American Songwriter asked me a few questions about my hope, dreams, turn-ons…in truth, it felt a bit like a dating service questionnaire…anyone want to go on a date?
ARTIST: Nora Jane Struthers & The Party Line
SONG: “Carnival”
BIRTHDATE: 11/11 – my lucky number
BIRTHPLACE: Fairfax, VA
AMBITIONS: As a writer, I endeavor to inspire empathy, which is why I write primarily story songs. As a human, I’d like to be more skilled at making things with my own hands, homesteader-style.
TURN-OFFS: judgement, arrogance, overly manicured eyebrows.
TURN-ONS: bravery… and beards.
DREAM GIG: Red Rocks – opening for Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers
TV ADDICTIONS: Winter is coming.
CELEBRITY CRUSH: Maggie Smith and/or Eddie Vedder
MY FAVORITE CONCERT EXPERIENCE: Ani DiFranco at Carnegie Hall
THE BOOK THAT CHANGED MY LIFE: The Scarlett Letter
5 PEOPLE I’D MOST LIKE TO HAVE DINNER WITH: Tom Petty, Michelle Obama, Bob Dylan, Gillian Welch, my 3-year-old niece Ava Jane.
I NEVER LEAVE HOME WITHOUT: tea tree toothpicks and a positive attitude.
WE WROTE THIS SONG: from the perspective of a young girl who longs to see the world beyond her own small-town experience. We all grow up in a small world; some folks stay in it their whole lives, while others break out and see they way other people live. It seems to me, that it’s easier to be empathetic and kinder when you get to know lots of kinds of people.