When Meghan Linsey and Joshua Scott Jones won the 2009 season of CMT’s “Can You Duet,” the expected are-they-real-musicians-or-TV-creations skepticism followed.
But the pair, who are also engaged and hope to marry next year, quickly silenced naysayers with a Top 10 debut for their first single as Steel Magnolia, “Keep on Lovin’ You,” the song they performed on the finale of the show.
Since then, two more tunes -- "Just By Being You (Halo and Wings)" and "Last Night Again" -- from their self-titled debut album have charted, and their latest, “Bulletproof,” arrived on radio this week.
But their acceptance by the country music industry doesn’t stop with airplay.
The relative newbies have racked up more than a dozen award nominations, toured last summer with Brad Paisley, are hitting the state fair circuit on their own this summer and then joining Reba McEntire’s fall outing.
Jones, 31, called last week from West Virginia, where Steel Magnolia would play later in the day at the state fair, to talk about how he and Linsey, 25, are finding their niche in the country marketplace and when they might set a wedding date.
Q: You’re playing a lot of state fairs on this tour. Has the tragedy in Indianapolis made you more nervous about going out on stage?
A: We were in Nebraska two days before that happened and there was a lightning and thunder storm going on while we were playing and everybody was looking around like, "Uh, these stages are mobile." But I can't believe that fans were killed [in Indianapolis]. It's unbelievable. Our hearts really go out to those people and all of the fans.
Q: As relative newcomers, what’s been your biggest challenge?
A: It's all been positive, really. I guess the biggest challenge is to get out of our own way and not worry about the outside stuff. But there's a lot more that goes into it. Making fans is the No. 1 priority and giving people what they paid for. The schedule is sometimes tough, but that's part of the game.
Q: Music competition shows tend to get a bad rap, but I would guess you’re a fan of them.
A: It can go either way. We stayed true to the music, and being on [TV] competitions worked out for Carrie Underwood and Miranda Lambert. It was a good platform for us. We're proud of that.
Q: What do you think you and Meghan bring to country music?
A: We both have a lot of soul. We can bring a lot of love to our music and put on a good live show and continue to make records that people can relate to. We put a soulful twist on things that gives us our own kind of niche and sound. At least that's what we hope to do.
Q: You’ll be returning to Atlanta as part of the Reba McEntire tour [playing Gwinnett Arena on Nov. 12]. How did you hook up with her?
A: I'm not sure, but if Reba calls and wants you on the tour, you say "Yes m'am." Everybody knows Reba. She's been in my living room and on TV since I was a kid. She's the queen of country music. And with someone who has been in the business as long [as she has], you take notes every chance you get.
Q: Just curious -- did the band’s name come from the movie or the flower?
A: Oh, it was Meg's idea. She threw it out there when we were on our way to a writer's night and we didn't have a name yet. I said, "Yeah, sure, but how about we change it later?" [laughs]. But it's worked out. We've grown into it. But I really have no idea otherwise. She's from the South, so it's probably something to do with that.
Q: Has it been a challenge to your relationship, being together all the time?
A: It's brought us closer together, but it's also been a challenge to our personal lives. How could it not be? But at the end of the day, not only do we really love each other, but we really like each other. Any fights don't last more than a few minutes. You just let go and move on.
Concert preview
Last Blast of Summer with Steel Magnolia, Sonia Leigh, J.T. Hodges and Peachtree Station, as well as the Texaco Country Showdown
2-8:30 p.m. (laser show at 9:30 p.m.) Aug. 27 . Free ($10 parking permit). Stone Mountain Park, U.S. 78, Exit 39 B, Stone Mountain. 770-498-5690, www.stonemountainpark.com.
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