专辑简介

Jessica Smith did not set out to be a musician or make a record. She was a young California surfer girl raised in Santa Cruz who suffered a series of traumatic events and started writing songs about her pain and questions about life and death. Friends, family and strangers encouraged her to record her songs, not only for the sake of others suffering from similar experience, but because they found her voice beautiful, soothing, and similar to some famous musicians like Natalie Merchant, Gillian Welch, Jennifer Knapp and Brandi Carlisle. While busking downtown San Luis Obispo one night, a stranger approached Smith and told her, "These songs aren't for you anymore. The world needs them." Some listeners, not understanding her purpose in singing her losses, asked why she didn't write more happy songs. Smith discovered, like the Black slaves in America's dark history, that singing her despairing condition made her hopeful, strong, and peaceful. The Black spirituals were originally called "Sorrow Songs." Needing courage and inspiration to proceed with her unique music project, Smith named her album title after the memory of the slaves who sang their sorrow and found a mysterious joy in the singing. The temptation for Smith is always to abandon her heart's desire to comfort and validate the brokenhearted by writing songs that are less emotionally charged, happy, poppy, easy. Smith concluded these songs validated her experience and led her into greater spheres of healing, joy, and purpose. Smith will make more records, but "Sorrow Songs" is her powerful and relevant message that true joy is only found in souls that have reconciled to their sorrow. Read more about Jessica Smith's story in her new book "Right On Laurel Street: Another Westside Story." Hard copy versions of "Sorrow Songs" can be purchased from Bookshop Santa Cruz or her website www.byjessicasmith.com.