Esme's been included in our Editor's Albums of 2015 list! Check it out here: http://www.drunkenwerewolf.com/features/editors-pick-albums-of-2015/

The first track from from "Woman to Woman" is a response song to Townes Van Zandt 'Loretta', the song that was the inspiration for this new record. "Woman to Woman" will be released worldwide on April 15th, 2014. 

"I was sitting in a hotel room in Spearfish, SD learning to play a Townes Van Zandt tune called "Loretta," and as I was singing the words, I started to get angry," says Esme Patterson on the inspiration behind her new album 'Woman to Woman.' "I started thinking about how one-sided and subjective a lot of 'love songs' are, and how a lot of women immortalized in songs might tell a different side of the story if anyone ever asked."

That realization inspired Patterson to write an album of response songs that aims to give voice to seven women from popular music: Jolene (Dolly Parton), Alison (Elvis Costello), Loretta (Townes Van Zandt), Caroline (The Beach Boys), Eleanor Rigby (The Beatles), Evangeline (The Band), and Irene (Leadbelly).

"They are archetypes from famous songs, frozen forever in black and white," she says. "I did my best to add some color and give them some humanity."

Well-known for her work as a vocalist for Denver, CO's Paper Bird, Patterson also appeared on Anais Mitchell's 'Hadestown,' has performed on both Letterman and Leno as a backup singer for Tennis, and has collaborated with artists like Shakey Graves, Nathaniel Rateliff, Nick Jaina and Reed Foehl. 'Woman to Woman' is her second solo release.

"I am constantly aware of being in a very male-dominated industry. You'd be surprised how often people ask, 'so who writes your songs for you?'," Patterson says. "I don't necessarily have a soap box that I'm standing on with this album. The idea is more to start a conversation and to open up a dialogue on how we view and express female archetypes in popular music."

"I believe that strong women's voices in the music industry are rare. One goal of this work is to be a voice for women, and to expand the perspective of the listeners to see these objects of desire, resentment and pity as women, and humans, with their own side of the story to tell."

Tumbleweed

First time recording with my daughter Maggie, we are learning about our new Tascam but a little over our heads so far... Can't really improve on Esme's singing but Maggie and I had lots of fun singing together. This is her favorite Esme song.
About the song: Esmé Patterson wrote "Wildflower" as a response song to Bob Dylan's "To Ramona." See her play it at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OzOxxhceD0g

Tumbleweed

Esmé Patterson

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