In the cyberdawn of shameless self-promotion, there is surprisingly little to be found on the subject of Pieta Brown. She is the very striking and gifted daughter of folk figure Greg Brown. Pieta came to the playing and writing of music relatively late for a troubadour's offspring, but with a deep and natural grace that's truly impressive, and affecting.

I caught a show with Pieta and Bo Ramsey, tone daddy extraordinaire, at The Basement in Nashville last year. I thought their chemistry was substantial then, but it's more transubstantial now. There are moments of emotional magic in her new CD, I Never Told, that would only be cheapened by description, and must be heard. Although he's made great records with Lucinda Williams, Greg Brown, and those of his own design, I've not heard Ramsey play any better than this. The tone is always special, but his choice of notes here, his use of space, and the arrangements are particularly beautiful.

The alliance of the two artists seems beyond the musical, but it's personal and does not really enter into our conversation. Pieta handles herself admirably, in turn friendly and then mysterious. She's like a nightingale raised in the South, and later Iowa, on the blues. I'm a big fan of records that are blues influenced but aren't necessarily blues records.

Far be it from us to compromise the mystery of Pieta Brown by talking too long. Listen to her instead, and especially to her music. It's fantastic, we love it. After putting one album out on the renegade Iowa label Trailer Records, she cut a second one and put it out herself. (At the end of the interview you'll find a link to a page that tells how to acquire the new record, as it's not currently available on line or at retail outlets.) She's making her own legend, in her own way, nobody's rose.   
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