Life couldn’t be better for ‘road dog’ Lightfoot
Terra Lightfoot definitely isn’t afraid of a little hard work.
The singer/songwriter has been playing up to 250 shows a year.
“It’s been a little nuts. I’m a little bit crazy at this point as I’ve gone full tilt into this profession. It’s the best life I could ask for, it’s so much fun,” Lightfoot said in a recent telephone interview from Kansas City, where she was attending the Folk Alliance International conference.
“I might be a road dog. Actually, I think I am a road dog,” she said.
Many artists separate songwriting from touring, finding that the hectic pace of being on the road is not conducive to songwriting.
It turns out that Lightfoot isn’t one of these artists.
“I’ve adapted big-time to being able to write anywhere, to being able to play anywhere, to be comfortable doing my work anywhere,” said Lightfoot.
“My favourite place to write, since I’ve been 17, is when I’m in the driver’s seat. That’s when my best ideas come to me.”
Once, she attracted police attention when she pulled over to write notes.
“A cop pulled up behind me and came up to the window and said, ‘What’s going on, you got a flat tire?’ I barely paid any attention to her. I said, ‘No, no, I’m writing this down. Don’t talk to me.’
“She was like, ‘Hey, you’ve got to get off the road. You can’t park here to take notes. You’ve got to get moving.’
“That was all on me. I was young and stupid then, that’s for sure. I still am,” Lightfoot said with a laugh.
Lightfoot is touring in support of her latest album, New Mistakes, nominated for a 2018 Juno Award.
My favourite place to write, since I’ve been 17, is when I’m in the driver’s seat. That’s when my best ideas come to me.