The first time I saw Terri Hendrix perform, I was taken by how different she was. Folky, jazzy, bluesy; a genre jumper with a sense of timing all her own. It was at a KNBT Americana Jam a decade ago, and she was just such a breath of fresh, unpolluted air. I have been a fan of her music for years. She has walked her path relentlessly and pioneered, carving out a space for herself, putting out her albums on her own label. She is incredibly prolific, with 14 releases in the last 14 years. The most recent, Cry Till You Laugh, came out in June. Plus, the companion book Cry Till You Laugh - The Part That Ain't Art, Terri's first, has just been released. It's actually two books in one, with the “Part That Ain’t Art” section acting as a primer for exploring the “DIY” route in today’s music business. And Terri's essays range from fun, to confessionally honest, just as her songs do.

Photo Credit: Mary BrutonI saw her play twice this year, so I consider myself doubly blessed. Most recently, she and Lloyd Maines were at The Rock Garden House Concert series in Austin, for a spectacular evening under the stars. And in the July heat in Okemah, Oklahoma, she came to pay tribute to Woody Guthrie at WoodyFest. She wrote about her experiences in regard to Woody in her GoatNotes blog. We had the opportunity to catch up with her at WoodyFest, inviting her and Lloyd into the cool red brick environment of the Thompson Loft, out of the midday heat. She played one of my favorite songs for the Music Fog cameras, "I Found the Lions." Check here for her upcoming tour dates.

- Jessie Scott