A Dirty Dozen with SUZANNA SPRING from MUSTANGS OF THE WEST – October 2023

According to a recent press release: “Mustangs of the West, the trailblazing all-female country quintet, is thrilled to announce the release of their highly anticipated album Down at the Palomino, out today via KZZ Music/Blue Élan Records. Building on the resounding success of their critically acclaimed album Sea of Heartbreak, the group is set to once again dazzle audiences with their soul-stirring sound. Full of rich harmonies and deep musicianship, Down at the Palomino’s twelve songs of California Country and Americana showcase expert songcraft and the power of five women creating something greater than the sum of their parts. The Mustangs’ story goes back to the late ‘80s/early ‘90s and the L.A. country scene, where they filled the historic Palomino Club with their soul-stirring harmonies and potent songs. After touring the U.S. and Europe three times, the band amicably parted ways in the mid-90s, with each of its members headed off into their own careers as songwriters, session musicians, and solo artists. Flash forward and the group, now Mustangs of the West, can still knock the wind out of you with their soaring vocals and emotive storytelling – and they now bring to the table years of experience and the mark of finely honed craftsmanship. The band features three original members, Suzanna Spring (vocals/guitar), Sherry Rayn Barnett (lead guitar/vocals), and Holly Montgomery (bass/vocals), with the addition of Aubrey Richmond (fiddle/vocals), and Suzanne Morissette Cruz (drums/vocals).” We get singer Suzanna to discuss new music, influences, and more.

1. Tell us a little about your latest release.  What might a fan or listener not grab the first or second time they listen through?  Are there any hidden nuggets you put in the material or that only diehard fans might find?

Our title track, “Down at The Palomino,” was written by former Flying Burrito Brothers guitarist John Beland about his days of playing at The Pal during the 70s. Our producer Kirk Pasich brought the song to us, and we loved it. Mustangs Of The West got our start at The Palomino, but much later, so we wrote an extra verse to commemorate our time there. We also mentioned some of the other artists – Lucinda Williams, Rosie Flores, James Intveld and Jim Lauderdale – who were also regulars at The Palomino. We reached out to John Beland and got his blessing, so when you hear our version, you’ll hear that extra verse at the end!

2. What got you into music, and can you tell us about the moment you realized you wanted to be a musician?

All of us in the band come from different musical backgrounds, and most of us have a classical music background. Electric guitarist Sherry studied classical guitar, and loves folk music and jangly guitar bands like The Byrds, bassist Holly likes rock music, drummer/percussionist Suzanne has a jazz background, and fiddle player Aubrey grew up in the northwest where there’s a tradition of competing in fiddling contests.  My mom is from Oklahoma and I grew up with country music; I also kept a radio next to my bed, listening to all the pop and rock music hits of the day. I think we were always drawn to music. If you have melodies and poetry in your head, music is simply something that you can’t “not do.”

3. Building on that, is there a specific song, album, performer, or live show that guided your musical taste?

I love Emmylou Harris and Lucinda Williams; I also loved Stevie Nicks and Tom Petty. But when I heard Steve Earle’s Copperhead Road album, I knew I wanted to go to Nashville to write music, if country music could be like that. Sherry snuck into a lot of concerts as a teenage photographer. She got to see a lot of her guitar gods and goddesses, and singer/songwriters with great story songs, which she loves to this day.

4. If you could call in any one collaborator to do a song with, who would it be, and why?

I know everyone in the band would have a different favorite! I would have loved to have collaborated with Tom Petty or Robbie Robertson; some of my favorite song are theirs: urgent lyrics and memorable melodies. I also like Ed Sheeran, and for something totally different, Chvrches – so those would be choices too.

5. What is your favorite activity when out of the studio and/or not on tour?  What do you like to do to unwind?

Holly loves travel and is a total Anglophile and history buff; me too – we always say we want to tour the UK so we can spend extra time there! Aubrey plans some great adventure travel for her downtime. We all practice yoga; it’s the musician’s friend and the antidote to so much standing, sitting, playing music. It helps us to stay steady, too, in a world that is very chaotic right now. Sherry is a music photographer when we’re not playing, and she’s had photographs featured in Rolling Stone and The New York Times. She was one of five photographers recently honored at The Grammy Museum, and she’s published her first book of concert photography called Eye of the Music. Our drummer Suzanne is always playing music.

6. How would you describe your music to someone who’d never listened to you before? What is the one comparison a reviewer or fan has made that made you cringe or you disagreed with?

I think our music is reminiscent of some of the vocal harmony country/rock bands like the Eagles, Poco, but all women! Regarding a cringe comparison, hmm… I don’t think I have one. People have compared us to the Chicks, The Bangles, and often, the Eagles, because our songs often feature three- and four-part harmonies and we are lucky to have such a good vocal blend. This album (Down at the Palomino) features lead vocals from four different band members.

7. When your band is hanging out together, who cooks, who gets the drinks in, and who is first to crack out the acoustic guitars for a singalong?

Haha I think you mean who gets the menus out and orders online : ) and that would be Aubrey. We don’t all live in the same area, so we are almost always working when we’re together.

8. When was the last time you were starstruck and who was it?

I saw Pink in concert and was just amazed at the music and the physicality of her show; it was incredible. Sherry recently attended the Hollywood Bowl concert with Brandi Carlisle and Joni Mitchell, and it would be impossible not to be starstruck.

9. What is the best part of being a musician? If you could no longer be a musician for whatever reason, what would be your dream job?

There is a reason it’s called “playing music.” Playing music has curiosity, fun, joy and great emotional release in it, and when there’s a show, the audience feels it too. That is the best. If I couldn’t play music, I’d still want to write. I’ve also taught yoga/meditation for many years, and that is its own reward. I think Holly would be a British history scholar, Sherry a poker player, Aubrey a psychologist – I think! And Suzanne, I can’t imagine her without music.

10. What is one question you have always wanted an interviewer to ask – and what is the answer?

What will the future of music be in a world of short attention span? My answer would be: Businesses used to think that putting everyone together in a big room with no office privacy would result in lots of creative collaboration. But instead there was dilution of creative ideas. Most of us get our flashes of insight, our creative ideas, during the times we are quiet and still. The late Rusty Young from Poco, who was a labelmate of ours at Blue Élan Records, used to call it “being visited by the Muse.” Creative isolation is often undervalued in this world of static and distractions, but the need for it can’t be overstated. Conversely, what question are you tired of answering? A question we get all the time:  Which do you prefer? Studio or live performance. The truth is we like them both.

11. Looking back over your career, is there a single moment or situation you feel was a misstep or you would like to have a “do over,” even if it didn’t change your current situation?

I once had a lottery intuition I didn’t follow, and would most definitely like a do–over. For the band: I don’t think it’s a misstep, but I know the COVID lockdown years tested us and like most musicians, we felt downhearted a lot of the time. We’ve had a really great year this year so far, and it’s been a reminder to us to appreciate our hard work more, and really savor some of the good moments.

12. If you could magically go back in time and be a part of the recording sessions for any one record in history, which would you choose – and what does that record mean to you?

Fleetwood Mac’s album Fleetwood Mac, The Eagles Desperado, Townes Van Zandt’s The Late Great Townes Van Zandt,  and Joni Mitchell’s album Blue. I think Sherry might agree about the Eagles album, and maybe a Beatles session, too. Those albums captured the artists at their creative best, and I would have loved to have witnessed the process.

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Category: Interviews