Mike Ragogna: Melissa, how are you?

Melissa Manchester: It's going well, Mike. How are you?

MR: Doing very well. Your latest release, Playlist: The Very Best of Melissa Manchester, isn't a typical Greatest Hits or Very Best Of...

A Conversation with Roberta Flack

Mike Ragogna: Roberta, how are you?

Roberta Flack: Doing well, Mike. How are you?

MR: Very well, thanks. Your new album is Let It Be: Roberta Flack Sings The Beatles, so maybe we should start by talking about your...

CeCe Teneal - "Eleanor Rigby"

Here is a music video premiere from "The Voice of Neo-Blues," CeCe Teneal, who unleashes her first video, "Eleanor Rigby." The song is featured on her debut, full-length album Train From Osteen. In the video, when the classic question originally asked by The Beatles "All...

Nanci Griffith Says "Hell No (I'm Not Alright)"

Nanci Grifith's new album Intersection (released on April 10) is her most personal to date, recorded at her house with loyal musical companions from over the years. Intersection's first single, "Hell No (I'm Not Alright)," is Nanci's ode to the Occupy movements,...

A Conversation with Richard Marx

Mike Ragogna: Richard, last year, you released a Christmas EP, but what else have you been up to recently?

Richard Marx: The Christmas EP obviously came out around Christmas time, so I was working on that for a few...

A Conversation with Stuart Duncan of The Goat Rodeo

Mike Ragogna: Hey, Stuart Duncan of The Goat Rodeo, how are you?

Stuart Duncan: Doing great, Mike. How are you?

MR: Doing very well, sir. OK, getting right into The Goat Rodeo Sessions album, can you tell give us a little insight into one of its songs, perhaps, "Where's My Bow?"

SD: That song started as a little mandolin riff that I came up with a couple of years ago. I had been working on a solo project, which I'm still working on, and I was leaning toward making a tune out of it for myself. During the first day of writing for Goat Rodeo, before Chris arrived, I was at Edgar Meyer's home, and he started out by asking me what music I already had. I had kind of hoped he'd start off with his stuff and then ask me, but he didn't (laughs). I had to have something for him, and that was the only thing bouncing around in my head. I, of course, didn't have my mandolin with me, so I just played the riff on the fiddle, and that's the "A" part that you hear after the intro. When it gets into the tempo, that's the riff that I'm referring to. Later, we turned the song inside out and started the second part on the offbeat, then wrote three sections after that. It was an ongoing writing process that took a couple of weeks. It turns out the song lent itself well to trades, and we needed a song to feature Chris' fiddling on -- not a lot of people know that Chris Thile plays fiddle as well as he does. At all, for that matter. So, anyway, the song wound up having no mandolin whatsoever even though that's the way it started.

MR: Yo-Yo Ma told me in a previous interview that he took to the group very much. He said he was the "Old Goat," so he named all of you "Kids."

SD: (laughs) Well, our age differences aren't quite that dramatic, but he's very kind.

MR: Now, you'll soon be going on tour as well as doing a special presentation in movie theaters all over the country, right?

SD: It is very uncharted territory for me to be broadcast on a huge movie screen nationwide. Usually, if I'm doing any sort of national performance, it's on little tiny screens in people's homes. (laughs) So, this is new. It's a cinecast from the House of Blues in Boston, Massachusetts. It airs on the 31st of January at 7:30pm ET in theaters all over the country. I believe that there are at least three or four theaters participating in larger cities all over the nation. This coming week, I'm going to fly up there to do some rehearsing so that we can make sure that all of our goats are in a row, as it were.

MR: (laughs) Nicely put. You'll also have Aoife O'Donovan as a featured vocalist, won't you?

SD: Yeah, that's very exciting. What are female goats called, anyway? Nannies?

MR: You've "goat" me (laughs). Are you ready to be this famous this fast?

SD: I'm pretty comfortable with my current level of fame (laughs). I can still walk through a public place without turning heads.

MR: So, let's get into your musician side. You've been recording for quite some time and worked with people like Mark Knopfler, Emmylou Harris, Robert Plant, Alison Krauss...

SD: ... I have been fortunate to have been surrounded by some very high caliber vocalists because that's what I love to do best -- to play behind singers and other musicians. I think of myself as a reactive player more than a soloist. So, this is kind of new ground for me, to be featured on a lot of these tunes as the lead and melody player. And, of course, having been involved in a lot of the writing process for this stuff with writers of Edgar and Chris' caliber is, at the same time, the most ambitious and wonderful thing I've ever been a part of.

MR: Do you imagine you all will continue working with each other on individual projects that you've got beyond this one?

SD: Well, the only thing I know for sure now is that Chris has my phone number (laughs). Although, oddly enough, one of the most ironic things about all this is when Chris originally called me to be a part of this project, it took me almost a week to call him back. I noticed that I had a missed call, then my voicemails filled up so I deleted all of them and kind of forgot about it. So he called me again. If I had known what he was calling about in the first place, I would have been all over that. It just happened to be one of those days when I had really bad phone etiquette.

MR: Stuart, there'll also be an EP or album that will come from the live cinecast?

SD: That's the plan. We're actually doing two shows there, even though they're only broadcasting one. Our hope is to edit the two shows together into a DVD. I mean, if one show goes well, great, but we'll have them both should we need to edit them together.

MR: The Goat Rodeo Sessions, to me, is an eclectic mix of a little bluegrass, country and I guess mainly classical music. How did you react when you heard the finished product of some of these songs?

SD: My sense was that it achieved what we had hoped to achieve -- make music that ploughs so many different lines that it's hard to define in any one category. For me, it's as far from bluegrass as I could possibly imagine with the exception of the two songs that are written to sound that way -- "Hill Justice" and "Where's My Bow?" I did notice the other day as I was listening to some Flatt & Scruggs that some of the riffs in "Where's My Bow?" sound similar to some of the things that Jim Shumate or Benny Sims or Paul Warren played in those songs. I have known some of their solos for most of my life.

MR: Let's talk a bit about your personal career as an artist. You won the Grammy for Best Bluegrass Album in both 1994 and 1996.

SD: That sounds right (laughs).

MR: I would say that that, and the sheer amount of records and tours you've been on, makes you an authority on bluegrass music as a genre. How do you feel about the state of bluegrass these days?

SD: I'm what some people call a moldy fig. I really enjoy the vintage recordings of bluegrass music more than modern recordings. What I do enjoy is playing it. I seem to enjoy playing a progressive style of bluegrass more than I enjoy listening to it afterwards. I'm not sure why that is. Maybe I just like playing more than I like listening, period. Bluegrass has taken many turns as the decades go by -- much like country music. I even prefer listening to jazz from the '30s, '40s and '50s more than I like listening to modern jazz. Some of it has to do with how it's recorded, and some of it has to do with the commercial and pop influence that has affected a lot of modern music. It seems as though it's become more about selling records than it has about making music.

MR: Interesting. And do you have any thoughts on the state of country music?

SD: I think country goes in and out of being what people go to when they're tired of pop music. It's way more than that for me, but I think that's the consumer's perspective. Personally I think about 75 percent of what I hear on country radio just sounds like commercial noise. But the other 25 percent is the most fun, honest and some of my favorite music. It's bittersweet for me.

MR: You've played with some very iconic artists earlier in your career, artists like George Strait, Dolly Parton, Reba McEntire and even Barbra Streisand. Wait... Barbra Streisand?

SD: It's true. It was only one song, but oddly enough, she recorded a song that I had already recorded with George Strait a few years before. It was kind of a country, jazz, lounge ballad, enough of a departure for George that it almost entered Barbra's musical world. I think it was her husband who found the song and suggested it for her record. So she called George's producer Tony Brown to produce it and asked if some of the musicians who recorded George's version could come out and help record this new album. That's how that all came about.

MR: Do you have any advice you'd like to share with newer artists?

SD: I'm still collecting advice of my own. What can I say? Don't do what I did, stay in school (laughs). Make sure there's enough rosin on your bow. Change your mandolin strings.

MR: Anything else?

SD: You know, they asked Kenny Baker if he could read music and he said, "It would hurt my fiddlin'" (laughs). Finding a balance between those two worlds has always been something that I've been seeking to maintain. Some people would say I've found it. I'm not gonna say that.

MR: Have you been working on any other project recently that we should be looking out for?

SD: Well, I recently did a project with Lauren Alaina, the recent runner-up of American Idol. I'm also currently working on a project that Vince Gill is doing for Ashley Monroe. She's a new artist that's worked in a couple of different genres in the last few years.

MR: What's your immediate future beyond Goat Rodeo?

SD: Goat Rodeo might be more of an ongoing thing than we originally anticipated, simply because the classical world tends to book up to two years in advance. That's opposed to the pop world that only books about six months in advance. So, the upcoming tour that we're looking at doing is not this summer, but next summer. It's hard to say what's going to happen between those two things. We may even do more recording.

MR: So I hear. In my recent interview with Yo-Yo Ma, he mentioned that he was really happy with this group and very much looking forward to hopping into the Winnebago.

SD: We've been trying to get him into a tour bus mentality, which apparently he's never done. We told him all of the great things and all of the horrible things about it.

MR: Is there anything else we should know about what's coming up with Goat Rodeo? Perhaps where can we get our posters and t-shirts? (Laughs.)

SD: I'm not sure about t-shirts, but I'm pretty sure you can get a "Goat Tote" with the purchase of the album from Sony. I'm not sure if they're still offering them or not. It also came to my attention that a lot of people don't know that the Barnes & Noble copy of the album has two bonus tracks on it. We'll be doing one of the songs entitled "Parallax" at the live concert. The other is called "Mostly Six Eight."

MR: Any last words of wisdom?

SD: My grandfather shared some wisdom that keeps holding true for me. He was a second chair French horn player in the '30s and '40s for Paramount. He said, "If you can't hear the fella next to you, you're playing too loud." That really rang true in this project for me, especially since we recorded this particular project live in a circle.

MR: What else you got?

SD: I once heard Tom Hartman quote from Edwin Meese: "Don't say anything unless it improves the silence."

MR: Stuart, thank you so much for joining us today. It was a great pleasure talking with you.

SD: Thanks for having me, Mike.

Tracks:
1. Attaboy
2. Quarter Chicken Dark
3. Helping Hand
4. Where's My Bow?
5. Here and Heaven
6. Franz And The Eagle
7. Less is Moi
8. Hill Justice
9. No One But You
10. 13:8
11. Goat Rodeo

Transcribed by Evan Martin

A Conversation with Chuck Prophet

Mike Ragogna: Hi Chuck. What was your plan approaching your new album Temple Beautiful?

Chuck Prophet: I knew I wanted to make a rock 'n' roll record, a guitar record, and then somehow, I got the idea of digging into the local lore of San Francisco, which is endless. I was writing with my friend Kurt, aka, Klipschutz, and when we tapped into that, the ideas began to flow. On a good day, an idea might actually grow up into a song. Ultimately, we leaned on the more mythical side of the street.

MR: San Francisco must mean a lot to you.

CP: San Francisco means a lot to a lot of people, and yeah, I am one of them. I mean, everybody comes here from everywhere for all the obvious reasons, and some maybe not so obvious. There are so many different cities packed into seven square miles, and they intersect and overlap. I guess you could say I wasn't very culturally aware when I was growing up in Richard Nixon's hometown. Then I moved around. Ended up in San Francisco going to school. Joined a band. Started to travel, saw some things. Fast forward a little and here I am. What I mean to say is that San Francisco is an education. It's an education on different kinds of buildings, food, people, races, colors, sexes and the like. It opens your eyes.

MR: How did you assemble the cast of characters that appear with you?

CP: Once the songs were there, it fell together. I played guitar on a session where the drummer was Prairie Prince. He had that feel, you know? So I reached out to him. He's got experience to burn and he still plays like a teenager. So that was the groove. Very teenage. James DePrato plays guitar in my band and together, we know how to make it sound like one big guitar. Rusty Miller played bass. And Stephanie Finch, my wife and long time partner in crime, brought her thing -- singing and playing some keyboards here and there. Brad Jones produced and engineered. It's a much less layered record. The guitars are pretty graphic. Even the cover art is just black and white. Honestly, I was pretty confident with the songs and just didn't feel the nagging need to add more than that.

MR: This is your twelfth album, and many of your contemporaries haven't made it past half of that. What's your secret?

CP: No secrets. I guess I'm lucky that I've been able to stay interested in the whole thing. Writing songs and making records and kicking the songs around on the bandstand. There have been times where I wasn't that excited and it showed. There are other things to do. I'm trying to get some hobbies in fact. Yeah, anyway, to wake up excited about what you're doing is a gift, I suppose.

MR: Q Magazine said you are "... a sparky songwriter worthy of greater attention." Mojo said, "Prophet delivers with quixotic swagger and declamatory sneer."

CP: Yeah, that sounds pretty good. I'll take it. I've been known to write my own blurbs, but that one is cool. Thanks for not choosing some of the others, by the way. I need the love. Every time I'm done making a record, I suggest that the promotional department gather in a circle, join hands and pray. Then we dig up some old quotes for the bio, book gigs anywhere anyone will have us, and hope for the best. My records have never really sold that much. I guess I should feel bad about that? I'm sorry I brought it up.

MR: (laughs) In your opinion, how does your music these days compare to your Green on Red days?

CP: Not that much different. Dan Stuart and I were always looking for trouble. And I guess I'm still out there standing over steaming manholes.

MR: What are your thoughts about the old Paisley Underground versus these days?

CP: A lot of great music came out of that time. If you look at what was on MTV or the radio, it's amazing that we got record deals. I think The Bangles really ran with it, and I hear they're still making great music and have a really great live show these days. I wanted to go see them play at The Fillmore recently, but I missed them when they were in town. But the scene... I don't know. I think it was pretty short-lived if you think about it. But those years in a van with Green On Red were wild. No one knew where they're next big chunk of hash was coming from. Now, I'm into lunch. Speaking of which, mind if I give a shout out to Split Pea Seduction on 6th Street? There might be a free crostata in it for both of us!

MR: (laughs) Thanks. Okay, "Willie Mays Is Up At Bat" must speak to the baseball fan in you? What's the story behind that song?

CP: I'm all for the Giants. No matter what, actually, I always root for the home team. For the album, though, we knew we needed a hero. Any myth needs a hero. And you can't beat Willie Mays. Talk about larger than life. I mean, at the downtown stadium, there's a bronze statue of him 10 feet tall. The greatest center fielder that ever lived. Of course we had to go and mix him up with a bunch of characters he wouldn't be caught dead with.

MR: Such as?

CP: Oh, you know, Carol Doda, Laffing Sal, Bill Graham, Jim Jones, Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck -- that crowd.

MR: (laughs) Can you also go into the story behind "Castro Halloween"?

CP: The Castro District is world-famous, isn't it? And Halloween there tends to be a party and a half and lasts 'til dawn. I live four or five blocks away, leading my quiet married existence, watching reruns of The Wire when the biggest dress-up party west of Berlin is in full swing. The song triesto bottle some of that magic and then set it free. I think my guitar solo at the end is longer than all the verses put together. It was hard to fade it.

MR: How often do you feel like Jesus, you know, like the song with that title?

CP: Not often enough. That one is dedicated to the Albion, which used to be on the corner of an alleyway off 16th Street, in the Mission District. There was a backroom for music. It was a dive. It was a firetrap. It was heaven. We used to play in that backroom. Sometimes for like four nights in a row. And it was magical. It was a scene that only lasted so long. The title of the song refers to the way I felt when I met my wife and she looked at me that "special way." Stephanie used to play the upright piano back there and sing the best harmonies. I always liked the sound of our voices together. Made me feel bigger than life.

MR: Can you go into Emperor Norton, who he is and why you wrote a song in his voice. Maybe people outside of San Francisco might need a little help.

CP: Compared to overseas, this whole country is still pretty new on the block. San Francisco wasn't founded 'til the mid-1800s. Emperor Norton came to town and proclaimed himself an Emperor and never paid for another drink or meal in his life. We tried to steer clear of him as a character on the record, but he insisted. And who were we to say no?

MR: Your songs were recorded by Heart and Solomon Burke. What did you think of the recordings?

CP: I love those covers. The song Solomon Burke cut, I wrote with Dan Penn. When I got a copy, I went over to Dan's and we listened to it together. Solomon did these off the cuff ad libs at the end and I remember Dan really vibing on it. We listened to it a few times. It's hard to top hearing Solomon Burke sing a song you did with Dan Penn! Heart was great as well. That song "No Other Love," it only has about three lines of lyrics to it, and it's been maybe my most popular song. Ann Wilson really sings it. And it's pretty awesome. She is something else. Like a female Elvis or something.

MR: "No Other Love" was also included in the film P.S. I Love You. What did you think of how it was used?

CP: The film was a pretty forgettable chick flick. But people really responded to that scene, particularly young Latinas. So that's been really cool. The film really connected with young girls full of that romantic longing. I think that it was real nice.

MR: What's it like having your music on Californication and Sons Of Anarchy?

CP: It's like money in the bank! Literally. And I like all those shows. So it's about as win-win as it gets.

MR: You recorded with Warren Zevon. I imagine you were a fan. Do you miss him?

CP: I barely knew him, but yes, I did play on Life'll Kill Ya, one of his later discs. I was a fan, am a fan, and can't imagine I'll ever stop listening to his songs. I'm sorry there won't be any more of them. He was a tough character for sure. He had an incredibly quick wit. And you wouldn't want his caustic wit pointed at you. He could be a cantankerous guy, but also very charming and always funny. At the time, I worried about his Mountain Dew intake. He'd show up in the morning with a grocery bag of cans... he was drinking like a case of it a day. And when he ran out, he'd get these splitting migraines.

MR: What advice do you have for new artists?

CP: Heck, I don't know. Nikki Sudden once told me that Keith Richards told him that coffee is the absolute worst thing you can put in your body. Seriousness aside, I honestly don't have any advice for anyone. I suppose if anything, pay attention. Try to be on time. Honor your commitments. Don't waste other people's time, especially the audience.

MR: What does your tour schedule and future look like?

CP: We're gearing up for some quality time in the van. "Van Therapy," we call it. The year is filling up fast. As to my future, is it okay if I pretend you didn't ask that?

MR: Ask what? (Laughs.) Thanks so much for taking the time to be with us.

CP: My pleasure. Thanks

Tracks:
1. Play That Song Again
2. Castro Halloween
3. Temple Beautiful
4. Museum Of Broken Hearts
5. Willie Mays Is Up At Bat
6. The Left Hand And The Right Hand
7. I Felt Like Jesus
8. Who Shot John
9. He Came From So Far Away (Red Man Speaks)
10. Little Girl, Little Boy
11. White Night, Big City
12. Emperor Norton In The Last Year Of His Life (1880)
...

VIDEO EXCLUSIVE: John Mayer & Martin Guitar

Chatting with Martin Guitar's Fred Greene, Vice President Manufacturing and GM Custom Shop

MR: Can you go into your new John Mayer Signature Guitar? What is it about this guitar that separates it from all others?

FG: There were many "firsts" involved in the construction of the John Mayer 00-45SC Limited Edition. We used Cocobolo wood, which we have not done before for the 00-body size. We also utilized various pre-war construction techniques including using hide glue, another first to be implemented with a signature model in this body size. Another unique feature for this model is extending the fingerboard, which carried the rosette motif into 45-style blue Paua trim. John had suggested we continue the rosette pearl over the fingerboard, which was quite a challenge. The 00 model is a favorite amongst musicians such as Bob Dylan, Joan Baez, and Merle Haggard. John's concept with his new guitar model was to highlight the "cowboy" era, when the stagecoach was king and parlor guitar performances were the norm. John was interested in channeling a more simpler style of playing, with romantic, bell-like tones, which is what the 00-body style embodies.

MR: Are you a fan of John's music, and if so, what is your favorite song by him?

FG: Of course! "No Such Thing" from John's debut release Room For Squares will always be a classic. It was so fresh...a new talent taking the music scene by storm. And it goes without saying, seeing a real musician playing guitar instead of performing to a track always works for me.

MR: Which model guitar do you play?

FG: I mostly play a Martin D-18 Authentic and Martin 00-28VS. They are classics.

MR: What are some of your other models, not necessarily from the signature series, that you're especially proud of?

FG: The Custom Shop CS21-11 was a limited edition model for 2011. We did things to that model that were never done before like selecting wood based upon its weight and we also used a lot of historical construction techniques that resulted in a blend of modern aesthetic and traditional Martin construction. It became a cult hit for high-end collectors.

MR: What's coming down the pike for Martin that you can share?

FG: We will be introducing some new and exotic woods this year. Also we are working with several renowned music artists on Custom Signature models. Top Secret stuff. This message will self-destruct in 5, 4, 3, 2...

MG: What is the process in securing a Signature Artist model?

FG: There are a lot of factors involved. We may decide to honor an important artist that has historically played Martin guitars, like the recent The Mamas and The Papas Signature Artist model. Then we also like to feature music artists that have significance influence in today's music scene, as we did with the John Mayer 00-45SC Limited Edition model.

MG: Tell us more about the Martin Guitar Custom Shop

FG: Being a musician is a creative process to begin with. Changing something that exists feels less corporate. Buying a guitar straight off the shelf may not appeal to every artist/musician. The relationship between artists and instrument can be very personal. We recognize there is a large percentage of musicians who feel and need a more personal connection. Seth Avett of The Avett Brothers uses our Custom Shop guitars. He simply prefers that individual and personal connection you get from working with our Custom Shop team on a guitar that embodies pure creativity. The Custom Shop allows us to work on an intimate level with the musician to create something that is one of a kind, just like the song or music he/she wrote/created. That experience is priceless.

Chatting with Chris Martin, Chairman & CEO of Martin Guitar

MR: Hi Chris, how is Martin Guitar doing these days?

CM: We are doing fine. Last year we generated over $100 million in sales. Our guitar, strings and gear divisions all grew by 15%. 40% of our sales are exported out of the US. There seems to be a continuing interest in the acoustic guitar and our brand and reputation give us a distinct competitive advantage in the marketplace.

MR: Chris, what is your day like at Martin?

CM: Today, I had a bank board meeting. I'm on the board of a local bank. Both my grandfather and his father were also on the bank's board. Tomorrow will be back at work meeting with senior managers to review our results at the NAMM show last week. We are just wrapping up our strategic plan for 2012 so I need to review the goals and budgets. One of my favorite jobs is to give a museum or factory tour. Often, I am recognized when I walk through the lobby and I am always honored when a visitor asks if they may have their picture taken with me!

MR: The NAMM show just happened. Were you excited about the show?

CM: Our results at the NAMM show were outstanding. It takes quite a while to construct a Martin Guitar and we work hard to help our dealers plan their orders for the rest of the year. Based on our preliminary results, we are going to be very busy this year.

MR: What's coming down the pike for Martin that you can share?

CM: One of our biggest challenges is going to be ensuring an ongoing supply of the traditional woods we use. Given the increased regulatory oversight, we are having to plan purchases further out. I am a firm believer in verifying the legality of the exotic timbers we use, but it does add extra paperwork and cost to comply with all the new regulations. We actually have another show in Frankfurt in March and then one in Nashville this summer. Stay tuned for news about those shows closer to then.

VIDEO EXCLUSIVE: Alyssa Graham - "Til My Heart Quakes"

A Conversation with Alyssa Graham

Mike Ragogna: Alyssa, you were one of iTunes' "New & Noteworthy" singer-songwriters. What do you think it is about your music that iTunes picked up on?

Alyssa Graham: iTunes is such an amazing platform for independent artists like myself. I believe they truly love music over there and support artists of any level. They seem to give as much attention to the indie artist as they do to the major superstars, without discrimination. Obviously, I was thrilled to be chosen by such an industry giant as one of their new and noteworthy, but it is especially important to me that I was recognized for this record. I think, I hope, iTunes heard in this record my soul, honesty, intimacy and all the imperfections that make me unique. There's no light show, no pyrotechnics, no dancing girls and no bulls**t. We went into the studio and made music in the moment, live and raw. I guess that's rare these days. Maybe it doesn't sell millions of albums, but it's nice to know musicians can and do still make records that way.

MR: Your new album Lock, Stock & Soul is the full version of the EP you recently released, which was reviewed positively by many hipster trade magazines. How would Alyssa Graham review her own album?

AG: Wow, that's hard. First off, I'm very happy to hear that the "hipster" magazines are digging the album. I can see how the record could secure a place on the hipster radar--it's different and a little quirky and yet totally organic. At the same time, I think the album has a lot to offer music lovers from all walks of life. There is a great deal of depth and emotion that people can relate to if they take the time to listen. I would maybe review the album by saying, "LS&S is destined to be a sleeper hit." It's not a record someone is going to put on and instantly start tapping their foot to or singing aloud. However, after listening to the lyrics and allowing yourself to really feel the music, you're going to have some kind of reaction to the wide-open raw sentiment this album offers up. So, start telling your friends about it now, sleeper hits take a while to grow.

MR: In your single "'Til My Heart Quakes," I think you're saying you'll be fine until the challenge passes. Can that be hard for you sometimes?

AG: I think we often put on a brave face and take whatever comes our way. Sometimes, we have no choice and we face challenges head on and sometimes we just fall apart. I think "'Til My Heart Quakes" is about accepting the contradiction, allowing love to live and flourish in a space where it inevitably isn't going to last. We tend to think in black and white a lot but the area in between is actually where most of us spend our time, especially artists. So for me, "'Til My Heart Quakes" is about squeezing out every ounce of love and passion from a moment and living with the consequences knowing the moment was worth it. To answer your question, yes, it's always hard to close your eyes and withstand the challenge, to deal with love lost and disappointment, but I'm still gonna go for it every time.

MR: Did you script the video?

AG: We had a concept for the video. We wanted to invoke the vibe and the spirit of the sixties music scene in France--Serge Gainsbourg, Jane Birkin, Francoise Hardy. It was such a beautiful and romantic time and visually, we felt it would capture the intimacy and the sensibility of "'Til My Heart Quakes." We also knew we wanted to do something in black & white because we are fans of film noir and old classic films. Our wonderful director, Greg Gold, loved the idea. It reminded him of the 1962 French film Jules and Jim. He did an amazing job developing a treatment that captured the essence of the French sixties while adapting it to a modern time and making it applicable to my life and love affair with guitarist/songwriter Doug Graham. We spent two days shooting in LA in and around Bronson Canyon with an incredible crew. Cinematically, the video is stunning and watching it is already, strangely, a very nostalgic experience. I think black & white can do that to you.

MR: "Exploded View" is an interesting take on relationships as well, and to me, it might have some of the smartest lyrics on the album.

AG: Well, thank you. Our dear friend and co-writer on this track, Bryan McCann, deserves most of the credit on this one. He sent me these vivid and amazingly clever lyrics. The more I read them the more depth and realism I found in them. This wasn't just a silly little metaphor. Actually, in it's simplicity, there was great insight into the human condition. I kept humming a melody to the words he sent me and when I sat down at the piano, the music just wrote itself. I naturally gravitated towards a sound that was a little quirky but still simple enough to let the lyrics stay the main focus. People seem to really understand what we are saying with this song. I was worried it would be written off as just a catchy pop song, but we get so many comments on the unexpected depth that people discover in this song. I think it's a new and interesting way for people to examine a broken heart, something most of us have experienced.

MR: On "He's A Lover," your performance carries the bulk of the communication, you don't rely heavily on production. Was your minimal approach to these recordings the result of specific arrangements or were they thinned out from bigger initial productions?

AG: "He's A Lover" didn't need anything else. It was a very personal song I wrote about Doug and the incredible way he loves me. It was the last song written for the album, and it was somewhat of a tribute to his wisdom and patience. I suppose it was my way of thanking him. We did two takes of that song live in the studio and it was done. It's not perfect, but it perfectly expresses what I wanted to say. As for the rest of the recording... I think many people actually ruin great songs by continuing to add rather than take away. I have recorded tracks on previous projects and spent numerous days layering on overdubs and extra parts. Lock, Stock & Soul was completely the opposite. We recorded with the full band--bass, drums or hand drums, two guitars, piano/keys and vocals--in a large circle. We had no isolation to protect from bleed. The drummer was sitting right next to me and his drums could be picked up in my mic. It was that close and intimate. We would record a few takes of each track, and then we picked the one that felt most authentic, relaxed and "in the pocket." We rarely altered the make up of an original take, either adding or subtracting. Craig was brilliant in choosing the right musicians for this music. He chose players based on their creative sensitivity and their ability to serve the music. There was no real need to add or subtract. When the song needed less, we played less and when the song needed more, we played more. Those choices were made in the moment and were set by the tone, mood and vibe of the song itself.

MR: Actually, every song on Lock, Stock & Soul is pretty intimate. Do you ever have second thoughts about presenting yourself so exposed, so confessional, maybe in live performances or as you're listening to your final mixes?

AG: Yes, of course! Putting yourself out there, and in my case, somewhat naked, is always frightening. As artists, we are sensitive and overcritical of ourselves. But at the end of the day, if you aren't offering the listener something real and personal, you aren't offering much. It was quite difficult for me to accept the imperfections on this recording. I am always listening for pitch and phrasing and striving for perfection, whatever that means. On Lock, Stock & Soul, Craig was really a big influence on me. He wanted me to accept my imperfections and embrace them, that's why he recorded the way he did. The first time I listened to the tracks, it was hard for me to look past the small imperfections I would hear when my voice would crack a little or my pitch would waver slightly. I felt too exposed. But, this is real life. We aren't perfect and at the end of the day, those imperfections are what make us all unique and beautiful. So, yes, it's hard to bare your soul to people in such, as you say, a confessional way. However, I believe if people are going to judge me as an artist or as a human being for that matter, at least they will have the real me to judge and not some creation from the industry.

MR: In "The Last Leaf," you sing, "If I could bend just like a branch, maybe I could find you." Might you see that as the secret to healthy relationships?

AG: What a nice question. Of course, I believe compromise, "bending" and growing is a key ingredient in a good relationship. As for the "secret" to a healthy relationship... I don't think anybody knows the answer to that or we would all be The Cleavers. Thank God we're not! I can only speak for my own relationship, which is somewhat like a damn fairy tale. Doug and I grew up together, childhood sweethearts you could say. We spend 24 hours a day together, we write and create music together, we perform together, we take lots of long walks together, we have a dog named Eloise and we are absolutely best friends. Yes, there is a lot of compromise, but mostly a lot of passion and good communication. I think every relationship is different, but for us, what works is respecting each other, supporting each other's dreams and having lots of fun! I always joke with people and say, "I probably would get a lot more media attention if I was a recovering heroin addict with a bad attitude in a violent torrid relationship." Fortunately for me, I share my life with a hopelessly romantic, creative and kind man... and I've never been addicted to heroin. Boring huh?

MR: No, of course not. (laughs) Alyssa, what's your favorite song on Lock, Stock & Soul and why?

AG: Too hard. I can tell you what song affects me the most, probably "I'll Stay With You." (It's) certainly not the single or the pop hit, but it's a song Doug wrote for me at a time when I really needed a love song. The song is like a dream and even though I sing it, I can hear Doug's voice and feel his vulnerability. It makes me feel calm and safe, like everything is going to be ok.

MR: Would the "Soul" of Lock, Stock & Soul mean the human soul?

AG: Absolutely. However, I love that people wonder if I made a "soul" record. Our dear friend and Austin Music Hall of Fame member, Davíd Garza, wrote this track for us and we loved it so much we named the record after it. It captures the true vibe and energy of the project. Here I am standing before you--no walls, no gahttps://blogger.huffingtonpost.com/mt.cgi?__mode=view&_type=entry&blog_id=3#mes, no expectations and no boundaries. Here I am lock, stock & soul.

MR: What was it like working with producer Craig Street?

AG: How much time you got? Craig is a creative force. He has incredible instincts and a beautifully unique sensibility. His memory is unforgiving, his wit is sharp and his heart is big. Working with him on Lock, Stock & Soul was a surprising experience. I've worked with producers in the past, and you tend to expect the same things from a producer. All I expected from Craig was the unexpected. His methods were unpredictable but extremely effective. He takes the time--in our case, a luxurious three month pre-production--to find out what makes you special, what challenges you and gets you out of your comfort zone, and he draws you out from a place you never knew you were. That's his genius. With me, Craig knew that I held on to everything too preciously, it was hard for me to let go and be in the moment. So, when we recorded, he tricked me and told me we were just recording scratch vocals and I shouldn't worry about pitch or phrasing, that I should just relax and sing, as I was simply a guide for the band. Of course, at the end of the four-day session, he told me we were done, the vocals were done. I fought with him, but when I listened back to the tracks, I heard something I had never heard before in my voice... I heard my soul, raw and naked. It wasn't perfect but it was real. So, I can say the same about Craig Street, he's not perfect but he's real and that's what this project needed.

MR: Who plays with you on this album?

AG: Thank you for giving me the opportunity to praise the amazing musicians/friends who played on this record. Doug Graham on guitar, Meshell Ndegeocello on bass, Chris Bruce on guitar, Keefus Ciancia on keys, Michael Jerome on drums and Davíd Garza on backing vocals. We also had a few guests including Jesse Harris on guitar/vocals, David Piltch on acoustic bass and Steven Elliot on lap steel...such incredibly talented and generous players. This record wouldn't be what it is without each of their unique contributions. Also, in addition to the songs that Doug and I wrote, we had amazing contributions from David Garza, Bryan McCann and Jesse Harris.

MR: Who influenced you musically?

AG: Countless artists have influenced me musically--Bob Dylan, Nick Drake, Francoise Hardy, Billie Holiday, The Beatles, Joao Gilberto, Carole King, The Kinks, Chet Baker, to name a few. However, my greatest influence musically is Neil Young. Songs like "On The Beach," "Motion Pictures," "Pardon My Heart," "Love In Mind..." they are part of my soul. It's hard to explain. I have a visceral reaction when I hear Neil's voice. No matter what I'm feeling, I can listen to Neil croon and know that I'm not alone. One of my "what to grab in a house fire" items is my 1974 bootleg of Neil at The Bottom Line. The recording includes "Citizen Kane Junior Blues," "Ambulance Blues," "Long May You Run," etc., but the filler track is a rare and beautiful recording called "The Ballad Of Peggy Grover." This song sort of changed my life. I continue to be influenced and challenged by many great musicians both past and present but I would never be the artist I am today without Neil Young.

MR: What advice do you have for new artists?

AG: If you can choose any other career path you should. I say that half in jest and half in all seriousness. It's not easy. You have to really want to dedicate yourself; I mean everything you've got emotionally, intellectually and physically to your chosen art form. You can't be afraid of being vulnerable or of exposing your inner most secrets to an audience of listeners that may or may not give a s**t. If you are ready and willing to do this and to commit to your art, then my advice is to always be true to yourself. Don't try to be what you weren't meant to be. Write, create and explore without apologies and without expectations. Don't create for others. Hopefully, when you have something to share with the world, people will have some kind of emotional response to it, but you can't worry about that until you put it out there. In other words, keep the creative process pure and untainted, worry about the industry and the listeners only after you're done.

MR: What do you think is your biggest growth as an artist since your 2005 album What Love Is?

AG: Embracing my imperfections. I think I mentioned this before in one of your previous questions. As artists, we are continuously growing, changing and adapting but until Lock, Stock & Soul, I was unable to also be accepting and appreciative of the things that make me different. I would spend hours obsessing about pitch, phrasing and melody choices. While these are important aspects of a recording, they are insignificant compared to the importance of authenticity and raw emotion. I'm not just a musician; obviously, I'm also a listener and music lover. However, I forgot for a long time what makes me fall in love with a piece of music, whether it's Neil Young or Miles Davis, it's not perfection but rather the ability to connect to the song and to believe the artist feels what they are sharing with you. I am constantly trying to improve my songwriting and my musicianship, I'm constantly challenging myself and looking to explore unfamiliar territory. However, what I learned during the experience of Lock, Stock & Soul is that it's most important to let go and allow yourself to be imperfect. Those imperfections are what make us all so beautiful.

MR: What's your immediate future look like?

AG: I like to be surprised so I try not to think too far into the future. For now, I'm focusing on the release, the upcoming national dates, the dates coming up in Japan and I'm continuing to write as much as I can. I hope the future includes The Giants winning the Super Bowl, Obama winning the White House, new fans and true music lovers really digging Lock, Stock & Soul. In the immediate future... Doug and I are going to take our dog Eloise to Central Park for an afternoon of "hide the ball in the snow."

MR: (laughs)Thanks so much for your time, Alyssa. All the best with the new album.

AG: Thank you Mike. Keep spreading the music; "Live Music is Better" bumper stickers should be issued. NY

Tracks:
1. 'Til My Heart Quakes
2. I Know
3. Exploded View
4. High Time
5. He's a Lover
6. Round & Round
7. The Last Leaf
8. Ain't My Kind of Boy
9. I'll Stay With You
10. You're the One
11. Lock, Stock & Soul
12. Tidal Wave
...

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