LEO: About your record …
AF: It’s definitely a good step forward for me. Mike DuFresne (ex-People Noise, currently with Zongo) recorded the album. We both spent a long time experimenting, but this is only his fifth project. He was in a new space at the time. This project has got a real organic, fresh feel to it. It’s almost kind of odd, really, which is cool with me, because I’m an odd person. If something bigger comes from it, I can always sit back and make changes here and there. I’m happy to share these songs with people.
LEO: You moved here seven months ago. How come?
Alanna Fugate: I just needed a change of pace with my life, and out of all the cities in Kentucky, Louisville seemed to be the most promising for live music. I just wanted to play a lot of different places.
LEO: What is Ewing, Va., like?
AF: Ewing is an extremely small town outside of Cumberland Gap, Tennessee. It’s itty bitty, Cumberland Gap National Park was pretty much my backyard.
LEO: When did you start playing music?
AF: About 10 years ago. I was 13 when I started playing guitar. I started writing before that, and that’s one of the reasons I picked up the guitar, because I wanted an outlet. As a performer, I’m more of a songwriter than I am a musician. I did a lot of clawhammer, banjo-style stuff, and finger picking, I’ve picked that up along the way.
LEO: Clawhammer makes me think there’s a bluegrass influence there somewhere. Did you listen to much bluegrass?
AF: Not really, no. I listen to a lot of banjo players, and I’ve really been into banjo and bass players with funk music and soul music. I’ve found some kind of familiarity with that. It influences me a lot.
LEO: Other than the humidity, what have you noticed about Louisville since you’ve moved here?
AF: I’ve noticed that there is a good sense of community with the musicians. A lot of them took me under their wing when I moved here, people like Ben Sollee, Andrea Davidson, Teneia Sanders. With Ben, even with the level that he’s at, we’re still great friends. We talk all the time, and he’s there to help me out. There’s not any competitiveness that I’ve found so far with the musicians. There’s music seven nights a week in this town, and there’s always someone who wants to go out and listen. I think it’s great that this town supports local music the way it does.
LEO: What do you when you’re not playing music?
AF: I work part-time at a restaurant here. Besides that, I’m behind my computer, trying to book shows. I go to “the office” during my spare time.
Alanna Fugate plays BBC in St. Matthews (3929 Shelbyville Road, 899-7070, www.bbcbrew.com) Friday with Eddy Green. Doors are at 10 p.m.
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