Not long after C-VILLE nabbed its review copy of Red Letter Year, the 17th studio album from folk reinventress Ani Difranco, Starr Hill Presents announced that Lady Di would follow a gig by Joan Baez (a former Lady Dy-lan?) at The Paramount Theater. A number of pretty excellent people in my life have pushed Difranco’s music towards me, and 2008 was something of a red letter ye…wait, can’t use that…a banner year for me: I caught a great Ani gig in Baltimore and another in Norfolk.
Between giving birth a few years ago to a daughter (with her partner and producer, Mike Napolitano) and relocating most of her life to New Orleans from Buffalo, New York, Difranco saw a few changes in the last year as well. She called from New Orleans on Monday, after she "drank her face off" celebrating Mardi Gras, to talk about how motherhood and Obama contributed to her tunes. More after the photo.
Ani Difranco performs at The Paramount Theater on Wednesday, March 4. $27-47, 8pm.
On her daughter’s terrible twos:
"You know what? They seem to be somewhat more terrible, so far. My daughter was a really chilled-out baby, really cool and easygoing. But right around 2, she decided she’s all grown-up. I’m not supposed to tell her what to do anymore, and I should get out of her way…such independence, you know? She’s breaking me in early for the teenage years."
On how Red Letter Year tunes changed since the album’s release:
"I guess all songs are slowly mutating, like all of us, in order to stay alive. I also have some new songs penned since the record came out, so I’m playing those a lot. They have a new spirit of hopefulness, you know? Ever since Obama was elected, there’s such an atmospheric change, so I’ve been into playing the new stuff." [Including "November 4, 2008," which you can watch here.]
On what her daughter and Obama bring to her music:
"Everyone’s talking about how happy I am these days, so it must be true. I really do feel happier than I have in a decade. It has to do with the kid, and also her father. I have a wonderful little family now, and a wonderful place to live here in New Orleans…[Y]ou can sort of feel that onstage and in my songs."
Read Feedback in next week’s C-VILLE for more on how Difranco and band are coping with the economic fallout on the road and in the studio.