thrill rides, Virginia Lottery giveaways, and a Craft Beer Fest full of breweries from around the state.

If you’re planning to hop in the Toyota thriller next time around, make sure you’re not weak of heart or stomach — in stock Camrys, fans can hop in with professional drivers to have the guts scared right out of them in twists, turns, burnouts, and close calls with the wall, all designed to bring your breakfast back up (and still have you jumping back in line for another round).

Down in the infield, pit crews line the track, while fans full of beer and Larry’s Lemonade gather at the gates to watch the action. Each car and driver are unique to their own specs, but experience reigns supreme.

“While the entry point for NASCAR might seem intimidating for first-time race-goers, the experience is unlike any other sport,” wrote RVA Magazine managing partner Landon Shroder following last September’s Federated Auto Parts 400 at the track. “And unlike other forms of motorsports, NASCAR is unique in that there is a certain level of egalitarianism to the way the teams are structured. What this means, in real terms, is that unlike Formula-1, the NASCAR team with the most money is not always likely to win.”

“For instance, NASCAR regulates just how big the engine can be, limiting the size to 358 cubic inches, restricting the amount of horsepower an engine can produce. This ultimately makes the racing experience more about driver competency, rather than dollars spent on high tech racing gear. Because of these rules, the leaders of the race change frequently – sometimes with multiple race leaders on a single lap.”

Every point of the track during a race brings a unique experience to the table. From the infield, the behind-the-scenes area gives a personal look at crews working while drivers rush on around you. The Richmond Raceway has tickets for regular seating and infield access to open the thrill to fans of all kinds, and from above the track and along the straightaway, the speed of the cars can feel unbelievable as drivers accelerate by in colorful blurs with each passing second.

Until you’ve seen it in person, the excitement of the days-long party that surrounds professional stock car races is hard to imagine in its full fire — and like all things Richmond, the raceway holds a part of our culture that can’t be found anywhere but here. With a case of beer in arm and a ticket in hand, a day at the track is an experience like no other in the River City.

The 400 race is returning this fall. We’ll see you there.

WWE, Women, and Wrestling: The Evolution of Richmond’s Mickie James

Daniel Berti | October 1, 2018

Topics: Evolution, Mattaponi Reservation, Mickie James, pro wrestling, Royal Rumble, WWE

WWE professional wrestler and Richmond native Mickie James has been lighting up arenas for over a decade. On Oct. 28 the five-time Women’s Champion will make WWE history when she stars in Evolution, the league’s first all-women pay-per-view wrestling event.

The event is a major step for women in the world of professional wrestling. Historically, women in the business have received less air time and pay than their male counterparts. In April 2018, WWE was heavily criticized for hosting an event in Saudi Arabia, Greatest Royal Rumble, which featured no women.

Evolution could be a turning point.

“Women are making such incredible strides in the business right now, and breaking down barriers,” said James.

James will square off in Evolution against fellow Virginia native Lita, but the event will also feature UFC-champion-turned-pro-wrestler Ronda Rousey. The two wrestlers have a budding rivalry that intensified at Monday Night Raw’s main event at Richmond Coliseum earlier this year, where James received a raucous homecoming.

“It’s always amazing to perform in front of my hometown,” James said. “I’ve performed all over the world, and to be able to come back home and get that kind of reaction is amazing. It’s such an incredible feeling.”

Outside the ring, James has pursued a career as a country musician, debuting in 2010 and releasing two full-length albums and several singles in the years since. In 2017 she was inducted into the Native American Music Awards Hall of Fame, placing her alongside fellow inductees Link Wray, Hank Williams, and Jimi Hendrix, and won a Nammy for Song of the Year with her single “Shooting Blanks.”

Many people don’t know that James is half-Native American, descended from the Powhatan tribe of Virginia. Her mother and grandmother grew up at Mattaponi Indian Reservation in West Point, VA. The Mattaponi Indians were one of six original tribes in the Powhatan chiefdom, but are currently only recognized by the state of Virginia — “[federal recognition] is one of the things we’re fighting for,” said James.

The reservation, located 30 miles from Richmond on the shores of the Mattaponi River, is one of the oldest reservations in the United States. James has friends and family that live at the reservation, and she regularly attends tribal events and pow wows with her son when she isn’t on the road.

“I grew up with it, and I was always so fascinated with it,” said James about her Mattaponi ancestry. “It’s so important for myself … to stay in tune with the heritage and keep it alive.”

James has embraced her Native American heritage throughout her career, and at WWE’s Wrestlemania 33, she wore an outfit inspired by Native American regalia, albeit with a tacky WWE spin.

Until the 1990s, Native Americans were routinely misrepresented and mistreated by the entertainment industry. Hollywood westerns created and reinforced detrimental stereotypes about them, often recreating wildly inaccurate portrayals of Native American life.

“Native Americans were pretty much seen as savages on television, as if it was a savage, primitive culture. Now it’s become more open, and you’re seeing so many more Native Americans get opportunities,” James said. “I feel like a lot of Native Americans have been able to cross over and make it in the movie industry, and different industries in entertainment.”

Being mixed, both white and Native American, James hasn’t received the level of discrimination as her Native American peers in the entertainment world. Recent films like Cowboys & Aliens and Adam Sandler’s The Ridiculous Six have highlighted the persistent difficulties that Native Americans actors face working in Hollywood.

“Maybe it’s because we have such a unique look that it’s hard to break that mold of what character you would play,” James said. “You’re always going to play the Native American.”

In general, Native Americans in the United States have faced unparalleled discrimination and persecution, and recovery from centuries of abuse by the United States government has been elusive for many Native American communities. Reservations remain some of the most impoverished areas in the country.

“We’re a minority of minorities,” James said. “And I think about a lot of the reservations, not per se my own, but out in the midwest, there’s so much poverty and alcoholism and children that need to be fostered… They’re kind of forgotten about because they are such a small population.”

James hasn’t forgotten her roots. The wrestling star continues to break boundaries as a Native American woman in the entertainment industry, and is poised to climb even higher when she takes center stage with some of the WWE’s most talented brawlers at Evolution on Oct. 28.

Top photo by Robby Batte. Other photos courtesy Mickie James except where noted.