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March 24, 2010
Interview with Rita Hosking
1. I just listened to the song
previews for “Come Sunrise,”
your new album, and I must say, I'm really impressed. How
does this material compare with the other two releases?
Thanks! I recorded “Come Sunrise” in
Austin,
Texas, with producer and guitar player Rich
Brotherton (Robert Earl Keen Band). This time around I wanted to
get the help of an experienced producer, as well as a top-notch
studio for the best sound quality.
You could sum it up as a desire to have my
songs treated like the songs of so many well-known
Americana
artists — I wanted to give them that chance. Rich used his studio
and band friends — Lloyd Maines, Warren Hood, Glenn Fukunaga,
Danny Barnes, and so on.
My record before that, “Silver Stream,” is
more the sound of my band (as we sounded in 2007) doing lots of my
songs and a few covers in a live sort of way. 2005's “Are You
Ready?” was my debut, with lots of great songs that had been
stewing for sometime, but perhaps with less expertise in song
arrangement.
2. You won't have a full band for the
Hood River show, but you'll be teamed up with Rachel Harrington,
who you've been touring with this year. Will you guys work
together for the whole show or do you each do a set and then
collaborate for a few songs?
For the last few shows, we have each
played our own sets, but we invite each other up to sing on a
couple songs. We're enjoying singing with each other very much —
it's still a new thing.
3. Talk a little about the
song-writing process for you. Is it music first or lyrics?
I would say that it is often both together
— a melody and a short lyric.
Many times the melody wins over and the
lyrics change, however. There were times early on where I wrote
tons of lyrical material and then found a melody to fit, but I
rarely find myself doing that anymore. I'm usually looking for a
few words and bit of melody that fit together, some kind of seed
that can grow. It usually sounds like half-nonsense until I have
time to sit down and flesh out the lyrics.
4. It's apparent that you bring some
bluegrass flavor into your music. Who inspires you from this genre
nowadays?
Oh let's see, Hazel Dickens is my favorite
bluegrass writer. However, I'd argue that although she's known as
a “pioneering woman in bluegrass,” she is just as much old-time
country.
All those genres crisscross all the time.
I sometimes find myself being told I'm “too folky” for the
bluegrass festival, or “too bluegrassy” for the folk festival. I
don't like confining myself to any genre, nor do most musicians,
I'd wager. The audience knows good music, albeit “this” or “that.”
5. I'm sure you've heard this before,
but your voice sounds a lot like Gillian Welch. Have you ever sat
down and played music with her?
No, haven't done that. She's great, and
she and Dave (Rawlings) are amazing performers; I love their depth
and simplicity.
6. Your touring schedule indicates
that you've got some UK gigs coming up, so I'm betting you've
toured there before. What's it like touring in the
UK vs. the
USA?
I haven't toured there yet. This
summer will be my first time in the U.K.
I've heard that there is a really supportive
community there for roots music, although they are being hit hard
by the recession, as we all are.
I've been really pleased with the airplay
and reviews that “Come Sunrise” has received there. Now, Rachel
Harrington has performed there quite a lot — it's her main touring
area. She has some great U.K. stories, and will no
doubt tell them at the show on Friday! (And no doubt that I am, of
course, getting lots of advice from her while we're on the road
together.) Looking forward!
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Rita Hosking and Rachel Harrington
will be in Hood
River for a house
concert on Friday, March 26, at
7 p.m. For more information call
Paul Blackburn at
387-4011.
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