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Grammy winner Shawn Colvin ready to play Park City

Last October, Grammy Award-winning singer and songwriter Shawn Colvin hit a milestone.

Her solo debut album "Steady On’ turned 25.

"To tell you the truth, I didn’t even think about it," Colvin said with a laugh during a telephone interview with The Park Record from her home in Austin, Texas. "All the years seemed to blend into each other."

The one anniversary she did respond to was the 20th anniversary of her album "Cover Girl."

"I only thought about that because someone reminded me of it," she said with another laugh. "And then there’s the fact that I just started making a follow up to it. I’m not sure what we’ll call it, but I guess, right now, I’m calling it ‘Cover Girl’ and calling it a 20th anniversary celebration."

So, Colvin is looking forward to her three-night stand at the Egyptian Theatre this weekend where she will play songs that span her 30-year career.

"There are great people who live there," she said. "I know it’s going to be warm, but I’m praying there will be some snow left when I get there, because I’m a skier."

During her time as a solo singer and songwriter, Colvin has won three Grammy Awards, wrote a memoir, "Diamond in the Rough," and has released 10 albums, including her most recent, "All Fall Down."

Not bad for someone who calls herself a "late bloomer" when it comes to songwriting.

"I learned to play guitar when I was 10 and became decent at doing that," Colvin said. "I was writing songs by the time I was 15, and then just let it go for at least 10 years or so."

The reason? She was a good copycat.

"I could imitate most female singers like Bonnie Raitt, Joni Mitchell and Stevie Nicks and I had a lot of bar bands and did a whole bunch of stuff like that," Colvin said. "It took me a long time to go, ‘You know what? You’re a singer and songwriter, but you need to write the songs. That’s important.’"

Although her early influences were the Beatles and the Monkees, as a songwriter, Colvin was influenced by the great singer and songwriter boom of 1969 and early 1970.

"Joni Mitchell was a big time [influence on] me, but also James Taylor, Paul Simon and Bob Dylan to an extent," she said. "I was late to the party. Of course I knew Dylan and his music, but I wasn’t deeply into it, believe it or not, back then. I’m still embarrassed about that, but now, I know every chapter and verse."

Still, it took Colvin a while to find her own voice.

"That’s why ‘Steady On’ came out when I was 30," she said.

In addition to working on her cover album, the songwriter is also working on a new album with outlaw-country singer and songwriter Steve Earle.

"We’re in the writing stages, which is quite fun, and we’re going to start recording in the fall," Colvin explained. "So the album won’t be out until 2016."

Colvin reached out to Earle a few months ago.

"I play solo all the time and the times that I have shared the stage with someone is tremendous fun," she said. "I love it because I’m also entertained and the heat’s off a little and I started looking at different people and Steve Earle was on my list. We got ahold of him and he was interested in doing that.

"As it turned out, our vocals blend well and I get to rock out a little more with Steve than I normally do," Colvin said. "I love being an accompanist and harmony singer. I love being a backup musician and the repartee you have with another is great. Also, the audience loved that because they are hearing and seeing something new."

Many ideas passed between the two for the album.

"There are a lot of cover songs we could do and we could redo some of our own previous songs with new arrangements, instrumentation and harmonies," Colvin said. "But we really wanted there to be some original material on it, so we’re going at it."

In addition to her collaboration with Earle, Colvin has worked with, toured with and/or shared the stage with Jackson Browne, Don Henley, Emmylou Harris, John Hiatt, Lyle Lovett and her songwriting partner, John Leventhal.

These moments are like dreams that have come true for Colvin.

"I had fantasies of meeting my heroes when I was 10 and 12 and at that time I read a lot of teen magazines, because I was into the Beatles and the Monkees," she said. "I was a big seamstress at that time and I remembered reading about a seamstress for the rockstars. I can’t remember her name, but I would fantasize that I would become a seamstress for these musicians.

"But I would say one of the most rewarding things that have happened to me were not only to have met some of my heroes, but to have sung and played with them," Colvin said.

Another highlight is when Colvin’s fans tell her that her songs are soundtracks to their lives.

"Everyone knows what it’s like to have those soundtracks," Colvin said. "The importance of music in how we deal with things can’t be underestimated. If I’m a soundtrack to somebody’s life, then I’m enormously humbled and satisfied at the same time."

The Egyptian Theatre, 328 Main St., will present Grammy Award-winning singer and songwriter Shawn Colvin on Friday, March 27, through Sunday, March 29. The Friday and Saturday concerts will begin at 8 p.m. Sunday’s show will start at 6 p.m. Tickets range from $43 to $75 and are available by visiting http://www.parkcityshows.com .


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