By Matt Lynch
Anne Reed is a nationally recognized folk artist from Minneapolis, Mn. Some might remember her performance at the Eagles Hall around four years ago. Those who kick themselves for missing her before, now have a new opportunity to catch her act. She will return to Fairbanks on Oct. 1st, to perform one show at the Wood Center Ballroom on the UAF Campus, she will be performing at 7pm.
Thursday morning found me waiting for a phone interview with Anne. Although it's not everyday I speak with an authentic, professional, touring musician, it wasn't my first semi-pro interview, so I was confident I wouldn't sound too clueless.
I soon found I had nothing to worry about. Ann Reed has a friendly and down-to-earth demeanor. I warmed to her quickly and we had an in-depth conversation about her music and life.
New Lemming (NL): "You're basically a folk musician, right?"
Ann Reed (AR): "Well, I'm billed that way. That's what they do to people who are playing acoustically. I'm performing my own stuff. It's not like I'm standing on stage singing 'If I Had a Hammer'. I usually appear with a twelve-string. I do some instrumental things, but mainly it's my songs."
(NL): "Are there other musicians out there that you might think played the same style as you?"
(AR): "Christine Levin...Cheryl Wheeler...Patty Larkin...Libby Roderick."
(NL): "How did you get your start in music?"
(AR): "I guess it was about the only thing I ever wanted to do. I got out of high school and I was in a duo for a while. I tried various odd jobs and didn't like them at all and I thought I might as well be happy doing what I'm doing. So I started writing songs while I was in high school and it kind of progressed from there. About six or seven years ago I finally teamed up with somebody that is now my manager and we formed a corporation to take care of the manufacturing and distribution and everything else."
(NL): "Who would you say has influenced you in your music.?"
(AR): "Well I grew up listening to a whole bunch of stuff. I listened to whatever my two older brothers were listening to, which was early Joni Mitchell, 'The Kingston Trio' and 'Peter, Paul and Mary', and all the rock stuff that was happening, 'Cream, 'Vanilla Fudge', and 'Buffalo Springfield'. Then I had my parents' music, George Gershwin and Cole Porter. So, it was quite a mix. I still listen to a pretty wide range of music. I listen to Ella Fitzgerald and Laurie Anderson. Laurie's my hero."
(NL):"Where does the inspiration for your music come from?"
(AR): "I write a lot of songs about what I've termed the 'human condition'. Which is almost anything a person can go through. Some of it comes from my own life experience and some of it comes from doing what songwriters do best, which is to be terrible eavesdroppers. My friends are always saying, 'Don't tell her that! It's going to end up in a song!' A lot of it is observing people and observing yourself. I think that's what most songwriters do."
(NL): "Most of your songs are about personal experiences?"
(AR): "Oh, yes. On the last CD, I did write a song about falling in love on-line. I was noticing when I went to the chat room people knew each other well and they had never met each other or anything. I thought 'Oh my God!'. Somebody told me that their brother met his wife on-line. So I do have a song called 'Love on Line'. There are more serious songs that are more romantic in nature or might make a social observation, but I stay away from political things."
(NL): "So, you don't do political music?"
(AR): " I don't do a whole lot. Every once in a while one pops up and I'm always surprised when it does."
(NL): "Are there any political issues that you are involved with?"
(AR): "Well, generally about 25 percent of our touring schedule is dedicated to fundraising for various groups. A lot of it has been for domestic violence. We were involved in bringing the Face of Breast Cancer to Anchorage last year. So, it's issues that effect women and children, primarily. we've done fund-raisers for battered womens' shelters, and for breast cancer awareness and we've done shows for AIDS research. Lately it has been for family crisis centers and things like that."
(NL): "It sounds like battered women is an issue you feel strongly about."
(AR): "I do, and I think it's one of those issues in our society that can be helped. We can raise alot of awareness about it and we can help alot of women."
(NL): "What do you think can be can be done about domestic violence?"
(AR): "Alot of it is going to be educating women as far as saying, 'There are resources for you', but also educating men and our sons about being appropriate. We need to teach our children,' No, you don't hit other people!'
(NL): " We need to teach them about the consequences of it."
(AR): "Exactly."