Diana DeGarmo – Gemini

By starrymag | October 15, 2019

By: Jamie Steinberg

 

 

Q) How would you describe your sound?

A) I describe my sound as Big Band Country. Imagine Dolly [Parton] and Bette [Midler] had a love child and her name would be “GEMINI.” GEMINI is all of my Southern roots intertwined with my Broadway brassy-ness.

Q) Who are some of your musical influences?

A) My influences are Patsy Cline, Dolly Parton, Tina Turner, Bette Midler, Ray Charles, Elvis, Celine Dion, Johnny Cash, Wynona, Etta James, Ella Fitzgerald, BB King, Glen Miller, Heather Hedley, Bernadette Peters… I could keep going for a week… Needless to say, I love music from many genres, but I have always been intrigued by country, blues, soul, swing, big band and, of course, Broadway.

Q) You’re back after quite a long hiatus with new music. What made now the perfect time to release some new tunes?

A) Life can never be planned, no matter how much we try. I took a break because I wasn’t inspired; I had nothing to say. I needed to grow as a person and come back to what my voice was before I let the critics of the world, myself included, into my heart and brain. All of the events of my past brought me to now, so here we are! A record like this takes a village and my musical family helped me find my sound and what was true to me because I had most definitely lost it. There was no timeline, just creativity,

Q) Who are some guest stars we can hear singing along with you on Gemini?

A) For starters, you can hear my hunky hubby, Ace Young, on our duet “I Do.” You can also hear my dear pals Melinda Doolittle and Laura Matula singing the most wicked background vocals I have ever heard throughout the record. They are insane!

Q) Each song was recorded at the infamous Blackbird Studios in Nashville. What made that location so special to you?

A) Blackbird has always stood out as one of the best studios I have ever recorded at in my twenty plus years.  I wanted my band to have anything and everything they could possibly need to have fun and be creative. Blackbird is always great to work with and they literally have it ALL. Ironically, we recorded GEMINI in the same room and with the same engineer that I recorded my first record in back in 2004. That was not planned at all, but was a beautiful way to create a new memory in that space.

Q) What is your song writing process? Do you need music before you can create lyrics? 

A) Each song has its own way to creation. Sometimes a full idea plays in my head as if I am already hearing it on the radio: parts, lyrics, and all. Other times I may only have a line that jumps into my head that I think I can create a story around or my friend and co-writer Dylan Glatthorn, who is a badass musician and writer, has a groove and it sparks a new idea. There is no plan or formula. Dylan and I like to focus on fun and let the music happen organically. But that doesn’t mean it’s all sunshine and rainbows either! I definitely mull over songs for a while tweaking and fixing words or melodies as I go until I feel like I don’t have to think about it anymore. Once it feels natural then they are ready!

Q) Your husband, Ace Young, helped produce this new album. How much of a say do you have in the production of your music? 

A) Well, they say behind every great man is a great woman! [laughs] Ace knows me better than I know myself. He sees me in a way I sometimes can’t even begin to process and usually knows what I am wanting before I have even had the chance to ask for it. The process of making GEMINI with him has been great, even with the ups and downs or artist/producer and husband/wife relations. I am an emotional creature who knows what they want, but maybe not in the language that translates to mixers, engineers or record pressing folks. Ace’s ear and heart for GEMINI made him the perfect captain for our ship and allowed me to relax knowing that everything would be perfectly weirdly me.

Q) What did it mean to you to see so many fans lend a hand and give some funds to help finish the album?

A) We creative folks can sometimes be the most self-deprecating and self-conscious people alive. We put ourselves in vulnerable positions hoping to make a human connection, bridge a gap, or start a new conversation. Asking for people’s hard-earned money is on a whole other level of humble! The love and funds that were given to my Kickstarted to finish GEMINI will forever be etched into my heart. Knowing that people still wanted to hear my voice lit a fire that I don’t think will go out anytime soon.

Q) What can fans expect from a live Diana DeGarmo performance?

A) A Diana DeGarmo show will give you ALL the FEELS. I will take you on a journey through the back roads and highways of a crazy, country GEMINI diva. Backed by a 13-piece band, we will transport you to era of old school vibes with new school inspiration.

Q) What songs off your album Gemini are you looking forward to performing live?

A) Personally, I love performing all of the songs from GEMINI, but a few that pop into mind right now are “Likety-Split,” “Snake Oil,” “Suitcase Sally” and “TNT.” Ohhhh yeah.

Q) What do you hope listeners take away from listening to your new album as a whole?

A) GEMINI is filled with songs for many different vibes. I hope folks will listen to the album for a full-blown divalicious experience or pick and choose the songs that fit whatever they need for the moment. I want to make you dance, laugh, cry and feel.

Q) We loved seeing you shine on “American Idol.” Who have you kept in touch with from your time on the show?

A) I have many Idol pals all over the world now. Many of us still cross paths either at gigs or even at the grocery store since Nashville has a LOT of us. I lucky enough to see Melinda Doolittle, Matt Rogers, Matt Giraud, Clark Beckham, Candice Glover, Bo Bice, Crystal Bowersox, Brandon Rogers, Constantine Maroulis, Mikalah Gordon and many others pretty regularly. That list just made my heart very happy. [smiles]

Q) Who would you most like to collaborate with on a song in the future?

A) DOLLY! CAN YOU HEAR ME?!? She is definitely at the top of the list. There is also Brandi Carlisle and Lizzo – because, duh!

Q) What album/band are you currently listening to and why do you dig them? 

A) I have many new favs in rotation. The first three on my phone right now are: The War & Treaty – husband & wife duo serving folk soul, GET DOWN music, The Highwomen – country bliss at its finest, Mykal Kilgore – a Broadway buddy who is slaying the R&B/Soul scene.

Q) You are a part of social media. Why is that such an important way for you to connect with your fans?

A) Social media has given us the opportunity to connect directly and I like to keep it as real as I can. We are humans with hearts going through this world together. I have gotten to know many fans even better thanks to social media and that is so fun to me. Now, when I see them at my shows, it’s like seeing your friends.

Q) What would you like to say to everyone who is a fan and supporter of you and your work?

A) Thank you! I promise to keep creating and giving to entertain you. That is what I am on this Earth to do.

 

 

NYC-area fans can catch Diana DeGarmo and her hubby Ace Young LIVE at Birdland on 10/21