Joan Armatrading Continues 'Charming Life'

Singer/Songwriter Comes to Long Beach Terrace Theater Aug. 7

"Is she the one that sounds like Tracy Chapman?"

That's a question often posed when explaining the musical wonderment of Joan Armatrading. Since the release of 1972's Whatever For Us, the European-based singer-songwriter has consistently satisfied lifelong fans and created new ones. Her success abroad is undeniable; America has welcomed her throughout the years, but never with the commercial success it has awarded some female singer-songwriters cut from the same cloth.

Armatrading is touring and doing interviews in support of her 20th album, This Charming Life, and in her own words, "This would be a great album for America, if they would just give it a listen."

This Charming Life is a return to Armatrading's rock and pop roots. She played every instrument on Charming, as well as on her previous two albums -- an undertaking not foreign to her, but one she doesn't repeat live.

"It hasn't changed much, really," she commented. "When I do my demos, and back in the '70s and '80s, I was writing, playing, doing my arrangements. It's not that different, except I'm doing it on records now and not demos."

Armatrading, who said she "should expect to be 60 this December," is reflecting a little more on Charming.

"I've written songs called 'I'm Lucky,' 'Blessed,' and I've written This Charming Life. They're all songs saying 'thank you very much' for the life I've been given, I've really enjoyed it, I've really appreciate it, and I want to say it someplace outside of my head," she explained. "I actually think a lot of people have a charming life if they would just step back and take a look at it."

To read the full interview from the Long Beach/OC Blade and to find out United States tour dates, go here.

 

Follow Charles Karel Bouley on Twitter: www.twitter.com/thekarelshow

Comments

[scubalady]

05:47 AM on 08/03/2010

Glad to see her back with new material. She's one of my favorite singers.
I really thought she could have been added to the post called The anti divas a few months ago.

[MARTYB]

02:11 AM on 08/03/2010

"Love and Affection", my favorite, she is sublime!

[PatA]

01:39 PM on 08/03/2010

My husband was driving me to a hospital to have a very serious surgical procedure and we heard "Love and Affection" on a local radio station. I fell in love with the song and after I got checked into my room my husband said he needed to step out for awhile. He came back with Joan's tape and a player. What he did was one of the nicest things anyone has ever did for me in my entire life. When I was well enough to travel, he took me to see her in Wichita Falls, Tx.

I'll never forget what that tape meant to me. My anthem has been "Me, Myself & I" for years now. I've been divorced for a long time now and JA continues to bring joy into my life.
Long Live Joan Armatrading!!

[InedaName]

11:36 PM on 08/02/2010

We know how you love your dance music divas, Karel, so this interview with Joan Armatrading is quite the pleasant surprise. Thanks!

[thecoffeegod]

03:53 PM on 08/02/2010

In 1976 I was in love with a song but could never get the title from WZZQ, the local powerhouse FM station. I was in Be-Bop Records on North State Street when the song came over the air. I raced down the spiral staircase and straight up to the counter. The amused employee pointed me towards the album and I've been a Joan Armatrading fan ever since.

Dang, what a voice!!

[inkongirl]

01:01 PM on 08/02/2010

The first song I ever heard of hers was "Show Some Emotion". She has such a powerful voice and simple but meaningful lyrics. Thank you Joan for sharing your talent with all of us.

[Iehi Aour]

12:22 PM on 08/02/2010

One feature of every JA album (except the collaboration album w/ Pam Nestor) is that the lyric and music are entirely hers It is astonishing that she is relatively unknown in the States. "Walk Under Ladders" is one of my faves, but anything Joan Armatrading as alright with me.

[winningticket]

11:32 AM on 08/02/2010

I was introduced to her music when I was stationed in the UK in the very early 80's. BBC1 used to play "Me, myself, I" which was a smash hit in 1980. It's good to hear that Joan Armatrading MBE is still going strong. She brings back memories of my days in Ipswich, and my summer trips to the coastal towns of Great Yarmouth and Lowestoft. Thank you Joan for help making Britain a happy and enriching experiencing for me.

[winningticket]

11:54 AM on 08/02/2010

Error: I meant Radio One instead of BBC1 (a British TV channel back in the day).

[LaFilleEnRose]

11:20 AM on 08/02/2010

Down to Zero is one of my favorite songs. So glad she's still going strong.

[JeffmChicago]

10:15 AM on 08/02/2010

I have only owned one cd by Joan Armatrading entitled 'The Shouting Stage' I've been listening to it for a little over 15 years. It is one of my favorite records of all time.

Joan's music is sometimes all over the place. Sometimes folksy, rock tinged, soulful, bluesy, popish and on and on. Not to say that there's anything wrong with it I just liked her soulful and popish sound of 'The Shouting Stage' so much that when I hear her sing something else I get frustrated.

I'll take a listen to this new cd of hers in hopes that it moves me into buying it. Thanks for the article.

[Sunflo]

09:15 AM on 08/02/2010

Love her music.

[Ralph Noyes]

12:23 AM on 08/02/2010

Joan Armatrading is an ARTIST. She is awesome.

[ckmotorka]

12:15 AM on 08/02/2010

This is a really fine album and it runs the gamut of spot-on pop to some seriously rocking guitar parts. Do yourself a favor and give it a listen. It stands up to anything being put out by people less than half her age.

[JenniferEccles]

07:57 AM on 08/03/2010

It far exceeds anything being put out by people less than half her age.