Jenee Fleenor remembers driving around the roads of Northwest Arkansas as a teenager, dreaming that she might someday hear her fiddle on radio stations like the one playing in her car.

“It still takes my breath away when I hear my fiddle on the radio,” she says, just a couple of weeks after winning the Musician of the Year Award at the CMAs. “To see the dream come alive is sometimes overwhelming.”

On Nov. 8, Fleenor won Musician of the Year from the Country Music Association for the fifth time. She was the first woman ever nominated for the award in 2019, and that year, she became the first fiddle player to receive the award since 1996.

“I can hardly believe I have won one of these awards, much less five in a row,” the Springdale native says. “Honestly, every year is a surprise to me. Every musician in this category deserves this award; they’re all my heroes and friends and play on countless hit records.

“My dream of moving to Nashville was never fueled by having awards on my mantle — though I am obviously humbled and honored! I just had a dream of being a session musician in Nashville someday and maybe hearing my fiddle on the radio.”

Fleenor — then Jenee Keener — started her journey with Suzuki classical violin lessons. She left Springdale in 2001 and quickly became a sought-after session musician, playing on hits like Jon Pardi’s “Your Heart or Mine,” “Heartache Medication” and “Dirt On My Boots;” Cody Johnson’s “‘Til You Can’t” and “Human;” and Carly Pearce’s “29: Written in Stone.” And she’s toured with Blake Shelton, Steven Tyler (Aerosmith), Terri Clark, Martina McBride, Don Williams, Jimmy Fortune and Larry Cordle & Lonesome Standard Time.

On the day she answered questions for her hometown newspaper, Fleenor had “a writing appointment” and was playing fiddle on a couple of sessions.

“I never get tired of session work,” she enthuses. “It’s just so fun for me to be in a room with such amazing musicians, all pushing each other to be better players. And now most sessions I am on are people I’ve worked with for years, so it’s just so awesome to get to do what I love day in and day out with people I enjoy being around.

“My life is filled with so much of what I love!”

Fleenor admits her industry recognitions — she was also named Specialty Instrument Player of the Year at the American Country Music Awards in April — have had an impact on her career.

“For example, I recently signed a publishing deal with Warner Chappell,” she says. “I’ve been a songwriter for many years now, and it was a dream of mine years ago to have a [publication] deal — and it kind of just fell in my lap this past year. I don’t think it would have happened without this beautiful journey I’ve been on.

“I also have a lot of artists and musicians asking me for career advice these days, which I am always happy to give. I certainly don’t know it all, and there has never been a straight line for me to get from point A to point B of achieving my goals, but I think it’s important to share as much information as you can.

“I realize I am in a spot now to cheer other people on and encourage people along with their dreams,” she muses. “I look back to all the people that helped me along my way, and I am forever grateful! I recently heard Tanya Tucker say at her Country Music Hall Of Fame induction, ‘If you see a turtle on a stump, you know he didn’t get there by himself!’ And that is certainly the way I feel!”

Fleenor is also “over the moon excited” about her new all-star bluegrass band, the Wood Box Heroes. They’re “some dear, dear friends of mine and some of the best musicians in the business,” she says, including Barry Bales on bass, Seth Taylor on mandolin, Matt Menefee on banjo and Josh Martin, “one of the best singer-songwriters I’ve ever had the privilege of working with.”

“This is something I didn’t see coming down the pike, but I am so glad it has,” she says. “We made our Opry debut back in August and are planning on hitting the road some this next year.

“Wow — it’s been such an incredible journey,” Fleenor concludes. “Psalms 37:4 has really been ringing in my mind lately: ‘Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.’ That is exactly how I feel. I feel what I do is a gift from the Lord — and I feel so much joy getting to do what I love day in and day out!”