music and did so almost exclusively as a teenager. I got so much from that music and I feel
like it’s within me. I love playing and singing
it, but what I really get fed from is the music
I wasn’t as familiar with or didn’t have an
interest in for the most part in an earlier time
in my life. That music would be classical and
jazz. It’s what really excites me.
How important do you think it is for a
singer to write his or her own songs?
What types of music are on your personal playlists?
Over three quarters of the time, probably 90% of the time, I listen
to classical music. That would probably be a surprise to most people that love the Violent Femmes. Now I haven’t always, but for
the last several years that is what I have enjoyed, along with listening to jazz. I have listened to so much rock and roll and other
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Oh I don’t think it is important at all, not at
all! Frank Sinatra comes to mind, immediately; but that was a different time. I think
maybe from a business point of view it has
been important. But just to be a great singer,
a great song stylist, personally I don’t think
it matters. However, maybe I wouldn’t have
ever found out about a group if they didn’t
write their own songs; so there you go.