Meg Hutchinson
Posted by Agent Squirrel on September 1, 2008
Earlier this year I was looking for something on YouTube and came across a singer/songwriter name Meg Hutchinson. Because videos automatically play when you open a page on YouTube I started listening and instead of clicking away, I found myself stopping what I was doing to listen. The song was titled Every Day and was posted from a performance in Lancaster, PA. I was hooked! After going through the worst two years of my life, I found something very healing about the song Every Day. It was almost as if it was written for me and where I was in my life at that point – It turned out that a number of songs on her CD would give me the same feeling. I wanted to hear more. I checked out a couple of other videos but had to run out the door so I didn’t get a chance to listen to anymore.
Meg Hutchinson
A few weeks later, a friend of mine and I were talking about taking a day trip and somehow we talked about maybe going to Philly and seeing a show. She had been to a place called the Tin Angel before so I took a look at the schedule to see what was coming up. A singer named Catie Curtis was appearing and I liked her music. I then noticed that Meg Hutchinson was opening for her. I was sure that it couldn’t be the same person I had come across a few weeks earlier but when I double checked, I found out it was. We decided to go to the show.
Meg Hutchinson came onto the stage and two things happened… First, she opened with Every Day! I couldn’t believe that. Second, both myself and my friend were completely hooked even before she completed the song. Half way into her set, my friend looked at me and asked if I thought she might have her CD for sale. Sure enough she did. We were able to meet her, let her know how much we were blown away by her performance and even get her to autograph the CD’s we purchased.
The next day, we put the CD into the player for the trip home and since then, I don’t think three days have gone by without my listening to her music. Come Up Full, the title of her latest CD, is in my car CD player and hasn’t been taken yet.
We have seen Meg perform a few times this year, both in Pennsylvania and Virginia. We both wish we could see her perform even more. If the hotel bills weren’t adding up so much, we would 
.
I wish I could write a review worthy of this performer’s music, but I can’t. There is something about this young singer and songwriter that is so amazing. While the category her music falls into is considered folk – which is one of my favorite categories of music – some people get scared off by this label. Don’t be! Her lyrics get into your head and make you feel something while listening to her sing. Her voice is perfect and conveys so much emotion through each song. You feel what the song is about when you listen to her sing. Yet somehow each song can become so personal.
For me, it almost feels like it was fate that I came across this artist. Come Up Full has become a very healing CD for me this year.
While there is not a single track that I don’t like on her current CD, Come Up Full, there are a few songs that I do want to comment on:
Home – During a few performances, Meg stated that this songs become a sing-along about manic depression during the tour. There is something powerful about this song that I can’t put my finger on. Aside from the fact that this song can be very personal to anyone who’s ever dealt with depression – I think what I find so amazing is that someone could listen to this song who never dealt with issue of depression, bi-polar, etc. and understand what others are going through or have gone through in the past.
Good Day to Die – I’ve told a number of people that this is a song that I makes me feel like I should aspire to be at this place in my life. To me, this song is not about dying but instead about being able to look back on your life and feeling okay with where you are.
I’d Like to Know Someone – Meg recently referred to this song as “A folk version of a personal ad”. I thought that was a perfect way to put this. For me, getting out of a terrible relationship and finding someone who I feel so connected to makes me relate to this song.
Song for Jeffrey Lucey – This is a very powerful and very moving song about a solider named Jeffrey Lucey who returned from Iraq physically unharmed but with wounds that nobody could see. He took his own life on June 22, 2004. Personally I find this song hard to listen to because of the death of my son in 2006. The opening lyrics, “You would’ve made a great dad, If you’d lived that long…” hit very close to home for me.
This song is now featured in a documentary on the site In Their Boots. There is a video about Jeffrey Lucey and his struggles after returning home. This is very moving and I highly recommend you take the time to watch.
As I said, I can’t write a review that makes any real sense. Below are some links to some that might help you understand what I wish I could say.
I highly recommend both CD’s that are currently available, The Crossing and Come Up Full. I can’t wait until her next CD. No matter when it is released, it will not be soon enough.
Links:
Here is a great review that is right on target: “Emerging Songwriters: Meg Hutchinson Casts A Net Of Inspiration To Come Up Full”
Whole Wheat Radio – Info, videos and samples of her music
Print This Post
Tags:Meg Hutchinson
Filed Under: Music
