“The soundtrack of my childhood, besides my dad’s banjo, vintage Martin guitar, and beautiful baritone voice, was a compilation of whole albums—The Grateful Dead, The Beatles, The Byrds, The Beach Boys, Bing Crosby—spinning on our family turntable.”
“Before laying the needle down, I would sit on the carpet in the family room diligently cleaning each record with a magical solution in a tiny red spray bottle and a beautiful wooden-handled velvet brush. The solution made the black vinyl glisten like old oil.
I didn’t have a record player in college. In fact, I just got one a few years ago. I set it up in my kitchen and when I come home from tour. My happiest evenings are spent cooking for friends with my own pots and pans and listening to record after record—Doc Watson, Charlie Pride, Merle Haggard, The Travelin’ Willburys, Dolly Parton, Paul Simon.
Yesterday, I picked up the test pressing of my new album, Carnival, which is being pressed on coke-bottle clear vinyl. It is a double LP with carousel figures etched into the silent D side.
It looks so hip I can hardly believe it is mine. I wanted this record to be available on vinyl because it is a concept album. I love the idea that a few folks will listen to it as an album and experience the overarching narrative. I hope some of them listen to it in the kitchen, while cooking for friends.”
—Nora Jane Struthers
Nora Jane Struthers & The Party Line released their new LP Carnival yesterday, 4/16, and play the Takoma Park Community Center in Takoma Park, Maryland TONIGHT, 4/17!
