Buzzbin recently got in touch with the harmonica playing sexy country star, Stacie Collins. We discussed what it was like to be on the road, her history with Cleveland and her love of music. Below is the transcript of our conversation. Go ahead and tell us a little bit about yourself. How did you get started? What inspired you? Well, I married a musician. I was a music lover and through my association with my husband Al, who plays bass, I had the opportunity to be immersed in the rock and roll world. He was in bands previously, he was always touring. But eventually we discovered that we had this gift together and we started writing. So we left L.A and headed to Cleveland. We realized that Cleveland was such a cool little community. We participated in some open mics and people really liked it. So we got more and more excited about performing. Then we started winning best new Americana and best new Country from the different publications that were around at the time. Then we decided to check out Nashville. It was only an eight hour drive and of course there was the cool music scene happening there as well. So we didn’t have anything tying us down and we headed to Nashville. We stayed with a friend who lived there. We discovered that it was really exciting and that there wasn’t really anybody doing what we were doing. So it was amazing that with a city full of people, we had something that was our own. So in Nashville music people said that we were really awesome. They liked us, but they had a saying in Nashville, “You must be present to win.” So the best advantages and rewards would come from living in Nashville. So that’s what we did. On New Year’s Day we packed up everything, sold everything and moved to Nashville. That was eleven years ago and we’ve put out 3 records since then, so Nashville’s been a good decision for us. You mentioned moving to Cleveland, why did you decide to move to Ohio? We moved to Cleveland in March of 96. We were living in L.A at the time and my husband had just gotten out of a record deal out there. My husband’s grandmother was ill so his mom needed our help. When we got to Cleveland we continued doing our music thing. Cleveland was so cool that we were able to get in the scene and explore. We had all that success and support from Cleveland that helped us launch to the next step in Nashville. Why Americana and Country Rock as opposed to something different? Al, my husband, was into rock and roll. He was in a rock and roll band out in L.A. I wasn’t a singer when we met, when we got married. I grew up on Patsy Cline and that kind of stuff. But then as a teenager I got really emerged into the rock and roll world. So when I became a singer there was no really emulation. It was natural expression. When we started writing together, there wasn’t any formula. It was just a natural process. It’s just what came out of us. I’m a country singer in a rock and roll band. I’m not a one label kind of thing. I’m not really a rock and roll singer, I do have a hardcore edge to it, but when it comes down to it I’m a country singer. I’m a rock and roll girl at heart though. But what really was the turning point for me and my musical career was becoming electric. When I plugged in… Sure, it’s a whole new world! Yes! Oh my God! We went from a duo acoustic sort of group. We put a band together and played a little bit, but when I got a Fender and put on some old Chicago blues records and cranked it up…I was like hell yea! That was my inspiration, rock and roll and The Stones. So I took all that and stirred it into a big ole’ pot and that’s what comes out! When we moved to Nashville we didn’t know anybody! We had to go out every single night and develop a whole new life. We had to figure out who the big players were, how to get a band together…So after about 4 years we put another record together. The whole aspect of electric as opposed to acoustic set the whole thing in motion. What was the moment when you say back and said, “Wow, we’re really onto something here.” When we made “The Lucky Spot” you don’t really know if anybody is going to like what you do. You’re just really writing for yourself. You sort of just write what you write. So when you go on the road and see people responding to your songs or when you hear there’s a band in Japan that is a tribute band. Those moments. Or when people start getting tattoos and stuff. That’s when you’re finding out that your music is making an impact. You know, it’s good to bleed and make songs that make people feel good. So I got to making a second record and the music is just giving us wings. We’ve gone all over the world and met all these great people and inspired other bands. Is just one huge love fest of making music and turning people on. One last question. What would you like to say to the city of Cleveland? Oh! I’m really excited to be coming back. It’s been a while. We haven’t played The Beachland Ballroom for a while. I love those guys. To see their growth and their success has been cool. It’s a homecoming for us when we come to Cleveland. We’re really excited to see everybody and catch up. Knowing Cleveland’s the place where it all started for us. It’s nice knowing we can still come back to share it. We tell everybody to bring somebody, so we’re always getting discovered. Thanks to people like you giving us some love, we really appreciate it! Check out Cleveland sweetheart Stacie Collins and her band at The Beachland Ballroom on Saturday February, 25. Doors open at 7:30. Tickets are $10.