Jude Johnstone has been an influential songwriter for many years, having come to the attention of the music media in 2002 with the release of her debut album. Since those early years Jude has continued to build upon her reputation as an accomplished and sophisticated creative artist, attracting the interest of Trisha Yearwood, Bette Midler, Bonnie Raitt, Johnny Cash, Emmylou Harris, Stevie Nicks, among others, who have recorded her songs. She sat down to reflect upon her career and her recent return to touring Europe where she received considerable praise and plenty of love for her intimate performances.
I wanted to ask how the recent tour of Europe went for you. I think that it was the first time in a number of years that you decided to play in front of a live audience?
Actually, other than during the thick of the pandemic, I have played on a regular basis in and around Nashville, often with my daughter. This was the first tour abroad since just before the pandemic.
You shared the stage with Kevin Montgomery and his band. How did you come to meet him and how was the travelling between countries and venues?
I met Kevin on Facebook. He was familiar with some of my songs that Trisha Yearwood had recorded and contacted me when he saw that I was playing in London with my friend Daniel Cainer, in 2018. Although Kevin is from Nashville, he has lived for a number of years in England. So he sent me a message that he was coming to my show at The Green Note and that he would like to sing on Hearts in Armor with me, which he did. That was when we met. The traveling between countries was smooth as silk cause Kevin has done this for over 20 years over there. He books himself, he fills the venues, he drives the van, he books the hotels, the ferries, he literally takes care of everything and sings his lid off every night. He is a marvel to watch. I think the tour with Kevin was a great success.
Since your debut album in 2002 you have been very prolific with eight albums released over seventeen years to 2019. How did the Covid pandemic impact on your momentum?
The pandemic didn’t change my writing habits but the change in the music business did. The pandemic caused all the paying gigs I had booked for that year to be cancelled. And they were not gigs that I could re-book later. They were just lost forever.
The last album you released was LIVING ROOM in 2019. Can you bring us up to date with your song writing activity and can we expect a new album during 2024?
As for 2024, It’s a financial challenge to make another studio album, but I have a friend or two that might provide an opportunity for me, if need be. Or I may put out a collection of sorts with several new songs on it. Or a CD of all my Celtic songs or a duet album, I haven’t decided what I want to do yet. I want to find a way to put out a new record this year, one way or another.
You were championed at an early age by Clarence Clemons of the E Street band. What was that experience like and how did it shape your subsequent acceptance as a new artist?
On Clarence Clemons, that is a very long story which I tell in detail on the first two episodes of my podcast, Book of Jude. But his influence on me and his friendship was immeasurable. I met him on an airplane when I was just 18 and I sent him some of my songs. He contacted me and flew me to New Jersey to watch Springsteen record The River and attend the famous “No Nukes” concerts at Madison Square in NYC, where I met some of my idols. In particular, Jackson Browne and Bonnie Raitt, both of whom would, many years later, sing harmonies on several of my own records and allow me the privilege of opening some shows for them along the way. Clarence remained my dear friend until he died at 69 years old.
The list of famous artists that have recorded your songs over the years is very impressive. Is the phone ringing in your Nashville home these days?
The first artist other than Clarence, to record a song of mine was Laura Brannigan, then Stevie Nicks … Bette Midler, Trisha Yearwood, Jennifer Warnes. I was in my 20’s in Hollywood when it started. As for my Nashville phone ringing, the answer is no, it does not ring much these days.
You initially write the songs for yourself and subsequently imagine other artists that they might suit. Can you remember the first time when headline artists started asking to record your songs?
Yes, both Stevie Nicks and Bette Midler. They were the first to ask back in the 1980’s.
You played piano from a young age. How naturally did song composition come to you?
Songwriting came at a very early age for me, around 8 years old. I think the first song that I thought might be a “hit” for someone was Cry Wolf which both Laura Brannigan and Stevie Nicks did. It wasn’t a hit for either of them but Stevie was my first Gold Record (The Other Side Of the Mirror in 1989). Music is always in my head, and lyrics too.
Tell me about your creative process. Do the songs come easily to you and do you have a store of ideas that await completion?
The music comes almost by itself, often fully formed. The lyrics are what I spend all the time on, sometimes years. And yes, I have many notebooks with unfinished ideas in them waiting for the right time when I feel capable of finishing them.
Do you believe that the spark of creativity is ever-present and that access to it is the key challenge for all writers?
The spark of creativity is not always there for me. But I don’t sweat it. I just wait.
You like to teach song composition to other musicians and writers. How do you view the role of teacher?
I teach songwriting to students through Airbnb Experiences in order to help pay my bills.
Do you like to experiment with different music genres when composing?
I write in whatever genre presents itself to me at the time.
How difficult is it to get paid a decent royalty cheque these days with the onset of downloads and streaming services to the listening public?
I no longer get paid anything to speak of when my songs are recorded because people don’t buy the physical product anymore. They stream songs instead and make their own playlists, and the streaming companies charge them a monthly subscription fee to listen to anyone’s songs, out of which the songwriter gets nothing. That model destroyed my career overnight, basically. I don’t get paid much anymore, unless I were to write a radio hit for somebody or get a tv or movie placement.
When you reflect upon your career to date I’m sure it resembles a roller coaster of experiences, many joyful moments mixed with all the recognition that your talents have attracted. What advice would you give to a younger Jude Johnstone who is just embarking on her journey?
Don’t be too precious. Be open to collaboration. Don’t rely on others to validate your work. No one else has your story. Don’t be afraid to tell it. Always do work you’re proud of, whether anyone hears it or not.
Interview by Paul McGee