Joan Osborne Heads to the Mahaiwe

By Nichole DupontiBerkshires Staff
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Joan Osborne will perform at the Mahaiwe on Friday, March 11, at 8 p.m.
GREAT BARRINGTON, Mass. — I recently interviewed Kentucky-born songstress Joan Osborne, who hit the popular music scene with her 1995 chart-topper "One of Us" (Relish, 1995). Since that breakthrough the 49-year-old Osborne has recorded seven albums; the most recent, "Little Wild One" was released in 2008. Osborne has performed with the likes of Bob Dylan, Taj Mahal, Melissa Ethridge and the Dixie Chicks, to name a few. Last month, she brought her multi-media "Love and Hate" song cycle performance to Lincoln Center as part of the "American Songbook" series. This month, Osborne is touring with Keith Cotton; the acoustic duo will appear at the Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center on Friday, March 11, at 8 p.m.
  
Question: It's difficult to pigeonhole your style into any one genre. What kind of music do you consider your roots, the stuff you go back to for inspiration?

Answer:  That whole area of music – roots, blues – that's where I really learned about how to sing, by studying that music. I just finished "Love and Hate" at Lincoln Center and certain things about that are rootsy, but there's also a lot of strings involved and leans more towards classical music as well. I hope that I bring that soulfulness to anything that I try on. I'm too greedy to stick to one thing.
  
 Q: You have a daughter now, how has becoming a parent influenced your career and your music?

 A: I think that having a kid has made me deeper as an artist. There's a quote from Roseanne Cash, I'm not going to get it exactly right, where she says that it opens up different rooms in your heart. That can only be a good thing as an artist. I do sometimes think about what is my daughter going to think about these songs that I'm writing and this life that I'm living. She gives me the impetus to be real and honest and work as hard as I can. After all, I am her sole provider. And thankfully, she has demanded that we listen to pop radio in the car and that's gotten me to listen to something I never would have. I always knew Pink was a good singer but now I am a huge fan of her work. It's taught me that there is definitely more to be discovered.


Q: Who are your musical role models today?

A: Well, of course, there's Etta James and Otis Redding, B.B. King, Howlin' Wolf, all blues. I'm also a huge Pretenders fan. Chrissie Hynde is an amazing writer and a great force. There is such authority in what she does. The same goes for Patti Smith. I always wonder what my career is going to be like. They've really demonstrated the possibilities for me as I get older. There is always room for people to do this amazing work.

Q: Do you have a particular venue that you prefer? Big concerts, intimate spaces, festivals?

A: Thankfully, I've had a lot of different choices. Playing at an outdoor festival with over 8,000 people – that's a rush. Yet, with smaller theaters there are subtleties you can use and there are things that I love about the sound. This might sound a little cliche but there is an intimacy about the smaller venues. I get to meet people afterwards when I'm singing and I do get a minute or two with each fan. Everybody has a story about a song and listening to those stories makes my connection that much more real. Meeting people is also a way to gauge new material. I can just talk to them and ask them. Sometimes the say they liked the older songs better or that the acoustic stuff is really working. I get to see what people are connecting to.
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Pittsfield CPA Committee Funds Half of FY24 Requests

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — A few projects are not getting funded by the Community Preservation Committee because of a tight budget.

The projects not making the cut were in the historic preservation and open space and recreation categories and though they were seen as interesting and valuable projects, the urgency was not prevalent enough for this cycle.

"It's a tough year," Chair Danielle Steinmann said.

The panel made its recommendations on Monday after several meetings of presentations from applications. They will advance to the City Council for final approval.  

Two cemetery projects were scored low by the committee and not funded: A $9,500 request from the city for fencing at the West Part Cemetery as outlined in a preservation plan created in 2021 and a $39,500 request from the St. Joseph Cemetery Commission for tombstone restorations.

"I feel personally that they could be pushed back a year," Elizabeth Herland said. "And I think they're both good projects but they don't have the urgency."

It was also decided that George B. Crane Memorial Center's $73,465 application for the creation of a recreational space would not be funded. Herland said the main reason she scored the project low was because it didn't appear to benefit the larger community as much as other projects do.

There was conversation about not funding The Christian Center's $34,100 request for heating system repairs but the committee ended up voting to give it $21,341 when monies were left over.

The total funding request was more than $1.6 million for FY24 and with a budget of $808,547, only about half could be funded. The panel allocated all of the available monies, breaking down into $107,206 for open space and recreation, $276,341 for historic preservation, and $425,000 for community housing.

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