• Photo courtesy of Russ Harrington
• Mary Chapin Carpenter
• Carnegie Music Hall of Homestead
• Wednesday July 18, 2012
• Munhall

“From great pain comes great beauty. Acclaimed singer-songwriter Mary Chapin Carpenter has been through enormous diffic lties in recent years. But the anguish of her experiences has resulted in a stunningly beautiful collection of songs. The troubadour’s new Ashes and Roses album ranks as her most powerful in years, perhaps even her strongest ever. “Ashes and Roses is the most acoustic record I think I’ve ever made,” Carpenter observes. “The arrangements evolved around my playing and singing. The gentlemen [at the Nashville recording sessions] were right on it, I’d play them the song, and then we all just assumed our positions and played. It was very organic.”

Mary Chapin brings her tour to Pittsburgh tonight at the Carnegie Music Hall with special guest Tift Merritt opening. My thanks to Mary Chapin for taking the time to participate in this edition of First/Last.

• The first album you ever bought?
• “White Album” by The Beatles.
• Your last album bought?
• Brandi Carlile, “Bear Creek”.
• Favorite album of all time?
• Dylan’s “Blood On The Tracks”.
• First concert attended?
• Cheech and Chong.
• Last concert?
• Michael Kiwanuka and Glen Hansard, both amazing.
• Favorite concert ever?
• When I got to play with Springsteen at his concert.
• Any thoughts, experiences about Pittsburgh?
• One of my sisters is a longtime resident. We love it’s neighborhoods, it’s sports teams and last summer we had an amazing time playing an outdoor show nearby (Hartwood Acres, July 17, 2011).

Thanks, Mary Chapin. Yeah, playing with Springsteen would be something to remember for sure.