This edition of Girls Rock we feature an interview with indie Folk-Americana musician/songstress Annie Fitzgerald. The recent review of her debut disc was popular enough that it seemed like a good idea to publish the entire interview. (Basically, your crusty chronicler had so much so much to say about her premiere platter that there was no room for any of this question and answer session!) Here then, is the entire interview:
Phoenix: If you had to label your music what would you call it?
Fitzgerald: I usually tell people that it’s Folk-Americana.
Phoenix: Really? I saw that on your press sheet but thought that was your agent’s label. Sorry, now I know better.
I meant to mention that many of your songs have some musical element to distinguish them from the others. For example, on “Another Sad Love Song” there is a mandolin line in there. Who played mandolin on ‘Another Sad Love Song’?
Fitzgerald: Matt Patrick played mandolin.
Phoenix: I also meant to note that “Hero” had a nice military cadence underneath it. Speaking of your songs, what do you consider your best song?
That’s a good question. I think I would say it’s a tie between ‘Hero’ and ‘Watch the World Go By.’
Phoenix (smiling): That’s cheating but I’ll play along. Why “Hero”?
Fitzgerald: I learned early on that I’m a fixer. When someone I love is going through a hard time, my first reaction is to scoop him or her up and try to make everything OK. Most times, I can’t do anything but love them. That’s what I wanted to say when I sat down to write ‘Hero’.
Phoenix: Why “Watch the World Go By”?
Fitzgerald: I love to travel. Love it. I wrote ‘Watch the World Go By’ while riding the train. I adore the sense of motion to it. It makes me want to jump in the car or get on a plane to somewhere beautiful.
Phoenix: I only wear my glasses when I drive so I’m not sure I read the CD sleeve correctly. Did you write all 11 songs yourself?
Fitzgerald: I recorded ‘In Good Time’ with Matt Patrick at the Library Recording Studios in Minneapolis, MN. A handful of the songs I had been working on for a long time. I brought them in to Matt during pre-production and we worked them together to make them the best they could be. Some songs like ‘How Long,’ ‘Cellar Door,’ ‘The Net’ and ‘Kaleidoscope’ we either wrote in the studio together, or via email. (Technology is awesome) ‘Another Sad Love Song’ I wrote on my own after a bad date gone awry. My co-writer on ‘Old Souvenirs’ is my dear friend John Lynn.
Phoenix: Who inspires you?
Fitzgerald: My family and friends inspire me every day. I’m also inspired by random acts of kindness. I grew up in a small town in Northern Minnesota, where everyone says ‘Hello’ as they walk by each other on the street. It was an adjustment to put the necessary guards up when I moved to NYC. So, the joy I get when I experience even the smallest of connections is pretty enormous. It takes a lot for New Yorkers to bring down their walls down in such a fast paced city. (There’s probably a song in there somewhere (she winks).
My musical background has been broad, so I think my influences might be varied across the board because of that. I studied opera in college, and love French art song. Gabriel Faure, and Claude Debussy are two of my favorite classical composers. I grew up listening to blues and jazz with my dad, so I’m always excited when I hear Ella Fitzgerald or Louis Armstrong. I’m a fan of contemporary musicians Patty Griffin, Shawn Colvin, Damien Rice, Ray LaMontagne, Bonnie Raitt, John Prine, Johnny Cash, Sarah McLachlan, The Weepies, and I could go on and on but I’ll stop there for now.
Phoenix: What do you like best about being a performer?
Fitzgerald: I worked in the theater for a long time. Early on, I played Polly in ‘Crazy for You,’ a Gershwin review of sorts, where I got to sing the classic ‘Someone to Watch Over Me.’ One particular evening after the show, I was told there was a couple that wanted to speak with me. They were in their mid 80’s, still held hands, and had smiles that instantly reached their eyes. They just wanted to let me know that it was their wedding anniversary, they had fallen in love to that very song, and that I had made their evening really special. That stuck with me. It’s stuff like this that makes me want to communicate with people through music.
Phoenix: What do you like the least?
Fitzgerald: I would have to say, self-promotion (she smiles).
Phoenix: What did you learn while recording your debut disc? What will you repeat and what will you do differently next time?
Fitzgerald: I’m all about organic experiences. I always try to balance making things happen and letting them happen. The way “In Good Time’ came together was very serendipitous. Things came together with ease as far as finding the right producer and musicians to play on the record. I must have been open to all of it. I can only hope for the same openness for the next record.
All in all, the experience was a dream come true for me. Like many people, I've gone through some life changing events over the years. Some joyous and some that tested my confidence and belief in myself, and what I was doing. In the long run, it all helped me focus on what's really important to me as a musician and as a human being. I'd been putting pressure on myself to put this record out for years but until now something was never quite right. With “In Good Time” I finally felt I knew what I wanted to say and how I wanted to say it.
Phoenix: You’ve had release parties for your debut disc and toured to promote it. Any new writing since the release of the CD?
Fitzgerald: I’ve just released a cover of Patty Griffin’s song ‘Heavenly Day,’ where all of the proceeds are going to Best Friends Animal Society (www.bestfriends.org). I look forward to more projects where I can make music to support great causes and foundations.
Phoenix (teasing): Are you gonna do PSAs with you and cute little animals? Sorry, but you know that’s gonna bring on even more comparisons to Sarah McLachlan. Seriously though, what is next?
Fitzgerald: I’m planning to go out on the road again this spring, and hope to hit more of New England this time. In the meantime and the more immediate future, I’m heading to Austin, Texas to showcase at SXSW with Music Gorilla. And, I’m always writing with the next record in mind.
Phoenix: Well, keep us informed. Look me up when you get to Los Angeles! Your fans are looking forward to your next album already.
My name is Phoenix and . . . that’s the bottom line.
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