Last year was one of the busiest ever for Amy Ray.
The singer-songwriter caught up on gigs with Indigo Girls co-founder Emily Saliers that had been delayed by COVID-19; toured with friend and fellow artist/activist Brandi Carlile, put the finishing touches on interviews for a feature-length documentary; and released her 10th solo album on her record label, Daemon Records.
“Yeah,” she laughs, “I guess there’s a lot going on at once, but it’s nice in a lot of ways.”
Ray’s current tour winds through the South and ends on Saturday night at the Variety Playhouse in Atlanta.
“It’s funny,” she says, speaking by phone during a rare week off at her home in north Georgia. “I love being home for a while, but I can’t wait to get back out on the road to play these new songs. During the peak of COVID, I realized that I actually missed it a lot. And I think all those feelings come through in different ways on the new record because that’s when the majority of it was written.”
Her appropriately titled 10th solo release “If It All Goes South” — officially released on most platforms this past September, with a special vinyl edition slated for this week — was born during the pandemic and preceded by three digital singles.
The continuing inspiration of three decades of rural life in the Dahlonega area seeps into the sound of the country-tinged, punk-informed Americana album.
“I’ve always enjoyed rural areas,” she says. “Even when I was a kid, I went to Camp Glisson up here and my family would go to Lake Hartwell, and I’d ride horses and dirt bikes. I just like having a lot of places to roam.”
Credit: S. Gaither
Credit: S. Gaither
Though credited solely to Ray, “If It All Goes South” is very much a band affair. Band members include Dan Walker (keys), Matt Smith (pedal steel, dobro, banjo), Adrian Carter (fiddle, guitar), Jeff Fielder (guitar, mandolin, dobro), Jim Brock (drums) and Kerry Brooks (bass).
“We recorded most of it as a core group,” she explains. “We did the pre-production virtually so we could be ready to just get into the studio together in Nashville and record the whole thing live to tape.”
Tracking live was especially important because of the group’s undeniable camaraderie. “More than half of the fun for me is just being able to listen to these musicians play. They are super creative, fun and kinda whimsical sometimes, with no ego problems whatsoever, so it’s a pleasure to just watch and listen to them at work.”
The mostly analog recording features Ray’s band along with guest appearances from a wide swath of friends including Carlile, Gabe Dixon, Phil Cook and members of the gospel group New Tradition.
“I actually think the pandemic was a good time for (do-it-yourself) music like ours because people were learning how to set up in their basement and broadcast and that was all pretty cool. But it was also a sort of microscope for all the problems of our time because of hunger, inequalities and all that stuff.”
But rather than preach, Ray simply looks at the world’s issues with more questions than answers.
“I’m just trying to figure all of this out, too. I’m kinda calling myself out for not always knowing what to do, but it’s a learn-as-you-go thing. So the whole record works together to mean something to me as an entire piece rather than just a series of single ideas.”
Two songs of the collection are particularly well-crafted social commentary.
“North Star,” the first song of the recording session, “really set the tone for us,” says Ray. “We had these gospel singers join us and Phil Cook came up with a great arrangement that made everybody feel positive and excited about doing this record together and finding that special place.” Alternately, “Tear It Down” touches on the problems of Southern history and how it affects the world in general.
Credit: handout
Credit: handout
“When I wrote that, I was thinking about myself and my own history as a white person in the South,” Ray said. “That was the starting point and if it gets people to think, then that’s even better.”
For many artists, touring isn’t particularly enjoyable — but that’s not the case for road-savvy Ray.
“I’ve always liked jumping in a van, even back when we had no choice. We’re like a little family and we pack the van and the trailer with all of our stuff. There are three of us that do most of the driving and personally, I love it. I have to pull myself away from the steering wheel sometimes to let someone else drive because I love it so much.”
Along for the ride is opener Kevn Kinney of Drivin N Cryin, in solo troubadour mode.
“When Emily and I first started playing out, bands like Drivin N Cryin let us open for them and it just broke the doors open for us,” “He’s such a great storyteller, songwriter and person. He’s definitely a mentor of mine and to have him open the whole tour for the band is such a thrill.”
After almost a decade as the Amy Ray Band, the group shows no sign of slowing down.
“We still love each other after all these miles,” she says. “Nine years is a lot of time together and you really do learn a lot about people when you’re that close. But they’re super polite and supportive. I’m probably the most annoying person in the band - but I’m usually driving!”
CONCERT PREVIEW
Amy Ray Band with Kevn Kinney
8 p.m. Feb. 25. $26.50 - $39.50. Variety Playhouse, 1099 Euclid Ave. NE, Atlanta. 404-524-7354, variety-playhouse.com.
