Anastasia : Abbey says she recalls the first time she met you . It was 2014 or ’ 15 , and you were walking around , taking photos . You asked if it was okay to take some pictures of her and other staff . Are you going to be bringing your camera again ?
Lyle : Oh , gosh , I always bring my camera . I was a journalism major , and taking pictures was part of my degree . I just like to take pictures . Depending on the season , Stockbridge looks really different . Even if I ' m taking pictures of the same buildings or the same landmarks , it may look different from time to time , and also depending on the time of day . I like to take pictures of people better than anything else . Stockbridge is so picturesque . At The Red Lion Inn , back where the old curtain shop used to be , there ' s a stairway just past the dining room where they printed some of the pictures and have this display .
Anastasia : Yes , I ' ve seen them . They ' re really beautiful . It ' s a grouping of photos on the wall .
Lyle : It was really sweet of them to put them up . Sarah and Tim Eustis do such a great job , and they always make the band and me feel so at home there at The Red Lion Inn . We look forward to the chicken pot pie and the apple pie . Those are my favorites . I always eat too much .
Anastasia : I live right down the road in West Stockbridge , so it ' s very tempting to go there .
Lyle : That would be dangerous . That would be completely dangerous .
Anastasia : Besides photography , has Stockbridge or the Berkshires inspired you to write music or lyrics ?
Lyle : I don ' t think I ' ve referenced Stockbridge or Western Mass . specifically . But it ' s a place that makes me feel great . It ' s a place that I feel welcome and reassured by the people there and about life in general . All of that contributes to creative thought . Even though I haven ' t written anything specific about Stockbridge , it ’ s just a place that makes me feel good about the world .
Joshua : Lyle , Anastasia has focused on your relationship to the Berkshires . I ’ d like to chat about your multi-hyphenate career . But first , I have to share this : One of my best friends is from Dallas , and she is a HUGE fan of yours . You mentioned you were a journalism major in college . She and her husband also went to your alma mater , Texas A & M . They explained to me that all of the class rings are identical — save for the year — so that alums can identify one another . Do you wear your A & M ring ?
Lyle : I do , all the time . When I got my ring , it was a little small . I could put it on with soap and water . I used to wear it only for special occasions , for Aggie functions . One day , I was boarding an airplane and sitting in an aisle seat , and an older gentleman — who turned out to be an “ old Ag ,” as we call it — walked by me , backhanded me on the shoulder and said , “ Where ’ s your ring ?” I thought , I ' ve got to get my ring . So , I went to Porter Garner , who runs the Association of Former Students and was one of my classmates , and I said , “ Porter , I need to get my ring enlarged .” He said , “ Let me have it .” So I handed it to him . He said , “ Here , wear this in the meantime .” He handed me a ring — the older they get , the smoother they are . All the details were worn off , and there was this beautiful , rounded , shiny thing . I said , “ Who ' s ring is this , Port ?” He said , “ My dad ’ s .” I said , “ I can ' t wear your dad ’ s ring .” And he said , “ Just put it on and wear it . We ’ ll have yours back in a couple of weeks .” So I wore Porter ’ s dad ' s ring for those two weeks while mine was getting enlarged . Ever since I got mine back , I haven ' t taken it off .
Joshua : That ’ s great . That ' ll make her and her husband very happy . ( Laughs ) And now , a big question from me : You live in a wide range of music genres . You ' ve done film and photography . You majored in German and journalism , and even your skills as a horseman all require creativity . Can you talk a bit about your creative universe ? In addition to music , what ’ s on your agenda ?
Lyle : There is just so much to love about the world , isn ’ t there ? There ’ s so much to be interested in , and there ’ s so much to do . I ' ve lived in the same place my whole life and always wanted to live there . My grandfather gave each one of his seven children a couple of acres on his farm to build their homes . I grew up next door to my grandparents and across the pasture from my aunts and uncles and cousins . I appreciate that similarity when I ' m in Western Mass ., meeting folks like the Keiths who go back to the Revolution . Growing up on a farm , I ' ve always been interested in farm stuff . I ’ ve been involved with horses my whole life . I raced motorcycles when I was in my high school years , and I ' m still involved with the motorcycle community and racing community . That ’ s inspirational , as well . And because I am a performer , I ' ve gotten to meet and work with photographers that I ' m a fan of — Annie Leibovitz , Mark Seliger , Marc Schiller , and Michael Wilson , who has done all of my album cover photography since 1992 . There ' s not a single photo shoot that I haven ' t learned something from the folks that I ' ve worked with . It ’ s that way with everything ; there ' s just always so much to learn . And there ' s always something you can learn from the people you work with . I feel that way when I go out with my band . Getting to work with people who are the best at what they do , and whatever the discipline , just makes you better . I ' ve known Lisa Loeb since 1996 , when we did a tour together . Before I even knew about Lisa , her mom and dad would come to my shows in Dallas . Her mom would make these amazing chocolate chip cookies and send them backstage . I got to visit with them before I even knew about Lisa . Then , of course , Lisa had that song , “ Stay ,” and that great film that Ethan Hawke did . I put two and two together , and I thought , well , that was her mom that brings us those great cookies . And her mom still makes great cookies . To answer your question , my main focus these days really are my six-year-old twins . I became a dad at the young age of 59 . Of all the things that I ' ve enjoyed doing in my life , nothing compares to just getting to be a dad and getting to sit on the floor with my children and playing and building a Lego set with them , or taking them to school and picking them up . I do that every day that I ' m home . I ’ m finally getting the chance to be a dad , and to experience that really has been just the best part of my life .
Joshua : Among your many credits , you acted in four Robert Altman films . Many actors who worked with Altman have shared that he liked quite a bit of improvisation . What was your experience , and how would you compare improv as an actor on film to improvising as a musician ? Is it the same skill set ?
Lyle : Robert Altman came to the show that I did in 1990 at the Greek Theater on a tour that I did with Rickie Lee Jones . Altman and his wife , Kathryn , came to the show at the invitation of their granddaughter .