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At the time, I truly followed Dr Martin Luther King, Jr. As I grew and as I studied, I embraced the
black power movement and Malcolm X. As I grew even more and today even, I basically combine
the two schools of thought to guide my activism. You will find my activism ever present in many
of my songs, but they are grounded in love. Yes, the blues is about that which gives you trouble.

LL: How about your musical journey? When did you start to participate in music and where
did it lead you?

GA: I always loved music, even as a child, but I
didn't participate in creating music until high
school band. As I mentioned earlier, I made All
State Band – played first chair flute. In college,
I picked up guitar and dabbled at it. Learned to
finger pick and was self-taught. When my son
was little, after he went to sleep, I would pick up
that guitar and figure out chord progressions.
Once I got what's now called a “boom box,” it was
easier to wind and re-wind and get the lyrics,
too. I took lessons at the local music store and
some lessons from Ann Rabson – my partner in
Saffire. I worked a local club 3 nights a week to
supplement my income. In 1983, I got a call to
play a bigger room. I contacted Ann and asked
her to join me. That laid the groundwork for
Saffire. We were a trio from 1984 – 2009 and
except for our initial self-produced tape, all of
our recordings were on Alligator Records. It led us to touring all over the country and to many
international venues – even South America and South Africa.

In 1999, I did my first solo recording. It was also on Alligator and produced by Rory Block. Since
that time, I have done several additional solo recordings speaking to different audiences: to the
blues scholars, “Neo-Classic Blues” of the '20s and '30s; to another generation, “Blues Mama,
Black Son” with my blues synthesized by my son; to GLBTQ audiences, “Gaye Without Shame”
(produced by Bob Margolin); to children, the Parents' Choice Award winner, “Blues in All Flavors;”
a focus on the vocals with ‘Is It Still Good to Ya?’ a cappella blues with The Wild Rutz; ‘The Griot’
– topical blues for topical times; and “The Freedom Song Trilogy” – Volume I and Volume II. I
was driven to create in a solo format because I am a much better songwriter than singer or
guitarist. This allows me to share more of my songs, my humour, my activism with the world.

LL: Let’s talk about your new release “Satisfied” on the VizzTone label. You refer to the
music as “Classic Blues Woman”. What does that mean for you and how did you express
that through this work?

GA: As I mentioned earlier, Sonny Terry and Brownie McGhee turned me on to the blues – blues
forms. But in the '60s, I heard Nina Simone whisper over her piano introduction to ‘Sugar in My
Bowl’, “Bessie Smith, y'all.” Yes, Nina led me to Bessie. Once I discovered her, I discovered Ma
Rainey and Ida Cox and Sippie Wallace and Lucille Bogan and Alberta Hunter and Ethel Waters
and on and on!! Oh, be still my heart! These were the original black feminists! The storytellers,
the advice givers, the comediennes, the role models, the wild women who brought so much
musical creativity to their delivery!! They were who I would have been had I lived back then.
They hold the mirror for me today.