Womack takes us backstage with George and Reba

Cathalena E. Burch | Posted: Thursday, February 4, 2010 12:00 am | Comments

We chatted with traditional country singer Lee Ann Womack last week about being on tour with George Strait and Reba McEntire. The tour kicked off Jan. 22 in Maryland and continues weekends through April 10, including a stop Feb. 5 in Phoenix.

Womack gave us the inside scoop on what it’s like to share a stage and private moments with two stars she’s adored since long before she was one of them.

Do you get to hang out with them, spend some quality time off stage?

“We all three hung out this weekend. We’ve all known each other for a long time and we all have very similar tastes. You get the three of us in a room together … we’re going to have quite a bit of camaraderie . Also our bands all know each other. One of the guys that used to play guitar for me now plays for George. A couple of the guys in Reba’s band I’ve worked with many times.”

You’ve recorded a couple songs with Strait, including your recent single “Everything But Quits” that was up for a Grammy last Saturday. Are you going to be able to sing it with him during this tour?

“I hope so. I did come out in Reba’s show and did a song with her. And I will have a special guest during my show, but we didn’t get to do it last weekend.”

So you are really active on Twitter and you recently started the Lee Ann Womack Appreciation Society and Social Club through your Web site. Social networking seems to fit you.

“We have a blast with this thing. It is online and we do video updates from backstage. Members — it’s free to join — can log on and see the dressing room and catering and backstage. And if they’re a member and they’re at the show, they can come backstage and do a meet-and-greet with us. We have a great time with it and I think more than anything being on this George Strait tour is really going to help me promote this. And it’s very important for me. ... I think it’s going to help me boost that more than anything.”

So one last thing: You were the co-headliner of the 2009 KIIM Country Music Festival last September with fellow Texan Neal McCoy. Apparently they were tossing the headliner slot between the two of you up until the day of the show, when they put him in the hotseat. Did you know about any of this?

“I didn’t even know that. I think it was a wise choice going with the way they did.”

Artists are always nervous to follow McCoy. Are you?

“His show is, how do I describe it. You know him, he’s almost a comedian. He has a schtick that he does and I just felt that we are really focused on our little band and our own music, so I just thought it was a better way to do it. I know he puts on an amazing show and people love him.

“We grew up in the same town. In fact my dad taught Neal history in high school. So I know him pretty well and I know what I’m dealing with. It was a fun night, though.”

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