Jackson Free Press

Folk singer Caroline Herring comes to Chick Ball carried by the strength of rave reviews for her latest album, "Camilla." The album is her sixth full-length release. ""I feel braver on this album, and I feel it represents me wholly," Herring states on her website. "To me, Camilla is about grief and injustice. Deep love and hope. Perseverance. Heroes."

Although Herring is a Canton native, she now lives in Decatur, Ga. She spoke with the JFP a few years ago about returning to play in her home state.

Do you have any favorite memories from growing up in Canton?

The bones of Canton are beautiful with the courthouse and the square, but it's a town that struggled like most other Mississippi towns, and I remember lots of hardships there.

But I remember going to my mom's library a lot, and I loved being amidst all of those books.

That explains all the literary references in your work. Where did your music education come from?

My parents had me in the church choir from seventh grade on, and I took piano from kindergarten onward. And I played flute at Canton Academy ... but I didn't start playing guitar until my early 20s, and didn't start writing until my late 20s when I played with the Sincere Ramblers in Oxford for a radio show.

As you come back to Mississippi, is there a little pride that swells up within, like a conquering hero?

No. Every time I come home, well, I have a real love/hate relationship with Mississippi as most people do. ... It's really weird how many Mississippi ex-pats I meet who long for it and miss it, and are troubled by everything. But it was the culture of Mississippi writers and the musicians that gave me confidence to go out there. But no, I come home quite humbly, to be perfectly honest with you. (I'm) grateful to be from there. Very grateful.

(From an interview with Chris Nolan, first published in March 2010).

Herring's Influences

Kate Wolf

Mississippi John Hurt

Carter Family

Maria McKey   "They're all roots based from the region that I grew up in. They're just important to me, and they've always informed my music."