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"None of us were real friends before we started this thing," Strehli said. People were just assuming we were this and that, and hell, we didn't even know each other. We admired each other (but) we were too damn busy trying to pull off our own thing.

"The most satisfying part of the whole deal is that we've had so much fun together." "Angela and I wanted to come up with some songs we could do at gigs," added Ball. And one of those was the duet ("It Hurts To Be In Love")...And when Antone's started it's (record) label, they said, 'Well, ya'll are doing it, so why don't we record it'?" She added, "Singing harmony is something we don't do as individual performers."

"Yeah," opined Lou Ann, "It was hard learning how to be a backup vocalist." She had plenty of time to learn. The recording sessions conducted mostly at Arlyn Studios in Austin, continued in fits and starts, subject to each woman's schedule, as well as that of producer . Better known by his nom du stage, Dr. John, the veteran New Orleans keyboardist/arranger/composer, was brought in as the outside ear everyone could trust.

But his job description did not include ushering a bouquet of shrinking violets through the mysteries of the recording process. As Marcia told a reporter, "We all have our own opinions about music, and none of us were shy about making them known."

Through an intricate, jury-rigged process of compromise, challenge and consensus, the cycle of songs began to emerge: Ike and Tina's "A Fool In Love" remained one of the album's benchmarks, and was joined eventually by the authentic "You Can If You Think You Can," and an Etta James cover, "Something's Got A Hold On Me" (two more showcases for the three). Lou Ann's salty take on "Good Rockin' Daddy," Helen Miller's "It Hurts To Be In Love" (a Fats Domino-style duet between Marcia and Angela), Houston blues singer Lavelle White's uptempo, assertive "Gonna Make It" (reprised by Marcia), and yet another Ike and Tina cover, "I Idolize You."