»most of my favorite books are ones that tell the stories of someone's life«

Interview with Tara Leigh Cobble about her new book and CD

(Deutsche Übersetzung hier...)

In 2001, Tara Leigh Cobble entered the indie music scene with a broken heart, a guitar, her passionate voice and pockets full of vulnerable lyrics. This fall, the New York City based singer-songwriter released her fifth record, Here's to hindsight. And she wrote down her life's story in a book of the same title. CCM-Rezis asked her to tell more about this literary adventure, about her new songs and her commitment to honesty...

Monica Seidler: Tara Leigh, who or what gave you the idea of writing down your life’s story?

Tara Leigh Cobble: I have always loved writing, and most of my favorite books are ones that tell the stories of someone's life. When RELEVANT approached me about the idea of writing a book, we agreed that it should have vignettes from touring, my relationships, and my faith. It was exciting to see that we shared the same vision for what the book should be.

Monica: What was writing like? Did it take long?

Tara Leigh: Usually, I travel about 20-25 days per month, which keeps me too busy to write anything substantial. I knew that if I intended to finish this book, I would have to take some time off from touring, so I booked six weeks at home last fall. I wrote the majority of the book during that time, incorporating journal entries from the past six years of touring. The process was difficult, but actually quite fun! I had a regular table at my favorite local coffee shop and I would sit there for 10-12 hours a day, writing and drinking coffee.

Monica: Isn’t it a bit scary that your readers might now think they have figured you out? Whereas you may not know them at all ...

Tara Leigh: This is definitely different than writing a song, which can be kind of vague and open to interpretation. These are the stories, full of truth and pain and beauty. I made a promise to myself that I wanted to be honest about my struggles and my sins, because if I tried to protect myself, no one would benefit from the book (and it would be rather boring!). There's a bit of hesitation when I meet someone who has read the book, because they know a great deal about my past. Fortunately, everyone I've met so far has been gracious and hasn't used any of that information in any way that could be hurtful.

Monica: After reading your book I listened to your new CD, Here's to hindsight, as to musical illustrations of your journey. Did you write these songs or lyrics during the past few years or are they new?

Tara Leigh: Most of the songs fit alongside the stories from the book. They're lyrics that I've written while I was going through the things I talk about in the book. If you pay close attention, you can often tell who the songs are about. For instance, there's a song that references a suitcase, and there's a passage in the book that makes mention of my mind being like a suitcase. That's just a little clue for you! Basically, I wanted the book and the CD to work together, and I chose songs that I had written recently, as well as songs I started writing in the past, to help achieve that.

Monica: Your new record offers mellow folk-pop with a voice that shines warmer than ever. It's very different from the live-feel and raw intensity of Home Sweet Road and the sometimes aggressive, sometimes bluesy roots rock of Things You Can't Stop With Your Hands. A new direction?

Tara Leigh: Yes! It surprised me too! When I sat down with my producers to talk about the direction of the songs, I began to realize that this CD would sound different than any of my others. Until now, I think I've been growing in the same direction, recording CDs that are sonically the same, but better than the previous one. But this time around, I think we took a turn altogether. I'm really happy with the atmospheric, melodic feel of the new CD, and I'm grateful that I had producers who knew how to help me achieve that.

Monica: What do you wish listeners to experience through your music?

Tara Leigh: This is an album about hope. Depending on where the listener is in their life, they might find it to be a fun, easy listen or it might be something that helps them heal. I'm happy for it to serve either of those purposes.

Monica: Is there a song on the new record you yourself love most?

Tara Leigh: I have two favorites. I really like "Somehow Stay" because I think it really illustrates a lifelong struggle that I've had – to believe that God is not holding out on me and that He will always be there, working things out for my good and His glory. The other favorite is "O Beautiful" because it reminds me of the ways that God has lovingly answered my prayers. It is a song about loving the people and the ways of New York City.

Monica: Has New York City kept its promises, lived up to your expectations?

Tara Leigh: New York City has exceeded all of my hopes. I had high expectations, but it is so much better than I ever imagined!

Monica: Your next step?

Tara Leigh: I am touring a lot, speaking at churches and colleges, and I'm finding that there's an interest in another book. I started writing another book last week, so we'll see how that goes! Also, I plan to continue singing for as long as God allows. Someday I hope to make a gradual transition into more songwriting for other artists, so I'm pursuing that a bit now, too. It keeps me busy, but I love every moment, and I definitely love all the people I get to meet along the way!

Monica: Tara Leigh Cobble, thank you so much for this interview!

For more information about Tara Leigh Cobble please visit www.taraleighcobble.com