I want you to get to know Elizabeth a bit - she is an incredible activist, artist and human being!
1) Why are you a singer-songwriter?
It feels somehow necessary. I've explored many modes of creative expression over the years, including theater and comedy (writing & performing), and enjoyed them both immensely, but there is something about music that nourishes me more deeply, and in a more sustainable way. I must admit that songwriting for me is a fairly labor-intensive process, due in part I think, to my lack of formal musical training, but I enjoy the puzzle-like quality of trying to find just the right words and melody to capture whatever message and essence I'm striving for.
2) What are your major musical/creative influences?
I am going to be wholly unoriginal here and say that I am flat out in love--madly, crazily so--with Bruce. I also have much love for Neil Young, Tom Petty, Chrissie Hynde, Gillian Welch (and David Rawlings of course), and the wildly brilliant Chris Whitley.
3) What social causes move you?
Far too many to count, but at the forefront of them would be anything involving child welfare. Seeing children suffer from hunger, neglect, or any kind of abuse just kills me.
4) Tell me about a few of your favorite songs you've written.
A lot of my songs explore what you might call the 'darker' aspects of the human experience and in truth, it feels good to have a safe and constructive place to do that; that said, my two favorite songs (You Are Mine & A New Dream) are about the sweetest thing in my life, my 4 year old son Benjamin. The former is not a complex song; sparse, direct lyrics and simple chords, but somehow it just hits the spot when I sing it; the latter is a tad more musically interesting and is lyrically a bit more obscure but still has that same satisfying quality.
5) If you weren't a singer-songwriter, what would you be?
Well, during the daylight hours, I am fortunate to have work I greatly enjoy, creating social-emotional and job readiness curricula--primarily for underserved young adults. You can check out one of my programs at: thinkbuildlivesuccess.com