Halley DeVestern is a New York-based singer/songwriter who applies a delicate but down home rootsy approach to her music. Her latest album Sugar Free reflects her realistic and stark viewpoints on life with a strong blues feel that are full of possibilities. She sings and writes as the everywoman who has been there, done that. Her distinctive voice has been described as a throwback to the legendary Janis Joplin (ironically DeVestern has performed with Joplin's first band Big Brother and the Holding Company) but DeVestern has a niche and style all her own.

DeVestern was originally from Long Island, New York. She had earned a BFA for Acting from Boston University and yet her musical joneses told her to pursue her dream-making music. She has played on the East Coast and has been mentioned in the media from CBS This Morning to Seventeen and Billboard magazines. She had recently played at this past summer's Indiegrrl tour, which was a showcase of emerging, independent female talent.

I had a chance to speak to the artist/musician who offered her perspective on her music, how she got where she is, and her career in the long term.

1. How would you describe the tone and mood of your album Sugar Free (by the way, an apt title)? There's definitely a rootsy, down-to-earth feel throughout the album yet your lyrics convey a "been there before" point of view. And what inspires you to write? How would you describe your music and the music-making process?

I wanted "Sugar Free" to be a fun album, but one that scares the listener a little bit when he/she stops and really listens to the words. I hope that I've accomplished that...yeah, I think I've freaked out a couple of people! I've always been a fan of the juxtaposition of a happy melody and dark lyrics. Like, "Woo hoo, we're all going to hell! Let's party". I take my inspiration from life, the people who live in my head, my family...sometimes songs just come to me, full-blown, while I'm sleeping. "Ring Of Love" was a "nap song". I first heard "The Family Way" in the white noise of a shower...I ran out, dripping wet, grabbed my guitar and figured out the chords. Other songs I really have to sit with for a while before I'm satisfied that they're done. My favorite description of my music is "Roots Rock Soul": I think that best conveys the different influences that go into my songs. I love rock, blues, R&B, soul,disco...I want to bring them all together!

2. Where are you originally from? Did you grew up in a musical environment? Did you take any music lessons as a kid? Who did you listen to back then or who are your musical inspirations?

I was raised mostly on Long Island, NY. Our home was not musical, although my older siblings did introduce me to rock. They played their albums constantly: Big Brother and the Holding Co., The Doors, The Beatles, The Stones -- it allseeped into my little head! Later on, my folks got me a little Hohner electric organ (we couldn't afford a piano) which I couldn't really play. I took violin lessons, but gave up orchestra for chorus because that's where all the cute boys were. My folks bought me a guitar, a Harmony which I still have, when I was in juniorhigh, butI never really played in public until about five years ago.

3. You have a BFA in Acting from Boston University and appeared in TV, theater, and film? What made you decide that you wanted to become a singer? Do you still have interest in acting?

I love acting, but I hate "the business". It's all about who you know and howyou look and nobody cares if you can act or not, and somebody's always taller,thinner, prettier and has more credits than you AND is sleeping with thedirector. Plus, you have no creative control. It's just not satisfyingto me. I always loved singing. I guess I'm desperate for attention and I could alwaysget more attention by singing. Lots of people can act, but when you sing,you're unique. It's instant gratification...the music's running though me and it's mine!

If someone wants me to act in a project, I happily do it, I love acting, but I'm not anxious to do that whole "audition" trip and "go on rounds".

4. How did you hear about Indiegrrl? What was the experience likeparticipating in the Indiegrrl summer tour? How have been the rigors ofperforming live and being on the road? Is it still exciting for you playingin NYC?

My husband and business partner, Jon Sobel, first heard of Indiegrrl when Holly Figueroa (Indiegrrl's founder) answered a technical question that Jon had postedon the internet. Now he's an integral part of the organization, doing publicityfor the East Coast, helping to organize and publicize the Summer Tour, being ageneral Rock of Gibraltar and brilliant guy! Indiegrrl's been a greatexperience for me. I had never been part of a muscians' community, at least notwith other women, but Indiegrrl is positive and nurturing, and you learn so muchabout yourself when you work with other people. I met a lot of great people onthe Summer Tour and heard a lot of great music. The road at first was hard forme, I was insecure about being away from home, being in a strange environment.But now I love it! I love being crammed in a motel room with my band mates andacting silly and eating in diners and playing in places you can't find on amap. It's exhausting and I never get enough sleep, but the people out theremake it all worthwhile. Audiences outside of NYC are much moreappreciative...you feel like a rock star!

I have a love-hate relationship with playing in NYC. You have to play here on aregular basis just to keep your cred up. And it's nice having my friends andfamily in the audience. But NYC crowds are mostly so jaded and have seen anddone so much that they just don't care. Even if they like you, they'll neverget too enthused. It's a tough town. Also, you don't make any money. In fact, it often ends up costing us money to play in NYC, but you gotta do it to keep your name out there.

5. Describe the feeling opening for John Hammond and Jimmy Vaughan, and being the featured singer for Big Brother and the Holding Company (I must say you sound a little bit like Ms. Joplin).

When we opened for John Hammond I was SO nervous. He was the first biglegendary musician I had played with and I was in the dressing room thinking,"I'm gonna suck, I'm gonna suck". We played really well. Thing is, there werea few people in the audience who simply didn't want to see an opening act and heckled me a bit. Well, I said, "Look, I love John Hammond too, but they asked me to play and I'm just trying to do my job, so shut up." The rest of the audience (the majority, fortunately) broke into wild applause and encouraged me with, "you go, girlfriend", "you're great!" and so forth. From then on it was a breeze. Then John Hammond came up and did his brilliant set and mentioned andthanked me several times...he even borrowed my guitar stand!

We opened for Jimmy Vaughan at a blues festival in an amphitheatre on LongIsland. It was a huge place, the first time I had played a big outdoor stage.It was also the first time we had experienced a "backstage scene": big securityguys, food, beer, air conditioned trailers for the performers...we felt likerock stars. When we played, I could hear my voice through the mammoth soundsystem carrying up the hills and into the sky. It was like a drug! I decidedthen that this was what I wanted to do for the rest of my life. Afterour set, I was so giddy that I didn't notice the crowd forming around me when Iwent out the security gate to talk to my sister and friends in the audience. Whoa! That was the first time I was mobbed by fans and it really freaked me out! Thesecurity guys got a little mad at me for creating a disturbance...who knew?After signing a bunch of CDs and stuff, I had to go backstage and drinka beer and take deep breaths. I never did get to meet Jimmy Vaughan (he andhis band stayed on their tour bus...who could blame them?), but it was a great experiencenontheless.

Big Brother and the Holding Company are a great bunch of guys. Any time theycall me to fill in, I'm happy to do it. They're really great musiciansand very intelligent and down to earth. It was surreal at first, jumping in anddoing a tour with a legendary band, with no rehearsal, but it became a lot offun. I never really intended to sound like Janis Joplin, but I guess I justhave "Cheap Thrills" emblazoned in my memory from childhood...can't help it! Theband was not looking for someone who could sound like Janis...in fact, their previoussinger, Lisa Battle, is just a really great blues singer and soundsnothing like Ms. Joplin. Sometimes I think people hear Janis whenever they hear a strong female rock singer, no matter what she sounds like. Janis was the progenitorfor the powerful woman rocker, and everyone is compared to her. When I touredwith Big Brother, I had many fans come up to me and tell me their Janisstories. One woman was crying and telling me how listening to Janishelped her get through a bad divorce. One guy had a rare copy of "Cheap Thrills"on a 1/2" reel which he had brought to Vietnam with him. It was like a historylesson and a revival meeting every night.

6. Would being part of a major label be the fulfilment of everything youworked hard for. Would you like to stay as an independent artist?

It really doesn't matter to me whether I'm indie or major label, as longas I can keep doing what I'm doing and maybe make some money (without gettingscrewed, of course). Hey, some Puff Daddy-type income would be nice,but I'll be happy if I can pay the bills, buy a house, you know, grown-up stuff.

7. What are you doing right now? Are you composing any new songs? What are your immediate plans and future goals?

I'm writing...not as much as I'd like because I'm busy promoting andbooking and playing gigs and stuff. I want to make a new studio album, I havefantastic new songs, but there's no cash right now. We're gonna make a live acoustic record starting in October and see how that goes. I'm going off on a West Coast tournext year without my band -- I'm trying to figure out how I can stand beingaway from Jon for seven weeks...it'll be hard.

My future goal is to make enough money so that Jon can have his own bathroom.Other than that, I'm just going with the flow and trying to stay out of trouble.