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Atlanta Journal Constitution
Shane Harrison
February 22, 2008
Southern roots give songwriter evocative sound
Her new album: "Lantana," her third release, was recorded in Austin, Texas. "Austin is where I really got my start in this business, and I know so many players from there and go back there a lot anyway," says the Decatur resident. "I co-produced it with my friend Rich Brotherton, who plays guitar for Robert Earl Keen. He produced my last record ["Wellspring"] and we just decided to co-produce this one." Though the album officially releases March 4, copies will be available at her CD release show on Saturday at Eddie's Attic.
What she does:
The Mississippi native's songs are Southern to the core,
displaying remarkable powers of observation and a knack
for turning those observations into haunting poetry.
"Maybe observing rural Mississippi for a long time,
that helps," Herring says when asked about her way with
words. "I stored up a lot of information before I started
putting it down." But the way she sings those words
play a major role, too. There's an inherent sadness
in her voice that conveys pain and regret with a sharpness
that cuts to the bone.
Georgia connection:
Herring moved to metro Atlanta about four years ago,
when her husband got a job with Emory University. She
feels right at home with the music scene here. "I have
never seen anything like the folks at Eddie's Attic
and how they support me ... and tell their audiences
about me," Herring says. "A girl could get use to this.
I'm so spoiled. They have really supported me while
I've been on the back burner and trying to figure things
out while I had a family."
Working mom:
"My daughter goes to pre-school in the morning, and
I usually write from 8:50 to 10:20, which is my son's
morning nap time," she says. "But it's amazing what
you can get done in that hour-and-a-half period if you
put your mind to it. Actually, I've done more writing
in the past seven or eight months than I've done in
years."
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