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Shawn Colvin: Inside "These Four Walls" (118:00 / 59:00 / 54:00)

From Paul Ingles | 01:58:01
Producers: Paul Ingles/Cedar Creek Studios

 Credit:
Three-time Grammy winner Shawn Colvin is captured in the studio working on her new album THESE FOUR WALLS and reflecting on her career in music.

A 59:00 VERSION IS AVAILABLE AT THIS SITE. 54:00 VERSION AVAILABLE BY REQUEST TO PRODUCER. One :30 break in each hour. Shawn Colvin is, according to the Music Hound Folk Encyclopedia, "a writer and performer of rare and special abilities." In this two-hour special for public radio, award-winning producer Paul Ingles presents a compelling portrait of the singer/songwriter at work on her most recent music and at home reflecting on her remarkable career that has included three Grammy awards, critical and commercial success. This program is an independently produced study of a notable artist coming to grips with mid-life, and personal and professional challenges. Ingles visited with Colvin at the beginning, middle and end of her process of writing and recording the 2006 release THESE FOUR WALLS. Listeners will hear both early and finished versions of tracks from the CD (released 9/12/06) as well as highlights of a studio recording session in Austin. Woven into the story of the making of the album is Shawn Colvin's own tale of growing up in South Dakota, struggling to make it as a performer and writer, then getting "discovered" at the relatively late age of 33, and recording a #1 song and top-selling album at 41. Soon after hitting this peak, however, her record company lost interest in her, unable to imagine a 40-something woman hitting the pop radio charts again. In the past decade, Colvin has had her first and only child, endured a second divorce, changed management and record labels, and turned 50. All bringing her to the moment in her life documented in SHAWN COLVIN: INSIDE 'THESE FOUR WALLS.' Also featured: Colvin's long-time producer and co-writer John Leventhal, Lydia Hutchinson (editor, Performing Songwriter Magazine) and Jody Denberg of Austin's KGSR Radio. Music from all parts of Colvin's career provides the soundtrack to this lively portrait of an important, though sometimes overlooked, figure in music.

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A 59:00 VERSION IS AVAILABLE AT THIS SITE. 54:00 VERSION AVAILABLE BY REQUEST TO PRODUCER. One :30 break in each hour. Shawn Colvin is, according to the Music Hound Folk Encyclopedia, "a writer and performer of rare and special abilities." In this two-hour special for public radio, award-winning producer Paul Ingles presents a compelling portrait of the singer/songwriter at work on her most recent music and at home reflecting on her remarkable career that has included three Grammy awards, critical and commercial success. This program is an independently produced study of a notable artist coming to grips with mid-life, and persona

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Review of Shawn Colvin: Inside "These Four Walls" (118:00 / 59:00 / 54:00)

I found this to be an amazingly honest look at one artists' creative process, from singing nonsense syllables and letting the sub-conscious fill in the blanks over hours or months, to "...ripping off.." pieces of other musicians melodies and taking them in a different direction, to building the songs collaboratively with others while recording in the studio.
Her reflections on melancholy and how it affects her work were thought provoking: I mentally ran through my favorite songwriters work and could see which ones fit that description and which ones were writing from a more objective point of view. Instead of feeling like a spectator at a musicians zoo; I felt like a fellow patient at someones psychotherapy session, someone really interesting, creative, and honest.
The interviews have substance: you find out how her songs are written by listening to her write pieces of them, you witness an album being made from start to finish, and how the reactions of others to new songs affects her choices on what to play, record, or work further on.
Shawn Colvin's creative process, as revealed here, is a perfect allegory for life.
I couldn't stop listening, and the two hours went by in a flash, leaving me wishing for more.

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Review of Shawn Colvin: Inside "These Four Walls" (118:00 / 59:00 / 54:00)

Inside "These Four Walls" presented a thorough and informative glimpse into the production process of a music album. Shawn Colvin?s music added a wonderful juxtaposition to the revealing interviews of Colvin and others involved from the song writing throughout final mixing. The finished product may sound effortless, but this program demonstrates the intricacies of this music development.

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Review of Shawn Colvin: Inside "These Four Walls" (118:00 / 59:00 / 54:00)

Prior to hearing"Shawn Colvin: Inside "These Four Walls" I didn't know her or her music. I now know her as the artist that she is. The process of her music making is revealed clearly and in real easy to understand terms. Very intresting insight into an artist's life and work. Captivating.

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