TICKET TO RIDE
All-girl band Mustang Sally runs roughshod over fans’ assumptions.

by Dave Richards
Staff writer

Nashville-based country band Mustang Sally features seven women, not a one named Sally. But they sure like to ride. They ride roughshod all over people’s assumptions of what hardworking women musicians can accomplish when they put their minds and talent together.

The group — which is now shopping its demo CD, produced by legendary Barry Beckett — regularly blows away unsuspecting audiences, says drummer Lisa Romeo. “What really wows them the most — well, there are two things,” she said. “One, the show we put on. It’s very entertaining. Tobi (Lee) is really an awesome front person. She works the room well, and she’s great at introducing the songs.”
Doesn’t hurt she’s used to being in front of crowds. She not only had her own band for awhile, did musical theater, hosted a local cable show in Indiana, and was also a former Miss Teen Indiana.

Romeo says Mustang Sally also surprises people with its musicality. Though the group defines itself as country, other influences come to the forefront, including bluegrass, Southern rock, Celtic, and even a little samba.

“The other thing people can’t believe is the girls can play as well as they do,” Romeo said. “Of course, we get comments like, ‘Gosh, you’re better than most guy bands.’ We appreciate that, though, that people recognize that. The girls studied for years on their craft and they’re talented.”

Romeo, a native of Omaha, Neb., started Mustang Sally in Nashville after tiring of seeing mostly men show up at open mic nights. Why not start one for women, she figured. The problem: She couldn’t find enough good players in Nasvhille.

“There are many amateur players in Nasvhille but these guys would show up. I wondered if the girls were intimidated. Sometimes you get that attitude from the guys that’s kind of patronizing when you go into these jam-type sessions, like, ‘Oh, you can play!’ ‘Well, why would you think I couldn’t?’”

Romeo put the call out for women musicians but not enough talented ones showed up regularly. “I ended up having to go outside town,” she said. “I made phone calls, and it took awhile to put it together.”

As is turns out, she found players from around the world, including lead guitarist Lynne Campbell, a New Zealand native; and bassist Amanda Ruzza from Sao Paulo, Brazil. The group also features keyboard player Rachel Solomon (Texas); rhythm guitarist Brenda Zitzman (Minnesota); and fiddle player Sarah Wilfong (Chicago).

THE CURRENT MUSTANG SALLY lineup has been together nearly three years, working fairs and clubs and opening for such performers as Dierks Bentley, Neal McCoy, Mark Chesnutt, and LeAnn Rimes.

“My favorite was this past year, when we opened for 38 Special in front of 20,000 people,” Romeo said. “It was awesome and people received us well. And the guys (in 38 Special) were really gracious.”

Relentless touring — the band averages between 150 and 200 shows a year — has made Mustang Sally a tight group, both personally and musically, Romeo said.
“It’s evolved into a really good group of girls, so I feel real fortunate,” she said. “Everyone has a job to do and does it really well.” The only problem occurs if one of them snares a date on the road. That makes getting ready in their small shuttle bus a chore.
“When you don’t have dressing rooms and just a little room in the back with a tiny bathroom, it’s like, ‘Oh, gosh!’ and you scream but you get over it,” Romeo said, with a laugh. “It’s tiny for seven people but it works. It’s our bus.” And Mustang Sally rides that bus all over towns across the U.S.A.

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Mustang Sally will perform Friday at 9 p.m. at Denny’s Bar and Banquet, 10004 Rte. 98 in Edinboro. Tickets are $10 advance, available at www.dennysbarandbanquet.com or $15 at the door.