Catching Up With: Heather Woods (EBASS/RLR Writer of the Month)
It’s time to shed another bright light on our EBASS / Red Line Roots artist of the month. Heather Woods doesn’t just write great tunes and create music alongside her husband fellow writer, George Woods, she also does a lot to be a part of this great community of artists in and around Boston.
I caught up with her to talk all things music, collaborations, and see what she has been up to. Check it out…
RLR: For the fine folks who may not be as familiar with your work, how would you sum up your sound in a short phrase?
Heather Woods: Melodic acoustic music that is raw, soulful, and powerfully feminine.
RLR: A big part of what Red Line Roots stands for is collaboration, community and bringing folks together and fostering an environment where artists help each other.
How do you feel about that preservation of unity and family sentiment in the folk music community around your own town or city? How does it play into your own music and where you come from?
HW: Music and community are forever friends. Regardless of whether you have a private teacher, you learn in school, or you learn from the internet, community is what makes it all possible. How else does and artist learn and stay inspired? I have lived in Boston for 10 years now, but I am from Monterey, CA. From a very very very young age I have been obsessed with music. Both of my parents are huge music lovers, which has been one of the greatest influences in my life: growing up riding around in the car listening to a mix of Soul, 60’s rock, 90’s pop and alternative rock, motown, etc. I became obsessed with metaphor and lyrics, and was constantly playing out the scenes of songs in my head, asking my mom to explain metaphors to me. I sang harmony with every note of every song, so after a lifetime of harmony it comes very naturally. As I grew I turned into the Original Band Geek: I played every instrument I could get my hands on, and participated in every jazz, concert band or theater opportunity I could find. This community was pivotal for my growth as a young artist.
Honestly, the real ‘folk’ music scene for me was a big stack of records from the sixties and a used record player that I bought from my friend. So not only was I a bright eyed, lyric and harmony obsessed band geek and theater freak (as they called it in my high school), but listening to sixties folk music sparked my interest in playing guitar and writing songs. My parents agreed to buy me a guitar, and I taught myself by listening to records and printing tabs from the internet. During this time I started spending a lot of time at open mics with my friends, but I was never brave enough to play 🙂 Overall, the community wasn’t large but it was active, and I was blessed to learn from many many teachers and peers along every step of the way.
RLR: If you could collaborate with anyone (dead or alive) musically, who would it be?
HW: Oh wow… Jeff Buckley. He had such an incredible melodic sense, and such a genius at feeling the weight in the shape and sound of words and how they interplay with melody, harmony, and phrasing (if you’re wondering what my obsession is as a songwriter, THAT is it: using it all to say much more than words could ever say). And all while maintaining such a gorgeous balance of sweetness and EDGE. Damn… we would vibe SO HARD together!
RLR: What is 1 record that shaped you when you first started playing and also, who is 1 ‘lesser known’/independent artist or an album that you are listening to now that you think folks really need to hear about?
HW: The Beatles were always huge for me. Any later Beatles album counts in my book: White Album, Let It Be, Rubber Soul… these ones definitely left their mark! As for independent artists, one of my favorite things to do as of late is support kickstarters of my peers (or local artists who I have yet to meet) through buying their album and listening. I have gotten some great music this way. Bent Knee’s ‘Shiny Eyed Babies’ album literally blew my mind with how amazing it is.
Also, I don’t want to be biased… but I married one of the most talented writers I know. Seriously, there are some pretty legit reasons why I married that man. 8 years of knowing George Woods and he still gives me chills with his writing. Go listen to this fellow EBASSer’s song ‘You Are The Sun’ from Heartbeat (at georgewoodsmusic.com) and you will know why. The lyrics cut me to the core every time.
RLR: Aside from music, what else do you make time for in life? Do you have any pastimes? What would you want people to know about you aside from your musical endeavors?
HW: Music is basically my life… I work full time as a board-certified music therapist, managing the expressive therapies program at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. I spend a lot of time scouring research, brainstorming, and thinking about various interventions that will engage music and creativity to support in reducing symptoms and side effects of treatment such as nausea, pain, and anxiety, and building a sense of community and strengthened resilience. My latest obsession is my fascination with the intersection between mindfulness practices and creative practices, and how we can engage creativity as a tool to live healthier lives. So I make music at work, and leave work to make more music at gigs, and make music at home. Outside of all things music, I love to cook a good meal, crack open a good bottle of wine, and spend quality time with my husband 🙂
RLR: What projects are you currently working on or have you recently released? Tell us all about it. Anything else you want to plug?
HW: I recently celebrated a local release of my first EP. We had a blast, and used the opportunity to partner with the community to raise over $400 dollars for the Boston Area Rape Crisis Center. I am piecing together the details for a digital release and New England Tour coming soon, so if you want to stay in the loop you can sign up for my mailing list and get a free download of the first single from my EP, ‘This Love’!
I also play in a band with my husband called Proper Company. We play soul pop with a bit of an edge, and we have been having a blast finishing up a debut EP. We are prepping to compete in Last Band Standing, a competition through the New England Music Awards. We also recently just played the second night of our 6 month residency at Toad in Cambridge. Come on down the second Saturday of the month through January for FREE live music at the late set! We love Toad – it is a blast every time!
