Amy LaVere is a new artist on the rise. Born in Louisiana and growing up in Texas, the singer currently resides in Memphis where she’s taken in the sites and sounds of Elvis’ birthplace and carefully crafted her own brand of music. The singer loves to tour and ahead of her show in Los Angeles at Hotel Café we had the opportunity to catch up with the busy singer/songwriter. Without further adue, here’s our conversation with LaVere
DK: Excited to play at Hotel Cafe? How does it rank on your best/worstvenue list?
AL: While I'm glad to have the show at the Hotel Cafe, it's not my favorite place. The sound is great and the people are nice enough but
It doesn't have a built in crowd at all and I've had a rough time getting in front of new people in LA. They turn the house promptly after the gig and rush you out. The show is fun but the overall experience has never been very fun for us.
DK: How did growing up in Bethany shape who you are? And for that matter, your music?
AL: We quite literally lived off the land when I was a kid there. We kept a huge garden, raised and ate rabbits and hunted the rest. I'm unspoiled to say the least and pretending I was the singer on the radio was my greatest escape.
DK: What were some of the sounds of growing up in Texas that helped set you on the path to your music making career?
AL: I heard my mom's guitar in the womb. She played and wrote songs a lot in those years and I suppose I wanted to be her. I think I believed that it's what the "woman" does. She cooks, works in the garden and writes songs.
DK: Why/how did you start playing? Were you forced by your parents or you had the itch to do it yourself?
AL: No, I wasn't forced. It was the most natural thing for me to do. No one questioned it and they still don't.
DK: What made you decide to move to Memphis instead of a place like New York or L.A.?
AL: I moved to Nashville from Detroit for a job when I was 20 but found myself traveling the 3 hours to Memphis for music that was happening there and not in Nashville. The town suited me more and so I moved there. I I've been having a love affair with London for the past couple of year having toured over there a good bit and plan on spending a bit of next year over there but Memphis is my true love.
DK: Who wins in a fight: Buddy Holly or Elvis?
AL: Buddy Holly was great but...forever Elvis.
DK: Favorite Memphis BBQ joint?
AL: Tops.
DK: If someone was in Memphis for 24 hours, what would be the best way for someone to enjoy the city?
AL Go to Sun Studios first thing in the morning. It's Memphis' church. You get a pretty well rounded idea about how important that city is to our music culture and how much the music helped to begin the healing of race relations through art. Then go have lunch on the river and let all that you've learned soak in. You'll be on a dreamy high and you can do no wrong after that.
DK: What are your goals for the coming months?
AL: I go in the studio in December to make a new record and have a great bit of touring this summer and fall. My goal is to just keep livin' life the only way I know how and sing about it. I also want to learn to surf.
Photo by Joshua Black Wilkins
