Loretta Hagen

 Acoustic Live In NYC Magazine

Loretta Hagen June Feature Cover Story

Richard Cuccaro editor of Acoustic Live in NYC Magazine has written a beautiful, poignant story about the musical life of NJ singer/songwriter Loretta Hagen.

The June issue cover story traces Loretta's early beginings as a musician, her time in Nashville, the performers she has shared the stage with, and her advocacy for her Mom who suffers Alzheimer's disease and how she has brought the disease to attention through her music.

Richard Cuccaro brilliantly brings Loretta's poignant story to life, and gives you a glimpse into the heart and courage of this talented musician.

“Sundown Till Dawn,” the title track to her latest CD, dedicated to her mother.

In her rich, husky alto, she sings:

Where she’s gone and what she sees must be like a night in dreams

In her world a little girl clings to me with hands so frail

Screaming loud to be let out of this savage jail

I take her hand and hold her near until the fear is gone…

Sundown till dawn …"

"We’ve already mentioned the title track and its eloquence. Others would include: “Hello Mountain (Ode to Bearfort Mt),” where she sings: Hello mountain, I’m still standing / Not quite like you, but I’ve weathered a storm. [And how!]"

“You’ll Get There Faster,” a sweet country rocker, makes use of soaring pedal steel and crunchy power chords along with the lines: I’m not showing signs of slowing down / If anyone thinks that I’ll be put out to pasture / You’ll get there faster.”

“Day” is a contemplative gem. Over gliding

finger-style guitar Loretta sings: “Day, it’s getting late / I’ll say thanks, oh and please, Day, on your way / Tell the night to be easy and get me through / To day

It’s poignant enough when taken as Loretta asking for mercy for herself, but when the sentiment is seen as very likely a prayer that her mother might be whispering, it’s devastating.

There are songs here that epitomize the best that country influence can offer. The Nashville songwriter’s craft shines through in much of this album.  I especially like the storyteller’s gift in “Bits and Pieces.” The loss of a love is encapsulated in the lines, “Now and then I find bits and pieces of our life / In a box or plastic bags with untwisted ties…”

“You’ve Got Hurtin’ Me Down to a Science”

delivers an oft-repeated hurt-lover country refrain. Loretta uses a gentler delivery than the usual strident, accusatory style of other country singers. There’s plenty of wry humor to offset the pain of loss: “Well, there’s schools of many subjects / like algebra and history / Well, you’ve made the school of breaking my heart / your own university.”

Richard Cuccaro Acoustic Live In NYC Magazine

http://www.acousticlive.com/acoustic_live/June_2010.html

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