Singer-songwriter Stacey Earle simply connects with fans

By Anthony Fyden12:00AM / Wednesday, January 30, 2002Print Story | Email Story

Stacey Earle still keeps it simple. But simple has never meant easy. Over the last few years, the folk & country singer-songwriter has become one of the hardest working performers in the music business. Last year, in fact, she played more dates than any other touring artist with the exception of blues legend B.B. King. Earle and her husband, guitarist Mark Stuart - now touring as a duo - will perform at the Clark Art Institute in Williamstown on Saturday. Despite a burgeoning popularity, a hectic touring schedule and an album to promote, Earle sticks to the straightforward music - and simple lifestyle - that define her. And she's not about to change. "I think we're pretty stubborn in our simple ways," Earle says. "Nothing will ever change that. I like the simple, basic, things in life." Maintaining close family ties is one of the values Earle strives for. Stacey is the younger sister of Americana rocker Steve Earle, and toured with Steve last year. She and Stuart have played music together for more than a decade. Earle's son, Kyle, has recorded with the band, as percussionist. Her studio band is called The Jewels, a name that honors Earle's late grandmother. Earle got a late start on a professional career while raising her children, but had always enjoyed singing, playing and writing songs. After working as a Nashville studio staff songwriter, Earle broke onto the scene as a solo artist with her 1999 album "Simple Gearle." Back to basics Steve Earle helped his sister get into the business, but she has clearly defined herself as an artist. Her music touches basic themes, like lost love, rejection and motherhood. Despite unadorned arrangements, the songs are rich and compelling. Earle's music has a subtle edge; her voice is sweet yet haunting. "Simple Gearle" captivated fans with songs such as "Next Door Down," about being rejected as a songwriter, the gritty "If it Weren't For You," and "Just Another Day." Her latest album "Dancing with Them That Brung Me," remains true to the Simple Gearle style, with improved production values and slightly tighter arrangements. She calls her songs "journals or diaries." "They're about what I'm feeling at the moment," she says. "I write like I speak. My songs would definitely be dangerous to dance to because I'd trip you up." A sense of optimism is a common theme. As a struggling young mother, Earle was determined to teach her children to turn negatives into positives. When the electricity was shut off on one occasion, she and the kids found candles and had a camping party. "I refused to lay down," she recalled. "You have to be strong for kids. You can't show children that things are wrong." During live performances, she uses stories to transition between songs. In her South Texas drawl, Earle shares memories of her childhood, early career and life. The stories give the audience perspective on the songs. And for Earle, they help reconnect with the event or mood that prompted her to write in the first place: "When I'm telling a story, it brings me back to the moment." On a recent collection of live songs, Earle and Stuart included the "spoken word" portions, since they have become so integral to her stage show. "Go out and git 'em" Earle speaks - and sings - directly to her audience during concerts. "I can see when I'm connecting with people," she says. "That's why I request that the house lights be turned up partial. I can see who I'm connecting with and whether I'm not; and if I'm not I can go out and git 'em. I can hear 'em laugh I can see 'em cry. I'm singing about things that are reality, so I think it touches a nerve now and then. The singer has gained a following on the folk circuit, including in New England. Western Massachusetts is a long way from South Texas, but Earle seems at home here and audiences embrace her. "It's an easy connection," she says, "because I write simple; it's the basics of life. But then again, once you dig deeper it means something deeper. [The songs are about] things that people can relate to. They're not fantasies. Some of them may seem over the top; that's because, you know, I've experienced some pretty over the top things in my life. That's maybe the writer I am now. Maybe it's because I'm 41 now and maybe lived a little more than I've had to at times." Earle and Stuart have played music together, almost every night, for years. The change to a duo billing reflects the inseparability in the couple's lives and music. "It's definitely a solid duo," she says. "We've been performing this much almost for 11 years now. Our guitars have become one, our vocals have become one. One day we looked up and said 'why aren't we just a duo?'" Earle is not worried that her music will lose its sense of identity with the new format. "It's actually the next page of the journal or diary," she said. "It's where I'm at now." Road tested songs Earle hopes to get back into the studio soon. One drawback of being on the road interminably is that it is difficult to find time to write new songs. Earle and Stuart have been writing together, however, and presenting the new music to audiences at concerts. So, by the time the new record comes out, the songs will have been well road tested. During the next recording session Earle hopes to take perhaps six weeks off from touring to focus exclusively on recording. "That's a diary," she says. "It should not be cheated. It deserves it." Stacey Earle and Mark Stuart will perform at the Clark Art Institute on Saturday, February 2, at 8 p.m. The concert is part of the Clark's series "American Roots: Traditional Music from the Rural South." Tickets are $20 ($18 for members and students) and are available at the Clark museum shop or by calling 413-458-2303, extension 324. For more information on Stacey Earle, visit www.StaceyEarle.com

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McCann Recognizes Superintendent Award Recipient

By Tammy DanielsiBerkshires Staff
05:32PM / Tuesday, December 23, 2025

Landon LeClair and Superintendent James Brosnan with Landon's parents Eric and Susan LeClair, who is a teacher at McCann.

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — The Superintendent's Award has been presented to Landon LeClair, a senior in McCann Technical School's advanced manufacturing course.

The presentation was made last Thursday by Superintendent Jame Brosnan after Principal Justin Kratz read from teachers' letters extolling LeClair's school work, leadership and dedication.

"He's become somewhat legendary at the Fall State Leadership Conference for trying to be a leader at his dinner table, getting an entire plate of cookies for him and all his friends," read Kratz to chuckles from the School Committee. "Landon was always a dedicated student and a quiet leader who cared about mastering the content."

LeClair was also recognized for his participation on the school's golf team and for mentoring younger teammates.

"Landon jumped in tutoring the student so thoroughly that the freshman was able to demonstrate proficiency on an assessment despite the missed class time for golf matches," read Kratz.

The principal noted that the school also received feedback from LeClair's co-op employer, who rated him with all fours.

"This week, we sent Landon to our other machine shop to help load and run parts in the CNC mill," his employer wrote to the school. LeClair was so competent the supervisor advised the central shop might not get him back.

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