I first connected with the Hondo-based band Buster Jiggs around five years ago, by chance, on one rowdy night at San Antonio’s Midnight Rodeo. Being the young ’uns that we were at the time, a friend and I arrived unbelievably early to the Ragweed headlining event, worried that the show would be a sell-out. Upon entering the dimly lit club, we found a band already playing on the small stage, a handful of fans seated at nearby tables. That night, my friend and I selected our table and settled in for what was proving to be a fateful piece of the Texas Music movement.

Five years later, I found myself seated across from the newest voice of Buster Jiggs, Kristin Muennink. In a bold, yet appropriate move, the consistently male-fronted band has decided to take the sound in a new direction, though a few minutes of conversation with Kristin will quell any concerns about her ability or presence. An exceptionally talented songwriter and passionate musician, she can also throw back Jäger shots with the best of them.

“The band started in 1999, so we’ve been doing this for seven or eight years now, right?” she said looking over to bassist Cody Scherer for verification. He nodded silently. I was seated across the uneven, wooden table inside Floore Country Store with two of the three original members of Buster Jiggs. Kristin Muennink (at the time Kristin Hale) and drummer Scott Muennink were the masterminds behind forming this band. They soon enlisted Kristin’s high school buddy, Cody, to supply the bass line and eventually moved the group from Corpus Christi to its current home-base of Hondo. Three different front men stepped up and then moved on, each making way for the next. All leading up to this point of passing the mic to Kristin.

With the introduction of 92.5 The Outlaw one year ago, the music of Buster Jiggs found its way to an otherwise unfamiliar public. With the airplay, attendance at shows went up, and the buzz was good. And then, six months ago it happened. That thing that affects many a band at one time or another. Front man Will Dodson gave the group his notice that he would be quitting to spend more time with family. He was followed by lead guitarist Brett Kastner who cited the same. I asked Kristin what it was like to come so close to finally seeing things start to pay off, to finally receive some recognition only to be blocked, yet again.

“It sucks,” she said referring to the seemingly revolving door of front men. “But with every loss, we actually gained something positive. With Joey fronting, we went from garage band to actually playing shows. With Brandon, we broke into opening for well known acts like Ragweed and Fowler. With Will, we were just beginning to gain some recognition and that personally helped build my confidence. I also learned to harmonize and I think that as a band, our songwriting progressed.”

I noted that within a very short period of time, they lost almost half of their band. I asked her where a group goes from there.

“We started interviewing,” she said. “We interviewed between 16 and 20 guys. Some had a great sound but had no personality. Some had a great presence but no rhythm. We just couldn’t seem to find someone with the whole package that we were looking for and still mesh with the rest of us.”

So how did they make the jump to a female lead?

“Scott made me do it. He just booked a show opening for the Bellamy Brothers in Houston and told me I had to do it. Terrified at the time, but a good thing. Glad he did it — I wouldn’t have done it otherwise.”

Scott’s insistence wasn’t misguided. His main reasoning has always been that most of the songs are actually hers. Surprised?

Nine of the twelve songs on the self-titled album Buster Jiggs, credits Kristin as either writer or cowriter. Previously released (and impossible to get,) albums follow a similar trend. She has also worked in collaboration with Micky and the Motorcars’ lead guitarist, Joseph Deeb.

Kristin’s talents are not limited to her songwriting and singing. She also plays acoustic and electric rhythm guitar, as well as mandolin.

Sporting flip-flops and a tee shirt on that particular evening she pointed out, “I’m a normal chick. I’ve been writing for a guy for eight years and am used to working in this heavily male oriented scene.” Those are the very songs that have proven quite popular as they continue to bask in regular air-play on 92.5 The Outlaw as well as other Texas/Red Dirt stations around the state.

So what happens when recognition has been so closely associated with a certain sound which then undergoes a pretty significant change?

“For the most part, the response has been pretty positive. The main thing that we hear is that the sound is ‘different.’ That’s okay with us. People who are familiar with our older stuff tend to be a little iffy when we play it, but they love the new. New fans don’t want the old CDs and keep hounding us for release dates for new recordings.”

As for packing away the old stuff?

“I’m gonna keep playing it because it’s mine. I wrote it,” she says with a hint of attitude in the ownership.

Being familiar with the old material, I fall into that category that labels it different, and I like it. The old songs take on a whole new meaning when delivered by Kristin’s low, smooth vocals, now backed by new lead guitarist Joe Talbert. The new material has an edgier, rock quality to it, though it is Kristin’s vocals that ground the sound in what is Texas Music.

One long-time fan had this to say. “She has a really relaxed stage presence and as a band they’re so approachable. With the music, there is an obvious, heartfelt connection. There is a consistency with the quality of the music that keeps you coming back. ‘What the Hell Am I Doing Here?’ has a beat that I can’t let go of.”

The quality of music produced and obvious commitment of this band to success demand attention. And I’m certainly not the only one who thinks so.

A few months ago, at the urging of Michael Tucker of the Bellamy Brothers, Kristin and Scott headed a little northeast of Hondo for a brief stop in Nashville. Tucker has been really good to Buster Jiggs over the years and recently set up a couple of meetings for Kristin to pitch a few songs and get acquainted with the way the industry works.

“Tucker set us up for a meeting with the keyboardist of a well-known and highly awarded mainstream country band. Considering the last song that I was familiar with that he took credit for writing, I went in thinking that I’d just take what he had to say with a grain of salt. I was mainly just curious of what he had to say about my music. I took six new songs and surprisingly, he had something positive to say about each one. He said, ‘Each song has a melody that I can’t get out of my head.’ I was really happy with that. I went ahead and pitched a song and as far as I know, it went in the trash, but that’s okay. Ultimately, it was a good experience.”

Proving her roots in this scene she followed with, “It was my first time out of Texas. You don’t realize how thankful you are to have it ‘til you leave. It makes you appreciate the shit out of Austin.”

Buster Jiggs is currently working on another album with David Abeyta and Cody Braun of Reckless Kelly who produced the band’s last CD. Responding to those eager fans who keep asking about a new album she said, “With this new sound, we could have rushed something out, but we want to make sure that anything we put out is quality.” No release date has been mentioned as of yet. Can’t wait for the production of a new album? “Catch a live show,” Kristin says. “We’d love to meet ya.”

For additional information on this great band, check them out at myspace.com/busterjiggs and www.busterjiggs.com.

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