The band strives for a rootsy, down to earth sound in their music. Cook mentions the late Ron Casat’s observation that folk music is the music of the people, not big business or corporate agendas. She adds, “We write our songs about everyday life. We write about relationships, people and quirky things that happen. It’s pretty honest stuff and I guess that’s what appeals to us.”
Each member of Magnolia Buckskin is a multi-instrumentalist. Each of the women takes turns sharing songs on stage while the others back them up. This diversity is one of the band's strengths in Cook's opinion. She points out that, in a way, they are each the band's lead singer.
Emily Triggs’ father was a folk singer but she also listened to rock music growing up. Natasha Platt contributes a pop influence and has an eclectic approach to song writing with intricate arrangements. Corry Ulan has a classical piano background but also has an interest in bluegrass. As for Cook herself, she says, “I toured with James Keelaghan and I was in country bands. I bring a bit of a bluesy flavour to the band.”
The song writing process is one of collaboration for the band. Each musician does other projects but when they come together, they share the experience of songwriting. Cook says, “We literally bring our songs to the table with snacks and tea and we each take turns, go around in a circle and we each bring songs forward. We each take turns to work on the others' songs at that point.”
She continues, “The rule we have is that each person has the final say about their songs. The rest of us can put things forward but at the end of the day, each person has the final say. I think that’s one of the reasons it works so well.”
Cook talks about the alchemy that happens between the band members. She says, “I call it the breath of life. We'll each bring our words on paper and our individual voices and the girls will just add this incredible richness to it. It is just delightful.”
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