The ‘Original Rhinestone Cowgirl’: New Mexico’s Louise Massey Mabie [Video]

SAFE. IT IS WOMEN’S HISTORY MONTH. FOR DECADES, THEY HAVE LEFT THEIR MARK IN THE LAND OF ENCHANTMENT AND NATIONWIDE. THIS INCLUDES LOUISE MASSEY, MAYBE ONE OF THE FIRST FEMALE COUNTRY AND WESTERN MUSIC STARS. FAITH EGBUONU SHARES HER STORY. BORN IN THE HEART OF TEXAS IN 1902, LOUISE MASSEY MAY BE IN HER FAMILY LEFT FOR THE LAND OF ENCHANTMENT. THIS GRAY BRICK HOUSE JUST WEST OF ALAMEDA STREETS IN ROSWELL, NEW MEXICO, IS WHERE IT ALL BEGAN. ONE OF EIGHT CHILDREN, SHE AND HER SIBLINGS WOULD PLAY INSTRUMENTS WITH THEIR FATHER, EVENTUALLY FORMING A MUSIC GROUP 16 YEARS LATER. THE MASSEY FAMILY BAND, BUT LOUISE MASSEY AND THE WESTERNERS HAD A BETTER RING TO IT. THE BAND, INCLUDING HER FATHER, HUSBAND AND TWO BROTHERS. LOUISE MASSEY AND HER BROTHERS USED TO TOUR LOCAL VENUES SIMILAR TO THIS ONE HERE AT THE LIBERTY, JUST SIX MILES AWAY FROM HER …