In Session: Deb Cavanaugh

ALBANY – Spending an entire decade in the music industry can be tough enough. Deb Cavanaugh has impressively been involved with music, making it her career for over 40 years! Showing no signs of slowing down, she is currently in the process of recording a Christmas tune, and will be releasing her latest single, “Electric Avenue,” a cover of Eddy Grant’s song, on Dec. 23.

I sat down with the artist this past week. In our discussion, we went over her influences, her career highlights, and more. What follows is our conversation.

Lucas Garrett: Thank you so much, Deb, for taking the time this evening to sit down and talk with us! How’re you doing

Deb Cavanaugh: I’m good, Lucas! How’re you?

LG: I’m doing well! Staying busy. I see you have a lot of cool stuff going on lately with the Jive Hive Live, and now some new music! Tell us a bit about that.

DC: Yes! “Electric Avenue” was recorded at Jive Hive. Eventually we’re going to make a video as well as the single release.

LG: Let’s talk about the instrumentation of that song and for your music in general for people that may not know you.

DC: I play the mountain dulcimer, but I electrify it and play it through effects pedals. I do originals as well as classic rock, reggae. I like to pick unique covers – unique to dulcimers – that hopefully not everyone is doing.

LG: You don’t see a lot of people playing the mountain dulcimer. How’d that come to be an instrument for you? The last person I saw to be doing that in the mainstream was Joni Mitchell.

DC: For twenty years, I lived with a man who was an amateur luthier. His retirement plan was buying instruments, fixing them up, and then reselling them. He brought home a dulcimer one day. It was unusual to me, and I figured somebody should learn to play it. When I started playing it, suddenly I realized that it was the instrument for me. I feel more comfortable with that instrument than any other I’ve ever played!

LG: Really? That’s cool. I’ve never heard of someone playing an “electric” mountain dulcimer. Where on earth did you get that neat idea?

DC: I went to a dulcimer festival in Latham a few years ago. There’s a wonderful man named Sam Edelson who plays rock and roll on the dulcimer. He kind of became my mentor and inspired me to do that – I’ve always loved rock and roll. When I started playing dulcimer, I was playing in the folk scene; I was doing a lot of old-time music, but I never lost my love for rock and roll.

LG: So, you’re putting out a song “Electric Avenue” that was recorded at the Jive Hive. That’s coming out Dec. 23. What else do you have going on?

DC: I recently wrote a Christmas song. My partner and I are working this Saturday to record it; he runs a recording studio here in the house. We’re also putting a video together for that.

LG: How did you tackle such a thing like that? When you talk about something as ubiquitous as Christmas… when someone asked me to write it, I said “I can’t do that! All the good notes are taken!”

DC: Hahaha.

LG: What inspired you to do that?

DC: I got hired to do the Colonial Stroll in Johnstown, and I decided I needed a new song.

LG: Was it easy to write one?

DC: That’s an interesting question, because it was really easy – which surprised me. I don’t really celebrate Christmas – I prefer to celebrate the Winter Solstice. When I think about Christmas, it’s about people being kind to each other, and enjoying family, friends, and neighbors. That’s what I wrote about, but I also discuss people that struggle during the holidays, as well.

LG: A lot of these songs you hear on the radio are about good times, but as you said, there’s people that have it rough.

DC: Yeah, not everyone enjoys the holidays.

LG: Who are some of your creative influences as a songwriter?

DC: As a songwriter, I’d say all of the Beatles – I grew up with them – and Joni Mitchell. I really love the music of David Crosby.

LG: You’ve been at this for some time now. What made you say, “I want to perform music”

DC: Honestly, I was born a musician. There’s never been any doubt for as long as I could remember that that’s what I was going to do. My parents used to tell me I sang before I spoke; I didn’t start speaking words until I was singing complete sentences

LG: That’s pretty cool! What are some of your favorite highlights over the years?

DC: When I was sixteen, I sang in a church choir that was directed by Duke Ellington, singing his sacred music…

LG: Oh, wow.

DC: The travels I’ve done… I went to Germany in 2009 and China in 2019. I never imagined that I’d ever go anywhere off this continent, so those were big highlights for me.

LG: How was that, traveling abroad? Was that the best thing ever or were there ups and downs?

DC: I did a house concert in Switzerland, and that was amazing beyond belief. China was also really amazing but also incredibly difficult.

LG: Why was that, because of the government?

DC: No, actually. I felt safer in China than I’ve felt anywhere – even though it’s so repressive. I never felt unsafe walking late at night there. The difficulties for me were because I didn’t speak the language, and being a minority for the first time in my life. I constantly had people staring at me; everyone wanted to take photos. It was just an odd feeling, and the culture is very different. That was a tough adjustment as well.

LG: How long were you in Germany and China?

DC: Both times I was there almost two weeks.

LG: Would you go abroad again to a different area?

DC: I would love to go somewhere else; I love to travel. If someone wants to pay me to do my music somewhere else, I’m always ready to do that.

LG: Where would you like to go the most?

DC: I’ve always wanted to go to Ireland!

LG: I feel the mountain dulcimer would fit right in there! You have the new Christmas song being recorded, and “Electric Avenue” releasing on December 23^rd. What does 2023 look like for you?

DC: I’m going to be doing a workshop for children at the Troy Music Hall in January…

LG: Nice!

DC: I’m also recording a new CD with my band, Dandelion Wine. Then, I’ve been working on writing my memoir, which hopefully the writing is done, and will come out in 2023, as well.

LG: Awesome! You have a lot of stuff going on, it seems!

DC: I do! I like to keep busy!

LG: Is there anything else you’d like to discuss?

DC: I’m in an interesting phase in my life where the pandemic really cut my work more than half.

LG: Mmm….

DC: I’m going to be 70 in 2023, and I’m going to be downsizing the classes I teach and focusing on my own music more.

LG: It has been wonderful to talk with you this evening! Thanks again for your time!

DC: Thank you, Lucas! Have a good night.

LG: You too. Bye.