For Company Townes, Dwight Yoakam was watching and listening as his management team asked the Warren,Pa.-based band to perform as the opening act on three recent dates at the Palace Theatre in Greensburg, Pa., the Maryland Theatre in Hagerstown, Md., and the American Music Theatre in Lancaster, Pa.

Company Townes guitarist/vocalist Eric Morelli said this is the second time the band has toured with Yoakam. The first time was in 2022, after Yoakam had performed at the Struthers Library Theatre.

“I guess we made an impression on them,” Morelli said. “”We’re pleasantly surprised to have been invited back for another run of shows. It’s validating in a way that a one-off could never be.”

Even though the band only played three dates, the members did meet Yoakam, and Morelli said that Yoakam did thank them for performing. Morelli said the performances were ones to remember.

Members of Company Townes on stage with their new “Nudie” style suits.

“It was so potent an experience that it almost feels like a dream,” Morelli said.

“It was very intense – in all the best ways.”

The rest of the members include guitarist/vocalist Jody Aiello, bassist/ vocalist Sara Aiello, and drummer Nate Blick.

If you have seen pictures of Company Townes or even had the chance to see the members perform in concert, then, probably you may have seen them in their custom-made Nudie Cohen or “Nudie” style suits.

Each member has his or her own, distinct colorful, rhinestone-adorned suit. For the Yoakam dates, the members created new suits.

“We rarely get to wear the suits; they’re for special occasions only. It’s great to have such an occasion,” Morelli added.

The suits grab your attention – immediately.

“We had a really great moment in Hagerstown where, Dwight’s band, came into our dressing room, just picking our brains about the suits,” Morelli said.

What people don’t know, Morelli said, is that each member is responsible for their own suit. Now each member has two suits. Morelli has purple and red.

“They are completely different,” Morelli said of the suits.

Currently the band is working on songs for a new album. Morelli said there is no one songwriter in the band. Jody Aiello, Sara Aiello, as well as Morelli present ideas to each other, and bring their ideas to rehearsal. Morelli said that in recent years the band has moved toward Jody’s ideas as Morelli has transitioned into playing more lead guitar and singing harmonies, but their songs still go through a team-editing process.

“Every song goes through our songwriting team. If we get stuck, where we just have a verse, and we don’t have a chorus, we’ll kick it to the group, and someone else will solve the problem. It really helps to alleviate any sort of writer’s block. Every song goes through that process of questioning the lyrics,” Morelli said.

For more information about the band, visit cotownes.com