Tag: Patty Griffin

BGS 5+5: Brigitte DeMeyer

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Artist name: Brigitte DeMeyer
Hometown: San Francisco, California
Latest album: Seeker
Personal nicknames (or rejected band names): Well, my husband calls me Bubba. My friends sometimes call me B, or Brig. My nieces and nephews call me “Tante Brigie.”

What was the first moment that you knew you wanted to be a musician?

I always knew I loved to sing, as far back as age 12 when I won the talent show at summer camp. I sang whenever I could, in church, in school musicals, in various bands, just for the fun of it. But, in my late 20s I was asked to jump in and sing at an informal party with a very talented friend who was playing acoustic guitar for folks. He played in such a way that a feeling came through me when I began singing, it was like I left the building and got lost in the song. I felt like notes were coming through me from somewhere else.

When I opened my eyes at the end of the song the room of people had gone quiet and all had gathered around me and erupted into a joyous cheer at the end of the song. It was the first time I remember getting naturally high from singing. I have spent my whole career chasing that feeling of connection to whatever came through me that day. It can come from anywhere. Collaborating with someone with the right chemistry, connecting with the audience, or just being by myself writing. They may not be the best performances of my life when that happens. But, it’s about the feeling I get, from connecting to something higher. It’s also really fun to play with friends. Energy exchanging and collaborating. Hope all that makes sense.

What’s the toughest time you ever had writing a song?

I guess I would say the toughest time trying to write a song is when I am super happy. You have to really dig in deep and create something out of nothing. “Cat Man Do” came out that way. It took me a year to write that song. You have to make up a character or situation from scratch. I have enough life experiences to draw from. And, inspiration can come from anywhere so I force myself to be open and pay attention. You mix a little fiction with imagination and add a bit of grease and salt, or sugar if that’s what the song calls for. Approaching a song like a poem or a story is something I enjoy as well, or using old language that isn’t vernacular is fun. It makes the song feel deeper and have more character I think. Though it has to make sense to the listener as well, so finding balance lyrically there is tricky at times.

What’s your favorite memory from being on stage?

I have so many. But one of them, was at Humphreys in San Diego in 2014, when I opened for Gregg Allman. He was in the wings watching and listening to me during my whole set. When I came off the stage, he approached and told me I had a beautiful voice. I told him he did. That was a great day. Another great memory was in Ullapool, Scotland, sitting in at the pub with those raucous Scots listening in. They are so appreciative and warm in the U.K. I love performing there.

Which elements of nature do you spend the most time with and how do those impact your work?

This is an easy one for me. I am an avid horse enthusiast. I am often out at the barn where I board my horse, which is surrounded with rolling hills and wildlife, like hawks, coyotes, goats, etc., and a neighboring cattle farm. Horses for me remind me nature is king, and give me that feeling of connection to something higher as well. I come home way happier every time I go and spend time with my horse. It is also a confidence builder.

If you had to write a mission statement for your career, what would it be?

I would say trust your gut, and just be yourself. Don’t try to sound like anyone else, or write like anyone else. And don’t let anyone tell you what is right for you. If you need to get your mix right, do it. Don’t settle. Also, I was told I was too old in my late 20s to begin my career. I did not listen. I forged my own path kind of organically. Oh yeah, and ALWAYS surround yourself with people who make you happy in your work. If the vibe is there, the music will follow. It shows in the music.

 

BGS 5+5: Jillette Johnson

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Artist: Jillette Johnson
Hometown: Nashville, Tennessee
Latest Album: It’s a Beautiful Day and I Love You
Personal nicknames: JJ

Which artist has influenced you the most … and how?

It’s so hard to pick one, but Randy Newman has greatly impacted me as a songwriter and performer. I heard my first Randy Newman song when I was a toddler, watching the movie Beaches with my parents. Bette Midler sings his song, “I Think It’s Going to Rain Today,” at the end of the movie, and it cut right into me. I didn’t know he wrote that song until by accident, I got to see him play and essentially lead a lecture in Los Angeles when I was 16. He completely transfixed me.

His musical sophistication and ear for beauty, coupled with his cutting, hilarious, and deeply empathetic storytelling was like nothing else I had ever heard. He’s so prolific, and so unchained to whatever the world expects of a singer-songwriter. He takes risks, tells the truth, and lets his humanity lead the charge in every song. And he’s still doing it, to the highest level, which inspires the hell out of me. I’ve said often that I want to be Randy Newman when I grow up, meaning that I want to keep making exciting music that matters for the rest of my life, just like him.

What’s your favorite memory from being on stage?

This wasn’t exactly a stage, but it sure felt like one. When I was 17, I was invited to go to Liza Minnelli’s apartment on the Upper East Side in Manhattan to play songs for her on her beautiful grand piano overlooking Central Park. She greeted me at the door with those big bright eyes, no makeup, wearing sweatpants and a giant smile. Her apartment was under construction, but the “piano room,” was perfectly intact — a room of only mirrors, windows, one couch, and the piano where I played. We sat there for hours while I performed songs I had written, and she sat next to me, asking me to replay certain parts of each song so she could really let them sink it.

She made me feel like what I was making mattered, and like I belonged. I’ll never forget that feeling, or her kindness. Towards the end of the visit, she told me I reminded her of Laura Nyro, whom I’d never heard before then, and she insisted I go to her bedroom with her while she crawled on the floor of her closet looking for a Laura Nyro record to give me. She never found the record, but I still relish the image in my mind of her in a pile of clothes scouring for it and swearing under her breath.

What was the first moment that you knew you wanted to be a musician?

It happened before I can remember. In fact, I can’t remember a time when I didn’t know that I wanted to be a musician. I was the kid wandering around the edge of the sandbox making up songs and singing them to myself out loud. My grandmother asked me when I was like 4 or 5 what I wanted to be when I grew up, and I said a rock star. She asked what my second choice would be, and I said I didn’t have one. And I still feel that way. Music has been with me before everything. I’d be an entirely different person without it.

What rituals do you have, either in the studio or before a show?

It’s really helpful for me to find some time to be quiet and center before a show. I always warm up my voice first, usually an hour or so before I go on, while I get changed and do my hair and makeup. But then, in that half hour before I go on, I really like to be alone. I’ll often take that time to meditate first, and then move my body in ways that energize me and make me feel powerful. The sweet spot for me is to go on stage feeling calm and in control, but still full of vigor and excitement. It’s a hard line to walk sometimes, and my nerves have been getting harder to control as I’ve gotten older. That’s why the meditation part is so important.

How often do you hide behind a character in a song or use “you” when it’s actually “me”?

Often! It’s a fun way to have a little therapy session without having to leave my house or pay anybody. And in writing land, it can lead to songs that speak more clearly and feel more inclusive. When I need guidance or am feeling insecure, I like to ask myself what I would tell someone that I loved if they came to me for help with the same issues. And when I’m writing a song that starts to sound like a pity party, or I get lost in what I’m trying to say, I often do the same thing. It’s so much easier to find clarity and compassion for others than it is for yourself, at least in my experience. Flipping the “I” to “you” or “her” is a tool I like to use in both art and life.

Photo credit: Betsy Phillips

BGS 5+5: Hardened and Tempered

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Artist: Hardened and Tempered
Hometown: Austin, Texas
Latest album: Hold the Line
Personal nicknames (or rejected band names): Less of a nickname than a consequence of a band name for a duo that uses the conjunction “and” is that we are often asked, “which one are you?”

Answers provided by Kristin Davidson

Which artist has influenced you the most … and how?

I was 12 when I discovered a mixtape of the Indigo Girls in my older sister’s room. Their songs captured my ears, mind, and heart, and remained constant company for me growing up. I think it was the first time I felt transformed and transported by music. But the pantheon of my musical influences is full of powerful writers, and I can pair just about every childhood memory with songs by Indigo Girls, Mary Chapin Carpenter, Nanci Griffith, Tracy Chapman, Lucinda Williams, Patty Griffin, Emmylou Harris, Dolly Parton, Patti Smith, and Ani DiFranco.

What other art forms — literature, film, dance, painting, etc. — inform your music?

I love street photography and am drawn to the captured moments that expose the illusion of anonymity — that split second of absurdity or loneliness on a crowded street. I enjoy the process of finding words and sounds for the images that evoke emotion.

What rituals do you have, either in the studio or before a show?

We love to laugh and try to bring a joyful lightness to the stage. We are big fans of Maria Bamford. In the second season of her show, Lady Dynamite, Ana Gasteyer’s character keeps shouting a particular line as a rallying cry that we think is hilarious. We usually say that line to each other, giggle, and then walk onto the stage.

If you had to write a mission statement for your career, what would it be?

Hard enough to hold an edge; soft enough not to break. The band name, Hardened and Tempered, sums up the dynamic and delicate balance we try to keep in our lives and our music. Both Carolyn and I have intense personalities, we are drawn to big adventures and hard challenges, and we work with a lot of suffering. Slowly but surely, we are learning the artful balance of easing up a little and looking for light in dark places.

Since food and music go so well together, what is your dream pairing of a meal and a musician?

I have dreamed about finding refuge from a cold, big city night in a basement bar room, only to discover Nina Simone playing an impromptu set on an intimate stage. I order my favorite bourbon, but don’t drink it. How could I?!

Photo credit: Norah Levine Photography

Artist of the Month: Bettye LaVette

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The very definition of persistence, Bettye LaVette is among the newest inductees into the Blues Music Hall of Fame, yet she pulls her material from nearly every imaginable corner of music. In addition to her distinguished R&B output that dates to the 1960s, she has interpreted the greats of folk and country music, ranging from Bob Dylan and Patty Griffin to George Jones and Dolly Parton. Now the five-time Grammy nominee is honoring many of the Black women who inspire her with Blackbirds, a collection that takes its name from the Beatles standard. However, as LaVette has stated before, Paul McCartney wrote the song about a Black woman (as British slang refers to a girl as a “bird”). In LaVette’s rendition, though, she is the one who’s been waiting… and waiting… and waiting for this moment to arrive. And, in a specific allusion to this moment in history, to be free.

Set for release on the venerated Verve label, Blackbirds alights on August 28, though the Detroit-raised diva has already issued a stunning rendition of Billie Holiday’s “Strange Fruit,” as well as Nina Simone’s “I Hold No Grudge” and Sharon Robinson’s “One More Song.” (Songs recorded by Ruth Brown, Lou Rawls, Dinah Washington, and jazz vocalist Nancy Wilson are featured on the album, too.) Read our two-part interview — part one here, part two here — with this candid and compelling entertainer, who’s now based in New Jersey and enjoy our BGS Essentials playlist of August’s Artist of the Month, Bettye LaVette.

 

LISTEN: Vanessa Peters, “Florida”

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Artist: Vanessa Peters
Hometown: Dallas, Texas
Song: “Florida” (Patty Griffin cover)
Album: Mixtape
Release Date: April 24, 2020
Label: Little Sandwich Music

In Their Words: “We began this covers album more than three years ago, and this was one of the first songs we tackled. It was winter when we began this project and we were cooped up inside for several days. The dreary, icy weather outside reminded me of this song and the lovely juxtaposition between the idea of Florida as a sunny, summery place and the actual song, which talks of escapism and sadness and has such a melancholy melody. I’ve always loved this song; the chorus of ‘Isn’t it hard sometimes/isn’t it lonely/how I still hang around here/when there’s nothing to hold me’ is just so perfect.” — Vanessa Peters

Photo credit: Giulia de Gregori

BGS 5+5: Anna Lynch

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Artist: Anna Lynch
Hometown: Sebastopol, California
Latest Album: Apples in the Fall EP
Release Date: March 13, 2020
Personal nicknames (or rejected band names): My name is pretty short so I have never really had a nickname… although when trying to get my attention both my mother and friends will use my middle name. Nothing quite like hearing someone yell “Margarita!” across a room. My middle name is really Margarita, and it was my grandmother’s first name.

Which artist has influenced you the most … and how?

Patty Griffin, hands down. I heard a song that was included on some American folk compilation in high school, then bought her 1000 Kisses album and walked the tiny streets of my hometown crying about some boy who didn’t love me back while simultaneously begging the universe to let me be her when I grew up and moved away from that town.

What’s your favorite memory from being on stage?

Honestly, though I have been on stage a lot, the memory that will be with me forever is playing the Freight & Salvage in Berkeley with my dad when I was 5. My dad was always a musician and performed a lot. Being a kid I just thought he hung the moon and jumped at the chance to perform my favorite Bob Reid song at the open mic my dad played every week.

We had agreed to split the words, until dad, mid-song, left me hanging to finish the song by myself. I remember being angry he didn’t feed me the words like he said he would, but then I remember the crowd cheering and feeling proud of myself. Call it an addiction, a bug, a calling. My dad knew exactly what he was doing. He probably created a monster.

What other art forms — literature, film, dance, painting, etc — inform your music?

I am secretly a huge WWII history buff. My great uncle was in the war and left me with an amazing curiosity for the life he lived before I met him. He was also a lifelong artist, and though most of his works were abstract paintings, while he was in the war he would sketch the people and scenery around him. We have notebooks upon notebooks of sketches he made during that time; some are even made on the backs of old maps. In a weird twist of interest I have started embroidering these sketches. It’s relaxing in a way and also a way to connect with him a bit.

What’s the toughest time you ever had writing a song?

Oh man, the ones you haven’t heard yet… Songs are like little word children you let into the world, some you wish you had worked on more before you let them out into the big scary world, some come out as they should and some just don’t see the light of day.

How often do you hide behind a character in a song or use “you” when it’s actually “me”?

I have written a few “story” songs. I use them as more a vehicle than anything. It is really hard to create an emotive work and perform it like a song, like a conversation, if you come right out of the gate saying, “Hi, my name is Anna, I’m a little depressed but that’s OK, also I love walking on a beach for hours alone, hoppy beer, sad songs, staying up late, waking up before anyone else in the house, WWII documentaries, dark jokes, old wood, playing acoustic bass, strong coffee, cotton sweaters, salted butter, gas stoves, handmade mugs and watching who splits the last cookie on the plate in half….” Not exactly a place to start a conversation. I use story songs as a sort of place to hide real things in plain sight. I hide little bits to make it both more “palatable” for me and more relatable to an audience.

Photo credit: Jessie McCall – Little Green Eyes Media

See the Grammy Award Winners in American Roots Music Categories

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Here are the winners in the American Roots Music categories, presented today in Los Angeles.

Best American Roots Performance

For new vocal or instrumental American Roots recordings. This is for performances in the style of any of the subgenres encompassed in the American Roots Music field including Americana, bluegrass, blues, folk or regional roots. Award to the artist(s).

[WINNER] “Saint Honesty,” Sara Bareilles

“Father Mountain,” Calexico and Iron & Wine

“I’m on My Way,” Rhiannon Giddens With Francesco Turrisi

“Call My Name,” I’m With Her

“Faraway Look,” Yola

Best American Roots Song

A Songwriter(s) Award. Includes Americana, bluegrass, traditional blues, contemporary blues, folk or regional roots songs. A song is eligible if it was first released or if it first achieved prominence during the Eligibility Year. (Artist names appear in parentheses.) Singles or Tracks only.

“Black Myself,” Amythyst Kiah, songwriter (Our Native Daughters)

[WINNER] “Call My Name,” Sarah Jarosz, Aoife O’Donovan & Sara Watkins, songwriters (I’m With Her)

“Crossing to Jerusalem,” Rosanne Cash & John Leventhal, songwriters (Rosanne Cash)

“Faraway Look,” Dan Auerbach, Yola & Pat McLaughlin, songwriters (Yola)

“I Don’t Wanna Ride the Rails No More,” Vince Gill, songwriter (Vince Gill)

Best Americana Album

For albums containing at least 51% playing time of new vocal or instrumental Americana recordings.

Years to Burn, Calexico and Iron & Wine

Who Are You Now, Madison Cunningham

[WINNER] Oklahoma, Keb’ Mo’

Tales of America, J.S. Ondara

Walk Through Fire, Yola

Best Bluegrass Album

For albums containing at least 51% playing time of new vocal or instrumental bluegrass recordings.

[WINNER] Tall Fiddler, Michael Cleveland

Live in Prague, Czech Republic, Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver

Toil, Tears & Trouble, The Po’ Ramblin’ Boys

Royal Traveller, Missy Raines

If You Can’t Stand the Heat, Frank Solivan & Dirty Kitchen

Best Traditional Blues Album

For albums containing at least 51% playing time of new vocal or instrumental traditional blues recordings.

Kingfish, Christone “Kingfish” Ingram

[WINNER] Tall, Dark & Handsome, Delbert McClinton & Self-Made Men + Dana

Sitting on Top of the Blues, Bobby Rush

Baby, Please Come Home, Jimmie Vaughan

Spectacular Class, Jontavious Willis

Best Contemporary Blues Album

For albums containing at least 51% playing time of new vocal or instrumental contemporary blues recordings.

[WINNER] This Land, Gary Clark Jr.

Venom & Faith, Larkin Poe

Brighter Days, Robert Randolph & The Family Band

Somebody Save Me, Sugaray Rayford

Keep On, Southern Avenue

Best Folk Album

For albums containing at least 51% playing time of new vocal or instrumental folk recordings.

My Finest Work Yet, Andrew Bird

Rearrange My Heart, Che Apalache

[WINNER] Patty Griffin, Patty Griffin

Evening Machines, Gregory Alan Isakov

Front Porch, Joy Williams

Best Regional Roots Music Album

For albums containing at least 51% playing time of new vocal or instrumental regional roots music recordings.

Kalawai’Anui, Amy Hānaiali’i

When It’s Cold – Cree Round Dance Songs, Northern Cree

[WINNER] Good Time, Ranky Tanky

Recorded Live at the 2019 New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, Rebirth Brass Band

Hawaiian Lullaby, (Various Artists), Imua Garza & Kimié Miner, producers

Photo Credit of I’m With Her: Lindsey Byrnes

The Show On The Road – Dar Williams

Posted on by Chris Jacobs

This week, Z. Lupetin’s conversation with revered singing songstress and deeply wise wordsmith, Dar Williams.

LISTEN: APPLE PODCASTS • MP3

Coming out of the Hudson Valley outside New York City, Williams has released over thirteen albums across a quarter century as one of America’s touchstone folk poets, first bursting out of the famed Lilith Fair folk rock scene in the mid 1990s with contemporaries like Ani Difranco and the Indigo Girls and gaining a devoted following. She has toured with luminaries like Joan Baez and Patty Griffin, written a book about what makes communities resilient, she runs her own songwriting retreats, and has inspired generations of women to fearlessly embrace their creativity and exercise their limitless potential. Z. was able to catch up with Williams in the green room at the historic McCabe’s Guitar Shop before her second show of a sold out weekend in Los Angeles. A new album is on the way.

MIXTAPE: The Harmaleighs’ Anthems for the Weak

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We are both anxious creatures, whether it comes to an existential crisis about our career choice or what to say next in a conversation. We created a playlist for the Bluegrass Situation based on songs that help calm our anxious minds. — Haley Grant and Kaylee Jasperson, The Harmaleighs

The Harmaleighs – “Anthem for the Weak”

An anthem for those who suffer from anxiety.

The Harmaleighs – “Don’t Panic”

One of our favorites off the new record — we want you to close your eyes and lose all concepts of time and space when you listen.

Lucius – “Go Home”

The first song we ever heard from our favorite band.

The Lumineers – “Gloria”

This is a banger. It does what a lot of Haley’s favorite songs do. It pairs heavy lyrical content with an upbeat danceable vibe. Also, have you seen the music video? It’s visually STUNNING.

Faye Webster – “Room Temperature”

Haley highly recommends you watch the music video. One of her favorites!

Molly Burch – “Without You”

She is Haley’s new favorite discovery! Her tunes give us a major throwback feels.

Theo Katzman – “Break Up Together”

King 👏🏻 of 👏🏻 break 👏🏻 up 👏🏻 songs 👏🏻

Bahamas – “Okay, Alright, I’m Alive”

Bahamas are the most underrated band walking planet Earth.

Ethan Gruska – “Rather Be”

His voice transfers Haley to another dimension.

Emily King – “Remind Me”

One of our favorite artists!! Love how you can feel the intention behind every single word.

Brandi Carlile – “Oh Dear”

Brandi has been such an influence for both of us from a young age. This is one of our favorite songs by her.

Dixie Chicks – “Not Ready to Make Nice”

When morale is low on tour and we are finishing up the last stretch home, you better believe we CRANK this tune.

Patty Griffin – “Forgiveness”

This song has been a constant in our road playlist since we started the band. The songwriting and performance of it is so emotionally raw. This is a grounding track for us. It’s a reminder that the most important thing to portray in a record is the feeling and Patty Griffin nails it.

Lowland Hum – “Will You Be”

The sound of their voices together immediately calms Haley down.

Caroline Rose – “Getting to Me “

Haley swears she has listened to this song 300 times. There is something about the beat in the beginning that makes her feel at ease.

Andrew Bird – “So Much Wine, Merry Christmas”

This song brings Haley back to a very peaceful time in her life. When she listens to it, she can close her eyes and pretend like she’s 21 again.

Paul Simon – “Diamonds on the Souls of her Shoes”

Paul Simon is an artist we both have strong roots with. His voice and instrumentation of all of his songs can make your heart sing.

Photo credit: Ruth Chapa