A Conversation with Amy LaVere (continued)

[Here the tape stopped, as we started talking about the acting side of things, damn... We talked about her getting the part of Wanda Jackson in Walk the Line first. Unfortunately, after the editing process was done, most of her part had hit the cutting room floor. In the credits, the part of the legendary Wanda Jackson was simply called Wanda (?), and the actor's name was incorrectly listed as Amy Kudela, which she hadn't changed yet--but she had given the name Amy Lavere as her stage name, though it didn't make it to the screen. When asked if she like the movie itself, she said sure, though as a Cash fanatic and Sun Studios tour guide, she knew a little too much... We pick up here, talking about her upcoming movie part in Black Snake Moan, starring Samuel Jackson, Christina Ricci, and Justin Timberlake.]

AL: Here I was actually required to act, as opposed to do what I do naturally, and that's perform and sing. You know what I mean?

PM: Right.

AL: So there was a lot more pressure. And it was an awesome experience. But at the same time, I had to get over the fact that I hated the jeans I was having to wear, and [laughs] just the whole character was, in my opinion, not really flattering for me.

PM: Well, that's why they call it acting, right?

AL: Right.

PM: So did you have much contact with the big stars in the film while you were working on it?

AL: Well, with Walk the Line, I played a private party for Joaquin Phoenix. He had this kind of a party, and my band played. So I did get to meet Cameron Crowe, and Reese Witherspoon was sweet. And Orlando Bloom was there, because they were filming his latest movie. I did get to meet some of the stars. Black Snake Moan, yeah, I got to hang out a little bit with Christina Ricci, but I was really disappointed that I didn't get to meet Samuel L. Jackson.

PM: Didn't even get to hang with him at all?

AL: He wasn't in the scene that I was in.

PM: Right.

AL: Now, my guitar player, Jason Freeman, was giving him blues guitar lessons.

PM: Oh, really? He takes blues guitar lessons? Amazing.

AL: Yeah. Samuel L. Jackson--they took him all over, because he's a blues man in that movie.

PM: Oh, really?

AL: Yeah, he is. So Craig [this cool friend of Amy's that does Delta Blues Tours! In his pink antique Cadillac. We'll be back to you on that score, we're doing it as soon as the weather gets warm.] took him all over the Mississippi Delta, and they tracked down every living blues man they could for him to meet with, and maybe watch perform, and teach him a few tricks.

PM: Oh, he's a blues man in the movie.

AL: But whenever you see Samuel L. playing in the movie, it's my guitar player.

PM: It's Jason Freeman.

AL: Yeah, Freeman is the one who--actually, at Scott Bomar's across the street from me--recorded all the blues guitar in the movie.

PM: Wild.

AL: It's crazy.

PM: So when does that come out?

AL: I don't know. They're editing now. Maybe next summer.

PM: Cool. I mean, that's amazing, not just cool. It's really amazing. So a few questions that I would ask my subjects usually are: do you like to read much, and have you read anything lately that turned you on?

AL: I do enjoy reading. It takes me a long time to read. What would be a good one that I read lately? Well, I read James Dean's biography recently, but I wouldn't have called that a good read. It was in a box of books I had. I don't know, I'm not the kind of person that reads a book from beginning to end. I've always got about four or five going, and depending on my mood, I'll read them.

PM: Yeah, right. So it's not a big thing in your life, it's just something you do a little bit, here and there.

AL: Yeah, it's something I do a little bit here and there.

PM: A lot of my musician friends are that way with books. What about the world of spirit? Would you say that you, at this point in your life, consider yourself a spiritual person?

AL: Definitely.

PM: In any particular way, or--

AL: Well, I guess that would be really difficult to describe. I mean, I definitely believe in some sort of greater power. And I would say that I have some sort of faith in karma. But I wouldn't say that I was religious in the sense that I've picked one that I run with. I think they're all good and they're all valid. And my mother is a healer. She does kind of energy work.

PM: Really?

AL: All of the women on my mother's side of the family, they have a healing center in central Louisiana. And I'd say I buy into all that. I really think that there's some incredible energy that is not to be taken for granted. I definitely listen to my inner voice, whatever it is. You know?

PM: Absolutely.

AL: So I'm a very spiritual person. I do practice yoga, and I do meditate. But I don't ever feel like when I talk about it I could ever really get across how I truly feel about it.

PM: Yeah, well, I think you said a lot right there.

AL: I was raised Catholic. But when I got the opportunity to not go to church, I took it. I always felt like it was some sort of bizarre--it always just really gave me the creeps to drink of thy blood of thy cup part, you know?

[laughter]

AL: I don't know, I couldn't think of it any other way than literally when I was younger.

[laughter]

AL: That always kind of creeped me out.

PM: Well, it's been fun having this long conversation with you. I mean, our catching up over the years has always been a little bit here and a little bit there. But it's just amazing, the long and arduous transformation you've made as a person, and all of the great things you've made happen so far. I'm very excited for you. And I'm excited, really, to cut some sides on you in Nashville.

AL: Me, too. I want to do that soon. Thanks, Frank.

PM: Okay, talk to you real soon.

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