Q&A: Grace Potter to bring long-awaited 'Medicine' to Artpark

By Thom Jennings

Special to Niagara Frontier Publications

Grace Potter has never been afraid of reinvention. Whether fronting the Nocturnals or commanding the stage solo, Potter has built a reputation on authenticity, fearlessness, and a powerhouse voice that shifts from rock and soul to folk and gospel without missing a beat.

On Friday, July 19, she returns to Artpark in Lewiston for a third time, for what promises to be another dynamic performance on the heels of a story almost two decades in the making.

Potter recorded her newly released album, “Medicine,” 18 years ago. Produced by T Bone Burnett, many of the record’s songs appeared on the eponymous Grace Potter and The Nocturnals album.

“It was a very important record for me,” Potter noted during a recent interview. “I was devastated not to put it out at the time. I didn’t understand; it felt like that undeniable ‘Why wouldn’t we?’ thing. It was such a precipice moment.”

Despite its age, “Medicine” still sounds fresh. It blends vintage soul, swampy blues, and deeply personal songwriting. At that stage of her career, Potter was the de facto leader of The Nocturnals. Still, they were a package deal, and there was concern that the solo record would destroy the band’s commercial momentum.

“Nobody ever asked me in my entire 20s what I actually wanted,” Potter reflected. “Except T-Bone, he was the first person who really seemed to care about me as an individual artist.”

Grace Potter will headline an Artpark Amphitheater concert on Friday, July 19. (Photos by James Mountford // courtesy of Shore Fire Media)

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Potter is not the first artist to feel the pressure associated with the “and” part of a band. Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, and Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band both had stints apart.

Her sense of loyalty to the Nocturnals is what made her agree to the shelving of the solo record.

It was akin to the dilemma Grateful Dead guitarist Jerry Garcia dealt with during the height of the Dead’s popularity as a live act. Garcia knew if he didn’t keep up the touring schedule, they would have to lay off employees who depended on the band’s tours to make a living.

“I think I was commodified. I was unaware of how commodified I was,” Potter said. “But I really feel it from both sides because I’ve also been in the backing band. There’s pressure on the frontperson, but also a fear of marginalization for the rest of the band.”

Even though “Medicine” is technically an archival release, Potter is out promoting it as if she recorded it earlier this year.

“Revisiting the songs was weirdly emotional,” she said. “I’d forgotten how different they were. The live show lets fans experience a completely different iteration. That discovery is important for me and for the audience.”

Even though Potter has been a solo artist for over six years, she is still asked by promoters whether the show should be billed as Grace Potter and the Nocturnals.

“There was a little resentment from me at first, but after five or six years of reexplaining that it’s still a full rock show, even without the ‘and the Nocturnals,’ it gets tiring,” Potter said.

Potter’s setlist for Artpark will be culled from all the chapters of her career.

“We’ve got about 25 songs we’re choosing from each night. I usually play 16 to 18,” she explained. “I love throwing in surprises. The poor band never knows what I’m going to do.”

“Medicine” has garnered Potter a ton of media attention. In addition to the positive press surrounding the album, she performed an incredible rendition of “The Star-Spangled Banner” at the Kentucky Derby earlier this year.

Beyond the tour, Potter is preparing for the long-awaited return of her Vermont-based Grand Point North Music Festival, and spending time with her 7-year-old son.

“Watching his personality come into being is like watching a universe being built,” she said with a smile.

As for the long journey to “Medicine’s” release, Potter’s only regret is waiting so long to trust her own voice.

“My advice to young musicians? Trust your creative instincts, and never, ever feel like you owe anybody anything. That kind of pressure will kill your creativity,” she said.