Ruthie Foster Mini-Interview

April 6, 2009 in Interviews

Scott Duncan caught up with Ruthie Foster for a brief chat after her gig at London’s Borderline on January 20th.

So this is your first show in London?

This is my very first show on my own. I travelled over here with Eric Bibb. So this is a real privilege to get a chance to bring my own band and do my own show.

This is a really special day in American history, did you kind of think “I don’t wanna play tonight, I just wanna party”?

Yeah! Yeah! I went through that but I also felt that it was important to play tonight and kind of extend the party across the Pond, to celebrate with people. I’m not at home but knowing that the world is celebrating right now, that made a difference.

You actually got a London audience moving. That’s really unprecedented!

We achieved something then!

Singing and dancing, that’s pretty good for a London audience. They’re too cool in London normally.

OK … it looked quite natural.

So when are you coming back to the UK?

We’re gonna try to come back in the summer, or later in the year. Perhaps with Eric we’re gonna try and do another tour. I like riding his coattails!

So are you still based in Austin?

I am in Austin. I’m on the road so much. I go to Austin to visit my stuff then I come back out again! We’re on the road quite a bit. We’re going to Japan and Australia and all points everywhere.

One of the many highlights tonight was “When It Don’t Come Easy”.

Yeah … it’s a Patty Griffin song. I ran into Patty at a Willie Nelson birthday party in Austin one night. And she said, “Ah Ruthie, yeah, you’ve got this big voice! Sing my song!” So I thought, All right. I sing your songs at home anyway so, OK, I’ll record one!

And then Son House sung a cappella is a very unusual thing to do …

Yeah … yeah … well, you know, what do you say!? I grew up singing a lot of gospel in the church and sometimes we didn’t have a musician so you just sing. That’s the way we sang. I’m very comfortable with that. I’ll do it when I feel comfortable with the audience and the audience tonight was a really good audience.

The band was wonderful, too.

You like my ladies?

Oh yes.

Well, thank you!

Check out more from Ruthie on her official website.