photo courtesy Lynn Anderson’s Facebook Page
I had the chance to interview another legend when I sat down with Lynn Anderson on the 2nd day of the CMA Fest. Check it out!
Q: You’d have a successful career with multiple #1 hits, several awards, TV appearances, acting roles, and are even an accomplished equestrian rider. What’s next for you?
A: Actually I just finished my Gospel album, my first Gospel project. That will be out shortly, and I’m excited about that!
Q: Martina McBride remade your hit, “Rose Garden” a few years ago. Did you see a spike in attention for your music and did you get a rebirth with that?
A: Well actually yeah, I got to sing when she premiered the show, she did a television show to premier the album, and she asked me to come sing with her, and she asked Ray Price to come sing with her. I was real tickled with that. When I got there for the rehearsal, the band had just started playing “Rose Garden,” so you know me, I walked up to the microphone, started singing, and the band leader, who used to be my band leader came to me afterwards and said “Did you realize that she sings it a key higher than you?” (laughs) And I said, nah it didn’t bother me, no it didn’t! Anyways, that was a fun evening!
Q: What is your opinion of the state of today’s country music?
A: It’s interesting. It’s hard to call it country music, now there are some purists like Alan Jackson and George Strait and some of those guys that really keep it country, but country seems to have evolved into a mixture of country and pop. And a lot of the artists very much sound alike. I think with all of the new equipment, the harmonizers and so on that a lot of the artists are, hmm…a lot of them just sound alike. It’s difficult to tell one from another.
Q: Do you remember the first time you heard yourself on the radio and what was your reaction?
A: (laughs) Yes! I stopped the car, and pulled over; stopped the car and listened to myself (laughs). It was exciting, it was like, “wow, that’s me!” (laughs)
Q: Did you ever pass up recording a song that ended up being a hit for someone else that you could’ve had?
A: Umm, let me see. No, it was the other way around. I would record a song, then somebody else would cover me. When I first started, my very first record was called “Ride, Ride, Ride,” and Brenda Lee came out with it and all the way to top of the world! I recorded that ’cause Richard Carpenter said “oh Karen hates that song.” And then sure enough as soon as mine became #1 country and started going up the pop charts, they came out with their version of it (laughs)!
Q: If you could name one thing that you’re passionate about in life, what would it be?
A: (long pause) Um, loooove (smiles). Love. Just yeah, it’s just what makes the world go ’round. My family, my animals, my horses, my dogs. Love is all you need (laughs) to quote John Lennon.
Q: You have a ranch in New Mexico?
A: Yup! I travel back and forth to New Mexico these days.
Q: What’s the #1 item on your bucket list?
A: On my bucket list…I need to go to Venice, I’ve never been to Venice, I would love to go to Venice. I love artwork, and that just seems to me one of the places I haven’t been that I need to go to!
Q: What advice would you give to aspiring artists?
A: Be true to yourself. Establish your own style and stick to it. Establish who you are, and don’t let anybody dress you up or change the way you are, and stay true to yourself.