Carrie Rodriguez is a prodigious fiddler, a soulful singer, and a probing songwriter. “I have to say I am very impressed,” said Lucinda Williams, speaking of Carrie in the New York Times. “She’s got something unique in her voice that’s very subtle and a little smoky and sweet. She’s got a refreshingly spunky attitude to go along with it. I detect a certain wisdom in her, and yet a sense of wonder as well.” Carrie has released five albums with veteran songwriter Chip Taylor, one with Ben Kyle of Romantica, and six solo albums, including Give Me All You Got, recorded right here in Berkeley at Fantasy Studios. She’s worked with Rickie Lee Jones, John Prine, Mary Gauthier, Alejandro Escovedo, and Bill Frisell, and appeared on A Prairie Home Companion, Mountain Stage, and Austin City Limits. Her music is emotional, direct, and full of spirit, and she’ll be joined tonight by guitarist Luke Jacobs of Romantica. Carrie and Luke have been performing and writing songs together for three years now, and they just released a live album, Live at the Cactus, that captures the strength of their musical connection.

Carrie grew up in Austin, Texas, the daughter of noted songwriter David Rodriguez and well-known painter Katy Nail. After sitting in on a sound check with her father’s friend Lyle Lovett, she switched from the study of classical violin at Oberlin to the study of fiddle at the Berklee College of Music. Her teacher, Matt Glaser, and her fellow students, including roommate Casey Driessen, helped her “find my groove,” she says, “and let go of that wall I had put up as a classical player.” Another turning point came when she met Chip Taylor – who scored huge hits in the 1960s with “Wild Thing,” “Angel of the Morning,” and “Try Just a Little Bit Harder” – and they started touring together. “From working with Chip I learned that when you can just be open and not analyze too much, that’s when the truth comes out.” Hear Carrie and Luke tell the truth tonight and feel the sad joy and patient hope that fill their new album.

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Photos by Sarah Wilson