Let your weekend live on a little longer with a fantastic line-up this Monday night at 12th and Porter with this month’s installment of the Women Who Rock series. This time 3 is indeed the magic number because on the 3rd day of the 3rd month of the year you can treat yourself to the soulful sounds of 3 of Nashville’s finest female voices — Mercy Bell along with Elizabeth Eckert and Heidi Burson rounding out the bill.
Again this go around Anna Haas, (curator extraordinaire of WWR) has helped us out with conducting some interviews on our behalf! Get to know Heidi, Elizabeth, and Mercy a little better with us over the next few days and grab your tickets now for Monday night’s show!
No Country: Who are some of your greatest musical influences?
Elizabeth Eckert: I should start with my grandmother who was a violinist and pianist (and I can’t leave out my parents who are pianists too). Some other favorites are Rachel Yamagata, Stevie Wonder, Ray Charles, Regina Spektor, J.S. Bach, Radiohead, Marc Cohn, Rachmaninov, Herbie Hancock.
NC: Who’se your favorite female artist of all time?
EE: I don’t know about all time but I’m deep into Fiona Apple lately
NC: Any up-and-coming/indie artists that excite you?
EE: Jason Isbell, Luella and the Sun, Brandy Clark
NC: What have you been doing to keep warm this winter?
EE: Hot Yoga! I’m kind of obsessed.
NC: Who’s put on the most fun show you’ve ever been to?
EE: Anything I can dance to. Loved a couple of St. Paul and the Broken Bones shows lately.
NC: What’s the last great book you read?
EE: Anything and everything Pema Chodron.
NC: Do you feel that being a woman in the music industry provides any particular challenge?
EE: Yes. But if i complain about it will I sound like a whiny b#^&* ?!
NC: What are you working on/promoting at the moment? Any new projects in the works?
EE: Just finished pouring my heart and soul into a new EP called Like a Piano produced by the renowned Paul Worley and stellar Carolyn Dawn Johnson
NC: Ok, SCREW, MARRY, KILL- The Golden Girls (Dorothy, Blanche, Rose, Sophia)
EE: Sophia. Sophia. Sophia.
NC: Is there any particular cause or charity that you stand behind?
EE: Thistle Farms in Nashville. A percentage of the proceeds from my PledgeMusic project will go to them. Thistle Farms is a social enterprise of women who have survived lives of prostitution, trafficking, addiction, and life on the streets. By hand the women create natural body care products. Magdalene is the 2-year residential community. We believe love is stronger than all the forces that drive women to the streets.
NC: What one piece of advice would you give to new and aspiring artists?
EE: Can you do anything else? If so, do that. If not, make the art you’re put on earth to make.
Be sure to check out Elizabeth at Monday’s Women Who Rock Showcase at 12th & Porter and check back for interviews with the other ladies on the bill, Heidi Benson and headliner, Mercy Bell! Tickets to Monday’s show are just $10 if you grab ’em in advance here and the show gets going around 8pm!
