Wendy Jans Interview
Wendy Jans is an incredibly soulful singer/songwriter living in Nashville TN
Genre: Jazz, Pop, Soul
Date Published - 5/11/2008
Date Edited - unedited
Interview by: Daryl Green
NSM
Let’s talk about your personal life. What do you do for a living, are you married/have children, what do you do when you’re not playing music?
Wendy - I am married/no children. On the side, I do website/graphic design.
NSM
You mention on your website moving to Nashville in 2002 and learning how to write for the country music market. Why did you make this decision?
Wendy - I've been in all kinds of bands... country, rock, top-40, alternative... and the one that seemed to really fit me the best was country. I guess I was under the impression that I needed to fit into an already-established genre, so Nashville seemed to be the place. In addition to that, I've been a huge Amy Grant fan ever since I was a kid and she came out with this song called "Tender Tennessee Christmas" that sorta swept me up in what I came to imagine as the magic of Nashville. I always idealized this town and the south. So, when my rock band in Iowa was winding down, we had performed at this music conference in Kentucky and one of the judges took me aside and told me that I sounded 'more country' than rock... That sort cinched the deal.
NSM
What is the difference in your music now than when you were “going thru the Nashville Rulebook”?
Wendy - When I got to town, I did the whole new songwriter thing... I joined the songwriter's associations, I did every workshop I could get my hands on, I did a bunch of co-writing, I played all the songwriter nights, I stood in line for hours to play my 30 seconds at the Bluebird audition... It was a worthwhile experience and I'm proud that I invested myself in the process.
It's almost a dichotomy tho... Taking this purely creative and personal experience of writing a song, then dissecting and critiquing it until the square peg of the individual's voice fits into the round hole of Nashville's country music. There are some amazing country songwriters like Tony Lane and Rivers Rutherford who have somehow managed to fit the round hole while keeping the squareness that is their own voice. But, I think that in order to really do that, you have to, innately have a foundation of country music in your soul. You have to have people like Hank Williams and George Jones and Tammy Wynette ingrained in you. And, to be honest, I just didn't. I know very little about the roots of country music and most of the time, I felt like an imposter. I certainly think that I have elements of country in my writing/singing, but it is only a fraction of my musical voice - I felt it needed to be the majority of it, in order to be a really exceptional country music songwriter. But you know, it has been sooo freeing to not have to fit myself into that round hole because I'm much too square! Now, my songs have weird chords, less straight-forwardness, a wider array of influences, and are just more... Me, I guess.
NSM
Describe the process of completing your new album “Today”
Wendy - This process was so much fun! I was initially referred to this programmer, Jason Garner. I sorta called him thinking I might record one song with him. He came over with his computer and his little speakers and his keyboard and we ended up programming the title track "Today" right there in my dining room. I didn't necessarily intend to start an album that day. But it just sorta fell into place. Jason was so enthusiastic and excited about my music... Working with him immediately took something huge and overwhelming, (like recording a full-length album) and made it feel do-able. After that, for several weeks, I'd go over to Jason's studio, work with him on all the programmed tracks and album planning, then I would take Jason's tracks and go over to the guitar player's house and have him lay down some guitars, then I'd go to the bass player's and have him put down some tracks, then go record my vocals, etc. It was all very hands-on and very piecemeal. It's funny, because people ask me what studio I recorded at and, I can say that nearly everything was recorded in either someone's basement or garage home studio.
So, after I got all the tracks/instruments recorded, I was on this huge search for someone to mix the album. I came upon Chad Carlson, who works with people like Terri Clark and Taylor Swift and, despite his largely country repertoire, he 'got it' and ended up being a fantastic choice. I'm incredibly happy with each person that worked on my album and I wouldn't do anything differently. It was a beautiful experience.
NSM
What have you learned along your journey of being in bands, catering to the country market and now, finally selling a CD that you made with your own style?
Wendy - I've learned that I much more capable than I knew! For so long I was convinced that the only way to be a viable artist was to be picked up by a major label and get developed and produced by some big name. Now, after writing my album, co-producing it, getting the photos taken, doing the artwork, paying for the album, etc... I wouldn't trade doing it myself for anything! It's been an achievement that I treasure. And being in Nashville, watching how the wheels of the industry turn, I've learned that the approval of a major label is not proof of talent or legitimacy.
NSM
What are your views on today’s music industry?
Wendy - The music industry is a lot like Spam. Over-processed, nondescript, very little actual meat... There are some really cool artists like India Arie, Jill Scott, Jason Mraz...but the music industry is an elite, money-driven business and, like an exclusive country club, they only let in who they want to let in. Recently though, the gates have become vulnerable to outsiders with resources like Myspace and Youtube - people don't need to rely on major labels to find good music anymore. Hopefully that trend will continue and continue and eventually trickle down to radio.
NSM
What do you do to prepare before a gig?
Wendy - Mostly, I just try to get as much sleep as possible and try not to freak out about accidentally forgetting something.
NSM
What is your ideal recording environment?
Wendy - I don't care if there is soft lighting or candles... I just want to work with people that are excited about my music and are patient with me when I get all flustered, and are more than just button-pushers. Oh, and it's vital to have a good set of headphones!
NSM
Name three of your musical heroes and what makes them so special to you.
Wendy - Amy Grant - I believe that the songs she wrote actually shaped me as a person. To have that kind of influence on a person is pretty outrageous.
Karen Carpenter - I love the Carpenters. Karen just has that voice..low, smooth, effortless... Like no other voice.
Billy Holiday - There's something so hauntingly intimate about how she sings, like she's actually just talking to you. Another 100% original voice.
NSM
If you could choose one of those heroes to perform with, who would you choose and describe the performance.
Wendy - Since Karen isn't alive, I've always thought it would be really cool to play with Richard Carpenter. I can just hear him playing that jazzy piano solo in "Masquerade"...
