Lynn Anderson

Message: The new Lynn Anderson disc is titled, “The Bluegrass Sessions” and is available on DM Records Nashville.

(Q)-Your name and your place of birth please.
Lynn Anderson-My name is Lynn Anderson, I was born in Grand Forks, North Dakota.

(Q)-Your new album titled, “The Bluegrass Sessions” is a venture into bluegrass music. Why record a bluegrass album at this point in your career?

Lynn Anderson- I was trying to take a spectrum of the music and take an overview of what I’ve done and capture it. With this new music, I’m trying to make the vocals and the song the most important aspect of the music.

(Q)-Why? What was the motivation?

Lynn Anderson-To me, there is way too much overproduction in country music these days. I wanted to make the vocals and the songs the most important part of the music. And, we did that. To me all too often in country music, there is currently way to much stress on how someone looks on camera and not so much emphasis on the words and the music, which is what I think it all comes back to.

(Q)-Does this new recording project, provide an insight into your own personal world?

Lynn Anderson-I’ve done a lot of soul searching in regards to if I want to continue to call myself a singer and artist. I live in Taos New Mexico, I live way out there, far away from the maddening crowd. So there was a conscious effort on my part. I had to make a conscious decision in regards to if I thought that I could succeed and could continue to do what I’ve done for a living, for a long time. And, I thought, “Well, in order to do this I have to recreate myself and go at it from a different direction, present myself in a different way, a way that I think is becoming to my age.” I also wanted something that goes back to my roots rather then trying to invent a new thing.

(Q)-“Younger is better”,is not a saying you buy into in regards to recording artists and country music.

Lynn Anderson-Younger does not necessarily mean better. In country music these days,at times,there’s a total focus on being younger and not necessarily better. That’s not the way it is supposed to be. In country music, there has, all too often, been an attitude of,”If you’re over thirty then you need not apply.” There’s become a total focus on being young and not necessarily being better. That upset me! I don’t resent the newcomers coming up and I allow that there’s always a need to be looking for new music. But,I had to make a conscious decision in regards to if I thought that I could succeed and could continue to do what I’ve done for a long time, for a living. And, I thought, “Well, in order to do this I have to recreate myself and go at it from a different direction, present myself in a different way, a way that I think is becoming to my age.” I also wanted to do something that goes back to my roots rather then trying to invent a new thing. There are people out there who I don’t think, know who I am. So we thought we’d do an album this way, trying to, “fit in”, so to speak with the,”new country”. It’s kind of a back step for me, a unique way to come back. So, bluegrass was the next step I thought. I have become more and more enamoured of bluegrass music since so many bluegrass projects seem to be catching the eye and ear of the general public.

(Q)-How did the idea begin?
Lynn Anderson-The idea started a while ago for me. We (Lynn and her band.)had previously only joked around by doing songs like “Rose Garden” by playing bits and pieces of the song,in a bluegrass style,backstage and at rehearsals. Gradually it became more meaningful to me to regenerate the music by recording it in a more positive way that might be more acceptable to a new audience.

(Q)-The music has a sense of purity to it, in that there is a minimalist approach to the songs,which goes back to some of your earliest work. It is as if you’ve come full circle with your recording career.
Lynn Anderson-Thank you. It is very simple. We didn’t want instruments to overpower anything. I also went back and did several of my mother’s songs. Which takes me right back to full circle to where I began. And, I wanted to do that for my mom.

(Q)-Your mother’s name please.
Lynn Anderson-My mom is Liz Anderson. She recorded for RCA. Chet Atkins signed her to a recording contract in the Sixties. She had a pretty good career. But,basically her claim to fame is that she was one of the founders of the National Songwriters Association. The foundation was started in a building that mom and dad owned. So they gave Maggie Cavender an office space, so they were very instrumental in forming that whole association. That goes right back to where I came from as an individual and an artist. That’s exactly what we were trying to elicit with the music on this record. We wanted to take the music and an overview of what I have done(As a recording artist.) and capture it. I am trying to get away from the commercialization and I wanted to step back from any sense of over-production and make the vocals and the song the most important part of the music because that’s the way it used to be.

(Q)-Is the new music close to your heart?

Lynn Anderson-Absolutely. I hope it is appreciated as an artistic thing. There are some great players on this music.

(Q)-There are great instrumental and vocal performances on “The Bluegrass Sessions”.
Lynn Anderson- Thank you. It all goes back and refocuses on the words and the music. I feel that a lot of records these days have gotten to where they kind of hide the music. It’s all production and echo chambers. We just don’t do that! Most of the vocals are live studio vocals with the musicians. Some of the songs are one, maybe two, takes in the studio. I’d say up to ninety to ninety-five per cent of the songs were done live in the studio with the players. We wanted that live feel, with the players in the studio, with everybody keying off of each other,like it used to be. Instead of going in and singing each and every (vocal) line ten times and then going onto singing the next (vocal) line ten times.

(Q)-No stop watch timing in the recording studio for these recording sessions?
Lynn Anderson-No! That was done to me one time and I was dropped off of a record label. (She laughs)

(Q)-When?
Lynn Anderson-In the Eighties. I was working with a very well known record producer. But literally, he did it over the telephone. He’d call into the recording studio and say, “Well,sing these lines ten times each and I’ll edit it.” And, I wouldn’t do that. I’m not built that way! I have to put those lines in context with what the song means. I have to put a meaning to it or else it just loses its importance for me. I just don’t sing one line ten times. Like I said, I’m not built that way!

(Q)-You’ve been touring for years and performing in concert.
Lynn Anderson-Yes.

(Q)-Will you continue to tour and perform?
Lynn Anderson-Yes. I use that word tour,loosely. I do three or four concerts a month. And,I certainly will be working after this product is released.

(Q)-Will you have two bands on tour with you, to present the new music as it is on the recording?
Lynn Anderson-No. I have a regular band and they’re wonderful. We will perform songs from the new album, live in-concert.

(Q)-In your private life, you live in a ranch-style home in New Mexico.
Lynn Anderson- I live in Taos New Mexico.

(Q)-Your work with horses has remained a passion for you for many years. You are a champion horsewoman and you have worked extensively with the Special Riders of Animaland,which is a horseback riding therapy program for children.
Lynn Anderson-Yes. I started three different(horse riding therapy)programs. One in Nashville Tennessee, one in Fort Worth, Texas and now one in Taos New Mexico, where we practice,what is literally,horse therapy.(Horseback riding therapy program.)We work with handicapped special children and adults. We specialize in autistic children. However, we expand that to a lot of different people.Everything from social problems, children who just have a hard time getting along,to kids who are in danger of becoming criminal,children who are flunking out or just doing stupid stuff.

(Q)-Would you mention the name of the organizations please?
Lynn Anderson-This is a group called the Rocky Top Riding Center or the Rocky Top Riders in Fort Worth Texas.

(Q)-You have had such an extraordinary life and career.
Lynn Anderson-Thank you.

(Q)-As a recording artist,you are known by many fans around the world as,”The Great Lady of Country Music”. You are an internationally recognized entertainer. Now,you are continuing to build on your legacy as a recording artist,with a new album. Any chance you’d share your extraordinary life and music with your fans by writing a book in regards to your life and achievements?
Lynn Anderson-A lot of people have asked me to write a book and I wanted to always make sure that there’s a happy ending. I want to make sure there’s a positive element. I’m just that kind of person. I like the fairy tale thing. I like the happy ending. That’s the way I live.