Mae Estes
#
306
Ranking
BIRTHDATE
BIRTHPLACE
Hope
,
AK
,
USA
32
Mae Estes is a Hope, Arkansas-born country singer-songwriter who spent nearly a decade paying dues in Nashville before signing with Big Machine Records, earning the AIMP 2024 Rising Artist-Writer of the Year award, landing on CMT's Next Women of Country list, and building a fiercely loyal following on the strength of her plain-spoken, classic country storytelling and a live reputation earned at venues from the Grand Ole Opry to U.S. military bases around the world.
Current Tour & Setlist
Estes is actively releasing new music from an upcoming project in 2026 while continuing to perform at festivals, arenas, and listening room venues across the country, with a confirmed appearance at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville in May 2026 and a headlining show at the Station Inn in Nashville also on the books. No formal headlining tour has been announced as of this writing, but fans can follow her socials for updates, and based on her recent setlists can expect signature songs including "Thinkin Bout Cheatin'," "Best Side," "Naked," and new material from her Big Machine Records project.
Early Life
Born November 15 in Hope, Arkansas, a small town better known as the birthplace of President Bill Clinton, Mae Estes grew up in a musical family that stretches back through generations of bluegrass players, and she caught the performance bug at age seven when she boldly told her mother she could out-sing LeAnn Rimes on the national anthem, then walked into an Arkansas rodeo arena and proved she had the voice to back it up. Her parents Johnny and Darlene Estes drove her every Tuesday night to Glenwood, Arkansas, two hours from Hope, to sing on a local AM radio show, and also took her across Arkansas, Texas, and Louisiana to perform, while her mother introduced her to the classic country legends she would spend her career channeling, including Patsy Cline, Loretta Lynn, and Vince Gill.
Career Highlights
Estes graduated college in just three years while working multiple jobs, then moved to Nashville in August 2015 armed with a guitar, a notebook, and the mentorship of Hope community figure Tee Powers, who had been inviting her to perform with his band the Bear Creek Boys since she was a young girl and continued to serve as a sounding board as her Nashville career took shape. She signed her first publishing deal with Plaid Flag Music in 2020, independently released her debut EP "Before the Record" in 2023, produced by hit songwriter Paul Sikes, and later that year announced a signing with Big Machine Records, WME Agency, Kobalt Music, and Blue Bronco Entertainment. Named AIMP's 2024 Rising Artist-Writer of the Year and a member of CMT's Next Women of Country Class of 2024, Estes has performed at the Grand Ole Opry, CMA Fest, the NHL Stadium Series, the PBR Stadium Series, Wrangler's National Finals Rodeo, and the Bluebird Cafe, while also touring internationally with Armed Forces Entertainment and CreatiVets to support U.S. servicemembers abroad.
Family & Personal Life
Mae Estes keeps her personal life very private, and no confirmed relationship or family details beyond her close bond with her parents in Hope, Arkansas have been made public. She has credited her parents Johnny and Darlene as the emotional backbone of her entire career, saying they kept her on track through every difficult moment and always made her believe she could take off flying whenever she wanted.
