Ferraby Lionheart

Ferraby Lionheart - "Harry and Bess"

little-videos.com

May 2, 2010

I met up with Ferraby late one Sunday afternoon at a friend of his' place, perched up in the hills of what I guess might be Montecito Heights; someways North and East of downtown. It was the kind of house that's gradually settled into itself over the past 60 some-odd years, leaving a noticeable slope to the cantilevered kitchen floor, and though probably pretty safe, you might not choose to be there during an earthquake. The Los Angeles / Nashville native was only in town for a few days (without a proper place of his own), and was heading off on tour with Leslie and the Badgers the following morning, then back to Tennessee.

We settled on shooting in the kitchen, because of all the light, though any number of spots in that house would've looked great. Ferraby was eating an apple and trying to decide which songs he might play, whether to use a harmonica or just whistle, even wrangled an old wooden box for some added percussion on one tune. The heat was starting to collect, the sun glaring in through the floor to ceiling glass.

There is something so immediately alluring here, that certain charm not only in the songwriting, but the performances that is genuinely spellbinding. The songs pour out almost overflowing, his entire body moving and tapping to the music. It's infectious. Irresistibly catchy melodies and cleverly crafted lyrics that range from humor to heartache, yet always maintain their authenticity. While the album versions dance and sway with beautifully careful arrangements and a purposeful moodiness, these are all folk songs at their heart. Stripped-down and sparse, they're at their most vulnerable, but for those willing to really listen, maybe also their most pure.

Find out more about Ferraby Lionheart @ www.myspace.com/ferrabylionheart

Camera: Elliot Glass

Sound: Elliot Glass