Tret Fure's 16-year-old self wouldn't be happy with her. She never made it as big as she imagined herself being as a teenager, but after four decades in the business, her pride stands tall in what she has accomplished: her dense song catalog, including the popular "Tomboy Girl."
After straying from the mainstream in the '80s and teaming with Cris Williamson – both romantically and professionally – Fure took the indie route. She's pursued a slew of side projects, including a cookbook, clothing line and LGBT philanthropy work, but music's always been her first calling.
Her 13th album, "The Horizon," is tentatively due in June, and from her Wisconsin home, Fure spoke to Between The Lines about the fan-funded LP, her relationship with Williamson and why she admires Julia Child so much – and it's not her beef bourguignon.
What inspired this upcoming album?
All my work pretty much comes from my life and my experiences and my heart. This one is an interesting album because a lot of my last few CDs have been pretty happy, and people are accusing me of writing too many happy love songs.
Folk performers don't hear that one very often.
(Laughs) Well, this one has a little more dynamic. I've had a lot of friends who have passed away in the last two years, so I've written a few songs that deal with death. I also have relationship songs that aren't all hunky-dorky. Life is always a challenge so I'm writing more songs that I think are a little deeper in the human condition – and in my condition, which is ever evolving.
A lot of fans have been helping fund it, right?
Yeah, they always do. I've been really fortunate. My last six recordings have been absolutely funded by my audience. They've all been done through contributions – and I'm not tax-exempt, so they're outright gifts. I give them what little token I can, but truly it's just a token.
Like an Italian dinner and a private concert?
(Laughs) Well, that's the first time I've offered that and that so far hasn't flown, but the reason I put it up is that I auction these dinners off at the National Women's Music Festival (in Wisconsin), and last year I auctioned off four. I raised $17,000 for the festival. And I've done that for four years. So I thought, Hell, I need to do this for myself (laughs).
You have many talents outside of music, including cooking. Where does that come from?
My mother's Italian, and she was a great cook. I wouldn't say she taught me how to cook; that was her domain. Toward the end of her life, I'd start watching her more. I know how to combine ingredients without measuring it. I just have it in my genes.
Are you a Julia Child fan then?
She was fantastic, but I'm not a fan of her cooking. She was a little too traditional, and I'm not a meat-eater. My stuff is all fish and chicken and vegetarian – and a lot of Italian and Asian. I love how Julia Child became a chef, though. She followed that dream, and it worked for her. I'd love to follow that dream, but being in the restaurant business is almost as lucrative as being in the music business.
Are you finding it more difficult than ever?
Oh yeah. Since the economy has tanked, people really don't have as much disposable income and they tend to stay in more. And everyone's working so hard, they don't want to go out. I don't blame them in some ways because I'm tired at the end of the week, but I think without live music we'd really be in trouble. People sometimes forget that.
How often are you touring these days?
At this point in my life I don't want to be on the road all the time so I try to book two weekends a month.
At this point in your life? What's going on?
Well, I just turned 59, so that's what's going on (laughs). I've been doing this for 40 years and I love my work and I really do love traveling, but I travel alone now. My partner traveled with me for the first few years, but she's in hospital administration so she doesn't come on the road, and I don't take other musicians with me because I can't afford to.
So, I'm out there a lot by myself, and though I don't stay in hotels – I have friends everywhere that I stay with, and that's a great treat – it's a lonely life and it's exhausting. I choose to try to spend more time in the home that I love, with my dogs and my partner, and tour as much as I can to make a living. I teach guitar and songwriting and mandolin as well when I'm home so that helps keep me off the road.
What's your relationship like with Cris Williamson?
We don't really communicate that much. They always say that when lesbians break up, they're best friends. Well, that's not always the case (laughs).
Because you were so young when you began your career, what have you learned since that you wish you knew then?
Just how difficult this life is for someone who writes in the folk vein and writes from the heart and from the human condition instead of writing for the machine or the next hit.
I've had really good luck in my career and I've had great opportunities, but I've never seen the big success that you always hope you're going to get when you're 16. But I don't know that I'd trade it, because I also have friends who lost all their ability to lead any kind of a quiet, normal life. I'm able to lead a pretty quiet, normal life, and that really suits me.
Tret Fure
8 p.m. March 27
SHaut Cabaret and Gallery
325 Braun Court, Ann Arbor
$15 (advance) and $18 (door)
3 p.m. March 28
Ask Me House Concerts, Lansing
http://www.askmehousepresents.com or http://www.tretfure.com.
