SXSW: TIFT MERRITT

Merritt's come a long way to get to 'Another Country'

After being dropped by Lost Highway, the Houston-born singer is on a new label and back with new music written in Paris.

By Brian T. Atkinson
SPECIAL TO THE AMERICAN-STATESMAN
Friday, March 07, 2008

Tift Merritt found inspiration for her new album, "Another Country," by trading familiar for foreign. The Houston-born singer-songwriter — weary after touring behind 2004's Grammy-nominated "Tambourine" and a record deal gone sour — rediscovered her muse in a tiny Parisian flat. Fantasy Records provided a home for the output.

American-Statesman: What are your plans for South by Southwest?

Merritt:I love Austin! I'm going to eat at Lamberts Barbecue. Then I'm doing an arts-and-crafts night at the Parish Room, and I'm doing a little solo special at the (Hotel) San José.

You must be excited to play the new songs from 'Another Country.' What led you to sign with Fantasy?

One of the A&R folks at Fantasy gave me a call, and I felt like we were coming from the same place. Working with Fantasy has all been very natural, very organic. They've been very supportive.

Many artists would argue that it's no longer important to have a record deal.

I think the main thing is that you really have to do what's right for you. Musicians are in a great position to customize their own careers. The heart and soul right now is that musicians can make the things that are important to them a priority. That's the great part about the music industry now.

Yeah, I was dropped. You'd probably have to ask them why. I got a phone call, and sometimes that's that. It's sort of a boring story. I'm not the first person to get dropped.

Was your relationship good with them during those first two albums?

I definitely worked as hard as I could for them.

And you gained Emmylou Harris as a fan. When did you first meet her?

It was my first time in Nashville at a songwriters night — me and Buddy Miller and Steve Earle. I'd just gotten a manager and he threw me into the deep end of this bill. Emmylou was in the crowd — I was so floored. She has such a warmth and kindness. Emmylou's records had been my best friends, and they taught me so much about life and music and finding my way through the dark.

People can be like different countries. They're very far away from each other, and I just think there's a larger metaphor there. For people to be close, there's a lot of distance to cross.

The idea of unity — as it applies to life and art, at least — is important to your new show on Texas Public Radio.

It's an iTunes podcast based in Marfa. I talk to all sorts of different artists about how they live and work — the real nitty-gritty, not the perfectly presented part. It gives me a wonderful excuse to sit down with people and follow my curiosity about how they are the great artists.