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Singing Ordinary Stories - Kolkata Mirror
October 5th, 2009
by By Suruchi Gupta
Singing Ordinary Stories
A keen observer of daily life and weaving a human being’s innermost thoughts into poetry, Carrie Newcomer is an American folk singer, songwriter and guitarist says journalism and song-writing have a lot in common. “We both have to convey so much in such a small time. Every word counts. If you lose a listener one time, it is lost for a long time.” Recently in the city for a performance, Kolkata Mirror caught up with Newcomer and here’s what she she had to say.
By Suruchi Gupta
Carrie Newcomer
Tell us something about your album The Geography of Light.
The songs in this album are close to me. I believe there is something sacred in the most ordinary day if I pay attention to it. It is easy to get distracted by thinking of past and future, but difficult to concentrate on present. When you think of present it can present you miracles. Also, the album says, as I believe, there aren’t any easy answers. But there are a lot of good questions to be asked.
How important are awards and appraisals for a musician? How did it feel to win the 2008 Folkwax Magazine best artist and album award for The Geography of Light in June?
I was thrilled to receive this award as it is one of the larger convocation in USA, and it’s an honour to be recognised.
There’s music and there’s music business. As a musician, creating powerful music and growing with it is important to me. For business it’s important to say which awards I have got, which places I have played at, which
"I believe there is something sacred in the most ordinary day if I pay attention to it"
Grammy winner artist’s album contains my song.
Awards also help people discover new music. But awards don’t affect me as it does not make my music worse or better.
How did folk music happen to you?
Not coming from a family of musicians, I grew up in a town that made many musical instruments. So we had a lot of musical programmes at our school. This attracted me to singing poets and got me into the combination of singing and writing right away.
What is the difference between sacred and ordinary for you?
I see it all as being one. In India, people do not differentiate between the two as they see the light of god in everything, reflected in gestures like namaste. This is common here but new in the West where the two fields are distinctly separate.
Do you think songs are for entertainment or does it have some deeper meaning and goal?
Music is about communicating - so it’s both about entertainment and conveying deeper meanings. I think instead of calling it ‘serious’, my compositions are friendly with a ‘human’ element to them. For me, music connects humans, presents ideas, and says not just ‘something’ but a story. But I listen to all kinds of music and I know there are listeners for all genres.
This is your first visit to India. What impressions will you take back?
"I will also take back a lot of scarves! I think Indian women are the most beautifully dressed women in the world!"
Everyone here has been so kind and warm and treated me just like a relative. India has a deep living tradition and spiritualism, which impressed me. I will also take back a lot of scarves! I think Indian women are the most beautifully dressed women in the world!
I visited Taj Mahal, and it’s glorious, more so because of the fact that it was created as a monument of love.
Have you heard Indian music?
I met baul singers yesterday, two musicians who were mixing western and eastern music for Bollywood and an Indian classical musician too. I am not a scholar on Indian music, but I think Indian music is very alive, breathing and continuing. An incredibly creative living tradition exists. Musicians are very passionate about what they are doing here.
You are very much into spiritualism and India is known for its spiritual atmosphere. Did you have any spiritual encounter in India?
Though I did not interact with any spiritual leader here, I found spiritualism in conversation with others, in the baul songs which I didn’t understand yet was so deeply moved by it that I wept. India is a deeply spiritual country.
You are connected with students through your workshops. What is it that you find most abundantly
"I visited Taj Mahal and its glorious because it ws created as a monument to love"
present and most lacking in students?
Since students come to me, I believe they have a deep calling to write. They often come to me not realizing the story they have to write. They think they are from a small town and their voice is not important. They don’t realize ‘my powerful song will come from my voice, not from others’ voices’.
What is your next project?
My next album will be released in February, titled Before and After. It’s running theme is change and transition in life. The only thing probably does not change is that everything will change!
Rapid Fire
One thing to which you can never say ‘No’: Chocolates!
Last time someone proposed you: I am a married woman! I choose to skip this one!
Favourite singer, songwriter and lyricist: Very difficult! Singer - Alison Krauss, songwriter - Krista Detor and song/lyrics - my latest compositions.
Dream yet to be fulfilled: Coming to India was a dream which has just got fulfilled. I love to travel, so I wish to travel more far and wide.
Favourite one liner: It’s a little silly - “The glass isn’t half empty or half full. It’s just a very big glass!”
Most appealing quality in a man: His sense of humour. My husband Robert has a lot of it!
Sun sign: Gemini.