Simply Six: Anna Dagmar

1. For many artists, they cite a defining moment for themselves when they knew they wanted to be a singer. For many it was the appearance of Elvis on the Ed Sullivan show, to another generation it was the Beatles’ appearance on Sullivan half a decade later. Is there such a defining moment for you?

Yes, the moment I really felt the drive to become an artist was listening to Keith Jarrett on headphones in my living room when I was about 14 years old. It wasn't about the fame or recognition or even the big audiences. It was the way he found a new sound on the piano and made it seem like a choir of tiny voices. It touched me so deeply and I knew I wanted to make it my life's work to find my own sound. Little did I know at that time it would be in songwriting, not just playing. And Keith proved to be one of many influences that helped me set my vision and keep going even when figuring out the career side of music was tough!

2. When you’re not creating music what are you listening to? Who are some of your favorites?

I am listening to music all of the time. Right now what I find most relaxing is Simone Dinnerstein's recording of Bach's Goldberg Variations. I can either sit and listen intensely, or I can have it on while I'm doing other things around the house. Either way there is a richness to the music and a clarity to the way she plays that really grounds me. And for upbeat stuff, I actually just made a driving mix (on CD although imagine if it could have been cassette tape!). That features some of my desert-island-picks like Larry Graham, Herbie Hancock, Solas, Jobim, Bonnie Raitt, and Billy Joel.

3. What would you say is your greatest moment so far as an artist, either on record or live?

Well it's hard to pick one moment, but I must say this past weekend playing as a New Folk Finalist at Kerrville Folk Festival was truly amazing! The audience was about 600 people, outdoors in the Texas sun. Even though there were so many of them, it felt as intimate as a house concert to me because of the warmth and kindness of the crowd. People travel from all over to attend the festival and are especially excited to discover emerging artists on New Folk. I must say I give my best performances when embraced by such a great audience, and I had the opportunity to play two songs from Satellite - "We Were Children" and "Down the Road." Unforgettable experience.

4. Do you believe music can change the world or is just something to listen to? How much can music influence current events?

I do believe music can change the world. It mobilizes people. Look at the Civil Rights Movement and songs like We Shall Overcome. Look at National Anthems and Gospel Songs and songs against bullying. Music resonates with people like nothing else, and it is also easier to remember words and their meaning when there is a melody to go along. I hope that a song like "We Were Children" could bring awareness about the unfairness of children being forced to fight in wars. When I write songs like that, I try to balance what is specific with what is universal. I would be honored if a song of mine were ever used for a charitable effort towards peace and think a big step to finding it is actually trying to understand peoples' hardships, not just saying feel-good things about peace. In that song I try to put myself in the shoes of a young boy escaping a war-torn country. It was hard to imagine but for me that is the best way to get outside of my own experience to create an artistic statement.

5. How has technology affected the music industry? How has technology affected your career as a musician?

I find technology very useful in terms of reaching my audience. I use all kinds of online tools to do that. I do wish when music was converted to digital they had found a better way to preserve monetization. But it is too late to go back and do that another way it seems. I do still make money selling CD's and downloads and find that my true fans want to support me professionally, so they pay for the music. Overall I would say new technologies are a plus for independent artists, although it has also made the sea of musicians trying to "make it" a lot bigger!

6. Now for my Barbara Walters question: If you were a pair of shoes what type of shoes would you be?

Ha! That's a great question :) I know I wouldn't be high heels. I try to avoid those whenever I can. Hm. I think I'd be snow shoes! They are hilariously fun and quite useful! And they can cross all kinds of tough terrain! Plus they make you look like a big snow shoe bunny! I love that! 

Simply Six: Don Sprik

1. For many artists, they cite a defining moment for themselves when they knew they wanted to be a singer.  For many it was the appearance of Elvis on the Ed Sullivan show, to another generation it was the Beatles’ appearance on Sullivan half a decade later.  Is there such a defining moment for you?  Singing was always a part of my life.  My dad was in a gospel quartet.  I had 5 older sisters who always encouraged me to sing around their friends as a child.  Fast forward to seeing Bob Seger several times while I was in my late teens further planted the dream.

2. When you’re not creating music what are you listening to?  Who are some of your favorites?  Joe Cocker is one of my favorites.  I love his interpretations.  Greg Allman, Bonnie Raitt... basically I love blues based singers that are capable of letting me close my eyes and feel their emotion.

3. What would you say is your greatest moment so far as an artist, either on record or live?  Definitely this new CD.  I have been able to be closer to the center of every song.  This project is the closest that I have come to matching what's in my mind to what comes out of the speakers.  Though it was a long process, we had a great cast of players and once again, like on the previous two CD's, I enjoyed co-producing with Al Hurschman.

4.  Do you believe music can change the world or is just something to listen to?   How much can music influence current events?  To me, music is entertainment -- a vacation for the mind, if you will.  Whether music influences trends or trends influence music, the thing that remains is change.

5. How has technology affected the music industry?  How has technology affected your career as a musician?  It's made it hard for me to keep up :)  Seriously, for me, it hasn't changed things a lot.  I love the song creation process, every aspect of it -- from a blank piece of paper and a concept, to putting the right players in a room and capturing a performance.  A great song, with great interpretation, is what I love, and that hasn't changed.

6.  Now for my Barbara Walters question:  If you were a pair of shoes what type of shoes would you be?  Hiking boots!  'Cause I wanna go somewhere...

Simply SIx: Jenn Bostic

1. For many artists, they cite a defining moment for themselves when they knew they wanted to be a singer.  For many it was the appearance of Elvis on the Ed Sullivan show, to another generation it was the Beatles’ appearance on Sullivan half a decade later.  Is there such a defining moment for you?  

Absolutely.  I've had a love for music for as long as I can remember.  Every night after dinner my family would have a sing a long. :)  At ten years old, I lost my dad in a tragic car accident.  He was the one who had taught me everything I knew about music up to that point.  The first time I sat down at the piano again I shut my eyes and I felt his presence there with me again. From that moment on, I knew that I had to pursue a life in music.

2. When you’re not creating music what are you listening to?  Who are some of your favorites?

Bonnie Raitt, Marc Broussard, Sara Bareilles, Jon McLaughlin, Jesse Ruben and so many more!

3. What would you say is your greatest moment so far as an artist, either on record or live?

I opened up for Randy Travis last year in Loveland, Colorado, and I performed "Jealous of the Angels" written for my dad, just me and my keyboard.  I shared my very personal story with the crowd of over 2,000people, played the song and before I could finish playing the outro their applause completely overwhelmed me.  It wasn't just the fact that they were applauding the performance, it was the way I could feel they were touched by the lyrics.  I am so grateful for that moment.

4.  Do you believe music can change the world or is just something to listen to?   How much can music influence current events?

I absolutely think music can change the world.  I know it isn't rocket science or curing cancer, but it gives people hope.  It helps people to keep going.  It wont single handedly change the world, but I absolutely believe it inspires people who can.

5. How has technology affected the music industry?  How has technology affected your career as a musician?

Technology has made music more accessible to people across the globe. As an independent artist, technology has helped me to get my music heard, and in turn touch more lives.  

6.  Now for my Barbara Walters question:  If you were a pair of shoes what type of shoes would you be?

Chucks/Converse.  Comfortable, approachable, colorful and something everyone can enjoy. :)

Simply SIx: Susan Cattaneo

Susan Cattaneo is from New England.


1. For many artists, they cite a defining moment for themselves when they knew they wanted to be a singer.  For many it was the appearance of Elvis on the Ed Sullivan show, to another generation it was the Beatles’ appearance on Sullivan half a decade later.  Is there such a defining moment for you?

The moment that set into motion my desire to be a singer actually didn’t happen at a concert of a star performer but happened closer to home. I am as the youngest of four kids, and the sister that is closest to me in age is a talented singer of musical theater. She is six years older than I am and was my idol growing up. Watching her up on stage and being swept away by her voice was my inspiration and created the driving force behind my desire to be a singer and performer.

2. When you’re not creating music what are you listening to?  Who are some of your favorites?

I love listening to a wide range of performers in lots different genres. Some of my favs include Bruce Springsteen, Bonnie Raitt, Little Big Town, Emmylou Harris, Kim Richey, Peter Gabriel and U2.

3. What would you say is your greatest moment so far as an artist, either on record or live?

When I went in to start recording my latest cd, one of the first songs I worked on was Just Like It Was Texas. The track was a full-blown country ballad with lots of instrumentation, and I went into the studio and sang it in a brash, strong and powerful way - woman as “survivor” of love. As I was driving around with the rough mix in the car, I confess I hated the way the song sounded. It was coming out harsh and strident, and I even thought of dropping it from the album.

Then, one day, I sat down with the lyrics and tried to remember why I had written it. The hook had come from an old boyfriend’s love letter that began with, “Dear Susan, You drove cross my heart just like it was Texas”. Remembering this, I decided to change my entire approach to the song and make it a quiet and simple love song. We pared back a lot of the instrumentation, and I re-sang it in a gentler, more intimate way. As a singer, I am always thinking about singing properly, with as much technical proficiency as I can muster. This time, though, I interpreted the song not for perfection, but for emotional connection. The song came to life for me at that moment, and it transformed the way I sang all the other songs on the album. This moment has changed the way I perform these songs live as well. I feel like it’s opened up a whole new world of connecting to my music and therefore, my audience, and I am so grateful for the experience.

4.  Do you believe music can change the world or is just something to listen to?   How much can music influence current events?

I think the power of music is immeasurable. I most definitely believe it can change the world. I was recently reading a book on the ways that music can be used as pain therapy, and how people’s recovery from an operation can be quicker and less painful if music is part of their recovery program. I think music can motivate and comfort. It can set the mood for any occasion, and I think it can speak for causes in ways that speechmaking and politics can’t. A personal experience: When 9/11 happened. I was nine months pregnant with my daughter, and we had lived in Manhattan for eight years before moving to Boston, so watching those events unfold in our old home town was particularly hard. I had a lot of conflicting emotions - here I was welcoming new life into the world, at a time when so many lives had been lost. I remember hearing Springsteen’s The Rising soon after, and that album beautifully translated my feelings of grief and hope. I listened to it a lot during that year and found that it contained light as well as shadow, which echoed how I was feeling and comforted me at a time when I needed it.

5. How has technology affected the music industry?  How has technology affected your career as a musician?

In my opinion, technology has been a godsend as well as a curse to the music industry. On one hand, technology has given artists the ability to record songs and reach out to the people globally through sites like Facebook and Twitter. Also, technology has given us the ability to make our own quality music at home instead of having to rely on a studio every time.

On the other hand, as a teacher and lyricist, I am seeing a shift to produced tracks that may be finely crafted sonically, but that have minimal lyric content or creativity, and I’m concerned that this is more than just a current trend.

As an artist, I confess I have been reluctant to join the techo- world, but I do find many ways to make it work for me. First of all, I probably should have been a doctor, because my handwriting is atrocious, so once I could write and edit lyrics on the computer, it changed my world. Also, I love the ability to create a song and get it in some recorded form immediately. I also really like being able to write from a drum loop and to manipulate music to expand or contract sections and then be able to play them back immediately.

6.  Now for my Barbara Walters question:  If you were a pair of shoes what type of shoes would you be?

Definitely, a pair of black ostrich Lucchese cowboy boots. I think they’re hip, sexy, classic yet honkytonk…all adjectives that I hope apply to me and my music!

Simply Six: The Dysfunctional Family Jazz Band

1. For many artists, they cite a defining moment for themselves when they knew they wanted to be a singer.  For many it was the appearance of Elvis on the Ed Sullivan show, to another generation it was the Beatles’ appearance on Sullivan half a decade later.  Is there such a defining moment for you?

Patty: I knew I wanted to be a singer when I started singing in nursery school and every one stared at me cause my voice was pretty good and certainly loud for a 4 year old kid.  Music has been my main focus through out my life, and I knew it was what I always wanted to do. It didn’t matter as much to be a performer, as to just have it in every particle of my days. Also, I really wanted to be Annette Funicello on the Mickey Mouse Show, cause I loved her singing!

Melissa: I was on the beach in Mexico and someone taught me how to sing Gracias a La Vida – it made me weep and I wanted to be able to do that, to share that level of emotion.

2. When you’re not creating music what are you listening to?  Who are some of your favorites?

Patty: I am very eclectic, but I love to listen to women singers, and great songwriters. SO, here are a few: from Billy Holiday, to Sharon Jones, Bob Dylan to Alison Krauss, Miles Davis, to Esperanza Spaulding.  Abdulla Ibrahim…..

Melissa: Miriam Makeba, Taj Mahal, Carmen McRae, Rosa Passos, Lee Morgan, Silvio Rodriguez, Bonnie Raitt

3. What would you say is your greatest moment so far as an artist, either on record or live?

Patty: Singing my children to sleep and awake again!

Melissa: I got to sing with Mundell Lowe, and he recorded with Sarah Vaughan and Carmen McRae and played with Billie Holiday – it gave me such a thrill.

4.  Do you believe music can change the world or is just something to listen to?   How much can music influence current events?

 Patty: Music has already changed the world from promoting peace, revolution, work, dancing, solitary reflection, social communion, joy, sadness, and LOVE, LOVE, LOVE.

Melissa: I would say look at Woody Guthrie, the Civil Rights Movement, and South Africa. There is an amazing film called "Amandla! A revolution in four part harmony." It's all about the power of music to affect change.

5. How has technology affected the music industry?  How has technology affected your career as a musician?

 Patty: The industry is in freefall and that is good and bad.  I think that many doors have opened for the everyday musician, and that has brought us more musical diversity than what A&R execs might decide is commercial, but I really miss record stores. I like to browse in real feel. I do love the accessibility of most any music with a few keystrokes of the keyboard. Who could resist this wealth of songs!

Melissa: The sound quality has gone downhill. We need a Vinyl revolution.

6.  Now for my Barbara Walters question:  If you were a pair of shoes what type of shoes would you be?

Patty: My favorite shoes ever were low heeled gold strappy shoes from Sweden (cause Swedish Women have big damn feet like me!), built for sexy comfort and ready to haul an amp, walk on and into adventure, dance on stage!  So, make me them!

Melissa: Flip-Flops - easy to take off. I prefer to be barefoot.