Hot Club of Cowtown Biography

Hot Club of Cowtown Biography

The Hot Club of Cowtown formed in 1996 as a Hot Jazz/Western swing group. The group consisted of Elana Fremerman (Vocals, Violin), Whit Smith (Vocals, Guitar), and Matt Weiner (Vocals, Upright Bass), who was later replaced by Jake Erwin.  The Hot Club's first album, 1998's Swingin' Stampede (with then-bassist Billy Horton) was a collection of covers of classic tunes, including two written by Bob Wills, a major influence on the band. Their 1999 follow-up album, Tall Tales, showcased the songwriting ability of Smith, Fremerman and Horton with many original songs, including "Darling You And I Are Through" by Fremerman, and "Emily," by Smith and "You Can't Take It with You" by Horton mixed with covers of Bob Wills among others. Further albums would continue the same formula of classic western swing and hot jazz, along with originals in the same style. The members of Hot Club of Cowtown would go their separate ways in 2005, though they would reunite for occasional shows in 2006. Whit Smith currently performs as Whit Smith's Hot Jazz Caravan, based out of Austin, Texas. Elana Fremerman toured with Bob Dylan in 2005, the first female to be included in his touring band in over 30 years (Fremerman came to Dylan's attention when The Hot Club of Cowtown opened for him and Willie Nelson during a joint tour of historic ballparks in the Summer of 2004). Changing her name to Elana James (James being her middle name), Fremerman began performing in late 2005 with Beau Sample (formerly of Cave Catt Sammy) and Luke Hill, first under the name Elana James and Her Hot Hot Trio, and later as Elana James and the Continental Two. It was announced that Whit Smith would sit in with James and the Continental Two when they open for Bob Dylan for a series of shows in the Summer of 2006, again performing at historic ballparks. By early 2008 the trio had re-formed and was touring once more.