Brandi Carlile’s name may not resonate like that of Dolly Parton or Adele (who have both recorded her songs), but she’s quietly made quite a name for herself while emerging from the Americana corner of the room. With the release of her sixth studio outing By the Way, I Forgive You, Carlile has added another 10 solid songs to an already impressive canon.
Aided and abetted by longtime creative partners Tim and Phil Hanseroth, the Washington State native tapped the production tandem of Dave Cobb and Shooter Jennings to tag-team on a project that features the contributions of legendary late string arranger Paul Buckmaster and a cameo by Nashville singer-songwriter Anderson East. As a self-taught musician inspired by Elton John as a teenager, Carlile is and continues to be a huge music fan who was happy to share some of her influences.
Elton John
“Elton John is an incredible man and humanitarian. He’s raised over a billion dollars for AIDS research and education. I fell in love with Elton John via his activism and his charity and then found his music, which is a fascinating way for an 11-year-old to discover someone. He’s a consummate entertainer, he’s full of positive energy and he never gets tired of giving a platform to young people.”
Dolly Parton
“Dolly Parton is pure goodness, is incredibly talented and is a strong woman and brutal feminist without ever having to say so. I feel like a lot of times, they are poles in the music industry. The poles of morality lie with Elton John and Dolly Parton. No one surpasses Elton John and Bernie Taupin and as far as women’s music goes, no one surpasses Dolly Parton as a writer, singer or a musician. She is the princess of country music.”
Sam Smith
“As far as new artists go, I’m going to throw a new artist out there who I’m listening to non-stop nowadays and who I think is super-brilliant. I think Sam Smith is unbelievable. He is easily our generation’s George Michael meets Kate Bush. He’s an incredible singer, a total entertainer and a class act all the way around. He’s my favorite new artist right now.”
Brandi Carlile will be appearing on April 6 & 7 at the Beacon Theatre, 74th Street & Broadway. NYC. For more information, visit www.beacontheatre.com or call 866-858-0008.
