Considered the Godmother of Americana music, Emmylou Harris has settled into a comfortable place in the music industry that allows her to work when and where she wants, and to record whatever she wants.
Her legacy is stellar, from the early days with groundbreaking cult legend Gram Parsons to her recent work with guitarist Buddy Miller and producer Daniel Lanois. Since her national debut in the early '70s, Harris has been a major player in both mainstream and alternative country, and her trailblazing work ethic is a template that others follow.
Harris makes a rare Atlanta concert appearance this week, accompanied by “No Depression” darling Tift Merritt. The same night, singer songwriter Mary Gauthier performs across town, as does emerging roots artist Holly Golightly, whose deep folk roots music recalls the Carter Family. While Gauthier and Merritt bring something new and essential to their work, they were all influenced in some manner by Harris and her musical vision.
Merritt, who hails from North Carolina and first made her mark performing in the Chapel Hill area, has been an Emmylou fan since she started playing music.
“‘Quarter Moon in a Ten Cent Town’, ‘Luxury Liner’, I figured out those songs on my guitar when I first learned to play," Merritt recalls. "She is an amazing role model, and I am not alone in thinking she is very influential. It has always been about the music and what is right for her.”
Gauthier feels the same way.
“A lot of women look up to Emmylou. She had all those hits on country radio, then made such a dignified transition into the Americana scene,” she says.
But Merritt addresses this transition differently: “Emmylou was playing ‘Americana” all along, from her work with Gram. The term was created to describe what she was already doing!”
While acknowledging the importance of the path Harris laid out, both women tend to downplay the gender factor in their career success, and choose to focus on the quality of their work as the catalyst for their professional accomplishment.
“I have never approached the industry as a ‘woman’ and expected to be treated differently," Merritt says. "I am first and foremost a writer. How you choose to work your career comes down to individual choices, not based on gender.”
This sentiment is affirmed by Gauthier: “I don’t think in those terms. What matters to me is ‘can they write?’. Lyrics are the most interesting part of music to me, and strong writing is what is important. Woody Guthrie, Hank Williams, Patty Griffin, Lucinda Williams, they are all great writers. I just write what the muse tells me to.”
Gauthier and Merritt recently released brand new records, and both are currently touring.
Gauthier’s “The Foundling” is a powerful concept album that tells her poignant story of being an orphan, struggling with her identity and the frustration of finding her natural mother, but not having the opportunity to meet her in person.
“It been a learning experience,” she states. “Writing these songs was cathartic, and made me very aware of the story. I felt like an observer, and more objective.”
While “The Foundling” is Gauthier’s deeply emotional and personal story, she sees the loss or absence of parental identity as a fairly universal idea.
“I had no idea what people would think of this record. The theme of ‘orphans’ occurs in lots of literature, and one can look at it as either literal or metaphorical," she says. "When you lose your parents, you are an orphan. Different life experiences lead to different interpretations. I feel like I am speaking for a lot of people who cannot speak for themselves.”
“See You On The Moon” is Merritt’s latest release, and comes on the heels of some significant life-changing events.
Recently married to her longtime companion and drummer Zeke Hutchins, the couple currently lives in New York City, following a stay in France where she wrote most of her last album, “Another Country”.
“This album came about easy,” Merritt recalls, “it was very natural, not much to tussle with. There’s really nothing superfluous about it. At the end of the day, we are doing what we do, and it feels good.”
On past recordings, Merritt’s voice was often wrapped in production tricks, but “See You…” strips away a lot of the accoutrements and allows her to do what she does best – just sing. The sweetly sad title song is reminiscent on Emmylou’s seminal work, and Merritt’s cover of “Danny’s Song” revives and renews a '70s classic.
Deeply aware of her influences, Merritt sums up her current work by recalling her past.
“I remember being 18 and doing open mics, and wondering ‘how will I hold myself?’. I would think of performers like Joan Baez and Joni Mitchell, and how they held themselves with such dignity, and I would do that. It’s a proud thing to be a part of such a tradition, one I hope I am carrying on.”
Concert Preview
Emmylou Harris with Tift Merritt. 8 p.m. Friday, June 25. $5-$50 (SOLD OUT) Atlanta Botanical Gardens. 404-876-5859. www.atlantabotanicalgarden.org
Mary Gauthier with Matt Urmy (late show only). 7 p.m. & 9:30 p.m. Friday, June 25. $20-$100. Eddie’s Attic. 404-377-4976. www.eddiesattic.com
Holly Golightly & the Brokeoffs with Anna Kramer & the Lost Cause and Tiger! Tiger! 9 p.m. Friday, June 25. $10. The EARL. 404-522-3950. www.badearl.com.
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