"Hey," says lead singer Trenna Barnes. "What do you want to warm up with?"
One of the girls on the stage -- not sure who -- answers, "How about a shot of whiskey?"
This has been going on for a few minutes as the women of Cowboy Crush do pretty much what band members everywhere do before getting down to practice. Behind the keyboard stack Becky Priest blows on her hands and rubs them together. Debbie Johnson rumbles through a few licks on her bass. Behind the drums Darla Perlozzi twirls the stick in her right hand.
Then, without a warning or a cue, the front line turns toward their mics and breaks into a cappella harmony: "Nobody ever died," they sing, right on pitch, their voices oozing like honey through a filter of blue notes and country twangs.
"Nobody ever died," the repeat, even more soulful and free. And finally: "Nobody ever died... of a broken heart."
Then Renaé runs up behind Trenna and, for no apparent reason, kicks her in the butt. And everyone falls back to joking around, playing little diddly licks ...
It's just like before, except for one thing: We've heard, just for a second, the sound of Cowboy Crush.
And just like that, in an instant, something in how we've always heard and felt music changed -- for the better.
Really, it's that simple. There's no band out there like Cowboy Crush. They sing like angels, play like demons, and have more fun while they're doing it than anyone you've ever seen onstage.
Country music insiders already know this. The band's very first gig was at the famous Wild Horse in Nashville in October 2003, at the International Entertainment Buyers convention. They played just three songs -- and before leaving the building they'd earned something like fifty bookings from the spellbound executives.
Fans caught on quickly. From their first road show -- a party for Fox network honchos at the Super Bowl last year -- to appearances before huge festival crowds and at arenas opening for headliners like Travis Tritt, Lonestar, and Trace Adkins, they've drawn standing ovations, encores ... and more than one million four hundred thousand visitors to their website, www.cowboycrush.com, all without having released so much as a self-produced single.
"As soon as I heard them play, it was a revelation. It was like God saying to me, 'This is what I've been preparing you for. This is where your home is.'"
Darla -- a five-foot dynamo behind the drums, a firecracker with an Italian temperament under normal circumstances -- is dead serious as she describes the first time she heard her future bandmates. Her colleagues, sprawled now on a couch and a couple of chairs at SIR, have been laughing at each other's punch lines, howling over shared memories, and having nearly as much fun during this break as they'd been having in rehearsal. But now they're reflective -- briefly.
Clearly they agree: It was inevitable that their paths would cross ... though, looking back, it's a little surprising to them all that it took this long -- for all five had spent a fair amount of time in Music City, playing the Lower Broadway honky-tonks, or backing up superstars on the road with their touring bands, or even taking classes together as music majors at Belmont University. 
But, Nashville being a small town, talented people -- and, especially, very talented, independent, and ambitious young women -- will inevitably cross paths. So it was with Trenna, Becky, Renaé, Debbie, and Darla , whom fate eventually brought together on March 18, 2003, the date of their first practice. Home base at the time was Becky's garage, with their first audiences gathered on the street to line-dance. They started picking up gigs; without even a homebrew single to sell, they spread their reputation simply by doing killer shows and developing a sound that's often described as a high-octane blend of Emmylou Harris and Aerosmith.
From that garage to their debut at the Wild Horse to jam-packed venues and fairgrounds throughout America, Cowboy Crush's ascent has been swift. With the release of Title Goes Here the pace picks up even more. History, as we've noted, has already changed, at least for this writer on a recent afternoon at SIR. In the wake of that experience, we can guarantee that these five ladies will be the act to see throughout 2005.
And for listeners who haven't yet been enlightened, our advice is simple: Prepare to be Crushed.
WHO'S WHO IN COWBOY CRUSH
You've heard the CD, right? You already know that Cowboy Crush is an awesome, tear-it-up, rock-all-night outfit. So the next question is: Who are these young ladies who are already scaring the Stetsons off of every guy-ridden band in the business?
Rather than unravel each one's personality from the impression they make together as a band -- and that's not easy to do, by the way, given how they all tend to talk and laugh at the same time and finish each other's sentences when you've got them together in one place -- we've invited the artists themselves to rat on ... er, let's say share their real feelings about each other as colleagues, as musicians, as pals, and as the soon-to-be hottest act east or west of Lower Broadway.
Here's what we got:
TRENNA BARNES
Becky: Trenna is the "bar." I knew that the first time I played with her. Nobody has her stage presence, her vocal finesse, her sheer range, and the emotion in her voice. She knows how to convey a song; that's what gives her the it factor. We also think and act a lot alike. I don't know if it's because my birthday is June 22 and Trenna's is June 25, so although I don't really follow horoscopes, we're both under the Cancer sign. It's interesting how similar we are, though: We're both very emotional ... which is great, because emotion is what makes for great music.
Darla: I can't tell you how many times I hear Trenna deliver an emotion in a song and it gives me chills. It's a gift she brings to our band along with her passion to make this succeed all the way to the top. Her sassiness makes me think that we have the country version of Bette Midler on our team. She's an awesome performer onstage and a dedicated friend offstage. And really cool hair! Trenna so rocks!
Debbie: Trenna and I met during our first year as music majors at Belmont University. She was a phenomenal talent even back then, and she's only gotten better. She's a great vocalist -- one of those few great vocalists who are also great performers. She knows how to relate to crowds and just get plain rowdy in the spotlight. I'm thrilled that she is "my" lead singer. I also feel privileged to be "her" bass player.
Renaé: Trenna is a total spaz! I never thought I'd run into someone who was even nuttier than I am. To this day, on or off the stage, she cracks me up in one way or another. She's always saying something totally comic or running around and acting crazy. That's so cool ... but I'm still the air hockey champ!
DEBBIE JOHNSON
Becky: Debbie is the one who always leads our "before-show prayer." We can all be running around like chickens with our heads cut off, but when it's time to pray Debbie is the one who makes it happen. She's very calm -- the port in the storm, I'd say, or the eye of the hurricane -- which makes it super easy to talk with her. So even though she can't find her cell phone half the time, Debbie really is the glue that holds us all together.
Darla: My partner in crime onstage. I truly enjoy playing music with her -- she makes my job easy (and fun)! We have a natural ability to lock and know where we need to take the music. Offstage she has been a dear friend. She believed in me when no one else would. Her spirit is awesome. She's also the intellect of the band, so I often have to ask her ... "Huh?" (Just kidding!) Oh, yeah -- she's also an awesome bass player!. She's been a rock for this project, as well as a wonderful, loving, kind-spirited woman.
Renaé: Debbie and I have been through a lot together. She's my spiritual sister. We always kid around about being old ladies one day and reminiscing about our crazy road trips. In fact, that's really special to me because I know we'll have this friendship forever.
Trenna: I've known Debbie since college, longer than anyone else in the band. People say we look like sisters -- a very cool compliment because she's so damn pretty! She's that girl you can call with a problem and she'll talk to you for seven-and-a-half hours until you've forgotten whatever it was that troubles you. She's got an infectious laugh and an ability to make people feel calm in rough situations. She's very laid-back, as most killer bass players are, very dedicated, and one of my favorite people.
DARLA PERLOZZI
Becky: Man, can she play those skins! Trenna is right: Darla plays like she belongs in the WWE. She's quite the arranger, a big help in defining our sound and energy. And she's really funny: All her quotes from Austin Powers crack me up. In fact, she's our own "Mini Me," though I also like the nickname that Renaé has given her: Little Italy.
Debbie: It's funny that I've known Darla for such a short time because I feel as though we've been friends for years. We've found an incredible amount of common ground very quickly. This is important because, as music buffs know, the bass and drums are glued together in all the really great bands. The personal relationship between us enhances that working relationship a great deal. We're getting to the point where we can anticipate each other's musical ideas: Sometimes we hit something together on the spur of the moment, and we just look at each other and smile. It also amazes me every time I watch Darla play, because I can't believe how much power can come from that petite frame.
Renaé: I remember the first time I saw Darla, slamming away at the drums on Lower Broadway in downtown Nashville. I was -- I still am -- blown away by her abilities. We always crossed paths in one way or another down there, but now I'm blessed to have her not only as our drummer but as a very close friend and sister too. Rock on, Little Italy!
Trenna: In rehearsals, when we take songs and make them our own -- a process we call crushing -- Darla always astounds me with her ability to come up with creative ideas. She has a real future in arranging music. And of course she's a great drummer. I call Darla our firecracker: If you didn't see her first, you'd swear there was some huge, six-foot-tall guy playing drums at our shows.
BECKY PRIEST
Debbie: Just like Renaé, Becky has shared many heartaches and victories with me. She's one of the most loyal people I've ever known, and in the talent category I'd put her up against anybody. The good Lord doesn't give out her kind of talent every day. She's a great keyboard player and just as great as a singer. Hay, you have to give loads of credit to anybody that can sing harmonies above Trenna.
Darla: God has been good to Becky. Her perfect pitch amazes me. And I can't begin to tell you about her voice -- what a singer! I especially love it when she sings music from church. I could listen to her all night. And she is strong and loving and always there to take care of me when I need her. I'm proud to be able to make music with her and to call her a friend.
Trenna: Becky is easy for me to describe: too much talent in one body. She plays keyboard, accordion, guitar, and banjo so skillfully and has done so for many notable artists (Cowboy Crush being my favorite). She also has an amazing voice. But when I think of Becky I also think of our rehearsals in her garage, with coffee brewing and the smell of homemade goodies drifting from the kitchen -- that's how she acquired her nickname, "Betty Crocker."
Renaé: Becky is such a caring person. If you're not feeling well, she's the first one to comfort you and see to it you feel better. If you're sick, she'll offer you soup or tea or some other remedy. I can guarantee that if something were ever to happen to any of us, she'd kick some serious butt if necessary (ummm ... the cone incident?). She's also extremely talented and I love making music with her.
RENAÉ TRUEX
Becky: What one word describes Renaé? "Joyful" would be a good one. In the five-plus years I've known her, she has a constant smile on her face and, God bless her, it comes from a real place. And talk about talent: How anybody can run around like her pants are on fire and still play in tune on a stringed instrument is beyond me -- and beyond most fiddle players, for that matter. She's a goofball ... but a talented one.
Darla: Renaé is about to light up the world. She's not just a great and awesome player, she's a great and awesome person and a blessing as a friend. Renaé has such a light about her that when she plays that fiddle the angels in Heaven must be jumping and singing with joy. She has so much love and kindness in her and is one of the most giving people ever. I often wish more people were like her ... I just can't express how much she wows me!
Debbie: Renaé is like a sister. We have so much in common that we could have been raised in the same family. The funny thing is that we've also both changed a lot from how we were raised. I guess you could say we've grown together into who we are now. We've shared so much heartache and so many victories, and now we're realizing the same dream. This makes for a really strong bond. And she lights up any room she walks into. The person you see onstage is the real deal. She doesn't just get that energetic and joyful for the shows; that's how she actually is in life. It's an honor to share the stage with her -- even if we do narrowly miss crashing into each other at least once in every show.
Trenna: Renaé is my crazy friend. We have a harebrained side that comes out after our shows, when we're still pumped up from playing. The rest of the band just waits and watches as she and I run around and act like idiots. They've almost came to expect a game of tag after every show -- of course, with Renaé and I the only ones playing. Another thing: That smile you see on Renaé's face during a show never fades. It's still there later, on the bus, as she's trying to make everybody crack up.
