Band Profile: The Tender Fruit
The Tender Fruit is Christy Smith of Durham with Staci Sawyer performing on drums. Their songs are mellow and stirring. Christy has lent her sweet voice to such notable North Carolina musicians as Bon Iver and Nola. I asked them a few questions including their influences and favorite local bands, read on for their answers below. You can hear a few of their songs as well as see their upcoming show schedule on their myspace page here.
Tell us more about your sound & influences:
I guess our sound is evolving. I tend to favor loose, organic instrumental arrangements and lush melodies/harmonies. I like crude/simple drums, shakers, guitar lines and see them as these sort of rootsy/gnarled little legs that hold up the billowy vocals. And so this is the direction in which I’m attempting to push us…to the point that we can make this all work very smoothly – pull it off with ease and panache. I also want the songs to stick to you though. Stick to your ribs. Catch in your ears. And there’s a very delicate balance to all that, I guess. As for influences, Staci and I both have been strongly influenced by gospel/church music. We agree that it’s so deeply ingrained in us, we probably can’t even remember a time when we weren’t surrounded by the How Great Thou Arts. And so that’s always there under my skin. Under Staci’s too. And that’s a common ground for us as singers and artists, a way in which we instantly connected, even though I gave up “the church” over a decade ago. Beyond that, I’m very influenced by old bluegrass/country as well as 90s era indie rock (Liz Phair, Violent Femmes, Pixies) and more recent stuff like Stephen Malkmus (I dig the way he uses a guitar line with such irreverence and playfulness and, yet, is able to totally kick your ass with it). Mostly though – I’m influenced by literature and poetry (I spent a long time reading and thinking about it…MA in Literature). I’ll get a really good metaphor in my head and, sometimes, a whole song will spill out from there.
Who are your favorite local bands?
I love local music. One of the biggest joys and surprises for me, when I started timidly playing coffee shops in 2003 or so, was that, after awhile, I started meeting other people who were compelled to make music – sort of against all better judgment. Like these crazed addicts…we were out in the streets and clubs and venues. In the cold or playing to a loud, drunken crowd. Making no money. But so happy. And it’s cool when you discover: A. that you are this thing you never knew you were and B. that there is a clan to which you sort of…belong. So there’s this strange camaraderie and competition going on out there all at once. And as for the local bands I’m digging: Bombadil, Midtown Dickens, Megafaun, Birds & Arrows, Pink Flag. They will all floor you in a live performance.
What other music is in constant rotation?
Jeez. I’m really weird, I think, because I don’t actually listen to music that much. In my car, I mean. Or at home. I like the sounds of my car wheels on the highway or someone cutting their grass…haha. It lets me think. I can hear myself and that’s when I usually get ideas for songs. I go to live shows and that’s where I like to hear music. For some reason, listening to recordings of music makes me really sad or lonely sometimes. But seeing musicians performing always makes me feel elated and connected.
What is happening around North Carolina that excites you?
I’m happy about the recent political shift in our state — we’re BLUE now! I’m also happy that, like many other Americans, we’re beginning to understand the need for and importance of alternative energy sources and sustainable living practices. The Piedmont Farm Tour is in its 14th year and helps promote the local/slow-food movement by educating people about meat and vegetable producers in their own area. CSAs are becoming common as are Farmers’ Markets…so there’s really no reason that we can’t all support our local food producers.
What current projects are you working on?
Staci and I have been doing some work in-studio recently. We’re hoping to have a full-length album soon. It’s tough though, because we’re raising the money as we go through shows..etc. But we’re getting some good bookings lately and having lots of fun in the process. Last night we played a Johnny Cash tribute show at Pinhook in Durham. I was Johnny and Staci was June. She wore the most phenomenal pink/lacy/flowery June Carter Cash dress you’ve EVER seen! haha. And I’ll tell ya, ladies, if you want to give guys an easy segue way through which to hit on you — just go out to your local bar in a 70s country-singer dress. She was battin’ em off with a stick! ;]
Comments
you can find the album down load here: https://drop.io/thetenderfruit/login
it’s only eight bucks (pay thru amazon).
thanks y’all!
how can I purchase a cd by you lovely artists?? thanks bobby