Like many record collectors, sometimes the visual allure of an album grabs you first. That’s exactly what happened when I stumbled upon a Buffalo Gals record at a local store. The cover art – a vibrant yellow with eye-catching, cartoon-like figures – practically jumped off the shelf. At $9.95 from House of Records in Eugene, Oregon, it felt like a worthwhile gamble.
A quick search on my phone revealed something fascinating: Buffalo Gals were among the very first all-female bluegrass bands. Instantly, I was hooked. I knew I had to learn more about them, about their music, and about the era in which they emerged. My next thought was to try and connect with some of the original members and hear their story firsthand, particularly about their groundbreaking album, First Borne, released in 1975.
What I discovered went beyond just a historical curiosity. First Borne is an album brimming with a surprisingly forward-thinking spirit. Take, for instance, “Foggy Mountain Locomotion,” the second track on Side One. It’s a wonderfully subversive take on the pop classic “The Loco-Motion,” playfully reimagined in a bluegrass style. Then there’s “Bluegrass and the Boys,” a song that tackles relationships with a refreshing honesty that still feels rare for women in bluegrass today. The lyrics are laced with a subtle, tongue-in-cheek sarcasm, lines like:
I need a man pretty bad, to help me with my pickin’
or
Well if I had a man, each day would be worth startin’
If I had a man then I could be like Dolly Parton.
Even a classic like “Sittin’ on Top of the World” is transformed into a deep bluesy rendition, yet still subtly grounded in bluegrass instrumentation. While some tracks lean more traditional, like their version of “Same Old Man” by the Dillards, even here the refrain “same old man living at the mill” takes on a slightly bitter edge – or perhaps that’s just my modern ears interpreting it. It’s challenging to separate contemporary perspectives from the music of the past. Both Susie Monick and Martha Trachtenberg, members of Buffalo Gals, emphasized that they never intended their music to be overtly political. However, even looking at vintage press photos of the band, their attitude is clear: they were there to make music, have fun, and play with fierce energy, regardless of expectations.
Beyond the lyrical content, Buffalo Gals showcased impressive instrumental prowess. Their music ventured into new territories with sophisticated chords and innovative solo progressions. Even now, the bluegrass world isn’t widely recognized for consistently highlighting or supporting female instrumentalists. Flatpicking Guitar Magazine, for example, has only featured a woman on its cover a handful of times. Yet, here were these young women from New England, back in the 1970s, playing with incredible skill and power – a feat that would have been even more unexpected then than it is today.
This album clearly held many layers of surprises, prompting me to reach out to Martha Trachtenberg and Susie Monick to uncover more of the stories behind Buffalo Gals and First Borne.
Martha Trachtenberg, the guitarist and vocalist for Buffalo Gals, is a respected songwriter whose compositions have resonated within the bluegrass community, covered by artists like Tony Trischka and Missy Raines. Marty Stuart even contributed to her solo album. Beyond bluegrass, she’s a notable figure in folk and roots music, actively performing in various groups in her home state of New York.
Susie Monick, the progressive banjo player and vocalist, has her own significant place in bluegrass history as Tony Trischka’s very first banjo student. She remains a prominent musician in Nashville. Interestingly, when I contacted her, she was also working as an extra in Hollywood films and even the TV series Nashville. A well-regarded artist and mentor in Nashville, Susie released her own solo album, Holly Wood and the Extras, in 2014.
In 1974, on the campus of Syracuse University in New York, Martha and Susie, along with mandolinist/vocalist Carol Siegel, fiddler/vocalist Sue Raines, and bassist/vocalist Nancy Josephson, came together to form Buffalo Gals. Their history is richly detailed in the book Pretty Good for a Girl: Women in Bluegrass by Murphy Hicks Henry, a highly recommended resource for anyone wanting to delve deeper into this often-overlooked aspect of bluegrass history.
My focus, however, was on First Borne, the album they recorded in 1975 with Revonah Records – a label that had its share of controversy (Del McCoury famously sued them over album rights). According to Pretty Good for a Girl, Buffalo Gals had been playing together since 1972, solidifying their position as possibly the first all-female bluegrass band, predating the Good Ol’ Persons from the Bay Area by a couple of years.
Martha Trachtenberg’s Reflections on First Borne
“We were approached by Paul Gerry, the owner of Revonah Records, and we were absolutely thrilled at the prospect of making a real record,” Martha shared. “Revonah – which is Hanover spelled backward, for reasons still unknown to me – was based in Ferndale, New York. It was a two-track studio, which meant everything was recorded live, as a group – no overdubs, no editing. If any of us made a mistake, we had to redo the entire song. And sometimes, redo it again and again. We had just two days to record thirteen songs… It was intense!”
Alt text: Buffalo Gals, an early all-female bluegrass band, photographed playing their instruments – banjo, guitar, fiddle, mandolin and bass – during a promotional photoshoot in the 1970s.
Martha chuckled about the album title, “That’s the only Buffalo Gals album, and I hope you’ve noticed the title difference. On the cover, it’s First Borne; on the back, it’s First Born. To this day, I honestly can’t remember if that was intentional!”
She praised the album artwork, “Michael Horen, who created the cover art, also did work for the Towne Crier, a fantastic music venue where we played several times. We all loved his style. I still admire that cover; he truly did an amazing job.”
Martha also revealed some less conventional label practices, “Paul deliberately omitted the writers’ credits to avoid dealing with royalties, even though we had secured permission from the songwriters to record their songs. I believe Herb Feuerstein might have written ‘Bluegrass and the Boys,’ and I vaguely recall it starting as ‘Bluegrass and the Girls.’ We were a spirited bunch, but I hesitate to say we were consciously making ‘strong statements about men.’ That makes us sound more politically driven than we were. I think our ‘statement’ was simply going out there and playing our music. As for the idea of being recognized solely for our music being impossible back then – sadly, it’s still largely true for women musicians today.”
She added a thoughtful observation about the industry’s focus on image, “It might be my perception, influenced by the era I grew up in – goodness, I sound old – but physical appearance still seems crucial for women to achieve stardom, and then it can even be used against them. Look at Taylor Swift. She’s an incredible songwriter and singer, a skilled guitar player, a dedicated worker and performer, yet I’d bet that a significant portion of the press coverage she receives centers on her looks rather than her musical accomplishments.”
Reflecting on the current bluegrass scene, Martha said, “As I’m not deeply embedded in the bluegrass community anymore – I mostly exist on the periphery, occasionally getting songs recorded – I can’t definitively say how things are now. However, I do know that the level of musicianship among women in bluegrass today is phenomenal. Just recently, I saw Della Mae at a small club and was completely blown away. Their playing, songwriting, singing – they are brilliant. I instantly became a fangirl, which is a funny feeling for a woman in her sixties!”
Susie Monick also shared a memorable anecdote about the First Borne recording session and echoed Martha’s concern about the album’s pitch. “The biggest story I remember about the recording is that it was two-track… we had to get through each song without mistakes. We were recording ‘Foggy Mountain Locomotion,’ which we ended with a traditional ‘shave and a haircut’ bluegrass ending to ‘Foggy Mountain Breakdown.’ I hit the very last note on my banjo a fret off and ruined the whole track. We had to do it all over again, I think more than once!”
I was curious about how Buffalo Gals were received at the time, being pioneers as an all-female bluegrass band. Martha explained, “As far as we knew then, we were the first. I know that Carlton Haney and Jim Clark, well-known bluegrass promoters in the South and on the East Coast, booked us for festivals specifically because we were a novelty act. Neither of them seemed particularly concerned with our playing ability, which was okay with me, at least initially. We were learning as we went, and we were happy to have the gigs. Many of the older, established musicians seemed amused by what we were doing but were generally encouraging. What they truly thought of our playing? I honestly don’t know, but overall, they were kind.”
In Pretty Good for A Girl, Martha recounts a hilarious story about a festival promoter who booked Buffalo Gals as a novelty and scheduled them for an incredibly early morning slot. In response, the Gals staged their entire performance from inside their sleeping bags on stage – a memorable act of playful rebellion that ensured they were never relegated to such early slots again.
Susie added perspective on the band’s image and intentions, “All-girl bands were uncommon in the 1970s, so we wanted our music to speak for itself. We didn’t have a political agenda, but we intentionally dressed down to avoid looking ‘girly-miniskirt.’ Instead, we opted for long granny dresses. We were college friends who connected and learned to play music together. I think what made us unique was our original vocal songs and instrumentals. We also had to adapt traditional songs, often changing keys to suit our higher vocal ranges. We were definitely breaking new ground.”
While the broader music community was largely accepting, Susie faced some resistance closer to home. “I think playing in an all-girl bluegrass band was difficult for my mom. She confessed she was embarrassed to say, ‘My daughter, the banjo player.’ She sent me to college, and I didn’t even get married! … [But] I channeled that experience into creativity. I wrote and illustrated a children’s book called Susie And Her Banjo about a little girl who is inspired by a banjo player and embarks on a journey to find her own banjo.”
Alt text: Close-up portrait of Susie Monick, banjo player and vocalist from Buffalo Gals, skillfully playing her banjo in a live performance, showcasing her expertise in bluegrass music.
Following the release of First Borne (or First Born), Buffalo Gals toured extensively, which eventually led to a move to Nashville. This transition, unfortunately, resulted in the departure of mandolinist Carol Siegel. By the late 1970s, the band decided to retire the Buffalo Gals name, and its members pursued diverse musical paths. Bassist Nancy Josephson continued to collaborate with her partner David Bromberg.
Both Susie and Martha remain active in music today. Susie performs both as a solo artist and with her band, Holly Wood & the Extras. Martha is part of a trio called The Folk Goddesses, who are currently working on a new album. She also performs with her husband in a show titled I Choose You, a collection of songs loosely based on their 33 years together.
Martha and Susie, along with the other women of Buffalo Gals, have maintained their sharp, ironic sense of humor – a quality that was palpable in the tracks of their pioneering album. While First Borne holds the distinction of being the first album by an all-female bluegrass band, and these women undeniably paved the way for contemporary groups like Della Mae and Uncle Earl, at the heart of it, Buffalo Gals were driven by a love of music and a desire to have fun – “pickin’ and playin’ and partyin’” – and that infectious energy is brilliantly captured on their vinyl.
For any singer and guitar player looking for a band or simply seeking inspiration, the story of Buffalo Gals is a powerful reminder of the joy of musical collaboration and the importance of forging your own path. Their journey is a testament to the fact that the most impactful music often comes from a place of passion, friendship, and a willingness to break the mold.
