When a young woman arrives on the scene as a musical partner to Chip Taylor, the famous writer of the tune "Wild Thing," (originally performed by The Troggs and a Top 40 hit in the early '60s, but seriously unleashed upon the world as the vehicle for Jimi Hendrix's famous guitar-burning episode at the Monterey Pop Festival), then it only seems natural she may not stand out next to him.
But that's not the case and it never has been for the young woman named Carrie Rodriguez.
Taylor could not deny her talent when he saw her at the 2001 South by Southwest music conference in Austin. At his request, they proceeded to tour the world for several years as a duo, and to record four albums.
The Austin-based violinist, guitarist, singer and songwriter has spread her wings and is soaring in her solo career, especially now with the release of her latest recording "Love and Circumstance."
Produced by the legendary Lee Townsend, the album is a scrapbook of other musicians' songs that have meaning in Rodriguez's relatively short life, all of 31 years.
First and foremost there are a couple tunes by her father, David Rodriguez, followed by influential roots music artists John Hiatt, Nick Lowe, Ry Cooder and Jim Keltner (aka Little Village), Buddy and Julie Miller, Gillian Welch and David Rawlings, Richard Thompson, Townes Van Zandt, M. Ward, Merle Haggard and Bonnie Owens, Hank Williams and Lucinda Williams.
"It was very important for me to go back to my
roots with this record and concentrate on what was important to me," Rodriguez explained, "songwriters like Richard Thompson, Townes, Hank, they're the ones who initially inspired me."
In addition to Taylor, she has toured with Alejandro Escovedo and Lucinda Williams. Her trio currently lists Hans Holzen on guitars and Kyle Kegerreis on bass.
Guest artists on "Love and Circumstance," recorded at her new record label Ninth Street Opus' studios in Berkeley and at the renowned Fantasy Studios, include guitarist Bill Frisell, pedal steel and slide guitarist Greg Leisz, and vocalists Aoife O'Donovan (from Crooked Still) and Buddy Miller contributing background harmony.
"Greg Leisz is the greatest pedal steel player in the world, and for someone with a Bill Frisell record collection, getting to play with him is a dream," Rodriguez said in her promotional materials.