Your musical journey has been unique and interesting. Can you tell me a little bit about what brought you to where you are now, culminating with your new album release?
It certainly has been interesting! I’ll be honest. I grew up playing and singing all of the “wrong” kinds of music. In college and graduate school, I was always hiding the fact that I played a lot of gigs I wasn’t necessarily supposed to. I finished undergrad and graduate school in music, but it wasn’t until I was in my late 20’s and early 30’s that I fully embraced who I truly was as a musician and artist. My new single incorporates my folk side, my eclectic side, my poetic writing, and a bit of my personal story.
What music and musicians have influenced you the most?
It’s been so many people at different times! I grew up singing a lot of blues, country, and folk rock, but I also studied classical music. Stravinsky taught me philosophy while Palestrina taught me melodic line and beauty. The Ozark Mountain Daredevils taught me to write lyrics while Patty Griffin taught me never to define my style by genre or style. Aretha Franklin taught me vocal placement while Billy Holliday taught me that every word conveyed emotion. My mentors early on taught me to always be a student of my craft...to seek inspiration every single day. To learn something new, every single day.
Listening to music has the ability to be therapeutic. How do you think the role of musicians has changed in the midst of the pandemic?
Well, most of us have experienced PTSD type of traumas as a result of the sudden loss of touring gigs and jobs. Many of us are just trying to survive to the next day. I don’t think our role to the general public has changed much, but it has certainly made us more aware of how much we depend on crowds to keep our careers going. People have the ability to listen to our recordings, but most don’t realize that we don’t make much money off of streaming. We can’t perform our roles as musician if we are moving in with our parents or working for Amazon or Uber Eats.
What does living a creative life mean to you?
I’ve never lived a non-creative life. I’m not sure I would know how to do anything else!
What’s your favorite part of the songwriting process?
My songwriting process happens very quickly. Fifteen minutes tops for a good song! If I have to work more on it, it usually sounds exactly that way. The best part of the process is cutting the studio musicians loose on a new song and seeing what they bring to the sound. So many times I’m left thinking, “That’s not what I had in mind, but it’s so much better!”
Do you have a favorite song to play live?
Probably depends on my mood for the night!
What’s next on your radar?
I spent most of 2018 and 2019 touring a piano show...I’m hoping to expand this horizon and play more of my own shows.
If you could tour with any musician in the world, who would it be?
So many! I am a huge Joni Mitchell fan, Grace Potter, Brandy Carlile, Margo Price, ... there are way too many to list!
What advice do you have for others wanting to become a singer-songwriter?
Be yourself. Learn from others, but do not let anyone tell you what the “right” answer is. There are no right answers. Create something that reflects your soul.
What’s the last book you read?
Daisy Jones and the Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid
What is a recipe that means a lot to you, and why
I love these salted fudge brownies by Cassie http://www.bakeyourday.net/salted-fudge-brownies/
and
My great-grandmother’s Christmas candy recipes!!