Mary Chapin Carpenter is the Woman in the Truck

Mary Chapin Carpenter’s latest album, Personal History, is as lush in production and color as is the beautiful farm land she calls home in Virginia. Carpenter will often wake up early for sunrise walks with her dog, Angus and one of several daily cups of coffee (of course) to start the day. She reflects on how living on this serene farmhouse has brought her peace, drawing parallels to Carl Sandberg’s ‘creative hush.’ Mary Chapin discusses her method of ‘song walking’ as a tool to overcome writer’s block, often accompanied by her pets.

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She touches on her evolving relationship with fame and the importance of surrounding herself with grounded people. Carpenter also reveals her shy younger self and how being less concerned with others’ opinions has empowered her over time. She speaks about her connection to the Celtic music community and how that inspired her collaborative album Looking for the Thread with Scottish musicians Julie Fowlis, and Karine Polwart. That record was her first with Josh Kaufman as producer and it worked so well, she decided to have him produce her new solo album, Personal History. We also reflect on “hyphen-gate” due to her double first name, the process of feeling visible and valued, and the impact of Elizabeth Strout on her perspective of songwriting.