Liz Beebe
website
Are you from Maine originally?
Photo by @beccamurrayphoto
My true hometown is Newmarket, New Hampshire. I grew up there as a kid, riding bikes in the neighborhood, getting slush puppies all summer, and sledding down the huge hill in my backyard. Maine was always a second home to me. I “grew up” on Peaks Island, spending summers with my cousins hunting for crabs and closing my eyes tight while we drove through old WWII forts like Battery Steele. I “moved” to Maine as a teenager when I went to Gould Academy for high school and now I’m back! We came back east (both my husband and myself are from this area) to start @tacocattruck and bring California-style tacos home.
How did you become a musician? What inspired you?
I’ve always been a singer, but I didn’t set out to be a musician. I sort of fell backwards into it. I moved to LA for acting, that’s what I studied in college, theatre/performance. Throughout all the phases of my life though, I’ve sung. In school, after school, for fun, even in some of the performance jobs I held prior to joining DBR.
I like to joke that I snuck in the back door of the musician party and I’m just trying not to get kicked out. I think that comes from not attending school for music. I have some hangups about doing things my own way. It seems to work for me, but I’m a little self conscious about it. Truly, singing puts your body at ease, scientifically speaking. I’ve always romanticized the connection to music and it’s supernatural ability to transport you with one note, chord or harmony but I think I started out of survival. The act of singing (or even humming or chanting) will literally put your body into a calm(er) state. As a kid with lots of emotional tumult, mostly anxiety, I think I was drawn to singing unaware that it was helping me to regulate my emotions. From there it grew into proficiency and experience. I do love it; it drives me: the way that a song can build you up or tear you right down and expose your whole heart. My whole connection to music and the audience is that emotional relationship. I think I just came to being 'my gig' inadvertently.
Tell me more about the new track Try It Out. What was the inspiration behind it and what story does it tell?
When I was in college, one of the teachers was trying to dissuade us from majoring in theatre. Hanging your security on an artistic career is not always comfortable. He said that if we could imagine doing anything else with our lives, to do that, because it would be easier. I have never forgotten how absurd that sounded to me. I personally can imagine doing anything and everything with my life. I want to experience all there is to offer. Try it out is a fun, upbeat temper tantrum about wanting there to be more time, lifetimes even, to experience all there is. Other partners, living in someone else’s body, it can be huge just to move to a new town, but I want to know what it feels like to live in Tønder, Denmark or Santorini, Greece or be a pilot. There just isn’t time to live as much as I want to live. I am so grateful for the life I have, and I don’t want to give any of it up, I just want to try it all out while I’m here and breathing.
Do you plan to launch new music?
Yes! My next single “Vacation’ Is out July 23rd. It almost became the title of my upcoming album. It’s just the way I want my whole life to feel, like I’m on vacation. It’s dreamy and easy and chill, gauzy and soft. My full album “BEEBE” is out September 17 and was produced by another Maker of Maine, Sam Kassirer! At his amazing Parsonsfield studio The Great North Sound Society. That place Is magic, don’t tell too many people I want to still be able to get in there to record another album.
Do you plan to perform live or virtually anywhere in the near future?
I don’t have plans to perform just yet. I spent a long time touring away from home with Dustbowl Revival, and I’ve recently parted ways with that group. I loved so many of our experiences on the road, but for me touring just became too much. I am sure I will return to playing live shows again, for now it still feels right to rest and recover. I haven’t been home for this long in 8 years, I got chickens! Most of this time is spent retraining myself to be still, present and not DO so much. (That is a work in progress) I am writing; and I am taking a very fun trip July 5-10 with @sustainmusicandnature to be the next artist in their Songscapes series. Two artist friends get to come with me on an excursion down the Green River, and adventuring in UT/CO. I use the experience to write a song, and the whole trip is filmed and edited into a music video. I’m so excited to be a part of the project which spreads awareness of public land protection using music as the incentive to pay attention. Spending time outdoors with friends I haven’t seen in a year, and making some new ones is also an incredible gift.