Interview with JoAnna James on 4/23/07

By: David Rachac

Singer/songwriter JoAnna James has been impressing audiences since her high school years with her ethereal voice and her “wise beyond her years” songwriting. In this interview, James talks about her musical background, the writing process she went through for her new EP, Back Of My Mind, and her EP release party at the Varsity Theater on Thursday, April 26th.

HWTS: How old were you when you first showed an interest in playing music?

James: I was still in the womb. My mom listened to WLTE when she was pregnant with me. The day I was born, I didn't cry. I came out singing "Hunka Hunka Burnin' Love" by Elvis.

HWTS: What kind of musical background did you have—did you go through years of lessons, or were you a little more self-taught?

James: I've been blessed to learn from a lot of kind, talented teachers throughout the years, both from people who played instruments and people who didn't. I took violin lessons once a week from second grade all the way through my sophomore year of college, and as far as guitar goes, I learned mainly by ear and the Mel Bay "Teach Yourself Guitar Book." And as for singing, well, I already told you that story.

HWTS: When did you decide that music wasn't only something you enjoyed doing, but that it was what you wanted to do with your life?

James: After my very first show. It was in a little coffee shop on top of a bookstore in Hudson, Wisconsin. I had no idea if anyone would show up. But when I got there, I just about busted out crying because the place was packed. The two and a half hour show went by in a flash, and the next morning when I woke up, I knew where my life was headed.

HWTS: I am sure there are a lot of young musicians who struggle with this question—how do you get from writing songs in your bedroom to playing in front of paying customers? What was your first "big break?" 

James: Well, I guess I wouldn't say there's one big break. You just have to jump in and do it. Then you gotta keep doing it, keep refining what you do, and play in front of as many varied audiences as you can. I've played everywhere from street corners in Colorado, to barnyard weddings, to nursing homes, to hospices in New York. And I've learned something different from each and every one of them. 

HWTS: Last year, you spent much of the summer playing shows on the East Coast, including an "artist's residency" at a music venue in New York. Was it difficult to adjust to your new surroundings, and what, if any, impact did this experience have on your writing for your new EP?

James: I guess I wouldn't say it was difficult to adjust to New York; it was just exciting. So much vibrant energy circulates around that city, so maybe the difficult part was just trying to take it all in and figuring out how to process it all. As for writing the new EP, I only wrote one song start to finish out there—"No Ordinary Sunday," which is funny, considering it was inspired by a friend of mine from Kentucky. Other than that, I had one zygote of a song started from earlier in the year—"Don't Let Me Leave"—that I ended up finishing one rainy night in Manhattan.

HWTS: You have a new EP called Back Of My Mind that is coming out this week. Talk about some of the songs and how this EP differs from your two previous releases.

James: I'd say this release is a little more sculpted and streamlined, as opposed to the other two that were more varied in the way of genre. To me, this record was about getting the purest versions of the songs possible. The perfect man to help with that was producer Duane Lundy. A friend of mine had introduced me to his work, and I was thrilled at the thought of working with him. He had a real intuition with what to do with these songs and he had a way of keeping the recording process going so that it never felt like the songs were getting old. No one really grew tired, there was a lot of energy during the whole process; and I think (I hope, anyway) that comes through on the record.

The title track of the EP kind of hits on just getting back to our own truest essence, who we really are as individuals. I know that sounds cheesy, but I really do believe there is a distinct and totally unique identity within each of us. It is up to each of us to dig it up, bring it to the world and not be afraid. Who am I, then? Well, I'd say the core of me as an artist and as a person as well, is in the last song, "I Sing for You."  That's a song about the very special interaction that happens when both the audience and the artist give themselves completely over to the power of music in a room. There's just nothing else like it.

HWTS: On Thursday, April 26th, you'll be having your EP release party at the Varsity Theater. What are we going to see?

James: Flying elephants, bearded ladies and cowboys in speedos. In addition to these fine creatures, you will find Stook! and the Jukes opening the show, followed by the one and only Chris Koza, and then I'll be joined by a full band and some special guests to round up the night. Josh Peterson on guitar, Sean McPherson on bass, Greg Schutte on drums, Chris Koza will be providing harmonies, Peter J. Sands on keyboards and Jessy Greene will be sitting in on violin for a few numbers. In sum, you are going to see me smiling ear to ear!

James: America, I love you, I really do. But for god's sake, throw your guns away. Better yet, melt them into nails to build houses for the homes you've destroyed with your senseless violence. You don't even know what you are mad about anymore; you are just making more people mad. Violence only breeds the same. If you want peace, then show peace. Show the world peace. For god's sake, show it.

Artist Info: JoAnna James

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