Two excellent singer-songwriters are teaming up for what should be an exceptional performance as Lyle Lovett and Lisa Loeb prepare to take the stage at the newly renovated Johnson Hall Opera House at 280 Water St. in Gardiner.

As soon as I saw that Ms Loeb was going to be coming back to Maine, I immediately requested a phoner so I could find out what she’s been up to since we chatted back 26 years ago when she came to the Cumberland County Civic Center with Sarah McLachlan. I did learn that she collaborated to develop and write the children’s musical Camp Kappawanna and followed the release of her newest album with the debut of her new musical, “Together Apart,” which she co-wrote and co-produced with over 100 of her fellow Brown University alums to raise money for The Actors Fund.

There also were stints as an actor, Sirius XM radio host, entrepreneur and philanthropist that she’s had in that time period. But to get caught up with what she’s been doing musically, I received a link to her latest album (which is her 15th … she only had two when we first talked), “A Simple Trick To Happiness,” and listened to it five times before she called me from her home in Los Angeles. I began by observing that this upcoming show is the letter “L” to the 4th power…
A: (Laughter) It sure is, and that’s been said before, too.

Q: Have you worked with Lyle Lovett before?
A: A couple of times, and I just think our audiences have a great crossover between the two of us, I think my fans will really enjoy what he does and hopefully his fans will enjoy what I do, and so forth and so on (chuckle).

Q: Well, you’re coming into a great venue, too; it’s been recently renovated and is, quite frankly, spectacular.
A: It’s the kind of the perfect place, it’s just one of my favorite types of venues and to know that it is special in the community, as well, that’s like the best experience as a performer, and I know as an audience member, to be in that kind of intimate space with great sound, comfortable and able to hear stories and tell stories.

Q: Now will both of you be performing solo?
A: Yes! That gives this format a really good flow because you go out and you aren’t sure what you’re going to end up talking about or playing, actually. It’s very improvisational, it’s very in the moment.

Q: To prepare for this chat I received a link to your latest album — that came out in 2020, didn’t it?
A: It came out right as COVID was starting. I’ve been making a lot of family friendly music. I made music for a kids’ TV show called “If You Give a Mouse a Cookie” where we wrote songs for the characters, it was almost a musical, in a way. But I really wanted to make another grownup record, a record that you’d take with you through the day that has messages and stories, whether it’s from the production and the music and/or the lyrics. So I wrote a bunch of songs that still mean so much to me and I really enjoy performing them because they feel like messages I need to hear all the time. That’s something that’s very satisfying when you’re onstage playing live: songs that can help you out or help you digest emotions or situations.

Q: One quality about this album that I noticed on my very first listening, and I’ve listened to it five times in a row, is that it’s warm, inviting and comforting; well, I guess that’s three things, oh, and empowering, too.
A: (Chuckle) It’s the kind of theme throughout lots of songs: being yourself, knowing that things can be hard but you can get through them. You can appreciate the small things and, at the same time, not letting those small things get in the way. And, again, I think having written so many different family friendly records and also collaborating; those are two things that I’ve been doing over the last 20 years, that has really helped me focus on what I’m saying that how to say it in a way that makes sense; so that if you’re at a show you can understand the lyrics right away. I specifically want songs, not necessarily prayers, although some of the songs are almost like prayers or meditations, but things that you really take with you through the day.

Q: Well, “The Upside” and “Wonder” being two very strong examples of that …
A: (Whispered) Oh, yeah!

Q: And I’ve got to admit that I did enjoy the sense of humor of “I Wanna Go First.”
A: Oh, yes, I’m glad you got that! I think it was my dad that said that that was the darkest song he’s heard and my mom said, “I’m not sure about putting that song on the record” — it’s supposed to have a little bit of a sense of humor to it, ya know?

Q: Yup, I do. And here’s my closing question: Is there anything you’d like to pass on to the folks reading this article?
A: Well, one of the things I find over and over again with people, I often see the person who comes to my concert and the person they bring with them. I think this is going to be one of those concerts where people are going to show up and the people who come with the person who knows what they’re going to see, I think they’re going to really enjoy the show. I know I am —  I’m excited about sitting up onstage and listening to Lyle play and tell his stories. I also think that this is just one of those shows that, even if you don’t know either of our music that well, it’s going to be an engaging, entertaining evening.

 

Lucky Clark, a 2018 “Keeping the Blues Alive” Award winner, has spent more than 50 years writing about good music and the people who make it. He can be reached at luckyc@myfairpoint.net if you have any questions, comments or suggestions.

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