Read below for Ann’s interview, but don’t forget to check out Ann and Nancy Wilson here at the Rock Hall for a special Legends Series interview and performance on Tuesday, August 23rd. The event is full, but you can still watch online here.
Rock Hall: Who are some of the artists that have influenced you the most and why?
Ann Wilson: My influences have always been artists who have great lyrics. Paul Simon, Joni Mitchell, McCartney/Lennon, the Glimmer Twins, Elton and Bernie, Robert Plant, Neil Young, Lucinda Williams. All those people taught me , and are still teaching me how to write and how to sing. How to pronounce words inside a groove. How to bring passion to the mind of a song’s body. Lyrics are incredibly important to me, and it’s always a bit of a head scratcher when I hear people say they don’t really listen to them. Sh*tty words can turn a great groove into a throwaway. Great words can turn a mediocre song into something really special. They are the singer’s axe. When both elements are there and they truly marry…then there is magic. When I’m singing lyrics I love, whether they’re ours or someone else’s, that’s when I get that glow of musical ecstasy that makes it pure bliss. More from this interview
Wonderful that people could watch this event via stream! I forgot the nighttime and enjoyed every minute with Nancy and Ann.