Nicole Witt describes the four women who make up Farewell Angelina as "really great friends and sisters," although it's by music and not by blood. What they share besides that camaraderie is a passion for writing, recording, performing and "connecting" with their fans.
"I think I can speak for all of us," Witt says by phone, just back home in Nashville, Tenn., after a wedding in Jamaica. "We all talk about the fact that with music there really is no choice. If you're blessed with that God-given talent, and if you get into it at all, it's like you can't get out of it. We've all tried to quit and could never do it."
FAQ
Farewell Angelina
WHEN — 7 p.m. March 12
WHERE — Van Buren Fine Arts Center, 2001 Pointer Trail in Van Buren
COST — $15
INFO — vbfac.org, farewellangelinamus… or @farewellamusic
Farewell Angelina, named after a Bob Dylan song, formed five years ago, but Witt, Andrea Young, Lisa Torres and Ashley Gearing all have long track records in solo careers. Gearing is the newest member, Witt says, "but I've known her since she was 16 years old. It's so incredible we all get to do this together."
Witt says everybody writes, everybody sings lead and harmony, "so a lot of people liken us to the Eagles meet Little Big Town or the Dixie Chicks." Three of them play guitar -- two at any given time -- and two play fiddle, and even in the studio, as they did for their EP "Women & Wine," released in January, they all take turns center stage.
Even with their records, interviews with mainstream media and social media efforts, it's touring that lets the musicians get closest to their fans.
"The best part of touring is definitely the people," Witt says. "We love being on stage, but we also love getting off stage and meeting people -- sometimes we run out in the crowd during intermission. Over all the years, the amount of people who have become friends because of music is quite extensive.
"It's important for us to create a big moment every night," she adds. "You can only see a concert one time, and whatever is happening that night is never going to be the same again. You can't duplicate it. People that are not live music folks don't quite understand until they get there and get an opportunity to hear their favorite artist or a new artist how really awesome it is."
From their side of the fence, "there's nothing like everyone [in the audience] singing a song with you -- that and hearing a song you've written or are singing come across the air waves. Those are really just my favorite things on earth."
NAN What's Up on 03/10/2019