Heidi Newfield Takes Pride in the Groundwork Trick Pony Laid for Country Music

Before Heidi Newfield was burning up the country music charts with her latest sultry tune, 'Stay Up Late,' she fronted one of country music's original trios, Trick Pony. In the mid '90s, Newfield, along with partners Keith Burns (now making music as new duo Burns and Poe) and Ira Dean (who will be releasing his first solo album later this year), broke onto the scene with their hits 'Pour Me,' 'On a Night Like This,' 'Just What I Do'' and 'On a Mission.' What they were unaware of at the time, however, was they were breaking down boundaries for trios yet to come, like Lady Antebellum, the Band Perry and the Harters.

"It makes me proud," Newfield tells Taste of Country of her role in country music and guiding the current trios in the musical format. "I was just working with [Lady Antebellum] recently, and we were talking about that. Charles [Kelley] and his wife came over to the house and talked about the chemistry of that trio, and how do you it with one girl and two guys ... wanting to know how it worked for us in Trick Pony. I thought that was really cool, and I’m so proud for them cause they really are so, so talented. They put on a great show!"

But Newfield says it's not just the trios who are praising what she stood for as a rockin' but sexy female country figure.

"I’m so proud of Miranda Lambert," notes Newfield. "She's my girl! She’s out there just knocking them dead. I love that she's got that zest. She and her family have been so kind to me and respectful. They've come up to me and said, 'Hey, you were one of the first girls I saw up there just rockin’ out in a pair of cowboy boots and jeans ... you kind of had your own thing going.' It really made me proud that she paid homage to my tiny little part in that."

To see where Newfield will be performing throughout the summer, visit her website here.

Watch the Heidi Newfield 'Johnny and June' Video