TIFT MERRITT profile picture

TIFT MERRITT

Another Country

About Me

I think Another Country must have its own map. Very naturally, as if by its own accord, this album has had a way of taking me wonderful places. I’ve just followed along behind it in wonder...First was a flat in Paris with a piano. It was a crazy idea I had driving home after midnight – a faraway place to hide, catch up on sleep, wander alone, plunk notes on a piano. Next thing I knew, our Europe dates were behind us, I was lugging my suitcase up a tiny street in the 10th arrondisement, and these songs began to make themselves known. Boys played soccer in the street while I kept singing something to myself. Until it grew loud and then louder. Until the game had ended and the street was empty. Until the neighbors shouted to me that night had come. “Madame, s’il vous plait, il faut dormir dans ce voisinage!” A shutter slammed behind this voice. So I folded these songs into scribbled notebooks and brought them home carefully, like strange things from faraway places. Which they were...I wasn’t sure what to do next, so I followed Joni Mitchell’s post-Europe directions. I headed for California. Somehow I had not used up my good fortune - I found a house in Laurel Canyon that a nice couple wanted to rent for summer. So I planted a garden in the backyard. I arranged the local flowers in colored cups. I made friends with the neighbors and promised it wouldn’t be so loud when the band moved in. We all ate breakfast out on the patio. Then, driving past Joni Mitchell’s old house for good measure, we headed for the studio...It was quick and natural and most of the good stuff happened late at night, and it was always nice to drive home with the windows down after those nights. It was like coming home from very far away sooner than you thought you would, unexpectedly turning up the driveway sooner than you thought you would. With your arms filled with strange and lovely treasures from faraway. And whomever you woke unexpectedly was very glad to see you and hear your stories from another country. That was what it was like. I wish I were there now. Even if I were just the words on a postcard I could send to you from that place. Click here to join the Tift Merritt mailing list

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Music:

Member Since: 5/26/2005
Band Website: tiftmerritt.com
Band Members: TIFT sings and writes the songs
JAY BROWN plays BASS and SINGS
ZEKE HUTCHINS aka JOHNNY LEE plays DRUMS
SWEET DANNY EISENBERG plays KEYS
SCOTT MCCALL plays GUITAR
LUCY LOU is our MASCOT the DOG
Influences: Eudora Welty, Robert Frank, Carole King, Bob Dylan, Anna Karina, Francoise Hardy, Joni Mitchell, Emmylou Harris, Linda Ronstadt, Paris, Texas, Neil Young, Van Morrison esp Vleedon Fleece, my Holga camera
Sounds Like: maybe a little like if Creedence Clearwater Revival had a girl singer who loved Dusty Springfield and Bruce Springsteen and old french movies and played a real warm summer night right after a thunderstorm...but really...I'm pretty sure I just sound like me.

KEEP YOU HAPPY (by Mark Borthwick, edited by Andrew Hafitz)

Tift Merritt | Keep You Happy (Music Video) from Concord Music Group on Vimeo .

BROKEN (video by Martyn Atkins)

Broken (Music Video) from Concord Music Group on Vimeo .

Record Label: FANTASY
Type of Label: Indie

My Blog

LILY KOPPEL ON THE SPARK

Once upon a time, I really wanted to write books. Dark, rough covered ones whose binding cracked on opening. Book that would pull on your hand with its weight. I wanted a pair of reading glasses, a...
Posted by TIFT MERRITT on Tue, 28 Oct 2008 06:03:00 PST

DARREN JESSEE OF HOTEL LIGHTS ON THE SPARK

Darren Jessee is one of my favorite songwriters. His atmospheric storytelling shines full force on his latest album, Firecracker People, which has just been released on Bar None Records. But before D...
Posted by TIFT MERRITT on Mon, 29 Sep 2008 12:08:00 PST

PLEASE BREAK THE SILENCE OF THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT

Our itunes exclusive EP is available now. Check it out at our itunes page and read more here...I don't know why things have more weight in the middle of the night that they do at midday. Loneliness ...
Posted by TIFT MERRITT on Tue, 16 Sep 2008 12:19:00 PST

MARK SELIGER ON THE SPARK

Chances are if you are very famous, Mark Seliger has taken your picture. Kurt Cobain, Drew Barrymore, Bob Dylan, Jerry Seinfield, Mikhail Barishnokov. Mark was chief photographer at Rolling Stone fo...
Posted by TIFT MERRITT on Mon, 01 Sep 2008 03:16:00 PST

THANK YOU NORTH CAROLINA

Dear folks, Just wanted to say thank you to North Carolina for giving us one of the most incredible weekends ever. Both shows - Raleigh and Wilmington - could not have been more fun. All of ou...
Posted by TIFT MERRITT on Sat, 30 Aug 2008 09:12:00 PST

THIS WEEKEND’S SHOWS WITH EMMYLOU HARRIS CANCELLED

Dear folks, I am sad to say that this weekend's shows with Emmylou Harris are cancelled due to circumstances beyond anyone's control. I know Emmylou will reschedule her tour as soon as she ca...
Posted by TIFT MERRITT on Thu, 31 Jul 2008 02:20:00 PST

NEW SPARK INTERVIEW WITH SIMONE DINNERSTEIN

This month's episode of The Spark is the amazing, incredible story of the amazing incredible Simone Dinnerstein: She left Juilliard. She met her husband in London, bonding over Glenn Gould's version o...
Posted by TIFT MERRITT on Mon, 28 Jul 2008 09:59:00 PST

TIFT AT GRAND OLE OPRY

Tift will be live on WSM 650 AM in Nashville at 9am Friday morning, then playing a free concert on Saturday at 8:15pm at the Opry Plaza with her band. She'll also be performing that night at the Gran...
Posted by TIFT MERRITT on Tue, 15 Jul 2008 10:33:00 PST

Sparks ReRun

I hate reruns. I avoid them at all costs. Especially in my own work. I don't even like to take the same bike path home. I'd rather be lost that double back. But this month on the Spark, I'm faced...
Posted by TIFT MERRITT on Fri, 27 Jun 2008 11:35:00 PST

TIFT ON LETTERMAN TOMORROW

Tift will perform tomorrow, Wednesday June 25, on the Late Show With David Letterman on CBS television. Tift will sing, "Morning Is My Destination" with her band....
Posted by TIFT MERRITT on Tue, 24 Jun 2008 02:44:00 PST