INDY'S WEEKLY ALTERNATIVE NEWSPAPER HIGHLIGHTING ARTS, ENTERTAINMENT AND SOCIAL JUSTICE

Preview: Storyteller at heart

Carrie Newcomer with Phillip Gulley, Scott Russell Sanders and Brent Bill
Friday, Nov. 17, 8 p.m.
Old Centrum, 12th Street and Central Avenue
$10 at the door

For one Hoosier singer/songwriter, what started out as a short story about a small town diner became a song, and in turn, was the starting point for an album.

A few years ago, Carrie Newcomer wrote a short story, “Betty’s Diner,” which evolved into a song. After she recorded “Betty’s Diner,” Newcomer found out that some of the patrons of the establishment had some interesting stories. Soon, she had 13 more songs that she recorded for an album, Regulars and Refugees (Rounder Records).

“It was an interesting project to do,” Newcomer said. “I think it’s the closest I’ll get to being able to see the world through the eyes of a novelist. The characters are so interesting, different kinds of people: funny, sweet and one’s a dog. The characters in the songs may not be real people, but they’re true.”

And how did the diner’s patrons react to their stories being told in song?

“Alice and Roy were a little embarrassed, but Bob [the dog] thought it was great! (laughs)”

While Regulars is a collection of stories about people who frequent the same diner, Newcomer pointed out that each song was written to stand on its own. Another commonality about the tunes is that they “are about things that we can relate to,” Newcomer added.

“The stories that came about from Betty’s Diner are what I have to do when I have too much to ponder. I create art. It’s like the exotic dancer’s story; it’s actually about being misjudged when you’re doing the best you can.

“I’ve never met anyone who didn’t have an amazing story to tell. I tend to write about the human condition, and people often respond with generosity in their comments about the songs.”

Newcomer called herself a storyteller at heart.

“The lyrics I write support the music, and vice versa. There’s something about that funky format that makes me happy. There’s clarity, simplicity and an incredible elegance to the songs. A songwriter does the best that they can not to lose the listener.”
As part of the Spirit & Place Festival, Newcomer will be sharing a stage with three literary authors: Phillip Gulley, Scott Russell Sanders and Brent Bill. “It’s an evening of spoken word. I’m the musical link,” Newcomer said.

“It’s a different kind of show for me. I’ll be doing songs that relate to what the authors will read. For example, Scott Russell Sanders wrote a one-page vignette titled ‘Wilderness Plots’ and I wrote a song based on that story.

“This evening gives us a chance to start out where we’re comfortable, and then step outside that place. It’s good to take risks and be creative.”