Out in the Mountains

 

Interview: Elaine Townsend

by Cheri Goldstein

Listening to Elaine Townsend on the
telephone is almost as pleasant as listening
to her album “Heartbreaker Blues." Her
southern drawl isn’t thick enough to ob-
scure her words, just as her instrumentals
do not overpower her voice on the album.

"Heartbreaker Blues" allows
Townsend to present her versatility
through blues, folk/rock, bluegrass, and
even reggae styles. Townsend explains,
“It’s as eclectic as you can get, which has
been uncommon on the albums the major
labels have been releasing. It has been
considered unmarketable to have several
styles on one album, but I think the tide is
just beginning to tm'n towards more vari-
ety.”

Townsend moved from South Caro-
lina to Berkeley, California, in the mid '80s.
“I really wasn’t moving to California as
much as I was moving away from the
South. I was ready for a change, the musi-
cians I wanted to work with were in Califor-
nia, and I needed to leave the South. I was
feeling a lot of oppressive attitudes there.”

Since Townsend has been out west she
has been able to play with her mentor,
Robin Flowers. Townsend has also opened
for k.d. lang, played at

Being a lesbian is certainly a large part
of who Elaine Townsend is. “It is such an
integral part of who I am. I am also in
recovery and that is another big part of who
I am. It is a newer part--I have only been
doing that for four years and I have con-
sciously been alesbian since I was sixteen.”

Townsend has played in many gay/
lesbian establishments as well as many
straight places. “I have always played my
music pretty much any place I could get a
gig. I have tried to keep my hand in folk,
bluegrass, and women’s music circles as
well as the new acoustic circles. It’s impor-
tant for me to get my music to as many
different audiences as Ipossibly can. I want
a wide range of people to feel comfortable
listening to my music.”

Currently Townsend is on a 22-city
tour of the east coast ranging from Port-
land, Maine, to St. Petersburg, Florida.
Also included on the tour will be the South-
ern Women’s Music and Comedy Festival,
Composts, and the Gulfport Women’s
Music Festival.

Townsend will be performing at the
Unitarian Church, Main Street, Montpelier
on May 17 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets will be on
sale at the door on a $5 - $10 sliding scale.

 

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with Dianne Davidson. / @‘“’“°”“  

All of the songs on  Psychotherapist

the album are written by 1 55

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W“ a U re a On‘ = Counseling
ships. I care a lot about -3

world peace and hunger E

and that kind of thing-- '5 ‘ (802)388-0933

but it is relationships

 feathers 66 Main St. (Upstairs) Middlebury. VT 05753

Lesbian therapy beginning in June

Elaine Townsend
on her
“Heartbreaker Blues"
Tour

Unitarian Church
Main St., Montpelier
May 17, 1991
7:30 p.m.
$5 - $10 sliding scale

FAMILY COUNSELING

INDIVIDUAL. COUPLE AND

MAIN STREET - P.0. BOX 63

(802) 348-7225

MICHAEL FERNANDES. M.ED.

WILLIAMSVILLE. VT 05362

Album on Ladyslipper's
Recommended List

"A versatile and dynamic gui-
tarist and an energetic per-
former. Be sure to catch her!”

-- Robin Flowers

18

10% of proceeds to VT Coalition of
Lesbians and Gay Men