Quick Q and A with Jennie McAvoy
 by Kathy S-B  ·  17 February 2007

Jennie McAvoy is opening for Alasdair Fraser and Natalie Haas.

Why do you make music?

I play and perform because it’s fun and challenging. I like connecting with people. Sometimes when I’m playing at home alone on the couch, I’ll get into a place where I feel great gratification, but it’s nothing like it feels when I’m communicating and connecting with the people at a show through the songs. That’s what makes the music fun and alive for me.

Who are your influences?

Mary Black, Kate Rusby, Naimh Parsons, and Jacqui McShee. Then there are all the American singers that I’ve loved for ages: Bonnie Raitt, Emmy Lou Harris, Dolly Parton, James Taylor, and so many more that I can’t name them. I’ve also been into old time music, bluegrass, traditional Celtic and English. . . Do you have an hour? I’ll go on and on!

How long have you been playing and singing?

I’ve been doing this since I was a teenager. I was lucky because my brother owns a really nice venue in New York, The Turning Point, so I fell into opportunities to perform. For example, in the early days when Christine Lavin played there, she always let me do a few songs during her breaks. I was involved on a local level during and after college, but during the 90s, when I first started teaching full-time and had kids, my guitar sat in the closet getting cracks, and the only singing I did was to the Tom Chapin tapes my kids listened to in the car.

When did you come back to music?

After I moved to western Massachusetts in 1999 and started teaching part-time, I started playing music again. I studied voice for a few years, but when my voice teacher moved on, I decided to focus on improving my guitar playing. That’s when Brooks Williams became my teacher. Brooks has helped me take my guitar playing and performing to a new level. He also was instrumental in helping me make my CD.

Tell me about your CD.

I made it during the summer of 2005. It’s called “So Long on the Flood,” which is a line from one of my favorite songs, “Anachie Gordon.” The CD was a long time in coming, just like the character in the song. I call it a collection of Celtic, English, and American songs of love won and lost. It’s hard to describe in one sentence the music I do because I like so many different kinds of music, but this sums it up. Anyway, Brooks plays on the CD, and he produced it. There’s also a wonderful cellist, Phil Helzer, who plays on a couple of tracks.

Are you working on a new CD?

Not yet, (I still owe money on the old one. . . so buy a few!), but since “So Long on the Flood,” I’ve learned so many new songs and my guitar playing has gotten more interesting. Also, I got my beautiful Brad Nickerson guitar, which makes everything sound better! This coming summer, I’m going to study Scottish folklore, history, and music in Scotland, where I’ll be taking classes with experts in these fields, such as Margaret Bennett. I’ll also have access to the School of Scottish Studies Archives, so I hope I’ll come home with lots of new material and ideas.

How do you choose material, and what draws you to a particular song?

It’s funny; I’ve found a niche in ballad singing. I like a song with a beautiful melody, that’s the first thing that will grab me, and a good story. Songs of ne’er-do-wells, infidelity, and death are my favorites!! But in real life, I’m a bit of a goofball, so I don’t think people leave my shows totally depressed! Besides in this case, Alasdair and Natalie’s music will get everyone hopping and happy. Oooooooh, I can’t wait for this show!!