Christine Lavin bio
Tom Mangano
and I thought I'd share it with those of you who don't have Web access yet.
For those of you who can access the Web, the site is
http://www.automatrix.com/~lavin.
Tom Mangano
***
Biography
(from Christine)
NAME: CHRISTINE LAVIN
BORN: 1/2/52
EDUCATION: Assumption School, Lakemont Academy, then BS in English, SUNY
Brockport,1974 (changed my major seven times in college)
MARITAL STATUS: Taken
OCCUPATION: Singer/songwriter/recording artist/producer
CURRENT AFFILIATION: Perpetual member of the FIBS club (Fickle Independent
Bitch Society - you, too, may be a member but just don't know it.)
TEENAGE IDOLS: Peter Paul & Mary
THE PERSON WHO HAD THE MOST IMPACT ON MY LIFE: Jimmy Terrosian. We had a
bike collision when I was 10, chipped three of my teeth, which led to a
root canal in one of those teeth when I was 20, which is being repaired
again now, as we speak. If I ever run into him again, I'm going to smack
him.
MY MOTHER'S BEST ADVICE: Never put anything in writing you wouldn't want
to see printed in The New York Times. Or did Judy Holliday say that?
FIRST JOB: Switchboard operator/receptionist at a convent in 1969. It was
so difficult! They all looked alike! I accidentally disconnected a man
with a heavy accent who was calling from Rome - three times I disconnected
him! I know St. Peter's going to give me grief over this in the future.
WORST JOB: Black raspberry picker on a farm in Dundee, NY later that same
summer of 1969. Daddy Long-Legs spiders lived in the bushes. I was
petrified the whole time, and ran to the next bush if I saw a spider, no
matter how many berries I missed. I was paid by how many berries picked,
worked for one week and made $7.10.
MUSICAL INFLUENCES: Laura Weber (the TV teacher on public TV - I learned
by watching her when I was 12 years old); Dave Van Ronk, Joni Mitchell,
Leonard Cohen, Tom Paxton, Bob Dylan
FIRST PUBLIC PERFORMANCE: A Hootenanny for the local Girl Scout and Boy
Scout troops in Peekskill, NY when I was 14.
FIRST PAID PERFORMANCE: The Crypt Coffeehouse in Brockport, NY around
1971. They passed the hat. I think I made $11.
FIRST RECORDING: "Christine Lavin: Absolutely Live", 1981, Lifesong
Records
HEROES: Pete Seeger, Anita Hill, Dave Van Ronk
LATEST RECORDING: "Please Don't Make Me Too Happy" on Shanachie Records,
1995
FAVORITE SONGWRITERS: Dar Williams, Suzanne Vega, Peter Nelson, Bill
Morrissey, Michael McNevin, plus see "Musical Influences" above.
WHAT'S ON MY TURNTABLE NOW: "Lifelines," the new PP&M album.
I WISH I COULD BE: An ice skater with the style of Oksana Bajul, the legs
of Nancy Kerrigan, the determination of Tonya Harding (without the bad
influences), the spinning ability of Kurt Browning, the athleticism of
Surya Bonalie, the flexibility of Denise Biellman, the jumps of Elvis
Stojko, the spirit of Viktor Petrenko, the outfits of Sonja Henie, and the
moves of the French ice dancing pair, the Duscheneys. Is that too much to
ask?
WHEN I'M NERVOUS, I: vibrate like crazy.
I WISH I COULD: learn how to take naps. How do you do that?
BOOK THAT CHANGED MY LIFE: My sister Louise's diary. She doesn't know I
used to read it. Please don't tell her.
FAVORITE MOVIES: Anything starring Sonja Henie. They always worked a
winter festival into the plot; she was always the queen and would skate
like crazy. I also love "Peggy Sue Got Married."
IF I'VE LEARNED ONE THING IN MY LIFE IT'S: Don't get too upset over
anything. No matter how bad it looks, things will get better. Ride out
the storm. On the other hand, no matter how good things are going now,
don't get used to it, because it won't last.
I'M BEST KNOWN FOR: My baton twirling. I'd like to say it's my
songwriting, but it's not. There are rumors that I twirl batons lit on
fire. I usually don't contradict those stories, but I'm telling you here,
they're not true.
BEHIND MY BACK THEY SAY: Christine Lavin isn't as nice as everyone thinks
she is. She's got quite a temper. But it's not true! I am nice, damn it,
and I'll smack anybody who says I've got a temper!
MY BEST HOUR OF THE DAY IS: When I do my exercise walk in the park,
listening to music on my Walkman. It gets my mojo working.
EVERY NEW YEAR'S EVE I RESOLVE: to exercise more, but then, you know, I
lie down, and wait for that exercise feeling to pass.
MY BEST ASSET IS: My resilience, which I get from my mom. After having
nine children, she's learned how to take everything in stride.
MY WORST HABIT IS: Watching Court TV. I'm addicted. I fantasize about
being a guest commentator, saying things like, "LOOK IN HIS EYES!! HE'S
GUILTY AS SIN!! LOCK HIM UP FOR LIFE!! THROW AWAY THE KEY!!! LET'S GO TO
A COMMERCIAL!!!"
WHEN I FEEL LOW I: get involved with a good book, or listen to a
songwriter who's more depressed than I am, or watch Court TV and thank my
lucky stars it's not me on the hot seat.
I NEVER COULD: Eat an oyster. They look so gross!
WHEN I'M IN THE SHOWER I SING: The theme from Court TV, with the special
lyrics I've written: What were you thinking?/ You'd get away?/ All of your
neighbors are watching you mess up today/ Your reputation is ruined/ you've
really flubbed/ now let's hear a word from our sponsor, "The Club."
MY FAVORITE YEAR: The one novocaine was invented.
I'D LOVE TO HAVE DINNER WITH: The restaurant reviewer for The New York
Times. I'd tell her to stop using the word "gutsy" to describe certain
sauces. It brings to mind images of guts floating in blood. Yuk.
THE ENTREE I'D CHOOSE FOR MY LAST MEAL WOULD BE: Something very sloppy
with a million calories. Wouldn't matter now, would it? No, wait a
minute. I'd ask for oysters. In a gutsy sauce. Then dying would be a
pleasure.