We can live in fear or act out of hope.

I don't know if I'm a heroine; I'm just somebody that can cheer the troops by singing to folks, and have receptions after the show, and tithe a dollar of every ticket sale for all kinds of different great charities and social action groups.

I made my first album, and I guess it wasn't a fluke, because now I'm on my 16th.

I've watched my peers get better with age and hoped that would happen with me.

One of the things that I'm glad about, though, is that regular people can relate to me.

I think that we have a unique opportunity as performers and artists to be kind of the town criers and also to get more people to listen, so that's a blessing and a responsibility that I take very seriously.

Jazz and blues fests are everywhere now, and Americana is going strong on college radio. What I'm hearing is an appreciation of real music.