MPR’s Catherine Winter interviews Duluth musician Leslie Ball, who talks about her album “Loring Park” and her development as an artist.

Segment include music clips.

Transcript:

(00:00:00) I'm 40, you know, I think about everything for a long time. I and I would still be thinking about it if friends had not nudged. I mean same with balls same with most. Well, I think most of what all of us do we need each other to propel things forward and I've been really lucky you're known as a live performer and of getting energy off of your audience's, what was it like to be in a studio away? From the audience and laying down these tracks good questions. That's hard. Actually I miss an audience and so I would take myself back to the point where I wrote the songs. I wrote the lyrics to all the songs and music too much of it and and would try to just can stay within the impulse of the song itself and not focus so much on the audience, so Hope that there is an audience someday, but see I don't know who it would be. So. Leslie ball many of your songs on your new CD Loring Park deal with love and the pain that love can sometimes bring how has that inspired your work. I well I'm repeating myself. I am 40 and I've lived a life and that life if you're going to live it will bring some pain and that's part of growing and I guess the upshot of growing is that you learn as you get older how to respond to the pain in better ways and a way that I have used somewhat successfully and continue to use is writing one of the songs in particular on your CD that deals with the topic of love and pain is called that way sure I am I was in New York cleaning out stuff from my apartment there and came across The beginnings of this lyric that I apparently had started when I was in New York. I was studying at NYU and I had started writing this and it didn't fit the assignment and had abandoned it and found this sheet of paper and I actually didn't even remember a lot about writing it except. I knew it was my handwriting and I saw where it eventually led to complete an assignment for school, but I was so taken with Original impulse and I wanted to honor that and be and create something that didn't fit anyone else's assignment but mine and and tell the story of a very old relationship, but that still resonated.

(00:02:54) She was taking one last book. When he saw her for the first time. And he wondered if she looked that way before. that way that quiet way. She was thinking of goodbyes when he bent down to say hello, and she wondered where she'd heard his voice before that way. that quiet she was drinking it all in when he began to speak again and they wondered how much longer they could stay that way. They both pretty that way song from Leslie

(00:03:59) balls new CD called Loring Park listening to your new CD. We can hear evidence of your sense of humor. What would you say is your outlook on life? Someone just in the paper yesterday called me. Goofy. I don't I think. That's a ton of I other people see me as an optimist. I am surprised sometimes when other people describe me that way to me because I despair plenty of the time I have I can't read the newspaper every day because I find that I have to sort of give myself a day to recover from last yesterday's newspaper. Outlook on life boy. All the cliches are racing across one day at a time. I'm a big believer in that one and tells the truth, I guess. I mean, that's a big one as I've gotten older. I'm happier to find out how many more ways I can be real and be authentic to myself and not try to to conform to whatever sort of programming has been put in my head about how I'm supposed to look or think or behave what I'm supposed to want. I think that we're supposed to be as much ourselves as we can be and reveal that to each other instead of walking around like Tupperware with our Lids on tight. Does that search for your true self? Is that what kind of runs you through your artistic career? It is now. I hope I think when I was younger when I was in my 20s, I was in a rock band and I think there were a lot of time. when I would look at other other rock bands and think oh, maybe I should dress like that or maybe I if only I were thinner or if only I were prettier or if only I had that kind of a you know, I mean really ridiculous things but it would affect my measure of myself and thankfully whatever God angels friends have all helped me figure out how to Value. What is my own and and put that out and be real about it. Let's talk about politics for just a sec. Yeah. There's a cut on the CD called rmn and it's a bit different from the rest of the subject matter on the CD. It deals with the death of President Richard Nixon. Yes, tell set that cut up for us a little bit about that song. I was it was a Friday night when Nixon died and I was so struck when I friend gave me the news. I didn't feel as gleeful as I had thought I would feel my whole life. I mean, he was one of the first people that I really worked against in in the political realm and and that I really I feel did so much damage and I thought for so many years that I would be Happy when he died, and I didn't feel that at all. I felt more of this General sadness for a life wasted a life that probably had so much potential and wanted to write something talking about that

(00:07:30) 40 some years ago the

(00:07:33) camera gave him his break. He danced a hot little

(00:07:38) dance while enemies burned at the stake. Day 34 years ago the

(00:07:47) camera left him for

(00:07:49) dead. He smiled a cold little smile, but nobody heard what he said each side must believe that they are right. Let us pray for the sorry old soul who died last night 20 July. Those ago the camera asked what I thought I laughed a hard little laugh and said he deserved what he got 24

(00:08:27) Leslie ball writing the song rmn and singing the song rmn on her new CD Loring Park and we're chatting with Leslie ball as she's about to release her new CD. What is the songwriting process like for? Hi, I've a I'm with every song completely different like that song that one in so many ways it could write itself because I knew I wanted to talk about the McCarthy era and then his debate. I might one of my first memories is the day that he debated Kennedy on television and and then to talk about the impeachment and so that song was really easily easy to Picture just follow through time and then in the bridge sort of say something specific art less than specific that would relate on a lot of levels. Some of these songs were music first where someone handed me music and I added lyrics I find that much more challenging. It's easier for me to come up with a lyric first and then if I can't do anything I like with the music I am so fortunate. At that, I know these wonderful composers who were your musical influences. Oh, well as a singer Sinatra completely when I was little I found some Sinatra in my parents collection before I realized it wasn't hip to like Frank Sinatra. It's becoming hip now. It isn't no but let me tell you that in 1960 whatever as an eight-year-old coming into school saying hey, I really like this I was laughed at but I loved the way he sang. Words for a things absolutely really honors the lyric and I'm a naughty to in ways that he doesn't he isn't interested in showing you all the fancy things you can do with his voice. Here's my chops, aren't I cool he wants to show the song in The Beatles. That would have been Lennon for sure. I mean Lennon was such an influence and the older I get again the more I realized what a what an amazing thinker and and his songs. Headfirst listen are so simple. And then the more you study them man. Just the power and the depth and all the layers involved in his writing really amazing. Let's take a listen to another one of the songs from the new CD Loring Park and this one deals with whether oh 91 wonder One wonders. This is a music first Jeffrey. Welcome gave me. A piece of music and I wanted to write about the time of year in Minnesota. That is my favorite in the fall. The the months of September October November those 91 days are such a range where we're we're given summer at the very beginning with the state fair and then we have just I think the most delicious fall I've experienced Falls all over the country and I really love our aw. here and then usually by the end of November, we've had a blizzard and I think that's great that we have that variety and so 91 wonders is about those 91 days.

(00:12:36) A secret Leslie ball writing about our changeable weather here in

(00:13:02) Minnesota. That track is called. 91 Wonders It appears on her new CD entitled Loring Park now I have to ask you why did you decide to call your CD luring Loring Park. All the songs were written in Loring Park. That is where I live. I love the area. I love the history that I have with with the area a lot of significant things in my life have happened in Loring Park. I love that it is. It's so Minnesotan are specifically it's so many a politan in that at this lovely Park area right next to the urban landscape. I just went on a little sleigh ride the other day in Loring Park with a wagon pulled by horses. It's a lovely place and there's such diversity there and history and I feel really connected to it.