EDUCATE & CREATE. Jen Mason (left) and Toby Jacobson (right) have formed a new country duo, The Howdy Darlins, right in their home base of Fall Creek – where they also share roles as educators in the school district. Today, The Howdy Darlins feature country music classics along with classic rock, all aimed to get the audience on their feet and singing along. (Photo by Bob Jacobson)

There’s a promise of a good time in the air, a familiar comfort only found in the best dive bars and back-porch gatherings. It’s in these moments, with the company of The Howdy Darlins – a new country duo based in Fall Creek – where melodies carry feelings of connection and every note acts as a prompt to sing along with them.

For Toby Jacobson and Jen Mason, two teachers in the Fall Creek school district and duo behind The Howdy Darlins, their musical collaborations grew out of previous work in show choir and high school musicals – strengthened by their shared connection to the small town they both call home.

“To a large extent, the school is really kind of the hub of the community in Fall Creek,” Jacobson said. For the music teachers, the space also doubles as a central location for The Howdy Darlins rehearsals.

“After the work day is done, we'll just meet in one of our classrooms and go over stuff – that’s been kind of handy,” he added.

“The arts are really important at the school,” Mason agreed. “But outside of the school, I know there are sure a lot of talented folks in Fall Creek.”

Over the course of one pivotal choir field trip to Nashville, Tenn. – with a fundraiser event at their local library on the horizon – Jacobson and Mason teamed up with other musically-talented faculty members to perform for their community, a mark of the band’s beginnings.

“I think of our brand as being your friendly neighborhood country duo – country with a smile,” Jacobson said.

Today, the duo’s setlists frequently feature country music classics alongside explorations into classic rock, all aimed to get the audience on their feet and singing along.

Early fans of the duo might recall the group’s former, more grammatically ambitious name: The Howdy Darlins’ (with apostrophe). The duo, who ultimately stood in the “non-apostrophe” camp, jokingly recalled the intense debate over the band’s name.

Mason noted, “There was a lot of fighting over an apostrophe or no apostrophe. That went on for weeks in the lunch room.”

Inspired to continue their initial momentum, Mason picked up an acoustic guitar to complement Jacobson’s own instrument and began outreach to friends and local venues with the goal to keep the duo going.

Friendship has been a key to the group’s success since the start. In fact, The Howdy Darlins first gig following the school library's fundraiser was booked at Ka’vu Coffee House in Boyceville, Wisc., which happens to be operated by Mason’s best friends.

“The only thing I could play at the time was a ukulele, because I teach it to sixth graders,” she said. “So, I picked up my husband’s guitar and just learned chords; I learned 35 songs and three weeks later (we) played there.”

"The arts are really important at the school. But outside of the school, I know there sure are a lot of talented folks in Fall Creek."

Jen Mason

vocalist, guitarist of the howdy darlins &
choir teacher in fall creek

Since their Boyceville performances, The Howdy Darlins have graced the dim-lit or outdoor patios of bars across the Chippewa Valley. Summertime has quickly become their popular season to perform at locations like the former Ombibulous Brewing (1419 Winchester Way #8, Altoona), The Nichol Inn (414 Main St., Knapp) and River Bend Winery & Distillery (10439 33rd Ave., Chippewa Falls), among others.

The growing support from family, friends and strangers – even Jacobson's and Mason’s students – has been an unparalleled aspect of this experience, the duo shared. Their combined efforts as educators – to encourage student participation and appreciation for the arts within the school – draw from their own experiences of performing live.

“If you want to, keep playing, and this is absolutely possible for you,” is a message Jen often shares with her students.

With the school year beginning and theater season in full swing, the duo still finds time to practice. They either sneak in rehearsals after school in the choir rooms or, in true classic rock fashion, meet at one another’s garages at home.

In anticipation for the next season of summer shows, the duo teased original music in the works – simply for the fun of it – while keeping their cover tracks in the rotation.

“The kind of stuff we would write for (The Howdy Darlins) would be pretty fun and light – stuff that you could hear for the first time and sing along by the time you get to the last chorus,” Toby said.

Until then, Chippewa Vallians can catch The Howdy Darlins from 5-8pm on Jan. 10 at Gizmo’s Bar (110 E Lincoln Ave., Fall Creek). Who knows, you might even find yourself on stage, tambourine in hand, singing alongside them.

Follow The Howdy Darlins online through Facebook (@TheHowdyDarlins) for updates on upcoming performances in and around Fall Creek. The duo’s previous performances can be found on YouTube.