In early November, I posted an album called Meet Anna Black, which was released by Epic in 1968. One month later, I received an e-mail stating that Anna Black had left a comment on the blog. She offered thanks for my sharing her album and informed me that she had a larger recorded output than just Meet Anna Black. Also, her birth name is Barbra Anne McMillan. Using the e-mail address that was attached to the comment, I sent her a message asking if she would like to take part in an interview for my website. Over the next month we sent a series e-mails back and forth discussing her early life, her career, and the recording of Meet Anna Black. Furthermore, her son Damian (who goes by the name London Mace) is also a writer/producer/singer, and he plays with a band called Heavy Honey. He has converted both Anna Black albums into CDs, but I don’t know how to go about ordering them if you’re interested. She has a new album coming out in March, which is going to be called House of BAM. Now, for your enjoyment, I invite you to meet the real Anna Black.
Evan: It’s impossible for me to find information about you on the Internet, and the biographical information written on your album seems weird…So, were you really born in Oklahoma? Are you part Chicksaw Indian?
Barbra: Yes I was born in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Yes I am part Chickasaw Indian, and my great grandmother was an Indian Princess. I left Oklahoma City when I was seven years old and moved to the Southwest.
Evan: At what age would you say you became interested in music?
Barbra: At age 10. I used to sing the blues in front of the mirror. I played the French Horn for four years and played the piano by ear. My childhood was like everyone else’s I guess. I sang in the school choir every year until I graduated high school. I used to sing for the girls in my physical education class with my friend who was a bongo/conga player. She was very good. I listened to Mahalia Jackson a lot. I listened to Wolfman Jack on underground radio and loved Bo Diddley and Maxine Baker. My Dad left when I was seven and my mother was into herself pretty much, so no one influenced me during childhood except for my grandmother, who played the piano at church and sang church songs.
Evan: How old were you when you composed your first song?
Barbra: I did not start writing music until I was married with three children. I sang lots of blues and lots of gospel and lots of R&B. The first song I ever wrote I recorded in our living room, had it pressed, and gave it to all my family and friends. I forgot the name of that song but it did get me a contract with Crusader Records when I went to Los Angeles to “break into show biz”.
Evan: Were you always equally comfortable singing cover songs as you were your own songs?
Barbra: I hated doing cover songs. I wanted to do my songs and still do. I played the strip, the Playboy Club, dinner spots in Studio City, and lots and lots of “freebies” before I contracted with Epic. All these songs were cover songs so I got burned out.
Evan: What other hobbies did you have growing up?
Barbra: I tap danced. My home life was rather brutal so I pretty much would not want to be a teenager ever again. No fun at all. I graduated high school and that’s it, I got married to get away from my “prison” at home..
Evan: Did you perform publicly?
Barbra: Yes, quite a bit. My first gig was a talent show and a 6-year-old little girl beat me out. She cried on stage which got her winner of the talent show and I was mortified, that how I felt. I toured across the nation with a troup. We sang in Canada also. We sang through 20 states, rough ride, but would not trade it for the experience.
Evan: What precipitated the recording of your first album?
Barbra: I was working in Hollywood as a secretary and passing out my little record to tons of people. (Crusader Records and I did not make it). I was writing songs like crazy – lyrics, music, and arrangement. I went to see Jackie Mills who owned Larabee Studios and he liked what he heard and we recorded my first album in a double car garage with some truly excellent professional musicians. Then it was sold to Epic Records by Jackie and they contracted me and did my second album Thinkin’ Bout My Man.
Evan: What was the aim of Meet Anna Black, if there was one?
Barbra: I have no idea what the aim was. My producer, Jackie Mills, thought I was one of the best blues singers in the world and wanted me out there and of course he would make tons of money off me.
Evan: The album opens with “Miss Otis Regrets,” a Cole Porter song that you make entirely your own. Was this one of the early blues songs you enjoyed singing before writing your first original tune?
Barbra: No it was not. Jackie Mills picked it out; thought I could do well with it.
Evan: Why did you choose to include it, or any of the covers on the album, considering you stated before you wanted to record only your own songs?
Barbra: Jackie Mills picked it I did not. I considered myself incredibly fortunate to have as many of my own original songs on both my albums as I did so I did not mind at all if Jackie wanted me to do other songs.
Evan: Who arranged the song?
Barbra: Jackie did. We did the entire first album in the base players garage (who played on the first album) which had been made into a studio. Jackie then sold the recorded album to Columbia/Epic.
Evan: Did you perform in the studio with a backing band of your own, session musicians, or other?
Barbra: All studio musicians, hand picked by Jackie Mills. Lead guitar was James Burton. For each song different studio musicians were brought in. James did not play on all of the songs. I know the musicians were quite excellent to say the least. I felt honored to be a part of the entire thing. It took nine months to record.
Evan: Is there anything in particular you remember about the recording process?
Barbra: Yes, I remember I did not like the song at all. Then I got used to it and sang it. The garage atmosphere was incredible and I love it a lot except for every once in awhile one of Joe’s (owner of the studio) children would stomp through the studio wanting his dad so this taught me a great deal of patience along with everyone else. (Joe would not lock the door to the studio ever).
Evan: How did you choose to include of “Gloomy Sunday”?
Barbra: Jack Mills picked this song.
Evan: Were you hip to the “suicide-inducing” urban legend surrounding the song when you recorded it? If you were aware and chose to record it anyway, bravo!
Barbra: No I was not. On this song I could not hit a few of the notes and whined a lot and finally got told if I could not hit the notes get out of the studio, so I hit the notes!!!
Evan: When I first uncovered your record, I relied heavily on the Internet for a true description of your sound. That is, the sound of your original compositions. There are a number of websites that refer to your music as “psychedelic” or “folk,” but my ears cannot detect much of either. How would you describe the tunes you wrote? Do you think they can be neatly placed into a genre or are they more unique entities?
Barbra: No one has ever really put me in any kind of groove, they have tried, but cannot. Even my voice does not sound like anybody else. I have been compared to a lot of people kind of but I am an original and so is my music. I write what enters my brain to write. I wrote all of the songs on the first album in less than two months. When I write I write and when I don’t I don’t. Sometimes I will go for two years and not write one thing. Then it hits and I am off and running and can write twelve songs in a month or less. I really do not know if that is fast or slow or what, this is just how I do it.
Evan: Could you elaborate on the stories behind “The Tullys And The Tolphins” and “Muddy Hay”? Both are beautiful songs, and I’d love to hear more about the writing and recording processes.
Barbra: Don’t laugh, this is past life stuff. I remembered a past life and wrote it (many times). “Muddy Hay” was written for fun. I was stressing one day and crying my head off about something and in it came. It made me laugh and it got recorded. How ’bout that!!
Evan: We MUST discuss your version of “Eleanor Rigby”. It’s haunting, stark and beautiful. I absolutely love it. To be honest, I didn’t care much for the original until I heard your version, which is also probably the only Beatles cover I’ve ever heard that doesn’t nauseate me! Who’s idea was it to include this? Don’t you know it just makes me want to listen to it again and again and again!? The strings are so perfect, and your voice really carries the rest of the song. Amazing!
Barbra: Jackie Mills. He arranged it, too. This song today could be a super hit. I wish I knew somebody over at Epic who could tell me if it could be re-released. This would be a kick. “Eleanor Rigby” was to be the single from the album, but as far as I understand Ray Charles beat me to the punch and got it out there first. Not sure about this one.
Evan: It seems like there are disparate themes tugging in different directions throughout the album. There are slow, meloncholy tunes and more upbeat stomping tunes. Was this a conscious decision on your part?
Barbra: Nope. Jackie Mills. He and I went round and round alot on the production of each song and of course he always won but he did do an incredible job on each song. On the second album he added junk which took away from my songs so I was angry at him a lot through that one.
Evan: Did you tour in support of the record?
Barbra: Got a great agent, got on television shows, toured a wee bit. What hurt me more than anything at that time was I sounded “black” and this did not sit well with the civil rights thing and Watts burning down going on. I did sell over 100,000 copies of the album, Jackie told me this.
Evan: Are there any tracks on the album you hold especially close to your heart?
Barbra: Little Annie Weed.
Evan: Again Barbra, thank you so much for taking the time to do this, and thank you so much for your effort in answering these questions!
Anna Black – Little Annie Weed
Anna Black – Eleanor Rigby
Anna Black – Gloomy Sunday
Anna Black – Drinkin’ Daddy
