I first encountered the music of Blue Dirt Girl on the Audio Mirage Studios Compilation Music That Changed My Life. The band’s cover of “Little Conversation” struck me as incredibly sharp in terms of production but equally homespun, and the band’s approach to the song brought to mind the Beautiful South, a band I’ve been a fan of for decades. Curious to learn more, I dropped them a line…

Blue Dirt Girl isn’t just one person—it’s a band… Can you tell me who’s in it and what everyone does?

I am Kathryn Sutherland.  

I am the founder of Blue Dirt Girl. 

I commissioned and created the logos and online ID for Blue Dirt Girl, created our social pages and various music sites identities, developed the philosophy for Blue Dirt Girl, created the website, commissioned and produced a line of merchandise by local artists and then asked other musicians to join me.  I maintain all our socials, website and Youtube channel including creating the majority of our videos. I produce multidisciplinary shows, Fundraiser/Give Back shows and regular band shows/tours, pitch for shows and manage the band. I co-produce or produce all our recordings. Albert is integral in all our recording decisions.

I am the lead singer, electric guitarist/pedal board, songwriter, and co-songwriter with Albert Klassen. 

Albert Klassen is the other half of Blue Dirt Girl. He plays electric and stand up bass, and mandolin player,  songwriter, co-songwriter with me and creates tech plots for venues. All our shows/tours/applications are discussed and decided upon with Albert.

Albert also created a pro home studio during covid for sharing files/songwriting with/for Blue Dirt Girl.

We write all the songs solo or together.

That’s the short answer. Longer answer below about all my jobs with my band.

I have produced multiple ‘give back’ fundraisers with multidisciplinary artists involved and Blue Dirt Girl concerts including a variety of venues and House Concerts. 

I  successfully applied to and managed our Vancouver and Toronto Via Rail Artist on Board tour 2019 and with Albert organized a house concert in Ontario on our pit stop.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RYanVLKEdQQ&ab_channel=BlueDirtGirl

On our first album Crazy Beautiful (2016) and our 2 single releases: The Bad News and The Bad News Remix i was co producer with recording engineer Simon Kendall. 

Our single Little Conversations was recorded with Jason Overy and I produced that song. 

Past artist:

Jason Overy was our original drummer/percussionist, up to covid, for live shows and he recorded Crazy Beautiful, Nothing is as it was EP and Little Conversations single.

Artists we play with: 

As of 2024 we have either: Tony Lee, Vancouver based drummer or Dan Ponich, North Vancouver based guitarist/keys/piano player sitting in with us for shows. 

Dan also added guitar/synth/keys to Nothing is as it was EP (2021) and played drums, guitar, synth, keys on our latest album No Street Signs No Straight Lines.(2023)  He was also my co-producer on both releases and our recording engineer.

How did the band come together? 

I was in a band called Push3 for over 17 years here in East Vancouver. Push3 was an art pop band with Melanie Sereda on black carbon Zeda cello and myself on acoustic and then electric guitar. We both wrote or co-wrote all our original songs. 

Both Albert Klassen/bassist and Jason Overy percussion/drums played live with and recorded tracks on Push 3 albums and singles.

I came to a point where I wanted to start a second music project with my own vision and direction. 

In 2015 I created Blue Dirt Girl and asked both Albert and Jason to join me.

And what does the band name refer to?

I was travelling with my boys, aged 15 and 12, and husband in Italy in 2015.

I was mulling over names for my new music project, trying to incorporate my love of nature, sky, prairies, land and travel. In Florence, Italy I spotted this image on an electric panel, was immediately struck by it, and asked my sons and husband to take pictures. I was writing a song about this curious girl who could breathe underwater, my blue dirt girl, and my sons said mom that fits all your loves. So the band name was born.The above image has been used with permission from Italian artist L’arte sa nuotare

How blue dirt girl was chosen for my band name.

As far as live shows are concerned, I see that you offer various permutations: duo, trio, acoustic, and amplified. What’s the thinking there? 

I wanted Blue Dirt Girl to have the core artistry of myself and Albert.

 I wanted to break down the trend of artists as elevated humans.

Break down the wall between audience and listeners.

There are so many ferocious but quiet musicians/artists that need to be heard.

It also adds to Albert and my creativity brain to have talented musicians join us on stage or at rehearsals. 

Also gives the audience various versions of our songs.

Here is list of who has worked with us since 2015:

Simon Kendall agreed to sit in on our Crazy Beautiful release party and some early shows. As I mentioned we recorded CB in his studio in 2015/2016 and he added many tracks on keys/grand piano.

Our sound began to morph after Crazy Beautiful and we needed different artists to sit in with us. 

On a family camping trip my younger son brought his friend Max.

I was working out some songs and Max sat down with his banged up acoustic guitar and played some super riffs along with me.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lvHCDlHWV0k&ab_channel=BlueDirtGirl

I asked Max to come out to practice with Albert and I and the three of us clicked.

Then Max played some live shows with us, his first pro shows, and killed it with his electric guitar lead lines. Finally Max recorded his first pro studio tracks on our EP (2021) singles. 

Somewhere between Max and Dan I met Bailey Adams, an extraordinary sax player. She worked at a friend’s store and he invited Bailey to play at our Play Music on the Porch Fundraiser Concert. She wanted a bass player to accompany her and Albert stepped up.

The audience was mesmerized with Bailey’s playing.  

Blue Dirt Girl invited her to play some live shows and eventually lay down some sax tracks on our latest album. https://music.apple.com/ca/album/listen-to-the-birds/1693494967?i=1693495232

I met Dan Ponich when he was doing sound for an early Blue Dirt Girl show in 2018. He adored our sound and we clicked as people/artists.

We stayed in touch. In 2020 I decided to record our EP ‘Nothing is as it was’ 

Dan agreed to be our recording engineer.  

After the album was released Dan agreed to play live with Blue Dirt Girl on guitar and keys.

We needed a drummer and Tony Lee was suggested by Vancouver musician friends. 

Tony is a pro drummer and his humour and decorum fit perfectly with Blue Dirt Girl. 

Calla Pickett sat in on shows this summer. I have known Calla since the day she was born and over the years I have supported her musical efforts by teaching her use of mic and amps and best use of sound checks. I had a horrific interaction with a sound guy when I was younger and it knocked my teetering confidence and stopped my live performances for a time. 

Part of my philosophy with Blue Dirt Girl is supporting young women to know their stuff when performing.

In the last 2 years Calla and I began playing her original songs together. ‘How’s Arizona’ stuck in my head and heart. Calla allowed Albert and I to rejig the key and feel of her song and we recorded it on our 2023 album. 

Calla sang 3 of her new songs for 3 shows this summer with myself, Albert, and  Tony. 

July 27 Steveston Grand Prix of Art 2024.

Your bio mentions that your wah pedal and desire to dance inform your songwriting. How does each of those elements factor in?

The wah pedal has allowed me to play the dance, soul and funk music that I love.

It takes Blue Dirt Girl’s sound in many new directions.

I adore playing the wah.

I need some of my songs to be dance b/c i love to dance.

The bio also mentions your eclectic music collection. Who are some of your biggest influences?

• Elton John- early albums only.
• Laurie Anderson
• Jane Siberry early albums only
• Cake
• Doobie Brothers
• Marvin Gaye
• Talking Heads  ‘stop making sense’
• Concrete Blonde/Johnette Napolitano  Little Conversations/God is a bullet  early albums
• Echo and the Bunnymen  early albums
• The The
• K D Lang
• EmmyLou Harris
• St. Vincent
• Radiohead
• Lauryn Hill ‘The Miseducation of L H album’

+++++

One review describes your sound as “half blues but with a dash of Pink Floyd.” Is that an apt description? Are there particular songs where listeners might hear the strongest pull of Pink Floyd?

Yes. I think you see that in 2 places.

Max’s playing on our EP added that Pink Floyd/blues  vibe.

On ‘DREAMS’ he added blues swing guitar licks.

On ‘I Don’t Mind’  he added to my Pink Floyd lead lines with his guitar fills.

On ‘Blood’ his guitar added Pink Floyd thoughts.

Our new songs ‘Where would i be now’ and ‘The Crawdad song’ have Pink Floyd sounds.

Your latest album is called No Street Signs No Straight Lines. It was recorded over the course of several months. What was the process like? 

The process of recording was magic just like our EP recording sessions. 

Dan did not shy away when I said the EP vibe was to be  ‘ 80’s dance music meets Emilylou Harris in a reggae bar for cocktails.’ 

Dan and I work in a unique way in the studio.

I am not a formally trained musician. 

I describe what I want to hear, from various instruments or created sounds, by sounds or memories or characters. 

Dan has big ears and tons of respect for me.

We used SEW WHAT foley app again on this music.

In turn the ideas he added to our songs were brilliant.

Albert is always open to different effects placed on his bass to move our songs to new places.  Plus he pipes up with feedback on all parts of our songs in the studio.

What a brilliant time Kathryn, Albert and Dan had in the studio, recording ‘No Street Signs No Straight lines’.  Albert and Kathryn’s song structure with strong guitar and bass ideas and minimal lyrics, Dan listening to Kathryn’s sonic ideas and using the SEW WHAT app, playing other instruments, and working his magic as our recording engineer.

‘Where would I be now’ is a result of a confluence of events and marks a new sound for the band. In 2020 Kathryn invited Max Evans to rehearse, play and record in the studio with Blue Dirt Girl and his style of guitar playing stuck in her head. 

Next Kathryn gathered bits and pieces of collected guitar ideas using harmonics and strong lead guitar lines. 

She wanted to experiment with the guitar expressing her song ideas rather than traditional lyric structured songs. 

She and Albert also started a jam style of rehearsing to meld Kathryn’s disparate guitar ideas and allow Albert to find a bass part.

The result was a new band sound with both  ‘Where would i be now’ and ‘Song of the Crawdad’ off our new album ‘No street signs No straight lines’

Your song “Speculate” uses the image of a car at the bottom of a ravine to explore the power of the unknown to unleash the imagination and unlock ideas. How does speculation fit into your approach to writing and recording music?

Hmmm. I guess if you define Speculation as:  the activity of guessing possible answers to a question without having enough information to be certain:

Many of my songs are about trying to figure out life, expel happenings from my brain and body and ponder other people’s motives. 

I get ideas from my life, walking, nature, art, books and articles.

I am curious.

Do you have any plans for a follow-up album?

Blue Dirt Girl will keep creating and recording music until we can’t.

Our next recording will be with our new trio Blue Dirt Girl + Klame. This trio is our latest permutation as a band. 

This blog post gives you the news on our new trio and our 2 recent live performances with dance. 

Who is Blue Dirt Girl + Klame?

Blue Dirt Girl + Klame will be playing live shows in 2025 and releasing an album.

Thanks for your interest and support of Blue Dirt Girl music.