By: Rick Landers
Michelle Swan
Capturing the imagination and the spirit of live performing is multi-award winning singer-songwriter, Michelle Swan, whose solo work is impressive and her ability to successfully front classy “pickup” bands in the Washington, D.C. area, and grab the attention of audiences, immersing them in her songs and on-stage charisma. Now, there’s a good lesson for her contemporaries on “how to” entertain a crowd.
Coming from a musical family, Michelle grew up listening to her singer-songwriter, father play his own crafted tunes. And as a pre-teen, she acquired her first guitar and along the way, added clarinet to her musical quiver.
As the title of her new CD “I Feel” implies, Michelle clearly feels all of life’s permutations, warts and all, but is blessed with an amazing ability to translate that into poetry and song, the kind that stays with you long after you’ve stopped listening. The simplicity of her lyrics belies the complex messages, and the web of intricate guitar work she weaves. The pure honesty of her vocal instrument is rare and the perfect complement to the equally honest lyrical content. One thing Michelle will NEVER do….and that’s hold back in any way…musically, vocally, lyrically, or personally. Nothing halfway about the experience of her live show, and NOBODY sings quite like Michelle Swan. – Marco Delmar, multi-award winning Producer & Engineer, Recording Arts Studio, Arlington, VA
Over the years, Michelle has honed her music skills and laid them out for us to hear on her albums: Whistling in the Dark (2000), What I Got (2004), and I feel (2020). And she’s just won a top Gold Mid-Atlantic Song Contest (MASC) Folk Category award presented by the Songwriters Association of Washington for her outstanding song, below: “Enemy in my Scope”.
Guitar International magazine is pleased to present one of its favorite folk singers, Michelle Swan, to our readers!
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Rick Landers: Singer-songwriters often have either a favored guitar or a guitar of a certain construction that they’re drawn to when writing songs. What do you look for in a guitar and do you have a favorite at the moment that you prefer when writing?
Michelle Swan: What I most look for in a guitar is warmth of sound and easy action on the neck and strings. I have an old Guild, D4-NT, which I bought in the early ’90s at The Guitar Shop (Sophocles Papas, owner) on Connecticut Ave. near Dupont Circle, and the last few songs I’ve written have been on that one.
Rick: Do you have your eyes on any particular guitar now that you’d like as your next one?
Michelle Swan: Funny you should ask. I have four guitars right now,, but to some aficionados that’s small potatoes. I’m sure you have many more 😊 I have a Seagull which was my first guitar, as well as a Gibson, a Martin and the, aforementioned, Guild. I am in the market for a Taylor and then I am done!
Michelle Swan – photo credit: Betsy Davis
Rick: What inspired you, to not only get a guitar, but do you recall phases when you felt that you needed to recharge your motivation and how you found it?
Michelle Swan: I am feeling that now Rick! I definitely need to recharge my motivation as I have not been writing as much as I would like to. So maybe when I buy that Taylor I will find some inspiration!
Rick: Do you come from a musical family or one that was into music, that may have led you to become a singer-songwriter?
Michelle Swan: Indeed! My father is a singer-songwriter, so I grew up with him playing songs and music always filled our house. He taught me three chords on his big country western Vox when I was nine-years old and I followed a musical path ever since. I actually picked up the clarinet and took that all the way to college, but I never put the guitar down.
Rick: Do you rely on standard song structures when writing or have you found you like to experiment and go outside the box to test the waters beyond your comfort level?
Michelle Swan: I tend to be old school so most of my songs are pretty structured, but a few fall outside of the box. I would like to test those waters a little more.
Rick: We tend to be musically myopic and surround ourselves with music that’s culturally agreeable, but do you search out the music of different countries or cultures to find new music ideas or sounds?
Michelle Swan: I do not, but I am not opposed and certainly appreciate those alternative cultures. Maybe one day…
Rick: Have you discovered any unintentional underlying theme(s) in your music that made you realize something about yourself that you may not have realized without writing your songs?
Michelle Swan: Music is most definitely my therapy and many of my songs are unintentionally self-reflective. I have learned much through my songs and healed considerably.
Rick: The D.C. area has a history of an enthusiastic music community with people like Roberta Flack, Tom Paxton, Tim Buckley, Jim Morrison, Danny Gatton and many more local heroes. Do you think D.C. should be recognized as a music mecca, much like Austin, Memphis and other music towns?
Michelle Swan: And don’t forget Mary Chapin Carpenter! My first open mic was at the old Gallagher’s on Connecticut Ave. which she used to host!! Yes, you named just a few but there are many! I wouldn’t say a Mecca, but it should be on the map!
Rick: Are you a full-time musician or have you found it helpful to have a steady career revenue stream in order to pursue your music passion? Do you have a long-term strategy to ensure you’ll be secure, regardless of music’s financial viability?
Michelle Swan: I have grown accustomed to the finer things in life so no, I am not a full-time musician. [Laughs] I did try it in the early 2000s for a few years, but really struggled. I taught guitar to supplement the performing but still found it tough to make ends meet. You really have to have the drive and know how to promote yourself and that’s not a strong suit of mine. I really just want to play.
Rick: What have been some of your happiest moments on stage?
Michelle Swan: Anytime I get to collaborate and play with others, I am happiest. I love performing solo but there is something magical that happens when I get to play with others, and I play well with others!
Rick: What’s been your toughest performance where you may have not been feeling your best getting on stage or you found an audience not “getting” your music; or the venue just wasn’t your cup of tea?
Michelle Swan: I played a show once in a noisy sports bar. What was I thinking? and I was playing as many upbeat cover songs as I could, throwing in an original here and there, to try and get their attention. Finally, I was playing one of my more whimsical, fast paced original tunes and the audience was fixated and suddenly burst into applause, at an inappropriate moment, when I realized there was a TV above my head. Playoff game…
Rick: Recently, I saw you perform at the new Earp’s Ordinary and you and your group put on a great show, but I’ve also seen you performing solo. Do you have a preference, solo or band leader or group) and what are the challenges of both types of gigs?
Michelle Swan: I do believe I partially answered that previously, but I think there are challenges with both. I feel when I am performing solo that it is much more important to engage with the audience as much as possible, so you don’t lose them. I have heard amazing performers who did not engage with the audience and it was a joy kill.
I think when performing with others there’s a natural banter that takes place on stage that is fresh, and the audience becomes a part of it. It seems easier with others. The challenge of playing with others as opposed to solo is that you must pay attention to things like tempo, cadence, dynamics, etcetera. But I will take playing with others over solo any day!
Michelle Swan – photo credit: Betsy Davis
Rick: What projects do you have in motion now and can we expect from you as you pursue this music passion of yours?
Michelle Swan: I recorded a song recently with Kim Shires of Hear Me Roar Studios called “Enemy in my Scope” and it’s a song that I wrote with Ranger Dave Williams about his experience with PTSD after serving in the military. Mack Bailey is the executive director and founder of Music Therapy of the Rockies and has put together a few compilation records of these types of songs written with veterans.
I’m honored to be a part of this and now that I have one song recorded, I will probably work towards a fourth record. More to come and I will not stop performing anytime soon!
