With seven golden guitars and four boys younger than six under her belt, Sara Storer is living the dream.
Sure she’s slowed down a little, but the music, just keeps coming
‘Since the family came along the actual performing part has slowed down quite considerably because it’s just too hard to be away from your children on the road, and when they are so little you just don’t want to be dragging them from town to town. I keep the fire alight by still writing and I still managed to put out one album in between all of them (Lovegrass) but I didn’t do a lot of touring at the time.’
It was something Storer regretted, as she is well aware of how much her country fans want a live show and how much that feeds a new album.
‘I was really disappointed that I didn’t tour Lovegrass. It was a good album; I was really torn. It’s a hard line doing all this work and not touring it but you just have to balance everything. I have a supportive husband, and it’s a matter sometimes of being brave enough to do it. You worry you won’t be there enough for your kids. I love performing at festivals because rather than being on the road for days and days I can bring the family along and they get to see what I do.’
While Storer’s life is very family focused, she’s mindful that her songs look beyond the domestic front.
‘I have a few songs that mention the kids. I get really worried I am going to fill an album talking about my children. I write about personal experiences so I guess it’s only natural there are a few lines here and there. I normally need a story when I write. Something to really write about. If I don’t have something to write about it’s a bit pointless.’
Storer is currently working towards an album in September. ‘Today is my songwriting day. I have an au pair who looks after the kids all day and I go off and write. It’s a a real challenge because I am not disciplined like that. I will have three ideas in my head and I will just start one and if it happens then great. I don’t normally write from titles. I need to have a feel, or to know it. I need realness – some country artists can sit around the table and come up with ideas, like how about writing a song about a bloke with dust on his boots, but I need to hear the sound of rain on the tin roof!
‘I love writing about rural things and rural stories about people from the land. Those songs draw so many images; I prefer it to just writing about emotions. The album I am writing now seems a bit personal again, like Silver Skies was. But I am creating a whole other adventure.’
Sara Storer will be headlining at the Murwillumbah Country Roots Festival, 2–5 October, joined by her brother Greg Storer. ‘He’s a brilliant writer. I think he’s better than I am,’ she says. ‘I have even stolen his songs and used them on albums because he’s so good!’
For tickets or information go to mcrfest.com.
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