Bomshel (pronounced "bombshell") was an American
country music
Country (also called country and western) is a genre of popular music that originated in the Southern and Southwestern United States in the early 1920s. It primarily derives from blues, church music such as Southern gospel and spirituals, ...
duo founded in 2005 by lead vocalist
Buffy "Buf" Lawson and backing vocalist/fiddle player Kristy Osmunson. Signed to
Curb Records
Curb Records (also known as Asylum-Curb and formerly known as MCG Curb) is an American record label started by Mike Curb, originally as Sidewalk Records in 1963. From 1969 to 1973, Curb merged with MGM Records where Curb served as President of ...
in 2005, Bomshel's original lineup charted four
singles
Singles are people not in a committed relationship.
Singles may also refer to:
Film and television
* ''Singles'' (miniseries), a 1984 Australian television series
* ''Singles'' (1992 film), written and directed by Cameron Crowe
* ''Singles'' ...
on the ''
Billboard
A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertise ...
''
Hot Country Songs
Hot Country Songs is a chart published weekly by ''Billboard'' magazine in the United States.
This 50-position chart lists the most popular country music songs, calculated weekly by collecting airplay data from Nielsen BDS along with digital sal ...
charts, and recorded an unreleased album called ''Bomshel Stomp''. One of their songs, "The Power of One", was included in the soundtrack to the film ''
Evan Almighty
''Evan Almighty'' is a 2007 American comedy film, and a Spin-off (media), spin-off of ''Bruce Almighty'' (2003). The film was directed by Tom Shadyac, written by Steve Oedekerk, based on the characters created by Steve Koren and Mark O'Keefe (sc ...
''. Lawson departed in December 2007, and Kelley Shepard was chosen as her replacement. The new lineup of Shepard and Osmunson released four more singles, including "
Fight Like a Girl" and "19 and Crazy," both of which reached the Country Top 40. In October 2009, Bomshel released its debut album, also titled ''
Fight Like a Girl''. Bomshel released ''Hallleluy'all'' in 2012 before disbanding, and Osmunson founded a second duo called
American Young
American Young is an American country music duo signed to Curb Records. The duo is composed of Kristy Osmunson, formerly of the group Bomshel, and songwriter/producer Jon Stone.
In late 2013, the duo released their debut single, "Love Is War", whi ...
.
History
Kristy Osmunson, a native of
Sandpoint, Idaho
Sandpoint (Kutenai language: kamanqukuⱡ) is the largest city in, and the county seat of, Bonner County, Idaho, Bonner County, Idaho. Its population was 8,639 at the 2020 United States Census, 2020 census.
Sandpoint's major economic contributor ...
moved to Nashville, Tennessee in early 2002.
Prior to meeting, the two worked as songwriters in Nashville, with Lawson's writing credits include tracks for
Mila Mason
Mila Mason (born August 22, 1963) is an American country music artist. She made her debut in 1996 with her debut album ''That's Enough of That'', which produced three hit singles on the ''Billboard (magazine), Billboard'' Hot Country Singles & Tr ...
and
Linda Davis
Linda Kaye Davis (born November 26, 1962) is an American country music singer. Before beginning a career as a solo artist, she had three minor country singles in the charts as one half of the duo Skip & Linda. In her solo career, Davis has recor ...
. Osmunson met Lawson at a fan fair in Nashville. Lawson and Osmunson found that they worked well together, and decided to perform together.
2006–2008: ''Bomshel Stomp''
The duo first performed at
Tootsie's Orchid Lounge
Tootsie's Orchid Lounge is a honky-tonk bar located in Nashville, Tennessee behind the Ryman Auditorium, home in past years and occasionally in the present to the stage and radio show ''The Grand Ole Opry.'' Tootsie's has three stages that host ...
in Nashville, Tennessee, where they would set up on Thursday nights to play their songs.
Later, they began to play at several clubs throughout Nashville as well. By 2006, Bomshel was signed to
Curb Records
Curb Records (also known as Asylum-Curb and formerly known as MCG Curb) is an American record label started by Mike Curb, originally as Sidewalk Records in 1963. From 1969 to 1973, Curb merged with MGM Records where Curb served as President of ...
.
Bomshel's first single, "It Was An Absolutely Finger-Lickin', Grits and Chicken, Country Music Love Song", was released in early 2006, followed by the release of "Ain't My Day to Care". Respectively, these songs reached No. 49 and No. 44 on the country singles charts.
Bomshel's third single was titled "Bomshel Stomp." Originally written as a joke on Osmunson's birthday, "Bomshel Stomp" was intended as a "rave groove with a hillbilly song."
While "Ain't My Day to Care" was charting, "Bomshel Stomp" was tested on radio stations throughout the state of
Michigan
Michigan () is a state in the Great Lakes region of the upper Midwestern United States. With a population of nearly 10.12 million and an area of nearly , Michigan is the 10th-largest state by population, the 11th-largest by area, and the ...
. During mid-2006, it became the most-requested song on country radio stations in the state.
It was then released as the duo's third single, peaking at No. 46. It was succeeded by "The Power of One," a cut from the soundtrack for the film ''
Evan Almighty
''Evan Almighty'' is a 2007 American comedy film, and a Spin-off (media), spin-off of ''Bruce Almighty'' (2003). The film was directed by Tom Shadyac, written by Steve Oedekerk, based on the characters created by Steve Koren and Mark O'Keefe (sc ...
''. Also in 2006, the duo released an
extended play
An extended play record, usually referred to as an EP, is a musical recording that contains more tracks than a single but fewer than an album or LP record. entitled ''Bomshel Stomp'' which featured the title track, "Country Music Love Song" and "Ain't My Day to Care."
In December 2007, after "The Power of One," Lawson left the duo. She was replaced by
Arizona
Arizona ( ; nv, Hoozdo Hahoodzo ; ood, Alĭ ṣonak ) is a state in the Southwestern United States. It is the 6th largest and the 14th most populous of the 50 states. Its capital and largest city is Phoenix. Arizona is part of the Fou ...
native Kelley Shepard, who made her debut on the duo's fifth single, "Just This Way". It was followed by "
Cheater, Cheater
"Cheater, Cheater" is the debut single from American country/ bluegrass duo Joey + Rory, from their debut album, '' The Life of a Song''. The song debuted on the Hot Country Songs chart at #57 for the chart week of September 27, 2008. Co-written b ...
", which was later a top 30 hit for
Joey + Rory
Joey + Rory was an American country and bluegrass duo composed of singer-songwriters Rory Lee Feek (born April 25, 1965) and Joey Feek (September 9, 1975 – March 4, 2016), who were husband and wife. Both members of the duo were vocalists and s ...
in 2008.
2009–present: ''Fight Like a Girl'' and ''Halleluy'all''
Bomshel made its fifth chart entry with "
Fight Like a Girl" in early 2009. It became the duo's first Top 40 country hit, peaking at No. 30 on the U.S. ''Billboard'' Hot Country Songs chart. "
19 and Crazy" followed in November 2009 as the album's second single, and was also a minor Top 40 hit on the chart. Both songs and "Just This Way" are included on Bomshel's debut album, ''
Fight Like a Girl'', released by Curb on October 20, 2009. The album was produced by Chuck Howard, except for "19 and Crazy", which Osmunson produced with the song's co-writers,
Josh Kear
Josh Kear is a Nashville-based songwriter signed to Sony/ATV Music Publishing.
In 2007, he cowrote Carrie Underwood’s hit "Before He Cheats" with Chris Tompkins. The song spent five weeks at the top of the charts. His song "Drinking Class", pe ...
and
Mark Irwin
Mark Irwin (born August 7, 1950) is a Canadian cinematographer.
He was born in Toronto, Ontario, and studied political science at the University of Waterloo and filmmaking at York University.
He is widely known for his early collaborations ...
. "Just Fine" was released as the album's third single on June 7, 2010. It debuted at No. 56 on the country chart for the week of July 3, 2010, and peaked at No. 53 two weeks later. In January 2010, the duo was nominated by the
Academy of Country Music
The Academy of Country Music (ACM) was founded in 1964 in Los Angeles, California as the Country & Western Music Academy. Among the founders were Eddie Miller, Tommy Wiggins, and Mickey and Chris Christensen. They wanted to promote country music ...
for Top New Duo.
Bomshel released the extended play ''Halleluy'all'' in July 2012. Its title track was released as a single, but did not chart. After its release, Bomshel broke up and Osmunson joined songwriter Jon Stone in the duo
American Young
American Young is an American country music duo signed to Curb Records. The duo is composed of Kristy Osmunson, formerly of the group Bomshel, and songwriter/producer Jon Stone.
In late 2013, the duo released their debut single, "Love Is War", whi ...
, which also records for Curb.
Charitable efforts
In late 2006, Bomshel put up a custom-built, autographed
motorcycle
A motorcycle (motorbike, bike, or trike (if three-wheeled)) is a two or three-wheeled motor vehicle steered by a handlebar. Motorcycle design varies greatly to suit a range of different purposes: long-distance travel, commuting, cruising ...
, called the "Wicked Women of Tequila Rose Chopper", up for auction on
CMT's auction website, CMTAuctions.com.
Yellowstone Madonna of Michigan was the winner of the chopper. Proceeds from the auction went to the benefit of the Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute.
Discography
Studio albums
Extended plays
Singles
Music videos
Awards and nominations
References
{{Authority control
Country music groups from Tennessee
Country music duos
Curb Records artists
Musical groups established in 2005
Musical groups disestablished in 2012
Musical groups from Nashville, Tennessee
2005 establishments in Tennessee
Female musical duos