Singer/songwriter Shannon Gibson says she has come to understand more than ever that each coin has two sides and all things in life usually have both a positive and negative impact.
Gibson's rÇsumÇ is peppered with gems that would change anyone's life, which has given more success than she ever dreamed of, yet more obstacles to overcome than she could have imagined.
The band that Gibson had played with for five years, The Groobees, broke up early last year so that its members could pursue independent projects. The group had released two albums, but its fame was largely associated with Gibson, who won a Grammy for penning the Dixie Chick's breakout hit, "Wide Open Spaces."
"You learn and you grow through these experiences," Gibson said. "I have to say that both the band breaking up and the thing with 'Wide Open Spaces' have been really great, but also had their downsides. I wouldn't change a thing about it, but I am older and wiser now that I know what's going on."
Gibson said it's impossible to see when one tour ends and the other begins, adding that she has the perpetual feeling that she's on the road.
"I love being in my R.V. and hitting the road," she said. "This is what I've always wanted to do, and it's an amazing feeling."
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Being a solo artist has its benefits, which Gibson said include the opportunity to be alone, make a personal connection with the audience and make decisions without consulting others.
"It's just really nice to pull up to a new venue and see your name on the sign," she said. "That's one of those perks of being a solo artist that is really, really nice."
Gibson was quick to add that independence does have a downside.
"You're responsible for everything, and sometimes when you want to be by yourself, you're stuck with a bunch of people because no one can make the decisions for you because you're not part of a group," she said. "It's like you never realize how much work a gas station stop can be when a group of you is splitting the jobs - washing the windshield, pumping the gas, checking the air pressure, buying snacks. When you do that all on your own, it makes you appreciate help that much more."
Just as solo work has been both a blessing and a challenge, so has her reputation as a Grammy-winning writer.
"I've totally used the 'Wide Open Spaces' thing, and I am so proud that it happened," Gibson said. "It has made touring run more smoothly, it has opened doors and it has made being a solo artist easier. Of course I would have had the success for singing the song that I wrote to go with the writing notoriety, but that's the nature of timing and the business."
Gibson said she has not felt an undue amount of pressure to follow up "Wide Open Spaces," adding that she is pleased with the level of success she has attained.
Fame has changed the writing process for Gibson - it has become more of a process rather than an exercise in free expression.
"It used to all flow out in one sitting - 'Wide Open Spaces' took all of 20 minutes," she said. "Now I find myself writing bits of songs and coming back to it. It's more of a time issue. If I took time off the road and committed to one place, I could probably get back to that, which I do want at some point, but not right now. I love the audience, and I love the road."
Gibson will bring her folk/alternative/country sound to New Mexico this weekend. She'll start off with a bang - speaking to a music appreciation class at 11 a.m. Friday in Keller Hall. Later, she'll play Kelly's Brewery, 3222 Central Ave. SE, at 8 p.m.
Saturday Gibson heads south to perform at Tractor Brewery Co., 120 Nelson Lane, in Los Lunas at 8 p.m. She'll close her New Mexico trip with an 8 p.m. Sunday show at Johnny's, 3200 Central Ave. SE.
