1. Lea:
When/where were you born?
CJ:
I was born in Fort Meade, Maryland, on June 21st--the cusp of Gemini and Cancer.
2. Lea:
Do you come from a musical family?
CJ:
My father plays piano and guitar. From when I was 7 to about 10 years old, my father, sister, and I would go camping with an Al-Anon group. On some Saturday nights the group would build a big bonfire and my sister and I would sing while my father played guitar. We always had a good response. I remember doing Beatles tunes and folkie stuff. My mother has always sung along with every record she has ever heard. She has a strong voice and likes country music. From what I've been told, my mother's father, who died from an aneurysm when he was 37, sang jazz in clubs in New York where my family is from. And my son is musically talented.
3. Lea:
When did you first recognize that you wanted to be a singer?
CJ:
I knew I wanted to be a singer when I was 5 years old. I have clear memories of being pre-school/kindergarten age and going into the basement of our house alone to play 45's and albums. I'd sing and dance and pretend that I was being filmed and performing a live show.
4. Lea:
Why do you sing the blues?
CJ:
Because I have the blues. Because life is tough and life ain't fair and I don't understand why God does the things he/she does. Because the blues eases me and it upsets me. Because the blues is truth and it makes me feel at home. Because the blues makes you listen and sometimes makes you get off your ass and dance.
5. Lea:
What experiences in your life make you a "good" blues singer?
CJ:
Every one--I don't think you have enough room in this interview for me to even begin to tell you the rough life experiences I've had! I'd wind up depressing you and amazing you! But I've learned from my experiences and I am a stronger woman because of them. I've had a rather messed up existence. Haven't we all?
I do want to mention one thing: all this crap about how I'm supposed to be so damned attractive. What people don't know is that I was born with, and still have, strabismus and amblyopia. In other words, my eyes cross. They always have. I see out of only one eye at a time. I have double and, sometimes, quadruple vision. I have no peripheral vision. I get headaches. I see floaters and odd color patterns. Every day I get mucus build-ups in my eyes. I know this sounds petty but, unless you have this eye disorder, you don't understand how much it can mess with your every day life and self esteem. It's difficult living a life where you can't look directly at anyone, in photos or into someone eyes, because you know your eye is turning in or out. Crossed eyes freak people out. Movies and television present people with crossed eyes as having low intellect and as a joke. This is one of the largest forms of ignorance I have ever witnessed and it pisses me off. We are not stupid and eye diseases certainly are not funny. I've had two major eye surgeries so far to fix my eyes. I am currently trying to save up money so I can afford the time off I'll need to recover from my 3rd surgery.
6. Lea:
In your opinion, how are women perceived in the blues community? Are they offered the same respect as male performers?
CJ:
Ha! Women in any field are never offered the same "respect" as men or thought of as equal. Women may get the illusion that they are thought of as equal, but men and women are two totally different creatures. Most men think with the lower half of their bodies while most women think with the upper half of their bodies. Women need to remember that. I think that both sexes should put themselves in the other sex's mindset. We might all understand each other a little bit better then.
I wish more women listened to blues. From what I have seen, most of the blues audiences are men. (Don't get me wrong, I like men!) This is kind of sad because, being a female blues performer, I feel that another female would be able to grasp the full meaning of what I am doing better than a male. Sorry to say, but some men can be a little shallow--ya know, "Feed me, f*ck me, let me sleep." Occasionally, some women want a little bit more than that.
7. Lea:
Explain your "sexy" image. How has it been received?
CJ:
Oh, please. Every woman is sexy.
8. Lea:
What was it like recording your first CD (and subsequent CD's)? Any crazy studio stories?
CJ:
Ho-ho--recording the first CD was horrific. At that time, I was in a terrible "long term" relationship with a guitar player. (Yes, I know, I no longer date musicians.) We never did gig together, yet, he insisted that I use him as the guitar player on my CD and not use my regular guitar player. The first CD was a live recording on a shoestring budget of my money, and I had the musicians and studio booked to be paid no matter what. I always pay my musicians well. My guitar player "boyfriend" did the first day session, then headed three hours out of town for his own gig. The morning of the second session day, I got a call from my guitar player "boyfriend." He told me that he's not coming back to do the studio gig, he's on a booze and coke binge with his buddies, and for me to take my studio sessions and stick them up my ass. What a rotten thing to do. I panicked. I had all of about an hour to find another a guitar player. Fortunately, I was able to get a hold of my regular guitar player. He went way out of his way by calling out on short notice from his important day job to come and finish my sessions. I thanked him a lot!
I feel that I should mention how I acquired my current and most favorite guitar player to work with, Keith Stafford. Not too long after my first CD was cut, I booked 3 weeks of all-across-the-USA road gigs. The "boyfriend" I had said he wanted to "make it up to me" for all the many horrible things he had done to me, such as leaving me short notice without a guitar player for my CD in the studio. Once again, he insisted on being my guitar player for the 3 weeks of road gigs I booked. He said that we could re-kindle our relationship on the road and that it would be a great time for us. Well, help me Lord, I was stupid and agreed to use the "boyfriend" instead of my regular guitar player so the "boyfriend" could "make it up to me." The night before we left for the road gigs, I was helping my "boyfriend" load out from his gig at 2:30 AM. He, for whatever his insane f*cked up reason was, out of the blue, informed me that he had changed his mind and he was not going on the road with me. What a piece of sh*t! Again, I was left with only one day to find a guitar player--a guitar player not just to play one day with me, but 3 weeks on the road! Aah!! I desperately called around. Finally, a musician I know suggested Keith Stafford, a guitar player I had never met or even heard of. As lucky as it may seem, I called Keith and he said yes to the gigs. Keith and his wife didn't know me at all. I mean, I could have been a crazed, drugged out serial killer but Keith still dropped everything and went on the road with me. Again, I am very grateful to Keith and his wife for helping me!
The torture that my guitar player, now EX-"boyfriend," put me through didn't end for years even though the relationship is over for years. I was ready to start recording my second CD, "I Want," and booked time and musicians into a studio, two hours away, that I thought was reputable. Since the last CD, my ex-boyfriend inherited millions of dollars. Turned out he had an inheritance coming to him all along and never told anyone. It also turned out that, by chance, my ex-boyfriend booked a huge amount of time at the same studio that I was planning to record my second CD in. Basically, the ex-boyfriend was spending much more money than I was at the new studio. My van broke down leaving my gig the night prior to the beginning session of (what I thought would be the start of) recording "I Want." Frantically, in the middle of the night, I had to rent an expensive van so I could get to the new studio session. Needless to say, you can guess what happened when I got to the new studio session. I was told by the "well-respected" owner/producer that, after only knowing me for 10 seconds, he couldn't work with me, that we wouldn't get along, and that basically I could take my second CD ideas and stick them up my ass and get out. Once again, I was devastated. I felt there was no studio left for me to go to where my ex-boyfriend wouldn't try to ruin life for me. Keith Stafford suggested the one studio left that I knew my pockets couldn't afford. But I'll be damned if the worst case scenarios sometimes don't turn into good things. I was basically chased to Bias Recording studio, and even though I have to work my ass off every damned day to make the dough to record there, it's one of the best things that has ever happened to me! They are a great staff of people and do excellent work. Bob Dawson is one of the most talented and funniest engineers you could ask for. I had a blast recording "I Want" there. I am currently 3/4 way through recording my next CD at Bias, which will be released this spring, 2000.
Hey Lea--I think I just gave you a good answer to question #5!
9. Lea:
What are your professional goals?
CJ:
To keep writing, recording, and playing music. And, hopefully, to make a decent living for my family doing it.
10. Lea:
How do you want to be remembered?
CJ:
As a good mother and a blues lover.
