Judging by Jillian Edwards' recently released sophomore effort, Head First, the Richardson-bred singer-songwriter shouldn't have much trouble making it in Nashville. Tunes such as "No Other Plans" and "Mind Made Up" show Edwards wiser than her 23 years might indicate.
Speaking from her parents' home in Richardson and in anticipation of her performance tonight at The Door, Edwards spoke about her memories of Dallas and her plans to conquer Music City.
You were born and raised in the Dallas area, correct? I was born and raised in Richardson. I went to school at Baylor and now I live in Nashville. I've been there for six months. I'm back home for a couple of shows, just hanging out with my family.
Why go to Baylor? Well, I just loved Baylor. A lot of my family went there. I always felt at home there. I loved it from the beginning.
Waco must have been quite a change for you. Yes, it was. We made our own fun, but it definitely was a change of pace.
Waco's not know for its swinging night life. No, not at all.
Did you see many great concerts when you lived in Dallas? Yes, I did. I saw Paul McCartney at the new Cowboys Stadium.
What was the first show you went to? That was probably the Dixie Chicks. I'm sure I saw some boy bands when I was younger, so I will stick with the Dixie Chicks.
That wasn't the show after Natalie Maines made those comments about Bush? No, it was way before that.
Did you play much in Dallas before moving to Waco? Not really. I sang at church, but I didn't do shows of my own material until I went to college.
Does Waco have a good coffee house scene? There is one great coffee shop called Common Grounds. That's where I did my first open mic. I played there again last week.
You've said that you would play any coffee house that would have you. Do you have any coffee house horror stories? No horror stories. I've had pretty good experiences at just about every place that I have played.
You bio reads like a good self-help book. Are you really that optimistic about life? [Laughs] That's funny, but yes, I think that I am. I think there's a lot to be hopeful for. There's no reason not to enjoy every day.
Do you self-finance your recordings. Yes, I do. My latest album, Head First, was paid for with what I made off my first CD, Galaxies and Such.
Did you move to Nashville in hopes of being picked up by a label there? I moved to Nashville, but I don't know if the ultimate goal was to be picked up by a label. I'm not sure what route I will take yet. I am not opposed to that. But I don't know for sure that's what I want.
Have you played some shows there? I've started to a little. I'm still pretty new out there. I've gone to a few shows and seen friends play. I've only played one time.
How many family members will be at the show tonight? That is a great question. Probably parents and siblings could add up to five or six or seven.
Why did you decide to cover Adele's "Someone Like You"? It was just a song of hers that I really loved. My sister and brother-in-law make videos for a living, so it just kind of made sense for them to practice on me. I was able to record that version in my dad's studio. It was a fun thing to do at the time. My father, Dave Edwards, is also a songwriter and a musician. My father was one of my inspirations.
Jillian Edwards performs with Caleb, Dora, Matt Compton and Cameron Ernst tonight, February 7, at The Door.
