Runaway June is an American country music group consisting of Stevie Woodward (lead vocals, guitar, piano, harmonica, autoharp), Jennifer Wayne (guitar, vocals), and Natalie Stovall (guitar, fiddle, banjo, mandolin, vocals). Wayne co-founded the group in 2015 with Hannah Mulholland (mandolin, vocals) and Naomi Cooke (lead vocals). Wayne was a former member of Stealing Angels and had co-written singles for other singers prior to the group's foundation. Signed to BBR Music Group's Wheelhouse imprint in 2015, the group charted two singles on the Billboard Hot Country Songs and Country Airplay charts prior to their breakthrough hit "Buy My Own Drinks" in 2018. This was the first of three singles from their 2019 studio album Blue Roses. Mulholland quit the group in 2020 and was replaced by Natalie Stovall, former lead singer of Natalie Stovall and the Drive; Cooke quit in 2022 and was replaced by Stevie Woodward.
Background
Jennifer Wayne, a granddaughter of John Wayne, grew up in Southern California, and Hannah Mulholland grew up in Los Angeles, California, while Naomi Cooke is from Cedar Key, Florida. Cooke co-wrote Tyler Farr's top 40 hit "Better in Boots". Wayne was originally a member of the group Stealing Angels, and co-wrote Eric Paslay's top 20 hit "She Don't Love You" and Keith Urban's 2021 hit "Wild Hearts". Under this lineup, Cooke was the lead vocalist, Mulholland was the low harmony vocalist and mandolin player, and Wayne was the high harmony vocalist and guitar player.
The three met in Nashville and wrote their debut single "Lipstick" with assistance from Rebecca Lynn Howard, Caroline Hobby (former member of Stealing Angels), and Elisha Hoffman. The song was released in 2016 via Broken Bow Records' Wheelhouse Records imprint. An uncredited review from Taste of Country praised the "original premise" and vocal harmonies. They released their self-titled debut EP in September 2018, which featured the singles "Wild West" and "Buy My Own Drinks".
The group was a supporting act for Carrie Underwood on her Cry Pretty Tour 360, which ran from May 1, 2019, to October 31, 2019, alongside Maddie & Tae. On May 23, 2019, the group announced their debut album Blue Roses, which was released on June 28, 2019. "Buy My Own Drinks", which served as the lead-off single, is included on the album alongside three other songs from their previous EP release. The album debuted at No. 36 on the Top Country Albums chart, and No. 2 on the Heatseekers Albums chart. After "Buy My Own Drinks", the band also charted two more singles from the album: "Head over Heels" and "We Were Rich".
On May 14, 2020, Mulholland announced her departure from the group. The following day, Cooke and Wayne confirmed that she was replaced by Natalie Stovall, former lead singer of Natalie Stovall and the Drive, who also plays fiddle. In February 2022, Naomi Cooke departed from the band; she was replaced by Stevie Woodward two months later.
In 2023, Runaway June signed with Quartz Hill Records and released "Make Me Wanna Smoke" as their first single under the new label.
Discography Studio albums + List of albums, with selected chart positions, showing year released and album name Title Album details Peak chartpositions Sales USCou.<br/ > USHea.<br/ > USInd.<br/ > Blue Roses Released: June 28, 2019 Label: Wheelhouse Format: CD, music download 36 2 10US: 7,600 New Kind of Emotion Released: September 19, 2025 Label: Quartz Hill Formats: CD, Music download, streaming — — —
EPs Title Details Runaway June Released: September 7, 2018 Label: Wheelhouse Formats: CD, music download When I Think About Christmas Released: October 16, 2020 Label: Wheelhouse Formats: Music download, streaming Backstory Released: May 16, 2021 Label: Wheelhouse Formats: Music download, streaming Smoke, Wine & Whiskey Released: January 26, 2024 Label: Quartz Hill Formats: Music download, streaming
Singles + List of singles, with selected chart positions, showing relevant details Title Year Peak chart positionsCertifications AlbumUSUSCou.USCou.Air.CANCou. "Lipstick" 2016 — 37 28 — "Wild West" 2017 — 47 36 — Runaway June "Buy My Own Drinks" 2018 88 17 8 15 RIAA: GoldBlue Roses "Head over Heels" 2019 — — 41 — "We Were Rich" 2020 — — 37 — "Make Me Wanna Smoke" 2023 — — 57 — New Kind of Emotion "New Kind of Emotion" 2025 — — — — "—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory.
Other charted songs + List of singles, with selected chart positions, showing relevant details Title Year Peakchartpositions AlbumUSCountryAirplay "Sleigh Ride" 2020 45 When I Think About Christmas
Music videos Year Video Director 2016 "Lipstick" Peter Zavadil 2017 "Wild West" Traci Goudie 2019 "Buy My Own Drinks" Peter Zavadil "Buy My Own Drinks" (live) Justin Key 2020 "We Were Rich" Patrick Tracy "Sleigh Ride" Cody Heckber
Awards and nominations Year Award Category Work Result2018 53rd Academy of Country Music Awards New Vocal Duo or Group of the Year Themselves 2019 CMT Music Awards Breakthrough Video of the Year "Buy My Own Drinks"
Tours Supporting Cry Pretty Tour 360 (2019) supporting Carrie Underwood with Maddie & Tae Proud to Be Right Here Tour (2020) supporting Luke Bryan
References