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"Why don't more women sing honky tonk songs
About the heartaches and the tough breaks
And all the men that's done us wrong
There's a whole lotta women I know would sing along
So why don't more women sing honky tonk songs"
- Dolly Parton, Honky Tonk Songs

A honky tonk girl loves to sing, appreciates good old country twang and knows a bit about the blues.

Gold Range house band leader Charles Nabess is hosting a five-week contest to find the woman worthy of the title of Honky Tonk Girl at Yellowknife's famous and historic downtown honky tonk bar.

Artists like Tammy Wynette, Dolly Parton, Kitty Wells, Patsy Kline and the Rolling Stones have sung honky tonk hits. - photo courtesy of Wikipedia

The first Gold Range Honky Tonk Girl Competition kicks off on Jan. 21 and runs until the finals on Feb. 18. Entry forms are available now at the bar. The winner will be showered with prizes, including a small chunk of cash and a honky tonk girl trophy, Nabess said.

Nabess describes honky tonk music as jazzy, country-blues born as a result of the high unemployment big band musicians faced in the first half of the last century.

"It was hard times when the big bands had trouble getting work," he said. "Like now."

Musicians groomed on the big band sound brought their affection for jazz and blues into the working-class country bars across the American southwest – known as honky tonks – inspiring a new genre of country music.

"It gave that jazz flavour to country tunes and out-of-work big band musicians played it in the honky tonks," Nabess said.

Artists as diverse as Jelly Roll Morton and the Rolling Stones penned famous honky tonk songs. Women like Tammy Wynette, Patsy Kline and Dolly Parton brought a distinctly feminine perspective to honky tonk heartache while embracing the same plucky themes in their lyrics.

In 1952, Kitty Wells sang the chart-topping honky tonk anthem It Wasn't God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels in response to Hank Thompson's honky tonk hit The Wild Side of Life. Honky tonk girls have spoken up for themselves ever since.

The first round of competition begins on Jan. 21. Entrants are asked to prepare one honky tonk song to perform for the competition.