music
B y D r . J o s h u a S h e r m a n a n d A n a s t a s i a S t a n m e y e r
Lyle Loves the Berkshires
A TALK WITH LYLE LOVETT , THE TEXAS-BASED MUSICIAN , ACTOR , AND FATHER OF TWINS
COURTESY OF THE MAHAIWE
IT ’ S BEEN A WHILE since Lyle Lovett has played in the Berkshires . Eleven years to be exact . Even so , whenever he is even close to the Berkshires , Lovett finds a way to stop over in one of his favorite towns : Stockbridge . He plans to visit the area once again on May 10 — this time to perform with Grammy ® -winning Lisa Loeb at the Mahaiwe in Great Barrington . We ’ re not the only ones eagerly awaiting that show . “ I ’ m excited about being at the Mahaiwe with Lisa , just the two of us on stage with no bands or anything ,” says Lovett . “ We ’ ll take turns playing songs and talk between songs .”
We had the pleasure of speaking with Lovett by phone from Modesto , California , where he was on a 17-show tour with his acoustic group . For upwards of an hour , we were charmed by this Texan who is not only a four-time Grammy ® -winning
singer , songwriter , and guitarist , but also an accomplished photographer , horseman , motorcyclist , actor , and father of six-yearold twins . Our conversation was relaxed , comfortable . Every answer had a story , and many , a story within a story .
Anastasia : I did a little bit of digging , Lyle , and the last time you performed here in the Berkshires was 2013 with John Hiatt at the Colonial in Pittsfield .
Lyle : I remember that show well . The fire alarm went off in the middle of the show . They had to empty the theater . That was our first show on that tour . Afterwards , we determined that it was our truck driver , a man named Rod , who had taken a shower in one of the dressing rooms during the show . It was the steam from the shower that set off the fire alarm . From then on , we ’ ve called him , “ Shower Rod .” That ’ s how nicknames happen . ( Laughs )
Anastasia : You and your Large Band also played in 1997 and 2000 at Tanglewood .
Lyle : James Taylor wanted the Fourth of July off in 1997 , and we got to play . That was a lot of fun . We stayed at The Red Lion Inn . We all enjoyed sitting on the porch that evening .
Anastasia : And you played at the Mahaiwe in 2011 . Are you looking forward to performing there again , this time with Lisa Loeb ?
Lyle : This type of show is conversational , and so a place the size of the Mahaiwe lends itself to that kind of intimate show . I ' m definitely excited about that .
Lisa Loeb performs on May 10 with Lyle Lovett at the Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center in Great Barrington .
Anastasia : How long have you been coming to the Berkshires ?
Lyle : The Calvin Theatre in Northampton would have been the first place . I know it ’ s not technically in the Berkshires , but that would have been the first time . Actually , we played at Smith College . That would have been the first time . We played right on campus , in a hall there that looked more like a lecture room than a theater , with wooden seats . That would have been in the late- ’ 80s . We discovered The Red Lion Inn shortly after that . Someone I was working with , one of my tour managers , knew about The Red Lion . I remember having this thought that there used to be a chain of motels in California called The Red Lion . When I first saw saw The Red Lion on our itinerary , I was expecting Fess Parker ’ s Red Lion Inn like the one in Santa Barbara , which is very different from Stockbridge . I just remember expecting that sort of hotel-motel when I saw it on the itinerary . I was pleasantly surprised to get to know the historic Red Lion Inn .
Anastasia : I spoke recently about you with someone you know here in the Berkshires , Abbey Keith .
Lyle : Yeah , I know Abbey and Noah . I love their Stockbridge Coffee & Tea . It ' s one of the places I love to go . Abbey does such a great job with the bookstore there . I ' ve been touring across the country since 1986 . To get to know people and to get to see them every year and look forward to catching up with folks , it ' s the best part of getting to travel like this . I admire that Noah and Abbey are brother and sister , and they work together in the way they do . They have such a wonderful family . I always look forward to seeing them .
10 // BERKSHIRE MAGAZINE May / June 2024