Broken Horses
By Brandi Carlile
Even if you were already familiar with Carlile's music long before her network awards show breakthrough, though, this book connects a lot of the winding dots in this remarkable artist's story. Some revelations are not surprising, such as the rapport she shares with her bandmates, the Hanseroth twins. On stage, they always look like they're having too much enviable fun together. As Carlile explains it, they're even wilder together off stage. Most importantly, these three create vocal magic whenever they sing together.
The most surprising information we discover about Carlile is just how insecure she can sometimes be. When she's performing with the twins, she just appears so fully in charge. In private, however, she is not always quite so confident. You'd think matching Carlile with Americana master producer T Bone Burnett, for instance, would have made for a match in heaven.
Although the title song for 2007's "The Story" has become one of Carlile's signature vocal showcases, Burnett caused the singer/songwriter a world of self-doubt while they recorded together. They stayed out of touch for many years after that, although they have since reconciled. It's worth noting, Carlile is a poor grudge holder. She seemingly reconciles with almost everyone in her life, eventually.
Carlile also has a complicated relationship with religion. Despite experiencing an emotionally crippling baptismal event when she was young and having a father with a lot of extreme religious views, Carlile still comes off as a deeply spiritual woman. She's an avid reader of Christian books, it turns out, which may surprise some of her fans.
Forging sincere friendships with two of her famous musical heroes, Elton John, and Joni Mitchell, has also meant a great deal to Carlile. At first, she was starstruck – as we all would be. She soon learned, though, how these great artists in their own right understand Carlile's artistic struggles and self-doubts more than just about anyone else in her circle of friends.
What's best about this book is how obvious it is that Carlile wrote it herself. There are moments where the reader can easily imagine Carlile telling some of these stories between songs in concert. Even when writing, this work is clearly in Carlile's distinct voice.
She's now able to use her platform to make some truly wonderful dreams come true, such as forming and recording as the all-female Highwomen, bringing Dolly Parton on as a surprise guest to the Newport Folk Festival and performing a concert consisting of Joni Mitchell's "Blue" album -- with the great lady in the audience. At one point, when Carlile jokes about 'competing' with Jason Isbell at an Americana Awards, it raises the point that Carlile is like a female version of Isbell (or vice versa). Both are making the best music of their careers, and each are nearly universally respected and beloved. This book captures Carlile's life at a true highpoint.
©Country Standard Time • Jeffrey B. Remz, editor & publisher • countrystandardtime@gmail.com
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