Jackie Oates Interview: SXSW 2010

Posted on Feb 23rd 2010 4:15PM by Wendy Gould
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English folk music isn't exactly a common thing at the annual SXSW festival, but that doesn't mean it shouldn't be. United Kingdom native and folk singer/songwriter Jackie Oates will make her Austin, Texas debut Friday, March 19th at St. David's Church. The award-winning musician is sure to lure in an international audience ready to melt away in Oates' buttery voice and smooth ballads.

Describe the sound of your music in your own words.

I hope that my music sounds timeless -- that it communicates those human experiences of love, grief, joy, fear that are not only universal but also run through the past, present and future. I also hope that my music helps people connect with their own stories.

When did you decide to start making music?

My family members were always singing and playing music at home and had an extensive vinyl collection of post-folk revival folk music. It seemed very natural that I should start making music. This was without any real plan at first, through school violin and piano lessons, but I realized at about the age of 9 or 10, that I was thinking about music all the time, and making recordings of myself, singing songs. I began to take this seriously once I got to university at the age of 18.

What kind of music inspires you? Any major influences?

I am inspired by music that has space; music that allows the words of a song -- or its melody -- to breathe. I am drawn to lyrics and narratives that hook me in and relate to my own experiences and understanding in some way. I love traditional ballads for this reason. Artists I particularly admire include Tim Erikson and Cordelia's Dad, Anne Briggs and Dick Gaughan.

How do you create your music?

I am not a songwriter in the usual sense. My music is arrangements of traditional works, most of which are English in origin. The challenge of this type of music-making is trying to discover works that haven't been unearthed before and creating an arrangement which brings out the meaning of a well-known song in a new way. I look for traditional songs which engage me in some way, either through hearing them sung at a sing-a-round or session, on a very old recording or in a manuscript or archive. I usually sing the song unaccompanied to myself lots of times until an idea for an arrangement comes to me. Initially this is often in the form of fragments of melodies or a texture beneath the song itself.

What is your biggest vice?

They tell me you need to be ruthless to work in the music business, but I think I might be a bit too nice for all of that.

What's your biggest musical accomplishment thus far?

Winning two BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards in 2009. It was an amazing night and I'm sorry to say I was so overwhelmed that words completely failed me when it came to picking up the second award in one night.

Are there songs that are notable crowd-favorites? Which one(s) and why do you think they're so popular?

Songs that seem to go down especially well are 'Lavender's Blue' from my first album, and 'The Lark in the Morning' from my second album. I think these are particularly popular because they are very well known English songs, which many people had learned at school and perhaps forgotten that they knew. My arrangements are very different from the usual versions and I like to think that they show aspects within the lyrics and melody that people hadn't previously realized were there.

What are you looking forward to most about the festival?

The English folk music showcase at SXSW at St. David's Church on Friday 19th March should be very special. This will be the first time folk music from England has been seen at SXSW, but I think it's right that it should happen now. There has been a terrific revival in English folk music taking place over the last three years that has attracted a whole new generation of exciting young artists and it will be a real privilege to be part of taking this to an international audience.

Wendy Gould is a contributor from Seed.com. Learn how you can contribute here.