Anita Cochran
BY:Mike A. Capozzoli Jr.
Q- Was growing up playing country and bluegrass music as a guitarist and mandolin player, piano, a bit unusual?
Anita Cochran- Yes. It started at a real young age. I was still playing with my dad at various places around Michigan. I’d go with him to play at bluegrass festivals across the state or at pickup jam sessions in the parking lots at those events and we’d go from place to place to play and everywhere we when I was a kid, I heard the same thing said to my dad. Right away they’d say, ‘Why ya bringin’ that little girl in here to play.?’ I mean they were not mean to me, but it was the same comment every time. And I never said anything, because I was kind of quite as a little kid. But they’d say after I’d play a while, ‘Wow! She really can play!”(she laughs).
Q- is it still a battle as far as being the singer/songwriter who also plays all her own instruments, especially lead guitar in country music?
Anita Cochran- Yes. There’s still a lot of people in this town (Nashville) who don’t know that I can play guitar as well as other instruments. It’s amazing to me how many people still are stunned and shocked to see that I can play guitar and that I play all my own leads on guitar. I still hear the same story whenever we’re traveling and performing out on the road. In spite of all the achievements that woman have made in country music, I still have a hard time getting through to some people that I can play my own lead guitar and that I can also play some other instruments.
Q-You are present for all of the music that’s recorded on your album. Not many country artists are involved in the entire process in the creating of their music and the album.
Anita Cochran- Yeah, a lot of people just don’t. (Be involved in the sessions that result in their finished product.) I don’t think too many fans know this, a lot of people in country music are just not there for much of the time that their albums being made. They sing the vocals and that’s about it. I can count on my one hand how many Top Forty country artists are in the studio for the entire tie that their record’s being made and also play all of the lead guitar on their album. Even if on-stage, they’re up-front singing and playing lead guitar, it’s just not very common in the recording studio in Nashville. But for me, I mean come on, it’s my record (she laughs). It’s not anybody else’s record. It’s mine and that means a lot to me. A lot of other artists in Nashville these days will only spend about a week or two in the studio and then they’re done and they go off and tour and do other things. I am there (in the recording studio) for the entire process. For me, I’m there, I’m the guitar player, the mandolin player and I love the entire process.
Q- Doesn’t that mean you have a great deal more freedom than many of your peers when it comes to the making of your album and just who the public is shown that Anita Cochran is as a musician and recording artists?
Anita Cochran- Yes. Absolutely. That’s the only one true thing I can say about my new record, I’ve made the record that I really wanted to make. Hopefully radio will want to play it and the (country) fans will like it. I think if you get caught up into changed with the fads, then you’re not doing it because your hearts doing it. I’ve made this record because that’s the way my heart felt. If I was making music that really wasn’t me, then it wouldn’t be believable. I’ve always been a firm believer in that by the songs that I’ve put on my record, the fans can get to know me a little better by listening to the music on that record.
Q-How long have you been living in Nashville?
Anita Cochran- I moved here in 1995.
Q-Things have changed in five years.
Anita Cochran- Things have really changed since I first moved here and began working on my first record. The industry has changed. I’ve changed as a woman, I’ve grown.
Q-You’ve recorded a single with Wynonna Judd on this new album. Did she offer any advice for you?
Anita Cochran- Yes. Basically she said to follow my heart and have a vision and to try and see that vision through. She’s been in the business a long time you know? She also told me to not let the business side of this, to not let it destory me. She said don’t let the business part make me not like the music of it. Because there’s two words to the phrase music business, you now? (she laughs) And sometimes wish it could just be about music, but it isn’t. if you get too stressed about the business side of it, then it can start to make you not want to play the guitar as much as you used to. It was incredible to work with Wynonna. She’s the greatest! I’m a huge fan of The Judds.
(Q)-What about your upcoming TV appearance on the made-for-TV movie “The Dukes Of Hazzard: Hazzard In Hollywood”?
Anita Cochran- Hey, there’s going to be major country fans watching that show. I was fortunate enough to be cast as a character who is a country singer and who also is Tom Wopat’s character’s first love. This is great! They’ve used four songs from my new album and my song “Good Times”(co-written with Bob DiPiero) is the theme song to the sequel. General Motors liked the song so much that they’ve used it for a national promotion. I’ve also got a promotional tie in with Dale Earnhardt (NASCAR giant)and I’ll be touring too. I’ll be doing a lot of things involved with NASCAR and country fans love NASCAR. So, it’s a great time for me with all of this happening and my new single and album coming out.