There's nothing quite like a woman who knows how to rock. Unfortunately, there aren't enough of them, but that doesn't mean they aren't out there. Since the inception of rock and roll, there have been several iconic trailblazers.

As many have learned, it isn't easy following in the footsteps of rock goddesses like Janis Joplin, Chrissie Hynde or Debbie Harry. Success can depend on several things, like the right mix of spunk and sex appeal, the ability to command the attention of an audience, and the talent required to write a song that sticks around long after the band's encore. Somehow, all those elements came together when four women from very different places joined forces in the nation's music capitol, Nashville TN.

Born and raised in Ohio, drummer Kendra Kayne moved to Nashville in 2003 in hopes of finding a band. After months of searching, she came across an ad in a local newspaper, placed by Dacia who, at the time, was still living in Arkansas. Dacia had been looking to start a group in Nashville as well, and after several phone calls between the two, moved to Nashville to begin the quest to find the remaining band members. By chance one night, Kendra was at a local club and happened to catch a band where guitarist Amber Gold was performing on stage. Amber, a California native, had moved to Music City with her family during grade school. Kendra immediately knew that Amber was perfect for their band, and arranged a meeting with her. After the introductory practice session, the three agreed they fit well together, and sought out the final piece of the puzzle, a bassist. Finding a bassist that fit the group took several months. However in May 2004, the group stumbled across an internet ad, placed by bassist Danielle Day seeking a band. Immediately they contacted her, and after a few days of talking over the phone, she decided to move from her hometown in NY, to Tennessee in just two weeks.

Starting out, the hard rock quartet called themselves Glass Lily. It wasn't long before they realized that their original choice didn't adequately describe their high-energy, guitar-heavy sound. The girls toyed around with several ideas before someone suggested they somehow incorporate the word 'atomic' into their name. They immediately knew they were onto something. After choosing the second half of the new name, which refers to the hair color of the band's fiery frontwoman, Atomic Blonde was born. As if it were the final piece of the puzzle, the rechristening was just what the band needed.

The band has had an overpowering success online as well as in Tennessee. Their Myspace.com profile has thousands of hits a day, and a friends list that's growing near 50,000 strong. The group has won several battle of the band contests, including the nation wide Ernie Ball Battle of the Bands in 2005, where they were voted #2 out of 12,000 bands entered.

Like many musicians, the girls hesitate when asked to describe their sound. "People say we sound like Nirvana, Hole, and Black Sabbath," Dacia said, adding that she's thrilled and flattered. "Sometimes we even get Blondie," which is no surprise, considering the similarities between the band names and the color of each vocalists' trademark mane. Though Atomic Blonde has been influenced by each of these, as well as other acts like No Doubt, CKY and Motorhead, their chemistry and execution is completely original. The end result is something that has to be seen to be believed

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