4 formidable females raise voices
Singers
to swap tunes in song circle at Ovens
Posted on Fri, Oct. 24, 2003
From Charlotte, NC
With the
postponement of her forthcoming album, Mary Chapin Carpenter was left
with some downtime this fall. So she put together an all-female
singer/songwriter tour with old friend Shawn Colvin, Americana darling
Patty Griffin and folkie Dar Williams.
The 25-city tour,
which visits Ovens Auditorium Tuesday, has been compared to Sarah
McLachlan's late-'90s femme-fest Lilith Fair, but the female gathering
shouldn't be treated as a novelty. The round robin-style event --
similar to the all-star gatherings at the Bluebird Café in
Nashville, Tenn., where each artist takes his or her turn in thee lead
and the others join in on occasion -- is more about songwriting than a
touchy-feely Mary Kay party. Listeners shouldn't expect a hits package,
either, as the four are largely making up the set list as they play.
In Chicago and
Minneapolis, they ended with a surprise rendition of the Backstreet
Boys' "I Want It That Way."
PREVIEW
Mary Chapin
Carpenter and Friends
The august
country-folk singer does a round-robin with fellow songwriters Shawn
Colvin, Patty Griffin and Dar Williams.
WHEN: 7:30 p.m.
Tuesday
WHERE: Ovens
Auditorium 2700 E. Independence Blvd.
TICKETS: $35-$55.
Mary Chapin
Carpenter
Age: 45. Role:
Group leader.
Genre: Carpenter
has successfully straddled commercial country with critical acclaim.
Best known for:
Early-'90s hits "Down at the Twist and Shout," "He Thinks He'll Keep
Her," "The Bug," and "I Feel Lucky."
Career length: 16
years.
Originally from:
New Jersey.
Latest release:
2001's "Time*Sex*Love" and a career retrospective to be released in
November.
I write the
songs: While Carpenter pens many of her songs, her biggest hit came
with Lucinda Williams' "Passionate Kisses."
Mentor: Carpenter
recently sang backup vocals on N.C. songwriter Caitlin Carey's
sophomore disc. In September, Carey told The Observer she wouldn't mind
emulating Carpenter's career.
Famous friends:
When Carpenter married contractor Timmy Smith in June, wedding guests
included Dave Matthews and Sissy Spacek.
Grammy girl:
During her '90s reign, she scored two Grammys, two Female Vocalist of
the Year Country Music awards, and two Female Vocalist American of
Country Music awards.
Shawn Colvin
Age: 47.
Role: The
comedian.
Genre: A folkie
who made a crossover into pop with her 1997 smash single "Sunny Came
Home," which reached No. 7.
Best known for:
Being upstaged at the Grammys by rapper Ol' Dirty Bastard while she was
extremely pregnant and accepting her award.
Career length: 15
years.
Originally from:
South Dakota.
Latest release:
2001's "Whole New You" (also, her signature Martin M3SC guitar debuted
in July).
I write the
songs: Usually, but in 1994 she interpreted an eclectic mix of tunes by
Steve Earle, Talking Heads, Bob Dylan and others for her CD "Cover
Girl."
Mentor: Colvin
was a role model for Boston folkie Mary Lou Lord, a '90s indie-rock
scenester who recorded some of Colvin's songs, including "Polaroids."
Famous friends:
Colvin has worked with James Taylor, Lyle Lovett and Sting.
Grammy girl: In
1989 she won a Grammy for Best Contemporary Folk Album; in 1997 she won
both Record of the Year and Song of the Year for "Sunny Came Home."
Patty Griffin
Age: 39. Role:
The shy, sensitive redhead.
Genre: Folk, pop,
Americana.
Best known for:
Her strikingly soulful voice and an opening slot on the Dixie Chicks
"Fly" tour
Career length: 7
years.
Originally from:
Maine.
Latest release:
The live "A Kiss in Time," released this month.
I write the
songs: Griffin's songs have been recorded by Emmylou Harris, the Dixie
Chicks, Reba McEntire and Martina McBride.
Mentor: Hers have
been the Dixie Chicks, Emmylou Harris and Dave Matthews, who welcomed
her to his ATO Records when she was dropped by Interscope.
Famous friends:
When Griffin performed at Ryman Auditorium, original home of the Grand
Ole Opry, to record "A Kiss in Time," friends Harris and Buddy and
Julie Miller joined her onstage.
Grammy girl: Her
2001 album, "1000 Kisses," was nominated for a Grammy.
Dar Williams
Age: 36.
Role: Earnest New
Age political folkie.
Genre: Quirky,
New England-style folk.
Best known for:
Intellectual, feminist songs, a fruitful fan base and co-writing the
vegetarian travel guide "Tofu TollBooth."
Career length: 10
years.
Originally from:
New York state.
Latest release:
2003's "The Beauty of the Rain."
I write the
songs: Joan Baez is the most notable artist to cover Williams' work.
Mentor: She
joined forces with psychologist-turned- songwriter Lucy Kaplansky and
songwriter Richard Shindell in the trio Cry Cry Cry, introducing them
to her fans.
Famous friends:
On her latest disc, she's joined by Blues Traveler's John Popper,
Alison Krauss, Stefan Lessard of the Dave Matthews Band, John Medeski
of Medeski, Martin and Wood, and banjo innovator Bela Fleck.
Grammy girl:
Still waiting.