But in the early 90s, Harris radically altered the sound of her recording and overall musical direction when she began working with producer Daniel Lanois (U2, Peter Gabriel) and engineer Malcolm Burns on 1995's aptly named Wrecking Ball, which demolished long-held perceptions about Harris as an artist by wrapping the songs of despair and sexuality within an entirely new sound. On this album — and its Grammy-winning follow-up, 2000's Red Dirt Girl, for which she wrote most of the songs — Harris' voice, always a singular instrument, takes on a new grittier character that works remarkable well with the evolving thematic elements of her work. After touring extensively in support of that album, Harris the live album Spyboy in 1998, followed by the much-anticipated Trio II with Linda Ronstadt and Dolly Parton. She also completed Western Wall: The Tucson Sessions, the duet album with Linda Ronstadt.
Her newest album, the just-released Stumble Into Grace, continues the trend of self-penned albums and employing an ever-broadening instrumental palette, and includes collaborations with artists ranging from long-time friends Linda Ronstadt, Kate and Anna McGarrigle and Buddy and Julie Miller, to contemporary artists such as Luscious Jackson's Jill Cuniff and Jane Siberry. Never one to rest on her laurels, Harris recently acted as curator for a series of concerts for her record label, Nonesuch Records, at Carnegie Hall, featuring performances by Steve Earle, Patty Griffin, Kate and Anna McGarrigle and Buddy and Julie Miller, capped by a performance by Harris herself.
Just prior to the Carnegie Hall shows, during a series of tour dates with old friend Neil Young, Harris spoke to StarPolish editorial director James K. Willcox about her long career, the new album, and her emergence as songwriter of some distinction.
Industry Changes
STARPOLISH: Stumble into Grace is your 26th album...
EMMYLOU HARRIS: Is it? That's good — I've been looking for that number!
STARPOLISH:Glad to be of help. Given the amount of time you've been doing this, what do you think has changed more over that period of time — you or the music industry?
HARRIS: That's a good question. It's hard to be objective about one's own self. I'm sure that there have been a lot of changes, but you feel like you're pretty much the same. I think the industry has changed a lot. For one thing, there are just so many more artists, and if I were starting out today, I don't think I'd have a shot. Definitely I would not be on a major label when I started out. I think one good thing is the proliferation of small, independent labels — I think that's good and healthy, because record companies have become so big... It used to be that [the people] at the record companies could smell something that was unusual and different, and let an artist develop; you didn't have to have a mega-hit the first time out. The strange thing is that you see somebody who's original and not like anybody else, and [a label] signs them and then immediately tries to make them into something that's already a proven success. Every once in a while somebody breaks on through, but then it takes a while before people believe that's going to happen again. But that's the industry.
Article comments
1 - Hazy Dave
I'm just commenting so a link to this fine interview with the lovely Emmylou will appear on the front page once again, albeit briefly. "Good music will never be lost -- I really believe that."
2 - dee
emmylou is one of my favorites. I love the sound of her soft soothing voice and comes from a generation that seemed to care about what was going on. I hope she records many more. She is right. Good music will never be lost and if you are willing to look for it instead of settle for some of the stuff they are putting out now, you wil find it.
3 - wmodica
is it me or is emmylou getting prettier with age ?