Coldwater Jane   -  Biography

Brandon Jane and Leah Crutchfield, the sisters who comprise Coldwater Jane, were raised in the small town of Lucedale, Miss. Their father, a fan of '70s rock, helped instill their love of acts such as the Eagles and Jim Croce, and their mother emphasized gospel music. As teenagers, they toured with their parents as a family gospel band, sometimes playing three gigs a day. Their mother booked the band while their brother served as the drummer, and their father played bass. Brandon handled lead vocals, and Leah sang harmony and alternated between guitar and keyboard. After three years on the road, the family moved to Nashville to allow Brandon and Leah the opportunity to pursue a career in music. After working a variety of odd jobs, the teenaged sisters scored a publishing deal and began performing as a duo. They eventually disbanded, however, and went their separate ways. Brandon married and moved to New York City while Leah stayed in Nashville to concentrate on her songwriting. Brandon spent five years as a solo artist but never got her big break. Meanwhile, Leah's songs were being recorded by other artists, but none of them turned out to be big hits. Eventually, they concluded they needed to work together, so they began writing and performing again in Nashville. Through Brandon's husband, songwriter-producer Kevin Kadish, the sisters hooked up with Wayne Kirkpatrick, a producer and songwriter known for his work with Little Big Town. Kirkpatrick offered encouragement after hearing their version of Emmylou Harris' "Red Dirt Girl" and a portion of a song they had written. The duo adopted its name because the name Jane runs in their family. Coldwater was inspired by the Coldwater Canyon in Los Angeles. After recording for six months, the duo gained the attention of Mercury Nashville. Their debut single for the label, "Bring On the Love," was delivered to country radio stations in February 2010.