Free-spirited singer-songwriter Sophie B. Hawkins will perform at Colonial Tavern on Saturday, May 21

By EMILY GILMORE

Date published: 5/12/2005

Sophie B. Hawkins is going it alone as she continues to pursue her career in music, but she's not lonely.

Instead, she is liberated, and she wouldn't have it any other way.

The Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter's independence is so important to her that she's willing to devote all of her energy and a good sum of money to creating freely and releasing her music through her Trumpet Swan imprint, rather than be held under the sway of a controlling label.

"I'm working harder than ever, and I've always worked hard" Hawkins said in a recent phone interview from Venice, Calif., where she lives. "But it's good work, though. And I have to tell you, I'm lucky to have the work."

Known best for the songs "Damn I Wish I Was Your Lover" from 1992's "Tongues and Tails" and "As I Lay Me Down" from 1994's "Whaler," Hawkins tours relentlessly to bring her music to the masses.

She will play Colonial Tavern on Lafayette Boulevard in Fredericksburg on Saturday, May 21.

"Each new tour represents a growth or a transformation, and the audience has a lot to do with that," Hawkins said.

Size and makeup of audiences vary depending on the season and the place where she's performing.

"I really have a diverse audience and kind of a unique thing going on," Hawkins said. "No one can point their finger and say 'She's a this' or 'She's a that.'"

She recently returned to the states after a three-week stint in Australia, where she was welcomed graciously.

"I just got more and more energy as the tour went on because they just appreciate music so much, and they just appreciate artists coming over there so much," Hawkins said.

She's currently gigging to promote her latest album, "Wilderness," which was released this time last year.

The album is a maze of layered arrangements bolstered by lyrics that call up contrasting images of the city and the natural world while exploring matters of the heart.

The notably diverse percussion on the album is a product of Hawkins' background of African drumming and jazz.

Musicians are supposed to tour on an album for two years, Hawkins said, but she's already itching to start something new. "I'm always writing and always recording," she said.

With her busy schedule, it's impossible to set aside a block of time to work on a project, but she has a wealth of old and new material to draw from when it's time to complete an album.

Since leaving Sony, her former label, and becoming an independent artist, Hawkins' method of writing and composing hasn't changed at all "because I never involved the record company in my creative process. And I'm lucky that way," she said.

Her fans admire her freedom and determination, and they can relate to Hawkins through the vulnerability that shows in her songs.

Date published: 5/12/2005