Michelle Lee On Air By: Marsha Channell
Artist Spotlight – Claire Lynch
For anyone who loves the high lonesome sound, the brilliant songwriting, and the pure heart of acoustic music, Claire Lynch ‘s voice has been one that Michelle Lee has loved for years. As a broadcaster, sharing her music has always been a pleasure and highlight, but having the opportunity to jump into her personal reflections as she steps into the studio for one last album and away from the road is a true honor.
With possibly the release of her final album ‘Empty Pair of Shoes’ out now on Thrill Hill Records, I wanted to step back and celebrate not just the legendary accolade-winner she became, but also how she remained as the remarkable, warm-hearted woman behind the microphone.
Long before she ever stepped onto a professional stage, Claire filled her childhood home with music at the early age of eight-years old. Claire and her two older sisters were taught by their mother on how to sing a three-part harmony, which in turn, established a bond that was intertwined with laughter, deep love, and strong spiritual principles. Instrument wise, Clarie found interest in the guitar since her older sister played it – so typical of a younger sibling. LOL! While Claire found herself “flipping over” Ricky Skaggs and Emmylou Harris, her mother and two sisters were her inspirations.
The spark from performing on stage was lit during a childhood trip to Carnegie Hall. Watching Peter, Paul & Mary perform under that single glow of light and having possession of the Joan Baez Songbook, Claire was inspired to take the leap of absolute faith at just 19 years old. She would tell you that she loved doing organizational tasks (and honestly, still does) but she decided to leave her stable job at an insurance agency to join a bluegrass band and chase her dreams.
Claire’s journey over the years took her to many valleys and mountain tops, by means of car and/or emotions but like most other artists, there are those moments that you will never forget. In the mid 90’s, Claire made her Grand Ole Opry debut which was an extreme career high. Shortly after that (early 2000’s) Claire found herself on stage at Joe’s Pub in New York City performing a song she routinely sang, ‘Coat of Many Colors’; however, this time she was singing harmony right next to Dolly Parton. “Pinch me, is this happening” comes to mind. Another moment was when Claire was flown out to Arizona to cut live harmonies for Linda Ronstadt for the ‘Feels Like Home’ album. Going from the mindset of singing in a room to actually sitting just feet away and singing at the same time truly caught her off guard. As Claire said, these were absolute “out-of-body” type of experiences but are also beautiful reminders that even our heroes have heroes.
One of Claire’s favorite venues to perform is at the The Station Inn in Nashville. There is a long list of fellow performers/friends that she was able to share the stage with – some have passed and some are no longer performing. The atmosphere, the company, and all the people that she had been around at The Station Inn always made it feel like home – not too flashy or formal, just relaxed and ourselves.
Traveling many miles over the many years in her career, Claire had always found comfort in the bluegrass community. She absolutely loved when she was greeted with grilled chicken, potato salad and coleslaw – the home cooked meals always did the trick. Stepping away from the limelight, she is already getting many opportunities to informally play music with lots of friends in Toronto. It is very clear that she has always played music for the “love of it” and will continue to do so, just not with all the pressures of timelines and demands.
What makes Claire so beloved in our community is her authenticity. In what may be her final album, ‘Empty Pair of Shoes’, she serves as a writer or co-writer on every single track. While she playfully told me it was “NOT FAIR!” to ask her to pick a favorite song, she shared a beautiful reflection on her classic track, ‘Sweetheart Darlin’ of Mine’. When she first recorded it years ago, she was always trying to convince herself to believe the lyrics. Today, as she is happily settled in Toronto with her “current husband”, she sings those exact same words with so much more confidence as they are now more beautifully true.
Though Claire is stepping away from the grueling schedule of the touring road, she isn’t leaving the music behind. She is looking forward to the simple, beautiful informality of playing with friends just for the pure love of it. She plans to keep collaborating in the studio and diving into her passion for writing both music and prose.
Claire’s wisdom for up-and-coming artists is two-fold:
First: “Practice makes perfect—so get out in front of an audience and figure out what makes them happy.”
Second, and just as important: “Learn some office and communication skills! Return important emails and phone calls within two days. It makes folks want to do business with you.”
If Claire could tell her younger self something she has learned over the years, she would say, “The word ‘no’ can actually be a complete sentence.”
Rapid fire questions –
What is your favorite Holiday?
Christmas, without a doubt. There are too many endorphins still in my blood from all those magical, musical moments.
If you were not part of the music scene, what would you be doing?
I’d probably be an insurance underwriter. I quit my job at the insurance agency when I was 19 to join a bluegrass band. But I really did like office work, so I probably would have stayed and prospered.
Do you have a hobby outside of music?
Cooking or sewing. I’m also pretty good at dealing with a garden when I have time.
Who is your favorite super hero?
Maybe Wonder Woman.
What is your favorite kind of Ice Cream?
Moosetracks.
What is your favorite snack food for the road?
Panera Asian Chicken Salad
What is your favorite sport and team?
Baseball – The Toronto Bluejays, of course!
What is your favorite movie line?
“What you don’t know about women is a lot.” -Moonstruck
Make sure to visit Claire’s website to pick up her possible final album ‘Empty Pair of Shoes’ along with any other music that you have been wanting to get of hers. Now is the time!