Linda Stout

It was not just doing myspace listening last night. I went out to the Haunt, not far from my little house in Ithaca and heard Sometymes Why, 3 terribly talented women known for their other bands, Crooked Still, the Mammals and Uncle Earl. It was full of gorgeous harmonies, a touch of twang. How did old time (or old tyme) ever get so hip? It was kind of like Dixie Chicks, not so different from my favorite Ithaca group, Five2 (also 3 women). In Sometymes Why, they're all great singers, and Aoife O'Donovan sounds like Alison Krauss, all honey high and sweet (she can also sing low just fine, too). And they play baritone uke -- baritone uke, yay -- along with other instruments, and I understand this because I'm in love with my old uke lately. My old uke, hard as it is to tune, has been my sweetie lately; lots of new songs. I did cheat a little and found the strangest new tuning for guitar last night after the show.) I dream of having an all-girl band, of very talented, committed musicians who aren't too busy with a million other things, or will at least make the time. I saw an engineer I've worked with last night, too, Al Grunwell, Finger Lakes Recording, and he liked my girl group idea; he said, "Yeah, 3 Lindas." (I like playing with guys, too, always have.) Layered stuff is fun in the studio, and I want it live, too. I briefly met Ruth of the Mammals, and her young "niece" who's at Ithaca College. Ruth Ungar and I figured out we'd both been inspired by seeing Jennifer Kimball play her baritone uke. I took to uke like a love from multiple incarnations returned. I played soprano uke as a tiny little kid, along with toying with piano. I tune it strangely, kind of low and like a cello, in 5ths, or octaves and 5ths.