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Sunday, 5 June, 2011 9:49 PM
CMA New Artist Spotlight: 'The
JaneDear Girls'
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Photo
by Kristin Barlowe
New
country music duo The JaneDear Girls |
| By
Bob Doerschuk |
| ©
2011 CMA Close Up News Service |
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Think “JaneDear
girls” and what comes to mind are two gifted performers, Utah
homegirl Susie Brown and Texas-born Danelle Leverett. Brown, the
seventh of seven children, was an early achiever in music, having
started on the violin at 4. By 10 she was able to win first place
in her age group at the Utah State Fiddle Contest, while also sharpening
her skills onstage with her family’s band and in high school
productions. Leverett’s first passion was sports. She excelled
in multiple sports throughout her formative years until a pole vaulting
injury in high school forced her to shift her energy towards playing
guitar and writing songs. She blossomed to the point of winning
a regional songwriting contest and signing an indie record label
deal by the time she had finished her college studies.
Fate steered both to
Nashville, where they soon crossed paths and began working together.
Their synchronicity won John Rich’s attention and assistance
in connecting with their label, Warner Bros. Records. He also produced
their self-titled debut, a bristling mix of Brown’s fiddle,
Leverett’s high-energy guitar, perfectly executed harmonies
and razor-sharp hooks. One or both JaneDear girls shares writing
credit on each of its 11 tracks. The flirty, saucy and catchy first
singles, “Wildflower” (written by Brown, Vicky McGehee
and Jeremy Stover) and “Shotgun Girl” (Leverett and
Deric Ruttan) typify the tear-it-up, party-down feel that helped
earn them a berth on Jason Aldean’s “My Kinda Party
Tour.”
SONG YOU’D
LOVE TO COVER
BROWN: “‘Hit
Me with Your Best Shot’ by Pat Benatar or ‘Kiss Me’
by Sixpence None the Richer.”
SONG YOU WISH YOU’D
WRITTEN
LEVERETT: “‘I
Still Have Faith in You’ is one of many songs written by Tom
Douglas that I love.”
FAVORITE MODE OF
TRANSPORTATION
BOTH: “Tour bus.”
FAVORITE FOOD ON
THE ROAD
BROWN: “I love
to make fruit smoothies and eat BBQ potato chips and beans.”
LEVERETT: “Popcorn
and green tea.”
SOMETHING WE’D
NEVER GUESS ABOUT YOU
BROWN: “I am a
great aunt. I was homecoming queen in my senior year of high school.
And my first kiss was a bet when I was 16 and I won 20 bucks.”
LEVERETT: “I do
not have a TV, microwave, dishwasher or washer/dryer. My dog Dixie
is my best friend. And I won MVP on my high-school track team competing
in hurdles and pole vaulting.”
On the Web:
www.TheJaneDearGirls.com
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