Built To Last 

We spoke by phone recently, immediately after the ice storm, which left her home near Hillsborough, NC, and a few hundred thousand others without power. "There's 30 trees down on my road -- I'm out in the country and I live alone -- but I'm not afraid. I have my dog, my guitar and my books. I'll be fine."

Despite her situation, Merritt was eager to talk about the new CD, how MerleFest contributed to her career and her new record label.

According to Merritt, her first record was an attempt to emulate the "Women of the 70s." "I wanted to make a country rock record in the fashion of the 70s by the women who were doing it. I'm a big fan of Emmylou Harris, Bonnie Raitt and Linda Ronstadt.

"In fact, the studio where we recorded, the Sound Factory in LA, was where Linda Ronstadt cut Heart Like a Wheel," she continues. In actual fact, Rose bears more than a little resemblance to the early Ronstadt recordings. While Ronstadt selected some well-chosen covers, like the McGarrigle's title track "Heart Like a Wheel," Merritt sticks with her own self-penned originals. Nevertheless, there's a McGarrigle Sisters vibe floating in the mix.

"It was a challenge getting it done the way I chose," she explains. "Well, I'm only a newcomer. I'm the only unproven performer on [record label] Lost Highway. They've been great but the mindset of the record industry is: Don't play (or record) with your hometown band and don't write your own songs."

That's precisely what Merritt did, however, and the results accurately reflect her turn-your-head kind of voice coupled with tasteful, musical sensibilities. It also didn't hurt that her two side musicians, besides her band the Carbines, were hyper-skilled keyboardist Benmont Tench of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers and Ethan Johns (son of Rolling Stones producer Glyn Johns) who handled much of the lead guitar and was also the album's producer.

According to Merritt, the genesis of Rose dates back several years when she worked with former DB's leader and producer Chris Stamey on producing demos. Five of those recordings were redone and surfaced on the album.

"It wasn't going to be just a two songs for radio play kind of album, but a solid album, a real record," she affirms. The tunes are impressive, graced with pristine clarity of vision and follow-through. One track for instance, "Supposed to Make You Happy," is both graceful and pure, as her voice becomes another exquisite instrument. Though an original, the song takes the listener back to Louvin Brothers simplicity, emotion and purity. And there are many others that make this an auspicious debut. "When I Cross Over" shows off her lustrous voice and her Southern Gospel roots, which makes for a haunting, artistic effort. Her up-tempo rockers, like "Diamond Shoes," are superb because they bring out the supple power in her remarkable voice.

But let's not forget the band, the Carbines. Drummer Zeke Hutchins, formerly of indie band Queen Sarah Saturday heard a tape of Merritt's once. He showed up at her house the next day with his drum kit and announced, "We're starting a band." According to the singer, the line-up has been the same for the past three or four years. Besides Hutchins, other band mates include Greg Reading on pedal steel and dobro and Jay Brown on bass. Although the band members sometimes play with other performers, Merritt says, "The Carbines are the band I always play with."

It's interesting how the songstress has shot out from the pack of talented Carolina musicians and performers, too. She says it was an appearance at MerleFest that helped put a boost in her career. She won the Songwriting Contest (country category) at MerleFest 2000. It's also how she hooked up with Frank Callari, her well-connected manager who has worked with Lucinda Williams, Ryan Adams, Kim Richey and Jim Lauderdale. And it certainly didn't hurt having retro-Appalachian songstress Gillian Welch as one of the judges. In fact, Welch had previously won the same award.

"MerleFest is huge in all of this. This was the first time I received any recognition outside of the Triangle. It's also how I ended up working with Frank Callari. Winning the Songwriting Contest was significant for me," she adds. "Gillian Welch had won this contest, so my win put me in a position of legitimacy." Merritt's MerleFest success also led directly to her record deal. Her label, Lost Highway -- an offshoot of Mercury -- was founded by none other than Callari, not long after he began managing Merritt.

"I ended up with Lost Highway Records because of Frank Callari. After (Frank) agreed to manage me, he and his friend Luke Lewis at Mercury Records decided to start Lost Highway and they just took me along with them. That happened about six months after I met Frank at MerleFest. Once that came about, I figured I better make a damn good record."

In case you're interested, Tift is indeed a real Merritt family name. Though not her original first name, she's answered to it for years. And it's both as arresting and eye-catching as she is. Although she was born in Texas, Merritt considers North Carolina her home. She attended UNC at Chapel Hill and she and the Carbines played many club dates in the Triangle. "I almost stopped for a while," she admits, noting how she grew tired of audiences shouting at her to play Jimmy Buffet covers.

Merritt's on a roll now, however, and she's got it all -- looks, charm and talent. She could be a household name in a few years, or perhaps not. But in any event, she's liable to stay in your head for some time in the foreseeable future.

Tift Merritt & The Carbines will perform at the Evening Muse on Saturday, December 21. Tickets cost $12 in advance and $15 the day of the show. For more details, call the club at 704-376-3737.