Carlile's story led from backwoods to stardom

By LINDA EAST BRADY
Standard-Examiner staff
lbrady@standard.net
YOU TUBE VIDEO LINK: “The Story” by Brandi Carlile

Despite her sophisticated voice, Brandi Carlile is no big-city chanteuse. She is a backwoods original.

She grew up listening to Patsy Cline -- still her favorite female vocalist -- and playing country music with friends and family in tiny Ravensdale, Wash.

Carlile is now one of American music's most celebrated belters. At the tender age of 26, she has already had two groundbreaking major releases, the latter one produced by musical mentor T-Bone Burnett.

You may have heard Carlile's title song from her latest Sony album, "The Story," featured in an ad during the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Not sure she wanted to get involved in advertising, Carlile agreed once GM said it would be using the ad to promote its hybrids and electrics. Resulting band profits were donated to several organizations exploring alternative energy.

"The climate crisis means we all need to work together to make a difference -- and American jobs are important as well," said Carlile, who checked in during a tour stop in Alexandria, Va.

Carlile brings her two-man band, featuring twin brothers Tim and Phil Haseroth, to The State Room in Salt Lake City on Saturday.

The twins

Carlile first performed on the radio at age 8, when her mother took her to a local country radio show. Later, after picking up guitar and a big dose of inspiration from Elton John's classic "Tumbleweed Connection," Carlile hit the Seattle bar circuit, playing wherever and with whomever she could manage. It was there she met her band, which she refers to affectionately as "the twins."

"They were playing in a band called the Fighting Machinists at the time," Carlile said. "Then I started playing with Tim, writing together and singing for a while, and getting sort of a sound."

When the Fighting Machinists quit fighting the good fight and broke up, Carlile brought brother Phil into the band as well.

"Then we started coming up with this unique thing, where Tim and I were playing acoustic guitars and Phil was playing bass -- although he was playing guitar in his previous band. We developed a very special thing. I really feel privileged to be brought into their special twin kingdom -- feel like a third twin. I really love them."

T-Boned

The trio had a chance to record with a producer whom many bigger stars only can dream of helming their album -- T-Bone Burnett.

Though a fine musician in his own right -- besides working solo, he backed Dylan on his legendary Rolling Thunder Review tour early in Burnett's career -- he has made his greatest mark in music by crafting precise period soundtracks such as "O Brother, Where Art Thou?" and " A Mighty Wind," and as a record producer.

He helped on The Wallflowers' "Bringing Down the Horse," the Counting Crows' "August and Everything After," and Gillian Welch's "Revival."

"I've always loved (Burnett)," she said, "We just happened to be in the same city at the same time, and I was fortunate enough to have a drink with him. We started talking about country music and recording live, and we just hit it off and decided to make a record together. I never thought that would happen in my life! It just worked out."

Although the albums and soundtracks Burnett has headed up are all different, Carlile said, there is a similar sonic texture that she admires.

"He brought to us a presence, and wisdom, and the peace of mind, of knowing that playing your songs well is enough -- you don't have to be perfect, or put it into a grid, or tune your vocals. You are good enough just as you are. The peace of mind of knowing that was freeing. Now we will always record live, we will always come across in our recordings as we truly are."

Intimate tour

Carlile has played Utah several times, including opening for the Indigo Girls at Red Butte Garden.

"The point of this tour is to go into these towns that we love, and play in these little tiny venues ... and do it acoustic -- no drummer right now. The whole point is to kind of present our new material to an intimate new audience and see how it does."


PREVIEW

l WHO: Brandi Carlile

l WHEN: 8 p.m. Saturday

l WHERE: The State Room, a 21-and-over venue, 638 S. State St., Salt Lake City

l TICKETS: $25, available in advance from www.thestateroomslc.com

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