Biography
Cowboy Envy took shape in 1993 when Berne' Poliakoff, DeDe Vogt, and Kathleen Hatfield assembled the group after taking Roy Rogers, Gene Autry, and the Sons of the Pioneers as their guiding lights, following the same pattern earlier set by Riders in the Sky. Intent on restoring the singing-cowboy style through a distinctly cowgirl lens, the three placed vocal harmonies that echoed the seamless blend of the Andrews Sisters at the center of their sound. Although they treated the repertoire with genuine respect, they also laced performances with knowing wit, earning the respective nicknames Frenchie, Too Short, and Buffalo K from their audience. Poliakoff serves as the ensemble’s designated lead singer and cheerfully declared centerpiece, sometimes labeled the “Gracie Allen of the West,” and she contributes several of the lighter compositions, among them “Born to Be Branded,” the cattle’s-eye view of ranch life featured on the trio’s 1999 self-released album Real Cowboy Girl. Vogt supplies bass, guitar, vocals, production, and engineering, experience gained through extensive work across the Atlanta scene with acts that include Indigo Girls, Gerard McHugh, and Kristen Hall. Hatfield anchors the rhythmic foundation on guitar and vocals, delivering the steady, trail-wagon pulse. After Hatfield and her bandmates toured and recorded with Indigo Girls, Amy Ray’s Daemon Records issued the group’s second collection, Wagons Ho!, in 2000, another set of numbers that evoke an earlier era when anxieties revolved around harvests and cattle prices. Audiences seeking the complete presentation attend the ensemble’s Georgia concerts, now locally renowned for their combination of whip cracks, oversized hats, yodels, and broomstick horses.
Albums
