“What the Cowgirls Do” is a 1994 country single by Vince Gill, co‑written with Reed Nielsen and released as the second single from his album When Love Finds You. It became one of his big mid‑90s radio staples, peaking at number 2 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart and helping cement his smooth, guitar‑driven 90s sound.

Song basics

  • Artist: Vince Gill, American country singer‑songwriter and guitarist.
  • Title: “What the Cowgirls Do”.
  • Album: When Love Finds You (studio album released in 1994).
  • Release date (single): July 4, 1994.
  • Genre: Country, with an upbeat, radio‑friendly 90s production.
  • Length: About 3 minutes (3:03).
  • Writers: Vince Gill and Reed Nielsen.
  • Label: MCA Records.

Chart performance & impact

  • The single climbed to number 2 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart, making it one of Gill’s major 90s hits.
  • It’s often remembered as part of the run of successful singles that kept Vince Gill highly visible on country radio through the mid‑1990s, even if some critics consider it more “fun” than essential compared with his deeper ballads.

Sound and theme

  • Musically, the track is brisk and catchy, driven by Vince Gill’s lead guitar work and additional electric guitar from session ace Steuart Smith, along with fiddle, piano, and a full band arrangement typical of mainstream 90s country.
  • Lyrically, it’s a playful, good‑time song celebrating cowgirls across the country— from Texas and Oklahoma to places as far‑flung as Bangor, Maine—highlighting how they love to dance, stay out late, and generally drive the narrator a little bit crazy in a fun way.

Who played on it?

Some of the key contributors on the studio recording include:

  • Vince Gill – lead vocals, electric guitar, background vocals
  • Steuart Smith – electric guitar
  • Randy Scruggs – acoustic guitar
  • Stuart Duncan – fiddle
  • Willie Weeks – bass
  • Carlos Vega – drums
  • John Jarvis / Pete Wasner – keyboards and piano
  • Tom Roady – percussion
  • Various background vocalists (e.g., Bill Thomas)

The track was produced by Tony Brown, a major Nashville producer behind many 90s country hits.

Reception and legacy

  • Country commentators describe “What the Cowgirls Do” as a light, almost novelty‑leaning cut in Gill’s catalog—fun, flirty, and “girl‑watching” in tone—but still elevated by his classy delivery and musicianship.
  • In hindsight, fans and critics tend to see it as a feel‑good slice of 90s country radio rather than one of his most emotionally weighty songs, especially when compared with ballads like “Go Rest High on That Mountain,” which interestingly appears as the single’s B‑side.

Note: Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.