Fate Line Friday for November 7th, 2014

I’ve long listened and been a fan – had the honor of meeting her at Merlefest in North Carolina some 15 years ago. I was very pregnant with my daughter at the time and so in addition to sharing my admiration for her music, we talked about my large belly and why I had given my baby the in utero name “spudnik.” I still have the autographed Car Wheels on a Gravel Road CD which states: “spudnik – hurry up and come soon.”

It is her poetic plain spoken lyric, her gravel voice, her Gurf Morlix and her moody southern sound that always got me. Seems her new album shows that she’s still got it – but I’m choosing an old one I use to cover all the time. “Hard Road” is a jaunty tune for her but equally edgy poignant lyrics – a cry out to a friend in need.

I’ll be missing her show on the 20th as we’ll happily be performing at the Justice for Children and Youth Benefit that night – but I’ll be sure to dedicate my song “Living Out Loud” to her, as she is referenced in the tune and lives out loud as a songwriter in a way that always inspires.