Interview with Dale Ann Bradley | Sound Authors Radio

November 12, 2008

Dr. Kent: Welcome back to Sound Authors. My next guest is on the show is going to be Dale Ann Bradley an incredible songwriter and singer from down in Kentucky. I’m going to play a song of hers until we can get her on the line. This song is from her latest album and the song is called Rita Mae, it’s the title track, the lead track on that album. Hold on one second and let me play that song.

[Music 01:12 – 04:01]

Dr. Kent: That was a gorgeous tune from Dale Ann Bradley. Her latest album is called Catch Tomorrow and that is the lead track on that album called Rita Mae. And now we have Dale Ann Bradley on the line so welcome to the show.

Dale Ann Bradley: Oh hello and thank you for the invitation. I’m thrilled to talk with you.

Dr. Kent: The music is incredible and of course you have fans all across the country from Alison Krause all the way down to me and a bunch of other folks. Your voice is so pure. You grew up in rural Kentucky. Where did that high lonesome come from for you?

Dale Ann Bradley: I did grow up in the southeastern corner of Kentucky where Tennessee and Virginia all connect up there real close together and I listen to of course a lot of mountain music. It being real rural, it was really hard to get music to listen to you and I grew up in a primitive Baptist church and it had no music. They sang a lot like Ralph Stanley and what he grew up with so I think I first heard that sound was there in the church.

Dr. Kent: How important is I guess your faith still to your music?

Dale Ann Bradley: I am on a cell phone and I’m having a little trouble. Can you repeat that for me?

Dr. Kent: How important is your faith to your music? I know bluegrass is always juggling between Saturday night and Sunday morning. How is that for you?

Dale Ann Bradley: That’s a very good question. My faith has brought me through a lot you know. A lot of hard times and the hard times have actually made it grow stronger and develop. To do what’s in my heart to do, what’s in my heart to sing about? I like songs that are soothing and tell a story that can maybe draw or develop an answer to a problem from. I feel like we’re getting beat over the head enough and I like songs that do that, that make people feel something. Hopefully uplift them and bring strength to them. In answering that question, that’s kind of what the music means to me in the spiritually based sense.

Dr. Kent: Also, part of what you do and you’ve got some amazing people playing with you from Allison Brown to Tim O’Brien. What does that feel like going on the road? And Michael Cleveland of course, an incredible fiddle player. What does it feel like going on the road with these people?

Dale Ann Bradley: Oh my goodness. Well of course Tim O’Brien, Allison Brown, Alamosa and Larry Sparks were all guests on the album. I can’t explain what it was like working with Allison Brown. It was incredible and we’re actually getting ready to go back in so I look forward to doing that again. She’s a genius. The things that she adds does not take away from the initial idea and I love that. She wants to keep that initial expression intact and of course with her natural producing abilities, what she brings to it just adds.

Of course I got the privilege of working with Michael Cleveland right when Michael came out of high school he came to work with me. He worked with me close to two years and went to work with Rhonda Benson for awhile. Then he came back to my band and was part of the album of course. Now he’s traveling with his own band and it’s just great.

Allison Krause has always been one of the most gracious people that I have ever met and has always been so supportive in any way she could be and I was so honored that she said those things in the liner notes. Of course Tim O’Brien, he’s one of those naturally gifted people that it just oozes out. So it’s been a thrill and a highlight; something I will never forget working with all those people.

Dr. Kent: Before I run out of time here on the show I want to play another track. It’s been a real pleasure speaking with you Dale Ann Bradley. You’re coming out with a new album soon then?

Dale Ann Bradley: Yes sir. We are going back in hopefully just within the next few weeks so it wont be long. We may have some surprises and hopefully we’ll do something that people like.

Dr. Kent: Here’s another track from Catch Tomorrow by Dale Ann Bradley and this track is called Run Rufus Run.

[Music 09:00 – 12:04]

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