Little Ol Cowgirl

 (5 customer reviews)

The first thing to say about this album is that it is very different in style from the music that most people expect from the Dixie Chicks. It has elements of folk, country and bluegrass but no pop whatsoever. For this album, the line-up was Laura Lynch, Robin Lynn Macy, Martie Erwin and Emily Erwin. Before the Chicks became famous, Robin and Laura left. Robin later became a member of Domestic Science Club. Martie and Emily stayed and were joined by Natalie Maines. On this album, Robin and Laura took turns as lead singer, except for one instrumental track. Banjo (played by Emily) and fiddle (played by Martie) are the dominant instruments.There are some interesting covers of A road is just a road (Mary Chapin Carpenter), Past the point of rescue (Hal Ketchum), Hallelujah I love him/her so (Ray Charles) and You send me (Sam Cooke), all of which sound very different from the originals, but I love them. There's also a brilliant Irish medley. Most, if not all, of the other songs are...Read more

Their best pre-Natalie Maines album, in my opinion, was "Thank Heavens for Dale Evans"--but that doesn't mean I don't love this one too! In addition to the other influences already mentioned, I really hear Bob Wills on this album, especially the title track.

Whatever else one may say about them, they don't sound quite like anybody else and nobody else sounds quite like them, a rarity in this age of bland, overproduced pop music; they took a bunch of different influences and blended them into something all their own.

The humble beginnings of the Dixie Chicks -- a nice indie effort, which ranges from stringband swing and singer-songwriterish Americana to would-be Nashville demos and cutesy covers of 'Fifties oldies such as Ray Charles' "Hallelujah I Love Her So" and Sam Cooke's "You Send Me." In this pre-Natalie Maines version of the band, guitar and bass are provided by Robin Lynn Macy and Laura Lynch -- the Pete Bests of "young country" -- who also both handle the primary songwriting and singing chores. This album has its weak points and its charms; certainly, the spirit of Nanci Griffith hangs heavily over the whole album, and the band's indie-Americana origins are easy to spot. Released on a small Dallas-based indie label, Crystal Clear Sound.