Joshua Buck/Times-Call

Bonnie Sims

Age: 24

Years in St. Vrain Valley: 4

Occupation: Professional musician; lead singer, Bonnie & the Clydes

Tell me about South Plains College in Texas, where you attended school and even met your husband. It’s actually the sister school to (Texas) Tech. It has this incredible music department led by … this guy that is now in the (Nebraska) Rock and Roll Hall of Fame — John Hartin. I got my college degree in mandolin — I’m serious — with a minor in yodeling.
It was actually kind of fun. I enjoyed Levelland (Texas), though it is just kind of a flat, boring town with a Walmart. … Geographically, Colorado wins out, that’s for sure.

You trained in bluegrass, but you and the Clydes are a country band. Tell me how that came about and what you like listening to. I grew up in bluegrass and I love bluegrass, but my band is a full-on country band. I like being loud. I like the drums.
The way I came across my gold mine of a record collection is in the song (I wrote), “Used to Play.” It’s about a Texas radio station that was trashing its entire vinyl collection. My husband (Taylor Sims, guitarist for the bluegrass band Spring Creek) and I have 700 records that we saved out of the trash.
I grew up listening to old music. I never listened to popular music. … I did love the ’90s — Reba (McIntyre), Garth (Brooks) — I still think that stuff is great.
But I have pretty unusual tastes — When people ask me what’s on my iPod, I tell them bluegrass, Broadway and Bob Dylan.

You take the responsibility of keeping the authentic style of country music alive and fresh for the 21st century pretty seriously, don’t you? I tell people I’m yodeling for youth. We do, but we’re not the only ones out there. Halden Wofford and the Hi-Beams (out of Denver), I love them.
There’s some people on the radio I really do like. There’s Miranda Lambert — she writes her own stuff. … Country music is about singing about what’s close to your heart, and she’s doing that. Sunny Sweeney, she’s getting some play on (Country Music Television).

This final question does have a right or wrong answer: Who did the best version of “Stand By Your Man” — Tammy Wynette, Lyle Lovett or the Blues Brothers? This answer might get me in trouble, but I’ve got to go with Lyle.
That is correct.