Joyann
Photo: Courtesy of Michael Kniseley (Bread and Circuses)

“All my life I’ve worked so hard for everybody else,” bellows Joyann Parker on the opening track of her new album Hard to Love. As a mother of two and an ex-teacher, the Minneapolis-based singer-songwriter is no stranger to selflessly caring for others. These days, she’s working just as hard for herself.

Parker released her sophomore album Hard to Love on April 13, 2018, to critical acclaim. She has been likened to a “sober Janis Joplin” by the Minneapolis Star Tribune and “The new Queen of Blues” by Rootstime.be. Adding to these impressive remarks is the fact that Parker writes, records and produces all of her own music, capturing the natural and old-school sound of the blues that inspired her to become the single-woman powerhouse that she is today.

Parker’s guitar chops have landed her an endorsement from Heritage Guitars, awarding her a custom-built guitar. While her skills on the six-string are sponsor-worthy, her most defining instrument is her voice. Although Parker was raised in Wisconsin and transplanted to Minneapolis, her powerful, soulful voice draws upon the Memphis blues and southern soul music.

Parker is returning home to Wisconsin to perform some heart-breaking blues tracks off of her latest album. She is performing in Milwaukee at Anodyne Coffee Roasting Co. on May 16, and in Madison at The Brink Lounge on May 17. Wisconsin Gazette recently spoke with Parker about her new album, her discovery of the blues and crossing a performance off of her bucket list.

Wisconsin Gazette: What separates your latest album Hard to Love from your debut album On the Rocks?

Joyann Parker: I was able to have complete artistic direction on Hard to Love. I was able to have complete control over everything this time. We’ve also grown a lot as musicians.

This album was “recorded in an old-school way.” How did you accurately capture that?

 We did it all in the same room — most of it is all of us doing it at the same time. We wanted the energy of the group. We wanted to capture the energy from each other. It was like, “Let’s just play.” There wasn’t a ton of overdubbing. It was really organic — which I really wanted.

Are there any particular themes that Hard to Love explores?

All my songs are relationship related in one sort or the other. There’s even a song about a bad mother-in-law. There’s a lot of heartbreak, but I’m also the one who is pushing people away. That’s pretty much the theme: Relationships are hard. I mostly write about that kind of stuff.

Aside from your involvement in church music early on, what other aspects helped you grow as a musician?

I have just always been a musician. I’ve always been a singer, and I’ve played piano since I was four. My mom was piano player. I went to school for music to be a band director. It was just always something that I did, I just hadn’t had that opportunity to be in a band. I didn’t really know I could write music. I would teach myself to play instruments. So, it was bound to happen eventually. I found what clicks, which is soul music and blues. I grew up in Wisconsin, and we didn’t really listen to anything like that. When I found blues and gospel music, it was the culmination of my journey.

So, how did you find blues and gospel music?

I was singing an Aretha Franklin tune in a contest, and I was asked to be in a blues band. When I joined, that was when I really delved into blues and started going to the jams in the twin cities. I was really digging into the old stuff and became involved. It kind of found me.

It seems like you embrace a lot of DIY ethics: You record the music yourself, you produce and manage yourself. Why do you take this approach?

If you’re at the level I’m at, you have to do it yourself for a while, until someone sees you and you make money. It’s not really a cognitive choice, we’re kind of in the in-between right now. We’re trying to get out there and get known a little.

What was it like to perform at the Dakota Jazz Club and Restaurant and why was it so important to you?

That signified another level for me. That’s really like one of the top clubs in town for somebody like me. It’s mostly national acts coming through there. It was really a bucket list thing. I remember sitting there 10 or 15 years ago watching a show, wishing I could be on that stage. It was pretty moving for me — it signified a step for me that I had really come to a different place in my career.

Is it hard going from a stay-at-home mom to a touring musician?

They get older and it gets a little easier. It’s easier for them for me to be gone now, and as you get (further in your career), you take better gigs. The grind when you first start is harder. You’re taking many gigs and working really late, and it’s actually better for me now. I’m getting better gigs, but they understand, and they’re cool with it. They don’t tell me — they tell other people they’re ok with it. It was hard at first and I was really tired, but I was used to being tired.

You spent a little time as a music teacher. What lead you to give that up?

My kids. I never did get a job as a band director. I taught for one year, and there were no jobs when I started. I took what I could get. I had kids and so I decided to not go back. I did church music for a while because it was flexible. I just stayed home and raised my kids and was a stay-at-home mom for a long time. Teaching is a whole other animal and I had moved past it —although I still love teaching. I still try to incorporate teaching moments into my performances with stories.

How did your endorsement from Michigan-based Heritage guitars come about?

I had a friend who has connections to Kalamazoo, I didn’t even know about them until then. I bought a guitar from them and really loved it. When I started loving it, I showed them what I was doing, and they dug it and asked me if I would be one of their artists. Then they built a custom guitar for me. I fell in love in the product.

Swedish-jazz-musician Gunhild Carling is featured on a track. How did your partnership with her come about?

She was a friend of my bass player, they had worked together. She can play three trumpets at once, she’s an old school jazz musician. She plays bagpipes — she plays everything. She’s pretty talented.

What can people expect to see at Anodyne (Milwaukee) on May 16 and on May 17 at The Brink Lounge (Madison)?

We’re going to do our new record and just have a good time. I’m looking forward to coming back. I have lots of friends and family since I went to school in La Crosse. I’m looking forward to coming home and putting on a good show.

Joyann Parker performs at Anodyne Coffee Roasting Co., 224 W. Bruce St., May 16 at 8 p.m. and at The Brink Lounge, 701 E. Washington Ave., May 17 at 8 p.m.

0
0
0
0
0

Tags

More from this site

Load comments