Quick Q and A with Brittany Ann Tranbaugh
 by Kathy S-B  ·  17 May 2010

I had the chance to meet Britanny Ann a couple of times at NERFA and Folk Alliance and have kept up with her transition from high school student to college student at Temple University. It’s so much fun to get to know artists as they “emerge” onto the scene — watching their musical horizons expand and their songwriting and performing skills become more and more mature. It’s been that way with Brittany Ann.

Learn more about Brittany Ann on her MySpace page. Here’s a video of Brittany Ann singing her song, “Puzzle Pieces” at the Bitter End in Greenwich Village.

I understand that you are a self-taught guitarist. Really? How does one do that exactly? You pick up the guitar . . . . and. . .?

My dad used to play guitar and sing to me when I was a little kid. Lots of Harry Chapin and John Denver songs. So we had this Yamaha FG-300 and a book of chords he bought in college sitting in the living room downstairs. I was probably 10 or 11 when I first picked it up and started teaching myself how to play. I would figure songs out by getting the chords from books or online, then I started teaching myself songs by ear and writing when I was about 13. I was so hooked! I still am of course :)

Do you recall any of those ‘moments’ at which you knew that music was meant to be part of your life and your destiny?

Oh, I love those moments! I especially get them when I’m making music with others. When I was 16, I went on a church mission trip to the Dominican Republic and brought my guitar with me. I remember singing songs in Spanish with a bunch of kids under a tree in this little village called Zumbon and feeling that way so strongly. Similar moments of genuine connection with those around me have also been pretty regular since I’ve been at college. I’ve found some true musical soulmates here. A North Philly apartment living room filled with my best friends singing “Hallelujah” in harmony . . . total bliss. Being a musician, you go through a lot of creative frustration and doubt. Those beautiful musical moments are constantly happening to remind you that this truly is what you were made for.

Your list of musical influences is diverse and I’m loving how someone so young can cite Joni Mitchell, The Decemberists, The Shins, Bob Dylan, and the Weepies at the same time. When did you first really start “listening” to music and understanding its power?

My parents always had a pretty eclectic taste in music, and my sisters and I loved everything they exposed us to when we were little kids; lots of singer/songwriters with artists like The Four Seasons and the Beach Boys thrown in there too. I was obsessed with the Dixie Chicks in elementary school. But it wasn’t until I began playing guitar that I truly formed my own individual taste in music. I immersed myself in Bob Dylan, Carole King, and Joni Mitchell in middle school. My high school years brought a hunger for authenticity and truth in the music I listened to, and that’s why I think I was drawn so strongly to folk music and some indie rock too. High school is when I really started listening . . . I’d just lay on my bed, close my eyes, and soak in albums like “Blue” by Joni Mitchell and “o” by Damien Rice from beginning to end. I am constantly amazed by how much great music there is in the world, old and new. Lately I’ve been delving into Delta blues and the Anthology of American Folk Music. I’m in this phase where I want to hear who inspired the musicians that have inspired me so much.

You’ve been performing on stage for a while now. Were you at ease the first time or has it taken some time to get adjusted to singing and playing in front of perfect strangers?

I have been singing at family get-togethers and in church as long as I can remember, so when I started playing gigs it wasn’t that hard to get used to. I’m generally quite at ease performing. . . . I try to just think of it as sharing. Some of the bigger deal gigs can get a bit nerve-wracking beforehand, but once I start singing, everything else goes away.

I’ve been impressed at how well you seem to have assimilated into the folk culture and have gravitated toward some of the coolest musicians I know like Anthony da Costa, Joey Mutis, and Pesky J. Nixon. Fate? Good taste? How do you attribute this?

I think it’s just that there are a lot of honestly good people in the folk scene, and I’m fortunate to have been in the right places at the right times to meet them. What is technically “networking” with other musicians hardly ever feels like it. For example, I met Pesky J. Nixon in the lobby at NERFA in ’08 and then proceeded to jam with them all night . . . literally. They are great friends of mine, and it’s always a wonderful time visiting each other to play gigs. I’ve found most folk musicians to be remarkably genuine people who are enthusiastic about helping others out.

What’s the latest on the CD? Do tell. We want to know!

Haha, excellent question! I started working on my debut CD last summer, and then the overwhelming new-ness and busy-ness of college delayed the process a bit. The good news is that it’s almost finished and should be out this summer. I am so very happy with what I have so far. These songs are such a part of my soul, and to see this album, this dream I’ve had for years, finally coming to life . . . . it’s surreal. To be kept posted on a release date, visit www.myspace.com/brittanyannmusic.