Questions + Answers

From Jackie R.

Dear Allison,

I thoroughly enjoy all of your artistry and feel very connected to your work. Of course, I came to love you first as a musician, and then was deeply moved by your writing, and now am delighted by your visual art.

Here is my question…

How has your relationship with music evolved through the years? I imagine you could probably write a book about that! I guess I’m wondering about the place it holds in your life at the moment.

Thank you for your work and your thoughts and your willingness to share it all.

Jackie

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Dear Jackie,

Thank you for this thought-provoking question. Not that I don’t think about this a lot — I do.

I have never known life without music as a core element. I consider it to be a big part of my spiritual system, if not the very basis of it — I’m shown over and over how it is a universal language, how sound and tone connects us — and that is on a micro level that begins with what my soul responds to and a macro one when I consider how those principles function in the universe. Music has always been the way I find community in one way or another.

If I were a nesting doll, music would be the first cover over the babushka (core). It is my default position, my safety, and often my delight.

It doesn’t completely fulfill me, though, and never did. I always had designs on other things, even when I had a full-time career as a singer-songwriter and was doing national/international tours and selling a decent, if not great, amount of records. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again — I knew when I was twenty-five that I didn’t want to be looking at the same green room walls when I was forty-five. That doesn’t mean I sometimes don’t, but my point is, I wanted to evolve, so I have made it my business to do so.

I also want to say that this quality of wanting to try my hand at everything doesn’t make me virtuous. If anything, I’m afraid it makes me appear dilettante-ish, and I’m conscious of that. I’m well-aware that there are master guitar players who study nothing but the perfect G run for the entirety of their lives. That’s enough! But for whatever reason, that’s not who I am. I am an artist — and artist is the babushka in the nesting doll.

I’m so grateful to music for bringing me to the party. I’m glad it still dances with me. As y’all know, I’m working on a project with Kenny Greenberg called Saint Seven — we’re doing a record. It’s taking a while, but that’s okay. Y’all will be the first to know when it’s ready. I still love making records — for myself and for others. I still love to play live when the conditions are right. But what was everything is now just a part. I’m lucky that I get to do it all and I can’t wait to see what’s next!

Thank you again for the question.

I hope y’all have a glorious weekend.

Peace. Love.

Allison

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