Singer and songwriter Kate Taylor will bring her earthy vocals and eclectic style to Marblehead's Me&Thee Coffeehouse tomorrow night in what will double as a CD release party of her latest album, "Fair Time!"
When it came to write songs for her album, Taylor tapped her childhood with brothers James, Livingston, Hugh and the late Alex in Chapel Hill, N.C., and their summer visits to Martha's Vineyard, now her island home.
The musician will also screen a documentary on her life, "Kate Taylor: Tunes From the Tipi and Other Songs From Home," at the Coolidge Corner Movie Theater in Brookline Nov. 17.
Taylor will have her CD and DVD on sale at Me&Thee.
What inspired your songs on this album?
A couple of my brothers wrote songs about Chapel Hill. I said if they can, I can. ... We had a lot of summers here (on Martha's Vineyard) as little kids. Back getting out of school, we all used to gravitate to the Vineyard. I raised my kids here.
Over that period of time, you get settled into a place, get inspired by the people and places here. I guess when you make an album it's kind of like it's a record of where you're at.
Tell me more about the album itself.
There are 12 songs on the record. There's a mix of styles. I like to sing country, folk, bluegrass, gospel, R&B. Most of that is represented on the record.
There's a song called "Red Tail." When I lost my husband (Charlie Witham) in 2001, a red tail hawk was landing in the cedar tree in the yard. It would do this cawing call. He was very sick. We didn't know his demise was imminent. I would run an errand and come back. He said, 'Kate, that bird really likes you."
The day of Charlie's funeral service, a red tail hawk circled around the gathering there. ... On my birthday, I went for a walk and wrote this poem. I put those words to music, and that's on the record. It's a pretty personal record.
So do you have a favorite song?
Favorite? That's like saying which one of my kids do I like most. Some people like "King of the Pond" or like "Soap Opera Life." People have different songs that they like. I've been getting some really nice feedback.
At the Me&Thee, what should the audience know?
They won't be disappointed if they come to the show. We have a good time, and we have some good stories and some really good songs. The DVD and CD are worth a listen.
Is this the first time you'll be playing your songs live?
This summer we had a celebration for the completion of the CD on the island. So I sang the songs there.
We've done a few dates out and about. This will be the first time I've done something in the Boston area.
You have a pretty musical family. What's it like when you get together?
It's like herding cats. It's pretty great. Everybody's scattered to the four winds so it's rare that everybody's together at the same time. It's rarer, too, when we get to play music together.
if you go
What: Performance by Kate Taylor, with Michael Troy opening
When: Tomorrow, doors open at 7:30 p.m.
Where: Me&Thee Coffeehouse, 28 Mugford St., Marblehead
Cost: $20 in advance, $22 at the door. Visit meandthee.org or call 781-631-8987.
