Set to perform Tuesday at St. Cecilia Music Center, the acclaimed Tennessee Americana artist talks with Local Spins about her most recent inspirations and her musical upbringing.
Grand Rapids-Bound: Valerie June plays St. Cecilia Music Center on Tuesday. (Courtesy Photo)
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When Valerie June answers the phone on a weekday afternoon, she does so from her parked car, outside an election poll site in Nashville.
With a Tennessee drawl that melts through the other end of the line, she confirms, when I ask, that she is indeed parked at the polls while we speak.
June, a revered songwriter and multi-instrumentalist from Memphis, performs in Grand Rapids at St. Cecilia Music Center on Tuesday (Nov. 12), after playing Chicago’s City Winery the night before.
Doors open at 6:30 p.m., with the concert starting at 7:30 p.m. Ticket prices range from $44 to $74, available online here.
‘All I Really Want to Do’: Valerie June’s love of singing started in church. (Courtesy Photo)
With her signature swirl of folk, soul, Americana and Appalachian sounds, June — born Valerie June Hockett — has crisscrossed the country as a captivating performer since the early 2000s. She’s released several albums, including her most recent recording, 2022’s “Under Cover.”
In an exclusive Local Spins Q&A, June discussed musical roots, her upbringing and recent inspiration of travel.
Enrique Olmos: I read that you grew up as one of five siblings. In what ways has your upbringing and family influenced your artistry?
Valerie June: Very much so. You know, in my family, the human voice was the instrument that we would utilize and make music with the most.
Enrique: The earliest rooms and stages where you performed were often churches, during worship services. How did those spaces shape your musicianship?
Valerie: The church is important for my music because it’s where everybody went to sing. We sang on the way to church, and then when we got there, we sang the whole time.
Enrique: What’s currently inspiring you?
Valerie: I’ve been most inspired by traveling lately. This year, I went to Mexico, the Baja region, for the first time. It was really amazing. I was at a ranch called Rancho LaCorta, and I performed with a lot of amazing artists. But the best thing was that it was at the largest, I mean, the first and largest wellness center, started by a woman named Deborah, who’s 100 years old.
Enrique: That’s incredible.
Valerie: Many of the people who were at the retreat center were well into their 60s, 70s and 80s. I would wake up at 5 a.m. for a hike. And these 80-year-olds and 90-year-olds were also up at 5 in the morning, ready to hike up these mountains.
Enrique: What’s something you’re currently learning?
Valerie: You know, one of the things that Debra said, and that I’ve applied to my own life, is: When I wake up, I’ll lie in bed, and try to just appreciate and think about that exact moment. So even when I have a lot of things to do, that’s something I try to practice.
Enrique: What keeps your interest and energy focused towards music as an art form and vocation?
Valerie: There was a time when I was sick for many years of my life, and my body wouldn’t let me do a lot of things. There were days where I couldn’t even get out of bed. I didn’t have strength. But I promised myself that when I regained my energy, that I was going to see the world and not stop until I’m 2,000 years old. So that’s my reason. I don’t know what other people say, but that’s my reason to get out the door and get on the plane and get across the universe and play in it.
VIDEO: Valerie June, “High Note” (featuring Stax Music Academy)
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