By Ryan Gueningsman

So, just what or who is this thing called Bomshel on the Winstock schedule for Friday afternoon?

A force to be reckoned with at their live shows, the duo called Bomshel is comprised of Kristy Osmonson and Kelley Shepard, and is beginning a journey that is many years in the making.

Noted producer Chuck Howard formed the group with Kristy and Buffy Lawson, and landed the duo a record deal with Curb Records in the mid-2000s.

Several charted singles came their way, including “It Was An Absolutely, Finger Lickin,’ Grits and Chicken, Country Music Love Song,” “Bomshel Stomp,” “The Power of One,” as well as “Ain’t My Day to Care,” which hit the highest on the charts for the duo at number 44.

Last December, Buffy left the duo and was replaced with Shepard. Despite not having an album, and the line-up change, Kristy and Kelley are excited about the future together.

“Bomshel has been together about three years, and we have toured the world and had a blast doing that,” Kristy explained. “We’ve seen some incredible sights and done some amazing things. The whole project really shifted gears and took a 180, but not in the live shows – our live shows have only gotten better.”

After Buffy left the pairing, Kristy tracked down Kelley via Myspace, and recruited her to join Bomshel.

“My first gut reaction was ‘Oh, my God, I gotta do it.’ Then, you know, I sat and thought about it. We talked on the phone every day for about a good two weeks before I flew out,” Kelley said.

Living in Arizona at the time, Kelley said she loved everything that Bomshel stood for.

“You don’t have to be a size two to be successful or to be considered beautiful,” Kelley explained. “Especially in the music industry, it’s so hard to kind of beat that and overcome that stick-thin figure and that mold, that’s really what they stood for, and that’s what they wanted every girl to stand for, so I loved that. When I sat down with Kristy, and we got along the way we did, and the way we wrote a song together in 40 minutes – that, to me, meant it was pretty much meant to be.”

Kristy and Kelley wrote a song when they first met, and in 40 minutes, they had a finished product.

“We just kinda kept going,” Kristy said. “I had been in Nashville writing songs for maybe three or four years – not that long, but I’d done it for a little bit and had written with a lot of different writers. I’ve never been able to sit down and have like my musical yin to yang – she’s kinda like the left hand to my right hand. She does these amazing lyrics and I do melodies.”

“I had never written with anybody else,” Kelley added. “I’d always write by myself, so it was very incredible.”

Because of their schedules, the two girls said they are now together “pretty much 24/7,” and said they don’t get sick of each other.

“It’s very much the way I think a musical partnership should be,” Kristy said. “I think, before, in my musical relationships, it was a gig and it was a job. You go on and do your shows and stuff, then go your separate ways.”

Hitting the road and performing is something neither woman is a stranger to – Kristy for the past few years with Bomshel, and Kelley touring as a part of McKnight Productions with Brian McKnight.

Kelley found her break through the Ellen DeGeneres Show, which led to her meeting with McKnight, who was looking to sign singers to his production company.

Singing since a very young age, Kelley had been sending her tapes to Star Search since she was 15, and also sent in a tape to the Ellen DeGeneres Show.

“A week later, I got a call from Ellen and Star Search,” Kelley said. “Shortly after, Star Search got cancelled, and the producer from Ellen thought I was lip synching, so I had to sing for her over the phone.”

Through the Ellen DeGeneres Show, she was introduced to McKnight, who had been a guest on the show a week earlier. A short time later, she flew out to California, met with McKnight and his management, and began doing shows with his crew.

She moved to California for about two years, and the day she met Kristy at a Bomshel show was the day she decided would be her last show with McKnight Entertainment.

“They’re amazing guys, but I wanted to be really country, and they’re R&B and kind of going different directions, so that was when I made the decision to start doing other things,” Kelley said. “We parted on really good terms.”

Also waitressing at T.G.I. Friday’s between gigs, Kelley found herself at a major step in her life.

“When Kristy called me, it was one of those things that was just meant to be,” Kelley said. “It was super-meant to be. I went with my gut and so far, it’s worked out amazingly.”

“She hasn’t seen my true colors,” Kristy joked. Being thrown right into the fire, Kelley and Kristy’s first time performing together was televised nationally on ESPN and was seen in-person by about 30,000 people.

“We had our first date in the Superdome the first night of Mardi Gras,” Kristy said. “We did this show for an Autorama tour. It was crazy. There were so many people that got to witness the first time – literally, it was like magic. I got up on stage with Kelley, and it was like, ‘It’s on!’”

And now, Kristy figures, “Bomshel is going to take over the world,” she said with a laugh.

“It took three years of me learning how to become a musician and not drive everyone crazy with my fiddle playing,” Kristy said. “I met this girl (Kelley), and I’m telling you, it’s the greatest thing you’ve ever seen. I can honestly say, this show is going to be one of the best shows you’ll ever see – it’s incredible.”

Adding Kelley to the live shows is something they are looking forward to doing even more of over the summer, as they tour, and also continue to work on songs for their upcoming CD.

“You’re only as good as your live shows,” Kristy said. “Your records can be incredible, but if you can’t back that up, to me, it’s like you don’t have anything. Kelley and I sat down and talked about that – that’s why we kinda came together.”

“For me, the live show is my favorite part of what we do,” Kelley continued. “Just the energy between us and the audience, it’s my favorite thing. I am a big believer of putting on a show. I look at everything as a fan, and if I want to go to a show, I want to see a show, or I could stay home and listen to the record.

“Like Kristy said, we both share that. Just because we’re females, we don’t use that as an excuse to stand behind the microphone and sing. We love to run around. There’s points in the show we slow it down and catch our breath, but we love to run around. Kristy hangs off of anything she can hang off of, and I bang my head a lot,” Kelley said.

Winstock will be one of the first opportunities of the summer for Kristy and Kelley to cut loose on stage – and one they are looking forward to.

“This show will be incredible,” Kristy said. “I think the line-up that night is us, Sawyer Brown, and Montgomery Gentry. It’s going to be one crazy evening. Eddie (Montgomery) and Troy (Gentry) are two of my favorite people in the music industry, and they are the first ones to ever introduce me to moonshine.”

Kelley, who has never had moonshine, said she may be stopping by Eddie and Troy’s bus for a sample.

“I forgot my last name for a year – I think it causes permanent brain damage,” joked Kristy about having a sip or two with country music’s party boys. The two noted they like to have fun, but also have guidelines set for themselves and their crew.

“Kelley is the only person that has as much passion for what she does,” Kristy explained. “We recognized each other by that. Musically, I’m obsessed with what I do, and Kelley’s the same way. She’s been doing this since she was born. It’s always been high-energy and over the top. I think now, that there’s two entertainers like that on stage, it’s just taken it to a whole ‘nother level.”

Along with running around the stage, head-banging, and hanging off anything that they can, Kelley and Kristy also know how to look good onstage. That signature look can largely be attributed to new Winstock sponsor, Cowgirl Tuff.

“I’m a huge fan of her clothes,” Kristy said about Cowgirl Tuff clothing line designer Lisa Bollin. “We’d done some endorsements before, but her stuff was so cool-looking. We actually met her at a show in Reno, and she was wearing the coolest belt I’d ever seen. She’s been doing my wardrobe forever.”

The two also did a photo shoot in northern California for Cowgirl Tuff, and said they are excited about their look.

“I love her clothes, too,” Kelley added. “Kristy is a jeans and T-shirt kind of girl. She looks amazing in jeans and a T-shirt. What I love about Cowgirl Tuff is they make clothes for girls with booties. Their jeans are incredible.

“The whole team has just been so nice to us,” Kelley said. “It’s been really great.”

Kristy and Kelley are planning on having a single out to radio by late summer or early fall, and fingers crossed, they’re hoping to have an album out by the beginning of next year.

“That’s what we’re hoping for,” Kelley said.

Taking advantage of the ever-present online community, Bomshel has posted three new songs – “Cheater Cheater,” “Arizona,” and “Just This Way” on its Myspace site, www.myspace.com/bomshel, and also recently just relaunched its web site, www.bomshel.com, which is an interactive site that allows fans to build their own Bomshel page.

“Kristy and I always reply, so if anybody wants to, send a message,” Kelley said. “Every night before I go to bed, I try to reply to as many as I can.”

Both Kristy and Kelley said they are thrilled to be playing at Winstock, and can’t wait to get to Winsted.

“We are very, very excited to see everybody,” Kristy said. “We’ll stick around and sign autographs and meet everybody.”

What is a BOMSHEL?

According to the girls, a Bomshel is “A woman who is strong, independent, and is not afraid to just be herself.

“A true Bomshel is a woman who understands and appreciates the true importance of the three main food groups: chocolate, ice cream, and taters.”