This started out as an interview for a French music magazine. As it was never published, and it answered so many of the questions we're so frequently asked, we thought to publish it here on our site as a FAQ.
If you have any questions you would like to add, just e-mail us!
FAQ - When and where were you born?

Lance – I was born in Nashville, Tennessee on 10 July 1956.

Donna - I was a W.W.II baby brought into this world in exchange for a bottle of whiskey. That was outside of Chicago, 9 October, 1943. Top

FAQ - When did you decide to play the blues?

Lance – Hard to tell. Music has always been around me, and really just about every style you could mention. Living in the south, the blues just kind of hangs in the air that you breathe. It’s not a conscious choice, it's just part of you. When I listen to other music, I hear the blues at it’s very roots. When I hum to myself, it’s the blues that comes out. Top

FAQ - What are your musical influences?

Lance – The first music I ever listened to was that what my mother sang and the records she listened to; Josh White, The Montgomery Brothers, Odetta, and the old "torch songs" like "Cry Me a River". Some of the very first records I ever owned were Elmore James, the Almann Brothers, Muddy Waters, and the James Bond - Goldfinger soundtrack. My mother was also very involved in the community theater, so I was exposed to Broadway musicals. In the 60’s and 70’s I listened to the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, Canned Heat, Jethro Tull, Jimi Hendrix, Sly and the Family Stone, Little Feet, Blue Cheer, Janis Joplin, Yes, Pink Floyd; you name it, I listened to it and absorbed it into my "phonographic memory" for instant replay. But still, when it all boiled down, it was the blues. So, I started digging deeper in the collections of "blues hounds" as I'd meet them. "What was that!?!" I'd eagerly ask! That's when I started discovering the real gems that I'd previously heard only once, tuned in from a far away radio stations across the great expanse of America. Now, I think some of my stronger influences are Blind Willie Johnson, Charley Patton, Muddy Waters (of course!), Elmore James, Duane Almann, Lowell George, Howlin’ Wolf, and Wallace Jenkins. I wish I could write like Willie Dixon!

Donna – I was lucky. I think I was born at a good time. I’ve had Sam Cook as a young radio DJ to educate me. I saw Elvis as a teen, first hand, not a re-run. The same time I was seeing some of the old blues men in Chicago and later in Nashville bars. Small bars – wonderful and special. Top

FAQ - Do you play other instruments, and why did you chose the guitar?

Lance – When I was just baby, my mother used to leave her baritone ukulele in my baby crib. I would plunk on it until I fell asleep. When I could reach the keys of my mother’s piano I started plunking on that, too. I always found it easy to pick out the melodies of the songs I heard in and around me. When my mother felt I was old enough, she sent me to piano lessons. This didn’t work out so well because I drove the teacher crazy. She would say, "now read these notes and play them." I would look at the little dots and lines and see the designs they made like art, but they made no sense to me other than that. So she said, "It should sound like this ..." and she would play it for me. At that point it was easy! No matter what she would play, I would play it right back at her like a recording! She kicked me out. Mom sent me back again but, the teacher begged my mother to "please let him quit." I play lots of other instruments; of course, all the keyboard family, most stringed instruments, woodwinds, but I never got my lips to play horns (i.e. trumpet, trombone, etc.) I learned about synthesizers from the ground floor, back when they were analog, on the ARP 2600, and I also explored what could be done with tape recorders; echo loops, and recording on one and playing it back while playing along with it onto another. Multi-tracking! But, the guitar was always my instrument of choice. I wanted to play it because all the music I loved was based mainly around the guitar. It’s also a very tactile, "hands on" expressive instrument that can really speak from/to the soul. I got my first guitar for Christmas when I was 12, a "Decca" acoustic, I think my mom still has it. It’s not playable now, somebody stepped through it at a party. Then I got my first electric guitar, a Japanese copy of a "Telecaster". Now this is when I really started having some fun! This meant I could play in bands! I used to drag my amp and guitar down to the park Sunday afternoons where I’d meet up with some friends (Boo Boo and Casey Clarke and some other names I can’t think of right now) and we would jam on "funky soul music" until it was too dark to see. "Sly and the Family Stone", "the Temptations", and of course, the blues. Somebody also had an electric piano, so we would exchange our instruments all afternoon. Some years later, I met Wallace Jenkins who really gave me my solid foundation in the blues. I only got to visit with him a few times but they were power packed and full of inspiration. These days, I’m playing a lot of slide, and lapsteel. I’ve always enjoyed slide guitar, it’s really fluid and expressive like the human voice. We just had one made for me by Mike Lewis of "Fine Resophonic" outside of Paris. He’s made guitars for Eric Clapton, Francis Cabrell, Johnny Holliday, Louisiana Red ... and me! Top

FAQ - You have an itinerant life of playing the blues in the United States, but in France what problems have you encountered?

Lance – Not any, really. France has been fabulous. We’ve met so many wonderful people and seen so many interesting places. France has an amazing variety of landscapes in a relatively small area. The language was difficult at first, and I don’t know that I will ever get the gender attachments to everything, but it’s slowly coming along. I’m at least able to hold some conversations in French, now.

Donna - Yes, when they found out we were American, and not English, they were much more forgiving of our not knowing the language. Lance has learned much more French than I, but I’ve taught much more English than he. Our biggest problem here is the food. The food and wine are just too good, so we’ve put on some kilos since arriving in France! And we do love the bisous! Top

FAQ - What do you search for in this nomadic life?

Lance – It’s not that we’re "searching for" as much as discovering new things. Not only places, but ourselves. Change does that. Top

FAQ - How did you meet each other?

Lance – That’s a story!!! By the time Donna and I met, I had been divorced and had already had another relationship that had ended. I was working in the graphic design industry and playing in a band around town. This night the band was playing in a bar in the famous "Printer’s Alley". I had been invited to the ex-girlfriend’s birthday party (all her parties were social events) but I thought "forget it ... I really could care less." but one of the other musicians told me I really should go. It was on my way home after the gig anyway, so I went.

Donna - I had been divorced and avoiding any relationships for a couple of years. During this time, I opened my house to the all kinds of people and possibilities. My house became a regular place for drum circles. When a friend was throwing a garden birthday party I was invited, mainly because I could bring the drummers for the evening’s entertainment. After the evening had peaked I started looking around and realized ... there were men there about my age. Maybe it was time to consider another possible relationship. Now the thing you have to understand is, that in my life I have had a recurring theme. All my husbands and lovers have had had double letters in their name. I was visiting around the party asking, "So, what is your name?" If they had double letters in their name, I would talk to them. This was not producing good results until I saw the hostess speaking with a handsome latecomer to the party, I wondered who he was. She introduced us. "Donna, this is Lance Harrison." "Oh!" I said, "Is that with two ‘r’s?"
Lance – "Why yes it is ?!"

Donna - "So nice to meet you!" After that we spoke of similar interests, left the party together, and we have been together ever since.

Lance – We just had our nine year anniversary on the 11 of August, the day of the eclipse! Top

FAQ - How do you function in your life, and musically also?

Lance – The music takes care of us. But sometimes it’s difficult to take time to just be "us" as the music can also take over your life. I am very lucky that I have a woman that shares in my life of music. Many a good marriage has been broken by the consuming passion of music. Patience and understanding of a passion is a difficult one, but we’re doing just fine on that.

Donna – And Lance has always said, "If you follow your dream, your dream will take care of you" . This is just our dream. And it’s wonderful how it does take care of us. Top

FAQ - How did you learn to play music?

Lance – By listening to records and emulating what I’ve heard, playing along with them. Sometimes other people show me things they’ve learned. Musicians are generally good about sharing knowledge with each other. Sometimes people are guarded with information, but that just roots from insecurities and stunts their own growth. I’m always happy to share what I can, it always comes back. But listening is the key. It’s communication. You can’t communicate if you don’t listen. Top

FAQ - How would you define your music and what are the ingredients?

Lance – I believe that music is the ongoing story of life in and around you. The ingredients are simply the emotions and reflections of this story. Blues is a basic language that transcends the barriers of national language and speaks with rhythms and tonalities directly to the spirit. Top

FAQ - It’s been a year since the release of your last album, how do you find the reaction to it from the public?

Lance – Fantastic! Many people have told us that they’ve have been listening to this album all year long, in fact It’s their favorite. Some tell us that when they’ve had a stressful time they put on "Travelin’ Blues" and the troubles just melt away. Others say they’ve seen us several times and every time it’s even better than the last. Then the common question is, "When do we get the next album?" Soon. Top

FAQ - What will be the ingredients for your next album?

Lance – Live! That’s what everybody, including us, seems to want. Some classics, and some originals. Lots of lapsteel, and slide. We’ve both been writing quite a bit.

Donna - And I'm singing more. We're looking forward to a new release as much as everyone else! Top
© copyright Honey Pumpkin Music 2000