News & Features » March 2013 » Literary Lions: 13 Questions with Amy Ray

Literary Lions: 13 Questions with Amy Ray

Johnny Temple: Who’s the first person who encouraged you to be a musician?

Amy Ray: Carolyn McDowell, church choir director.

JT: What book(s) are you reading right now?

AR: The Mind of the South by W.J. Cash and The New Jim Crow by Michelle Alexander.

JT: What is the worst film adaptation of a great book that you have ever seen?

AR: The film version of Wise Blood by Flannery O’Connor.

JT: Who’s your favorite author (or book) that no one’s ever heard of?

AR: Linda St. John.

JT: Who’s your favorite author that everyone’s heard of?

AR: Louise Erdrich.

JT: If you could invite one deceased person to dinner, who would it be?

AR: Cassandra Feral, my ancestor from Kentucky during the mid-1800s.

JT: If you could invite one living person to dinner, who would it be?

AR: Hillary Clinton.

JT: What was the best movie made in the 1970s?

AR: Apocalypse Now.

JT: What is your biggest pet peeve?

AR: Morning radio shows.

JT: Do you have band/music anxiety dreams? If so, would you be willing to share one (in brief)?

AR: I’m always lost in a series of hallways and hurdles, trying to get to the stage, kind of like Spinal Tap.

JT: What’s your favorite single-syllable word?

AR: Dog.

JT: If you could make up a word, what would it be? No definitions permitted.

AR: Lumpyyoga.

JT: What existing word would you prefer had a different definition? State word and redefine.

AR: Christian: One who practices unconditional love and acceptance.

Amy Ray is a singer/songwriter and half of the Grammy Award–winning folk duo the Indigo Girls. In addition, she has released six solo albums and is the founder of the not-for-profit indie label Daemon Records. Visit her website: www.amy-ray.com.

Posted: Mar 20, 2013

Category: Literary Lions | Tags: Amy Ray, Indigo Girls, Johnny Temple, Literary Lions