Jul 30, 2019
First and foremost, Ani DiFranco is the kindest, funniest, and loving person you could ever meet. She brings that love into every song, or out on to any stage. She's also the same person onstage, or off— whether playing with her kids, or eating breakfast with yours.
Professionally, Ani has released 20 albums, played countless
sold-tours, and sold a staggering 5.5 million albums on her own
Righteous Babe Records— creating full independence on her terms
through her 30+ year career. But contrary to the legends and myths
that surround her, she hasn't done it entirely on her
own.
Her brand new, New York Times Best-selling memoir "No Walls and the
Recurring Dream" documents her life up until the age of 30. It's an
epic collection of vignettes from the folksinger's life from
leaving home, to sleeping in bus stations as an emancipated minor,
to building her empire brick by brick— and all the allies, fans,
and musicians who helped along the way.
There aren't any long-form interviews Ani sat down for around the
book, or the accompanying "No Walls Mixtape" she recorded this
year. This podcast interview is our chance! Beyond fans of
our Ani's music though, there is so much in this conversation that
will be inspiring and helpful for parents juggling careers, artists
making a living out of art, anyone obsessed with the creative
process, and aspiring entrepreneurs.
We laugh, we cry a bit, and we poke around This Epic Life of Ani
DiFranco.
In this conversation we cover:
- How Ani wrote her best-selling book for nearly 2 years straight— at her kitchen table every morning with her family in full swing.
- A crazy adventure at Paisley Park Studios, recording and jamming with Prince.
- A lesson learned from folk legend Pete Seeger, that brought us both to tears.
- The sense of purpose that comes from heading back out on the road to share her truth and connect with fans.
- The elements of her signature guitar playing, and the deep connection to "the circular groove."
- The reinvention and constant evolution of a song like "Joyful Girl", and how her incredible band (Todd Sickafoose and Terence Higgins) support that evolution.
- How to find HOPE in the back of an Uber— even when you end up at the wrong airport!
- The writing of No Walls and the Recurring Dream, and the making of the No Walls mixtape.
- And so much more!