Welcome to Backroads
At The Country Note, storytelling takes many forms. With Fast Tracks, we bring readers quick, high-energy snapshots of country artists in just a few questions. But sometimes, the road calls for something different, something slower, more reflective, and deeply human. That is where Backroads comes in. This new series takes the scenic route, inviting artists to open up about their journeys, their challenges, and the stories that shape both their music and their lives.
For our very first Backroads feature, I sat down with Kimberly Schlapman, beloved member of country music group, Little Big Town, to talk about a side of her story that goes beyond the stage. As a care partner for her mother, Barbara, who has been living with Parkinson’s disease for 20 years, Kimberly has stepped into a role defined by love, resilience, and advocacy. Through a new campaign called Changing the Tune of Parkinson’s Disease, she is working to empower families everywhere to find their voice and advocate for the care they need to live their lives while dealing with the complexities of the disease. She has joined forces with AbbVie and Dr. Robert Wiggins, a neurologist and movement disorder specialist who shares her passion for patient-centered care.
A Daughter’s Journey
When Kimberly’s mother was first diagnosed two decades ago, life carried on much as usual. “In the beginning, she lived a very pretty normal, everyday life,” Kimberly recalls. “But over the years, things have drastically changed. Now she requires 24-hour care.”
That change, she says, transformed her role from daughter to caregiver and deepened her understanding of what love and companionship really mean. “We spend a lot of time just talking,” she explains. “It’s important that my mom feels heard and understood. Being a companion, that’s a huge part of caregiving.” For Kimberly, those simple moments have become sacred. Whether she is ensuring her mom’s safety, helping with daily routines, or just sitting beside her, every interaction is an act of devotion. “I just want her to feel comforted and seen,” she says softly.
When Everything Changes
For years, Parkinson’s to Kimberly’s family meant tremors, until the day it did not, “When my mother’s balance became her biggest challenge and she started to fall– big, catastrophic falls, that’s when everything changed. That’s when we realized how much more complex it really was.” The experience reshaped how she and her family approached caregiving and how they viewed advocacy. “We had to change our whole world to keep her safe,” she says. “It was scary, but it also made me even more determined to help her live the best life possible.”
Finding Purpose in Partnership
That determination led Kimberly’s to join forces with AbbVie for the Changing the Tune of Parkinson’s Disease campaign, an initiative designed to help families navigate the day-to-day realities of the illness with better communication, resources, and support.
“I’m very passionate about Parkinson’s and about the work being done to help families like mine,” she says. “The campaign empowers people, whether you’re a caregiver or living with Parkinson’s, to advocate for yourself or your loved one. When you share how symptoms change or how life feels different, it helps the doctor develop a better treatment plan.” Dr. Robert Wiggins echoed that message. “Each person with Parkinson’s is different,” he explains. “These are not just patients. They are people with unique stories. The key is teamwork, caregivers, doctors, and loved ones working together to make life a little easier, a little brighter.”
Photos Courtesy of Allister Ann
Changing the Tune Together
Through the campaign’s website, changingthetuneofpd.com, families can access resources, guidance, and community support. “It’s so important to know you’re not alone,” Kimberly says. “This is hard, really hard, but there are answers, and there are people who understand what you’re going through.” That sense of connection has brought new meaning to her relationship with her mother and to her music. “We got to do a photo shoot together for the campaign,” she says, smiling. “Anytime I can be with my mama is a treasure. Now I have those photographs, and they mean the world to me.”
The Music Connection
For an artist who has built her career on heart, harmony, and truth, it is no surprise that Kimberly’s caregiving journey has shaped her creative life as well. “I’ve always been a compassionate person,” she reflects, “but I have even more compassion now for what families go through.” Her Little Big Town bandmates — Karen Fairchild, Jimi Westbrook, and Phillip Sweet — have been a steady source of support. “We’ve grown together over 25 years,” she says. “We’ve walked through aging parents, loss, and life’s harder chapters together. They’ve been incredibly understanding anytime I need to step away to care for my mom. That’s what real family looks like, both on and off the stage.”
Dr. Wiggins adds one final note of perspective. “Parkinson’s isn’t just a part of the day. It’s morning, noon, and night. It becomes part of someone’s whole life, and that’s why care and compassion are so essential. There are about a million people in the U.S. living with Parkinson’s, and that number is only growing. Awareness and advocacy have never been more important.”
A Note from the Road
My conversation with Kimberly was a reminder that even on the winding backroads of life, there is strength and hope. Her message is that compassion and connection can change the tune of even the hardest moments.
For more information or resources, visit changingthetuneofpd.com.