Ani DiFranco

One of the newest additions to the Bonnaroo lineup but by no means a newcomer, Ani DiFranco is a Grammy-winning who has released over 20 albums over her career. A singer, songwriter, guitarist, poet political activist and mother, DiFranco is very much a Renaissance woman who thrives in explaining her life through music. (-Photo/bob_sanderson)

Ani DiFranco performs at the Inter-Media Art Center in Huntington, N.Y.

DiFranco began recording in 1990, with her seemingly-effortless, self-titled debut album that put her poignant lyrics up against an acoustic guitar to produce a simple, yet effective sound. Often called an integral part to the New York City anti-folk scene, DiFranco often mixes in poetry on her albums and is brutally honest in the words she writes.

A liberal crusader for abortion and gay rights, DiFranco’s lyrics often deal with sexuality, God, love, mutual respect and her own personal longings. She is often witty and straight-forward, and her songs are laced gems; on “Fire Door,” she sings: “Oh how I miss constituting the conclusion to confrontation with a kiss/And oh how I miss walking up to the edge and jumping in like I can feel the future on your skin. “

The sheer volume of DiFranco’s discography seems a bit much to get through, and admittedly, I only have five of her 18 studio albums – that does not include the throngs of live releases over the years. But whether you’re a fan of her older albums – like me – or a new fan, there seems to be something to like for everyone to pick from.

DiFranco’s musical styling is often described as staccato and is categorized by her emphatic bursts of guitar and percussion that leave the listener a bit unsettled. Her voice sounds a bit different on every recording I’ve heard, and when she sings live, she often reworks her compositions and rarely sings a song the same way twice.

My favorite of DiFranco’s album is “Not a Pretty Girl” from 1995, when she began to record with a fulled band and more conviction in her voice. Stand-out tracks include “Shy,” “The Million You Never Made” and my all-time favorite DiFranco track, the half-poem, half-song “Asking Too Much.”

Over the years, DiFranco has slowed down a bit, especially after the birth of her daughter Petah in 2006. She released a two-disc compilation album in 2007, “Canon,” in which she rerecorded songs from her entire career with a new band and a new outlook. DiFranco isn’t afraid of reinvention, and as I’ve said throughout this blog, that gains big points for me.

Now that she has less time to tour and record because of her new baby, it’s great that I get to catch DiFranco before she retires (an all-too-common occurrence in the music industry today). After writing hundreds of songs, playing thousands of shows and influencing artists worldwide, DiFranco is sure to be a hit at this year’s Bonnaroo. (-Photo/mhwing)

Ani DiFranco performs at the Paradiso in Amsterdam in October 2008.