Emily Duff’s brand of rock and country soul tugs the heartstrings and stirs the emotions. Jason Barnard speaks to Emily about the culmination of her journey in new album Born on the Ground.
What are the themes of Born on the Ground?
Born on the Ground is essentially a collection of nine “love” songs that capture 9 different relationship break-ups from my past. Produced by Eric “Roscoe” Ambel (The Del Lords, Yahoos, Joan Jett & the Blackhearts, Bottle Rockets, Steve Earle, Sarah Borges, Nils Lofgren) at Cowboy Technical Services Rig in Greenpoint, Bklyn and mastered by Richard Dodd (Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers), BORN ON THE GROUND is a luxurious, 20/20 hindsight look-back, without anger, for 2020. I wanted to examine emotional wounds through the mature lens of time with the self-confidence, faith and the wisdom of motherhood and marriage. On my own from a very young age, I grew up rudderless, without positive role models for relationships and grew from tragedy, loss and trial and error to understand where true love & happiness lives for me today. Self-worth is something like planting a garden and understanding that what is born in and on the ground will someday, with work and a little bit of luck, be able to nourish and feed others well. Break-ups are not always with lovers. You can break-up with family members and bad habits as well. Breaking up can be hard to do, but sometimes it’s how you save your life.
Where and how did you record?
Born on the Ground was basically recorded live with my band at Cowboy Technical Services Rig in Greenpoint, Bklyn NY. It was Produced by Eric “Roscoe” Ambel & Engineered by Mario Viele. We tracked 8 songs over 2 days and did limited overdubs on the 3rd day. Eric Ambel overdubbed a few guitar parts while we were mixing, which took 3 days to be sure we didn’t suffer ear fatigue. I also must say that the track SOMETHING SEXY was not written for this record and was written after we tracked the 8 songs.
I went to Eric’s house to listen to some mixes, overdub an addition high strung acoustic guitar part on “ Easy Go!” and dig some of the other guitar work Eric had done from his home studio, aka Evie’s Terrace, also in Bklyn. While I was there and I had his old Gibson in my hands I presented the idea of doing this other new tune right there and then with very limited “production.” Eric dug the tune so we just recorded it there and he put some tasteful electric guitar work on it as well as his cool harmony vocal. The cajon and shaker is straight outta the computer like a click track but it sounded cool so we kept it as is. It might be my favorite song on the record and it’s something completely different and I think that makes a record textural and diverse and gives the listener’s ears a “tickle.”
Who is in the Emily Duff Band?
The line-up is Scott Aldrich on Electric Guitar, Skip Ward on bass, Charlie Giordano on accordion and Kenny Soule on drums. That’s the core 4 Superheroes of Sweet & Sour Rock & Roll right there! A regular special guest would be Danny Ray on Saxophone who usually plays with Jesse Malin.
When did you pick up your first guitar? How long have you been making music?
I started playing the guitar when I was 7 years old and it belonged to my mother. It was a Classical nylon string guitar made by Giannini in 1967. The neck was way too wide for my little fingers but it taught me to stretch and work hard. The nylon strings went easy on me so I kept at it. I reckon if the strings were steel I might have quit sooner. My first guitar that was mine, all mine, was a 1976 Ventura Candy Apple Red copy of a Gibson ES 335, the exact electric guitar that Chuck Berry played. I was IN LOVE with Chuck Berry! My father bought it for me for Valentine’s Day to piss my mother off. She didn’t think I needed an electric guitar but they were going through a divorce and he decided that he would stick it up her bum by getting it for me. In retrospect, it was a shitty thing to do, putting me in the middle like that, but I got the guitar I wanted and became an obsessed guitar player and songwriter.
When/why did you start songwriting?
I started songwriting in 3rd grade when I put a singing group together called The 7 WONDERS. Sounds like a Gospel group!!! I wrote songs for us to wander the halls of Fifth Ave. Elementary School singing. Like I said, my parents were getting a divorce and it was pretty ugly in my house so I need to block out the craziness and music saved me. Songwriting was my way of telling the stories thru my eyes and more often than not, changing the endings to be “Happy.” My very first song I wrote was about baseball cards. I collected them cause I loved baseball. My grandmother and i would watch games together and my father took us to Shea Stadium a lot to see the Mets. Baseball was something I loved for a long time.
Do you think your sound and songwriting has changed over the years?
Yes, and it continues to change but I do recognize that there are sonic themes that I carry with me wherever I go. I am heavily rooted in Classic Rock, Blues, Punk, Soul Music, and Classic Country. I love great story telling so that Brill Building meets Literary ethos is always with me. As a classically trained cellist I hear counter melody while I’m writing so my stuff can feel baroque and familiar while still having it’s own thing. A lot of people say that my stuff, although new, sounds like classic tunes they grew up with so it’s already “installed.”
What artists, past and present do you admire?
Wow…..Mavis Staples is my favorite singer of all time. Pops Staples is at the top of my list of guitarists. Odetta, Otis Redding, The Slits, Led Zeppelin, Tanya Tucker, Hello Mary, Talking Heads, Dolly Parton, Marty Stuart, The Mastersons, Aaron Lee Tasjan, Marcia Ball, Carolyn Wonderland……so many to thank!
https://soundcloud.com/em-duff/walk-of-shame
What generally inspires you to write?
I write everyday. EVERYTHING inspires me to write. EVERYTHING. I am an observer, I love words and I am addicted to melody. I hear songs in my head 24/7. As a matter of fact I have to sleep with talk radio on all night long to keep the songs away. In this time, during this pandemic, having the radio on all night does not help you sleep. I’m a song catcher. If i tune in, they’re waiting for me.
What songs that you’ve been involved with are you most proud and why?
I’m seriously proud of all my work. All the tunes, the players, the producers. Each experience takes me to a new level as an artist. Craig Bishop, John Gifford III, working at FAME in Muscle Shoals….writing Hallelujah Hello from a place of Pure Faith……This new record and working with Eric “Roscoe” Ambel is a truly proud moment for me for sure. I’ve always admired him and truth be told, I sat down with him to talk about working together in 1997. Circumstances prevented that from happening at that time but when we finally got into the studio this past August, I brought songs with me that I knew he would appreciate and understand without too much effort. He’s quite gifted and I recommend looking into his catalogue as a guitar player, songwriter, producer, etc. He wears many hats and he wears the all really well. He has a way of working that now has me approaching my work as a writer, arranger and singer from a new place. It’s been a cool path for me to walk and I thank him for it.
As your UK tour was put on hold, what are your plans for the rest of the year?
Honestly, I have no idea. I’m calling this “The Year my Record went Viral.” I am hoping that all of the Facebook and Instagram Live stream or taped concerts I am doing from my little apartment in NYC during this health crisis will allow some new people to see and hear what I do. Same with this interview here, Thank you. I’d like to say that as soon as this blows over I’ll be back on the road and playing for my fans but I have to see how things play out. I have 2 children and they are first on my mind and in my heart. My husband and I are doing everything we can to keep this from being a lasting trauma for them. Their mental and physical well being are where my “plans” lay right now. One day at a time. I will say that I am truly grateful that my fans are buying my music online during this time cause I will recoup my losses from cancelling the UK Tour. What I can say with certainty is this…as soon as I CAN get to the UK….I will. Honestly, it’s THE BEST place to play original music. I have not seen better audiences anywhere! True Love of music and appreciation for songwriting and community thru live music is alive and well in the UK and Thank Goodness! Y’all ROCK!! Bless…..and stay well xx Emily Duff
You too Emily, thank you!
Born on the Ground is available from Bandcamp.
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