“I’ve been to Memphis many times over the last few years to perform in coffee bars and at the International Folk Alliance Showcase. However, I can say with authority that I did not really know Memphis until I came to do the Ardent Sessions recording in August 2008. I had been homeless and living in my car for over a year and a half at that point, touring the country, and playing music. I was just coming off a long and very manic-depressive tour with a bluegrass band and I was heading to Minnesota to see my family and take a break before a crazy fall schedule. I was completely exhausted.
There was an energy all around in the studio that night. It was obvious that Ardent Studios is a special place where special things happen. The records on the walls and the stories people tell you when you’re there back it up big time. It was a safe place to be in a summer of storms and Rachel was the perfect host. I felt like people really wanted to listen to me play my songs there and that felt good. The entire vibe transcended any negative weight I carried into the studio with me. The music flowed through me and I felt free.
Brad Bailey, Nick Pagliari and Blair Combest played before me and blew me away. The room was filled with an eager audience. It was silent during the songs and intimate the whole time. The lights were dim and candles were lit. I played mostly long, sad songs. It was amazing to be able to play on the Steinway, it’s not an opportunity that I get very often.
Ardent was a bright spot in a dark time for me. I can see it in my eyes in the video. I look like someone who needs a week of sleep and maybe a heart transplant because that’s who I was that day.
Currently I am still touring and making a new album in Atlanta. Hope to see you on the road…”
—John Elliott
The Ardent Sessions Presents: John Elliott | The Vinyl District Podcast [68.5Mgs]
Enter to win John Elliott’s LP “Too Many Ghosts” by simply leaving a comment, your name, and a contact email address in the comments to this post. We’ll choose one winner each Friday for that week’s giveaway which ALSO includes the entire Ardent Music catalog. (That’s just 2 artists at this point, but hey, who’s counting?)
To hear more great Ardent Sessions please visit Ardent Presents.
