"SPOTLIGHT ON" SINGER/SONGWRITER HONOR FINNEGAN

_DSC8697-1Who is Honor Finnegan?

 

A kid from the south side of Chicago, a spunky little chick, Milo’s mom. 

 

What are you working on at the moment?

 

My life! What are you working on? Let me get back to it!

 

I’m getting ready for the the New Folk Songwriting Contest in Kerrville, Texas. I’m a finalist! Kerrville is so much more than a music festival. It’s Lourdes for folkie songwriters. The song is sacred there. 

 

_DSC87091Do you have upcoming events you’d like people to attend?

 

But of course! Check out my website below for details. 

 

Playing a set, and teaching a workshop on songwriting at the NYC Ukulele Festival on May 31st. 

 

Performing in Joni Mitchell’s Blue: A 40th Anniversary Celebration at First Acoustics on June 1st in Brooklyn Heights.

 

Who are the singer/songwriters, past and present, you admire?

 

I admire a range of performers including singers, singer/songwriters, actors, and comedians. I tend to get into women more. Judy Garland, Carol Burnette, Ella, Billie, Piaf, Buffy Sainte-Marie, Judy Collins, Suzanne Vega, Joni Mitchell, Gilda Radner, Barbara Stanwick, Kate Hepburn, Sarah Siskind, Anais Mitchell, Susan McKeown, Tina Fey, Amy Poehler, Amy Sedaris, and Patti Smith. Doris Lessing is a great writer. 

  

_DSC8928What are your three (more if you like) all-time favorite songs or pieces of music?

 

What a pleasurably agonizing task. “Where is Love?” from Oliver, for sentimental reasons, but all of West Side Story is dear to me. “God Bless the Child” for my Chicago soul. “Kisses Sweeter than Wine”, “If I Had a Hammer” from the American folk tradition. “Sweet Music Roll On” by Christy Moore reminds me of my father. Prokofiev’s “Peter and the Wolf”  or Tchaikovsky’s “The Nutcracker Suite” are both rich in joyful, vivid music-storytelling. So much more, especially stuff that makes you dance. “ABC” by The Jackson Five! 

 

Who/what is your greatest inspiration and why?

 

I have a guru, spiritual guide, master, sensie, whatever you want to call it. It’s tough to describe why he is so inspirational because his greatness is something unseen like the depths of an iceberg, Love itself. 

  

_DSC8780Name five things you’d like to do or accomplish in the next five years.

 

1)Establish a solid fan-base in folk music.

2)Have more people (possibly famous people!) cover my songs.

3)Make three or more CDs.

4)Feel inspired and write more songs that I’m proud of.

5)Fall in love with a man who is my equal, and who will be a true companion. 

 

If you could dream of trying something in the arts you haven’t tried, but would like to, what would that be?  

Something visual and tactile. I used to paint as a hobby. I would like to do that again someday. I enjoy getting absorbed in it.

  

What do you enjoy doing in your spare time?

 

I’m a big fan of being lazy so I try to fit that in as much as possible, but I tend to be driven even in my idle time. I like to stalk people on the internet. I find them fascinating. I like to make stuff up in my head, daydream, fantasize, think. 

  

Please check out my website where you can sign up for my mailing list and please like my Facebook page!

 

Honor Finnegan Webpage

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