Can you tell us how Little Jane and The Pistol Whips came together as a band?
Hello there! The band came together, as many do, when three friends said, “let’s start a band.” Marcus & Jody Engstrom (guitar and bass player), and I decided to start the band in late 2007. My bandmates said, “We know this guy who plays bass, Russ Smith, and he is playing at the Owl Bar (in Livingston, MT); let’s go see him.” After attending Russ’s performance at the Owl, we were a group. Unlike today, Marcus played dobro (now guitar), Jody played mandolin (now bass), and Russ played bass. Today, I feel fortunate and grateful to get to play with the following talented people: Quinton King and Marcus Engstrom on electric guitar, Jody Engstrom and Russ Smith on bass, Tom Murphy on mandolin, Mike Singer on banjo, Ethan Decker and Mike Gillian on drums, and so many more! The Band has been through many incarnations throughout our time together, sometimes acoustic, sometimes electric. The original songs and a curated handful of cover songs are the one constant!
What inspired the name “Little Jane and The Pistol Whips” for your band?
Great question. Jane is my middle name, and I am quite tall, but “Large Jane,” or “Big Jane,” did not have the same ring to it as “Little Jane,” so it stuck, “Little Jane.” Growing up in Montana, I have always been a fan of Western movies, and in those movies when someone got out of line, they got bopped upside of the head to get back in line.
How would you describe the musical style and influences that shape your band’s sound?
Our musical style is a mix of country music, Americana, and bluegrass, which aligns with the artists who have inspired my writing and original music. Growing up in the 90s, “Prime Country” was my jam. This included Garth Brooks, Trisha Yearwood, George Strait, The Judds, and more. I have always loved Alison Krauss, Gillian Welch, and many other folk/bluegrass artists. When people say, “You are what you eat,” I’d say, “You write like who you listen to.” Hah.
What is the typical songwriting process for Little Jane and The Pistol Whips?
Songwriting often happens when I feel inspired by someone’s story or after experiencing an emotion in my own life. I will sit down with my guitar, a notebook, a phone (for recording), and a pencil. Having as many devices (phone recorder and paper) as possible is essential to capture any ideas, for they disappear as soon as they come up. Typically, my songs are written in a single session.
“Long Road Ahead” is your latest album. What was the creative process like while working on the album?
Long Road Ahead is a collection of 12 songs curated over 12 years! I even became sick of saying to the crowd, “This is a new original song,” for, at a certain point, some of those songs were years old. It may be apparent that I don’t write songs very often, which is true! I should likely employ the daily writing strategy that many suggest; however, when creativity starts to feel like work, it makes me hesitant to write.
“Montana Can’t You See” is a standout track on your album. What’s the story behind the song?
I had just returned home from a winter season in Long Beach, CA (living alongside my high-
voltage lineman husbandWhen you’ve lived in a city (Long Beach), you may not notice it if you’re from there accustomed to it, but the skyline has a greyish filter on the horizon. I call this filter “smog.” Don’t get me wrong, you can see mountains, palm trees, blue skies, and clouds from Long Beach on a clear day. However, even on those days, there is a tinge of smog. Driving up to Montana on I-15, one will notice that the grass is greener, the sky is bluer, and the clouds are whiter.
After returning to Montana, I was residing in a guest house in Livingston, MT, where I felt comfortable and safe. Feeling this overwhelming gratitude for my situation, I sat down with a
cup of coffee and started playing. What came from that writing session was Montana Can’t You See. This is where the lyrics, “I can’t help but stare, I know it’s rude. But the way you’re looking it’s all that I can do. You’ve got the biggest mountains that I’ve seen, and the bluest skies, oh, what a dream. Montana, you’ve got a hold on me” come from. It is hard not to fall in love with this place.
Throughout your career, how do you feel the band’s sound has evolved, especially from your earlier work to the recent album?
The band’s earliest sound was an acoustic band consisting of Marcus, Jody, Russ, and I. Then, the band became electric, including Quinton, Russ, Paul Decker, and me. Then the band returned to acoustic with Tom, Mike, Russ, and myself. Now, back to electric! It is kind of funny to list the many incarnations. However, they were all wonderful, and I still love having the option to choose which sound would suit which occasion best.
What have been some of the most significant challenges the band has faced, and how did you overcome them?
We are fortunate to have not faced many challenges besides bandmate availability. When you have that many people trying to come together for a show or a consistent string of shows, indeed, someone will have a family obligation, work constraint, or some other challenge. I enjoy my bandmates so much (both their talents and personalities), and I would like to keep the same ones for my entire life if possible.
Could you shed some light on each band member’s role in the creation, and how collaborative the songwriting and production process within the band is?
In the album Long Road Ahead, I wrote all of the songs, meaning they all had full song structure when they were pitched to the group. Each bandmate brings their unique sound and talent to the recording process, and the best advice I received was to pick people I liked playing with and let them do their thing. Some people want to chart out all of the solos; I surrounded myself with the most talented people in the US and watched as they added their magic.
In two days, we recorded the bulk of’ Long Road Ahead’ in Bozeman, MT. Quinton (electric/acoustic guitar), Russ (bass), Ethan (drums), and Luke Scheeler (sound engineer/pre- mixing) walked into Basecamp recording on 9/16/22 and left with the songs primarily intact
(including guitar solos).
What can fans expect from Little Jane and The Pistol Whips in terms of future projects or musical explorations?
Fans will likely have to wait another decade for a new album with the pace that I write songs. In 2024 and beyond, fans can expect Little Jane & the Pistol Whips to explore new geographic
areas in Montana and beyond to spread the new music far and wide! With the help of Adele Lassiter of Firehole Press, we hope to be included in more music festivals! Stay tuned for LJPW to come to a town near you.
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