Hannah's interview with Doppelstopp

Ahead of the forthcoming Bluegrass Jamboree tour, Hannah was recently interviewed for Germany's biggest Mandolin blog, Doppelstopp.
Check out the interview on their site at doppelstopp.wordpress.com or, if you're German's not so good, click on the title to read the full interview in English.

- when did you start mandolin playing and why did you chose this instrument?
I started playing, I guess, about two years ago. Our mandolin player had left the band and after having had some other people play with us, I thought it was something I could try to learn. The Toy Hearts is my Dad, sister and myself, dynamically I think it adds so much more to have mandolin rather than rhythm guitar (which I played previously). Mandolin is such a wonderful instrument rhythmically it is so versatlile and out of all the bluegrass instruments, for me, the mandolin has the richest tone.

- what are your heroes on mandolin? Which style you like most?
Bill Monroe is still so cool I think, there is something still so modern about his playing even today. Gosh, its such a hard question to answer as there are so many great players out there. I love Ronnie McCoury, his playing is awesome, I love it when he incorporates the blues and rock and roll. Of course there are also the more progressive players like Chris Thile and Sam Bush, who I think are both awesome. More recently I have been listening a lot to Cadillac Sky (their guitar player David Mayfield will be producing our third album) and I think Bryan Simpson is very cool.... I also really love the playing of Adam Steffy, Jesse Cobb from the Infamous Stringdusters, Mike Guggino from The Steep Canyon Rangers, B.J Cherryholmes, Sarah Jarosz and Josh Williams.... all excellent, excellent players!

- which music you like most? Maybe beyond bluegrass. What or who influenced you most in playing or hearing music?
This is such a hard question to answer as I listen to all sorts of music, bluegrass and beyond. I think to have an open mind where music is concerned has been really important to help found and develop The Toy Hearts sound (whatever that may be). I am not the type of person that when I listen to something I feel the need to catagorise it and put it in a box. I believe that limits such as these, really closes you off, if I hear something and I love it, I have very little concen for what style it is. I hope that what we do shows the range of music we have all been influenced by and it is different for both myself, my sister and my dad. For me in particular, I listen to a lot of early country music, I love Keith Whitley, George Jones, Merle Haggard also Patsy Cline, Hank Williams and Elvis Preseley have all been big personal inspirations of mine. I listen to a lot of bluegrass, new and old. I love soul music, Otis Redding is a favourite, also the Beatles, which I listened to a lot growing up. Western Swing and Gypsy jazz make up parts of my CD collections, I love J.S Bach..... the list goes on and on.... The only thing I don't really care for is club music; dance, house, trance are all definitely not my personal vibe.

- and finally: some words about your equipment - mandolin, strings, picks etc.
I play an F-Style Epiphone mandolin. It was fine to start off with, but i would not say a great mandolin in general. However, because I am paying for my university education at the moment (I am in my third and final year) I cannot afford my dream mandolin, which would be an F-Style Collings.... or any style Collings for that matter! I was lucky enough to loan one when we were touring in Austin, Texas (where their factory is based). It was the best mandolin I have ever played and I hope one day to be able to afford one of my very own. I use tortoise shell picks and wegan picks, which are a triangular shape, which is simply my preferance. For bluegrass playing a hard pick is really essential to the tone of your chop! I use D'Addario EXP strings of a medium or heavy gage. I still, very much, regard myself as a singer first and foremost and a student of the mandolin! I have a lot to learn and get better at and I guess right now, that journey is one that I am both experiencing and enjoying as much as possible.