Author Nora Jane Struthers

It is always a fun challenge to be the only non-traditional bluegrass band at a Festival.  We had a lot of fun rising up to this challenge at the Gettysburg Bluergass Festival last week!  According to Ted Lehmann, Nora Jane and The Party Line, “was well-received with a particularly lively second set eliciting crowd support and a rousing encore.”  We rocked out on Mountain Child and the crowd totally came along with us for the ride, breaking into applause in the middle of Aaron’s epic fiddle solo at the end.  Wooooo!  Thanks to Rich and all the folks at this great festival for taking a chance on us!

I also made some new friends including this little lady, who loves our song Carnival.  Lily:

Carnival is climbing with a bullet!  Thanks to all the Americana DJ’s for spinning this indie record right along side the big dogs!

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.

Sandwiched in between Kris Kristofferson and Mumford & Sons (which is not a bad place for a gal, or a record, to find herself), Carnival makes a jump to #26 on the Americana Radio Chart.  Thanks to all the DJs out there spinning it!

NPR Music posts a video of our theme song, Party Line, off of our upcoming release Carnival!  This video was filmed in Toronto by our good friends at Folk Alley: Linda Fahey, Jeff Oehler, Susan Bibeau, and Jon Nungesser.  Here’s what they say about the new album: