Soundcheck: The Strength, Resilience, and Joy of Songwriter Allison Russell

'Nashville-based Montreal-born Scottish-Grenadian-Canadian multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, poet, mother, and runner Allison Russell (Birds of Chicago, Our Native Daughters, Po’ Girl) presents her autobiographical record, Outside Child, which sees her breaking the cycles of abuse and violence and celebrating having found her chosen community and chosen family. These cycles of abuse stretch far back to an enslaved ancestor, about whom she wrote in the song "Quasheba, Quasheba" (written with Our Native Daughters) and those she endured at the hands of an abusive stepfather from a sundown town, as in her songs "Part-Time Poppa" and on "Persephone." Yet, Persephone, the character of myth, embodies spring, renewal and stepping into the light. Which might be a lovely metaphor for Allison Russell's re-emergence on Outside Child.'