They are, to put it simply, one of country music's great sagas. Cowboy Crush has built, one soul-stirring, tail-shaking show at a time, a unique niche and
a devoted following across the U.S. and in half a dozen countries. Theirs is music to start a heart pumping, a life-affirming, fist-in-the-air celebration that can flow seamlessly into songs bringing heartfelt affirmation to the single mom, the soldier's family--anyone facing the struggles that go with real life.
Trenna Barnes, Debbie Johnson and Renae' Truex have carried the singular joys of music to countless people in clubs, halls and arenas, singing songs that seem torn from the pages of their fans' daily lives. The joy and camaraderie they share with those fans has its foundation in the close relationship they have with each other.
"There's a sisterhood between us," says Trenna. "We kind of rile each other up. One reason there's so much energy to draw on is that we're friends. We like each other."
In sharing both the music and the friendship, their audience has become an extended family.
"We have the coolest fans," says Debbie. "No matter where we go, there are people wearing our T-shirts in the audience, and we're always really moved by the notes we get on our MySpace site."
Cowboy Crush is a unique and synergistic combination of skills. Trenna is the world-class singer, that rare combination of power and subtlety, high energy and pure emotion. Debbie provides both a gorgeous vocal complement and solid underpinnings on the bass. Renae' is the talented multi-instrumentalist known primarily for fiddle work that alternately complements and soars. All three bring an eye-catching mix of high energy, jaw-dropping talent and irrepressible femininity that captivates audiences everywhere.
The music, which they select with the taste of connoisseurs and the intuition of fans, has given real substance to their high-energy approach. They have worked with some of Nashville's finest in the studio--Hall of Fame songwriter Bob DiPiero, Doug Johnson (Hank Williams Jr., John Michael Montgomery), Mark Bright (Rascal Flatts, Carrie Underwood), and Alan Brewer.
"Working with Cowboy Crush is a real treat," says Brewer. "Their energy is great, their musicianship is stellar, and Trenna Barnes is one of the most exciting front people I've ever worked with. She's not just a great singer--she's a great entertainer."
At their uptempo best, with songs like "Hillbilly Nation" ("Our stage show in a song," says Trenna) and "Miss Difficult," they are nothing less than espresso in an iced tea world, an instant jump start on record or live. They are also capable of the stunning harmonies of "Nobody Ever Died Of A Broken Heart" and the emotional honesty of "Cowboy Crush."
"I Am Pretty" and "Tougher Than A Man" are pure affirmation for women in difficult spots, with Trenna, Debbie and Renae' bringing both intelligence and heart to bear on stories of a woman in an abusive relationship and a struggling single mom. They are songs that never fail to resonate with their fans, who often view the trio as that perfect combination of knowledgeable and supportive, strong but down-to-earth, somewhere between trusted friend and sister.
"These women in bad relationships might not call their sister, their mother or their best friend," says Trenna, "but they'll come up to us and tell us what's going on in their lives."
"It's an overwhelming feeling when you can connect with somebody on that level," adds Renae'. "I hope the songs we perform will encourage women to do things they never thought they had the strength to do."
"He's Coming Home" is a deeply cherished favorite for all three, since each of them have had family members in the military. A celebration of a soldier's return, it is another song that has touched countless lives. In fact, the U.S. Army shot its own video for the song, winning the gold medal at the New York Film Festival, and it was chosen for inclusion in the upcoming film "American Heart." It continues to move the group as much as it does their fans.
"We feel that song," says Debbie. "It's not anything we're manufacturing. Trenna's voice will almost break as she hits those last notes, and I realize just how much it touches her, how much it touches us all."
They particularly love shows for service men and women--they have done many--and troops return both the energy and the love.
"At Fort Benning, with troops coming back from boot camp, we had some marriage proposals," says Trenna. "I'll never forget that sea of camouflage the overwhelming sound of the crowd after eve ry single song."
Cowboy Crush is equally popular with NASCAR fans, and they've sung the national anthem at races and have not one but two songs on the upcoming NASCAR Female Fanatics CD compilation--a kickass cover of the Lynyrd Skynyrd classic "The Breeze," and Trenna's rollicking, mile-a-minute rendition of the Hank Snow/Johnny Cash hit "I've Been Everywhere."
At its core, the Cowboy Crush story is one of three young girls with dreams and just enough contrariness to chase them all the way. Trenna, Debbie and Renae' each faced the challenges of growing up with brothers, something that gave them all an extra measure of competitiveness and just a touch of fearlessness.
Trenna began singing simply as a way to aggravate her older brothers growing up in Tulsa, Oklahoma. When they protested, her mother took her side and singing became part of her identity. Growing up in Springfield, Missouri, Debbie had both an uncle and a grandfather who were professional musicians. She started playing violin in fifth grade and her teacher asked if she wanted to try double bass three years later. "I hardly touched my violin after I switched to upright bass in eighth grade," she says. "Then, when I got a bass guitar when I was 16 years old, I knew I'd found my calling."
Renae' grew up in Moundsville, West Virginia, where her father and grandparents were all musicians and she often went to sleep listening to her dad's band practice. Her father bought her a fiddle when she was 11, but it stayed in the closet until a show that included violinist Deni Bonet caused Renae' to throw herself whole-heartedly into learning the instrument. She has played with a list of greats that includes Ray Price, Lorrie Morgan, Ronnie McDowell, Charlie Daniels and Little Jimmy Dickens, as well as rocker Bret Michaels of Poison, and she has opened for Alison Krauss, George Jones and Alabama.
Trenna and Debbie met at Belmont University, a music business training ground that has produced countless behind-the-scenes members of the music community as well as stars including Trisha Yearwood, Brad Paisley and Josh Turner. Debbie was studying upright and electric bass, and Trenna had come on a vocal scholarship. "She was a phenomenal talent even then," says Debbie, "and she's only gotten better." Trenna began earning money singing demos and working with bands in college, and she performed in musical revues at theme parks, on cruise ships and casinos, and in shows for the military here and overseas. She also lent her voice to regional and national commercials for firms including Pepsi and Lipton.
Debbie and Renae' met while they were backing other musicians, and the group that would become Cowboy Crush had its first rehearsals in front of a handful of friends. Their first real gig involved just three songs played for a convention of entertainment buyers at Nashville's Wild Horse Saloon. They earned 50 bookings, playing the next year for Fox network executives at the Super Bowl and opening for the likes of Travis Tritt, Lonestar and Trace Adkins. Before they'd ever released a single, they could count hits to their website in the
millions.
Since then they have toured tirelessly, honing both the sound and the over-the-top showmanship that have helped them build their fan base. They continue to exist at the place where talent, drive and inspiration come together, and they are women who feel most connected when they are standing on a stage with each other, inviting audiences along for a musical joyride.
"I love making people laugh, making them feel good," says Trenna. "To get to be myself on stage and to bring joy to people makes me feel alive. Harlan Howard used to say, ‘You gotta make ‘em laugh, cry or dance,' and I strive to do that every time I step in front of an audience."
"I feel like it's the ultimate communication for me," says Renae'. "When I have that fiddle in my hand, I'm connected with the universe, and I'm complete within myself. It's very cool."
"I feel a sense of destiny and purpose about my life on stage," adds Debbie. "There are times when I look around and it hits me, 'This is what you were born for.' I think all of us feel it, and it overwhelms me sometimes. It's why all the hard times are worth it."
It is a life that has had challenges as well as triumphs, but it is one none of them would trade.
"We're all fighters. We're all survivors," says Trenna. "Plus, we get to do what we love for a living. Not a lot of people get to do that."
"It has been a thrill ride," adds Debbie. "Sometimes it makes you queasy, and sometimes makes you scream with joy and adrenaline. Sometimes you're looking at the hill in front of you as the chain pulling you up goes click, click, click, and you're wondering what's on the other side, but when it's over, we always want to get back on again."
"TOUGHER THAN A MAN"
With "Tougher Than A Man," Cowboy Crush strides confidently into new musical territory. Long known for their high-energy celebration of the rowdier side of life, the trio this time tackles a story as real as the headlines, as personal and poignant as a neighbor's struggles.
"When Cowboy Crush slows down, you'd better listen," says fiddle player Renae' Truex, displaying the same smiling intensity that marks her playing. "This is reality and you might want to get your tissues out."
Written by Lee Brice, Josh Kear and Chris Tompkins, "Tougher Than A Man" brings to life the struggles of a single mom, with lead singer Trenna Barnes' powerfully nuanced vocals bringing a stirring universality to a richly detailed story.
"This is really the first time for Cowboy Crush to settle down and be this serious," says Debbie Johnson, whose harmonies and bass playing help undergird the group's sound. "We've always been so up and in your face. This is our chance to say, 'This is the substa nce of Cowboy Crush. We're here to encourage those of you who are single moms. We're here for those women out there--and for the men who are doing it too.'
The track was produced by Mark Bright, who is known for his work with Carrie Underwood and Rascal Flatts, among many others, and who counts himself among Cowboy Crush's biggest fans.
"They're making music that is artistically and commercially second to none," says Bright, "and now, with this single, the audience has an opportunity to hear what they are all about."
For a group whose past efforts have included raucous tracks like "Hillbilly Nation" and "Nobody Ever Died Of A Broken Heart," "Tougher Than A Man" may cover new ground, but the trio brings a wellspring of empathy to the track. "My dad was gone a lot with work," says Trenna, "and my mom raised me pretty much by herself, so a lot of this hit home for me."
"Trenna's vocal," adds Bright, "is absolutely stunning, and their musicianship is effortless. Working with the band was delightful, and my wish is that people come to love these girls musically as much as I do."
As always, Cowboy Crush's approach is life affirming, finding strength and uplift amid the pain and difficulty.
"There are so many people in this situation," says Renae'. "We see them in our shows and hear from them online, and they need to know we're with them."
That connection between fans and group is something Cowboy Crush reestablishes with each concert and each new single, and it's something Trenna, Debbie and Renae' leave no doubt about with "Tougher Than A Man."
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