JACKSON, Wyo. — Nashville style “in the round” is the first night tradition for the 3rd Annual Cowgirls at the Cowboy festival, which kicked-off a three night run on Thursday to a nearly sold out house at the Million Dollar Cowboy Bar. The “nation’s only all-female country festival” featured stripped-back acoustic performances by three-time Grammy winner (among twelve nominations) Lori McKenna, seventeen-time Canadian Country Music Association Music Awards recipient Tenille Townes, and host/festival organizer/established songwriter Jenny Tolman.
The stripped-back, round robin format is uncommon in the region. It brings intimacy to an already intimate, sit-down show by focusing on the song—the story behind it, the thought sparked the first lyric or musical idea, the writing process (often as co-writes), perhaps a lyrical hint, and in the case of last night, which country star had cut the song that led to a chart-topping hit. The opportunity for the writer to interact with an engaged audience in this way, in an otherwise rowdy bar on any other given Thursday, gave pause to the power of song. When the roots of a song are presented akin to the way that it was originally conceived, it’s an ear-catching contrast to the bells and whistles of a well-oiled studio version.
The three artists performed six songs each. A new Tolman song was dedicated to the late Bill Baxter, who was instrumental in creating the all-woman festival and also extremely involved in curating concerts as owner of both the Cowboy and the Silver Dollar. It brought the audience to tears, and to their feet in appreciation and admiration.
Townes had a striking and cutting vocal delivery, offering poignant songs “The Last Time” and “I Kept the Roses” after opening with one of her biggest songs, “Where You Are,” singing “I’ve been high, I’ve been low/I’ve been everywhere a soul can go/I’ve seen the Northern Lights and heaven too/But I ain’t ever seen anything like you.” She told an endearing story about driving from Alberta to Nashville for the first time as a teenager with her dad and scoring a last-minute ticket at the Bluebird Cafe to see her favorite songwriter, Lori McKenna (sitting right next to her). Townes eventually visited McKenna at her Boston home, where they wrote several songs together.
McKenna was the clear veteran of the trio. Not just in age, as she joked “every round has to have an old person…is that somebody’s mom?” and then launched into a song about her ninety-year old dad, “People Get Old.” Her prowess as a seasoned writer and confident singer-songwriter was palpable. Her songs were clear, razor sharp, often melodically catchy but always constructed with profound lyrical purpose. One highlight was a welcomed repeat from the 2022 festival, “Crowded Table,” a song that McKenna co-wrote with Highwomen members Natalie Hemby and Brandi Carlile. Other McKenna-penned crowed pleasers included the Parker McCollum hit, “Burn it Down,” Little Big Town hit “Girl Crush,” and a Grammy win for Tim McGraw’s version of “Humble & Kind”—“Don’t expect a free ride from no one/Don’t hold a grudge or a chip and here’s why/Bitterness keeps you from flyin’/Always stay humble and kind.”
The festival may consider a re-brand as “Crafty” Cowgirls at the Cowboy. Inspiring night all around.
