Daily Discovery: Krista Baroni, “If We Don’t Die Young”

ARTIST: Krista Baroni

SONG: “If We Don’t Die Young”

HOMETOWN: Northborough, Massachusetts

CURRENT LOCATION: Providence, Rhode Island

AMBITIONS: To make a perfect pancake, and write a song without using the word ‘I’.

TURN-OFFS: Liars and hummers.

TURN-ONS: Truth-seekers and whistlers.

DREAM GIG: To play to a sold out crowd in a beautiful theater with all my friends in attendance. And to have a great hair day that day.

FAVORITE LYRIC: “And the sky’s so cold and clear / the stars might stick you where you stand / and you’re only glad its dark cause / you might see The Master’s hand / And you might cast around forever / and never find the peace you seek” – “Lantern” by Josh Ritter.

SONG I WISH I WROTE: “Walks Like Tussaud” by Ian Fitzgerald.

5 PEOPLE I’D MOST LIKE TO HAVE DINNER WITH: Tom Robbins, Pamela Des Barres, Carole King, Joss Whedon, and Oprah.

MY FAVORITE CONCERT EXPERIENCE: This past summer, I attended the Newport Folk Festival for the first time. I camped out at the Wildwood Revival stage for most of Friday, where several musicians I know would be performing. When the time came for the finale, all the performers from the lineup (plus David Rawlings!) got together for a spirited rendition of ‘Rainy Day Women #12 & 35’. Everyone crammed into that small space was on their feet singing along and swaying together. I won’t ever forget the feeling in that room of jubilation; not from just witnessing something so special and spontaneous, but from feeling like I wasn’t just a spectator – It felt like I was a part of it.

I WROTE THIS SONG BECAUSE… I was saying goodbye to a decade-long relationship. I wanted nothing more than to hold on to any small, golden moments of tenderness between the two of us, and let go with love and kindness for each other. This song is like a snapshot of that time.