“The only way I really knew that I could help … is by putting out songs that have messages that make you focus on the positivity within each and every one of us, and the joy that we hold within each and every one of us—because we have that.” Read Valerie June’s full interview with Jill Riley about her latest record, “The Moon and Stars: Prescriptions for Dreamers,” her upcoming spring tour—including a stint with Chastity Brown, and how she got connected with Carla Thomas for her song “Call Me A Fool,” which was nominated for a Grammy this year.

Interview Transcription

Edited for clarity and length.

JILL RILEY: You were nominated for your first Grammy. How does that feel?

VALERIE JUNE: It's like, "Yay!!" Truly just a huge moment in my life. It's like receiving a college degree. Even though I never went to college. I feel like I got my degree the day that--first Bob Dylan said that he liked my songwriting, and second, this Grammy nomination, those two is the bachelor's and the masters to me. I'm ready for the doctorate.

That's really excellent. So this song, "Call Me A Fool," nominated for Best American Roots song at the upcoming Grammys. And that's the song that you did with the queen of Memphis soul--with Carla Thomas. Can you talk a little bit about how that came together? How did you connect with with Carla Thomas?

Well, Memphis is home sweet home for my music and the birthplace of my music. So when I lived in Memphis for a solid 10 years, I always heard about Carla and I always loved her music and who doesn't love the song "Baby" or "Gee Whiz," those are classics. And in her day, those were number one hits. She was the youngest out of six to have a number one hit across the planet. And so I really, really love working with my elders, anyone from Booker T. Jones to Mavis Staples, and when I had the opportunity to get in touch with Carla, I was like, I absolutely would love to have you come be my fairy godmother on this very magical record. And she agreed and being in the room with her is truly like you are in the presence of a really, really magical person, because she has stories of working with Otis Redding, of her time with Atlantic Records, with Stax Records, Rufus Thomas, her father, her sister, Denise, I mean the stories are incredible. She is such a keeper of Memphis history. Even in the times when Dr. King was there, she could tell you stories about all the Memphis history. So I was like, maybe if she's on some new records with artists today, then we can give her that kind of like appreciation and respect that we give to our other elders.

It's just a high moment for me to say that I was able to work with her on my record, but also invite her to the Americana awards at the Ryman, which is a stage she always dreamed of being on and even told her mom, "One day I want to be on the Ryman stage. One day I want to sing at the Grand Ole Opry." But for so many young women of color in that time, it wasn't even possible. Even though you had a big hit all across the planet, it wasn't possible. And so for her to be able to receive the Americana Inspiration Award, she was beaming, Jill! Beaming!

I imagine.

So she told the Memphis paper when they interviewed her about the Americana award, they said, "Well anything else you want to do in your lifetime with music?" She said, "Well I always dreamed one day I could get a Grammy," and next thing you know, there we were nominated. And I'm like, "This is all Carla." I put my name on there. Just tiny print at the bottom. This is all Carla. Our elders--from her to Mavis to Booker T, what they've done for us, I mean, it's timeless and we still listen to "Green Onions". We still listen to "I'll Take You There," it's still so powerful.

So the song "Call Me A Fool," it's up for Best American Roots Song at the upcoming Grammy Awards. So you'll be back in Minneapolis in the springtime, because I know you're going back out on tour, "The Moon And Stars: Prescriptions For Dreamers," you'll be at the Pantages Theatre in May.

Yes, and I've never performed there and I also will be with Chastity Brown who is from Minneapolis. I'm excited to have her openin' the show. I followed her for a long time we were at the Kennedy Center together in different places, and so finally we were at a place where we could do something together. So that's going to be such a fun spring tour together, not just there--we're going to go from there to different cities in the Midwest and all throughout. So hopefully we're getting started with some things together. And I'm looking forward to the show because like I said, I come in the winter quite often to Minneapolis on my tours, but to get to come in the spring? People just don't even know the treat of when the snow melts and all these beautiful flowers and things start blooming there. When I was growing up in Tennessee, I never knew what to think of Minneapolis. But after coming and visiting it's so diverse, the food is so rich, the the talent and the music is so rich, and it's just one of my favorite art cities, really it is.

The new record from you, "The Moon and Stars: Prescriptions For Dreamers"--it is out, you'll be hitting the road, and there is such an expression of positivity and hope from this record.

That was so important to me to kind of look at the world and everything that we were going through across the planet and the need for great healing. Yes, I see the darkness and I see all of the trauma and our challenges, but to say, "No, we have to rewrite the story and it's gotta begin like yesterday." And so how do we do that? The only way I really knew that I could help to began to do that is by putting out songs that have messages that make you focus on the positivity within each and every one of us and the joy that we hold within each and every one of us, because we have that. So often, something will allow something to take it away, but everyone is powerful. Everyone has a dream. Everyone has creativity in some way, whether you cook, you draw, you paint, you like fashion, something that can spark and keep your imagination open. And when you keep your imagination open, and you keep the creativity open, then dreams become possible. A dream like Dr. King's becomes possible. A dream like John Lewis's becomes possible. A dream for new world and for sweeter things and kinder things. So that's why I wanted this record to just be as ethereal and magical and joyful and positive as it could be. It deals with the dark stuff like falling and hitting hard times and stuff, but we write that story. We define that narrative every day in our present in how we live and so I want it to be able to to have something for my listeners that was like this transcends race, this transcends genre, this transcends time--we're gonna do this!

Valerie June with me here on The Current. I just love checking in with you. There is something in you that just by telling your story and talking about your process and the people you've worked with, and the shows you're about to play, you share and radiate this positivity and this belief that we are one and that we can dream together. So I appreciate it. I just really, really love checking in with you, so Valerie June thanks again.

Thank you, too. Have a great day Jill!

External Links

Valerie June - official site