Solo: Women Singer-Songwriters in Their Own Words
The 19 musicians interviewed for this collection span a wide range of musical styles and socio-economic backgrounds, but there is a strong thread linking them, not only to each other but to anyone attempting to live a creative life. From Rosanne Cash, who has been performing for over two decades, to relative newcomers like Rosanne Raneri and Mary Lou Lord, these women have all thought long and hard about why they do what they do and how to remain true to themselves while navigating the world of popular music. Many of them have had doubts about their talents, fears of performing and problems with repression and addiction, yet at some point they decided to stake it all on their passion for music. For example, Cash and Sarah McLachlan describe the struggle to go beyond previous achievements and delve deeper into their own experiences for new material. Ani DiFranco and Cassandra Wilson talk about the strength required to break through sexual and racial stereotypes, while Jonatha Brooke and Lucinda Williams discuss their commitment to more literary lyrics, even when that has limited their commercial success. Other topics discussed include religion, society's expectations of women (obsessions with body weight and trying to be the good daughter come up frequently) and the need for solitude in order to write, even when that means feeling lonely and isolated. These women's candid views shed light on issues confronting artists of every sort and will encourage any one who has been discouraged along the way. 170 original b&w; photos by Emma Dodge Hanson.Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.