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Angie Heaton.

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Make sure to take a stroll through West Side Park tomorrow, August 1 to catch Angie Heaton play from noon to 1 for free in the Park District’s Eat to the Beat series.

Check here for Angie Heaton's Myspace.

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• Angie Heaton and the Gentle Tamers's Profile »
• Neko Case's Profile »
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A folk-country artist who believes honesty is the best policy, in lyrics and in life, CU’s own Angie Heaton sings of, “crushes and death, and being crushed to death.” Between balancing a distribution job at indie label Parasol Records and focusing on her own musical development, Heaton remains a busy gal. Here, she talks with buzz about life, Alt Country, and how she has nothing to hate about her hometown.

buzz: Why Angie Heaton and “The Gentle Tamers”?

Angie Heaton: I collect cowgirl “stuff,” and somewhere along the journey found a book called The Gentle Tamers by Dee Brown (Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee, not former Illini!) about women who pioneered the Wild West. I thought it would be a great band name!

buzz: What about Neko Case as an artist causes you to list her at the top of your “influences” list?

Angie: I am a huge fan of Neko; she certainly does “influence” me. I think she’s an amazing songwriter, with a gorgeous voice. My favorite Neko moment was when I was playing drums with the Tractor Kings and we were opening for Neko, and she said to me: “You’re a great drummer ... for a lady!”

buzz: What was your experience like in Corndolly?

Angie: I was pretty young in the Corndolly days, working through a lot of stuff. I was pretty naive back then, just going with the flow. It was a pretty neat experience to be able to be in a band, and travel, and meet people — Liz Phair played her first show ever opening for Corndolly at Treno’s in Champaign!

buzz: Who do you consider your greatest influence/role model in life?

Angie: This is a toughie! I would say I am most influenced by people I meet everyday ... people who love unconditionally, who see the bigger picture in life, and don’t judge others. I have learned that we can live life either extending love, or projecting fear. I want to extend love. I think the people I’ve seen do this the most are my mom and my dad.

buzz: What do you love most about CU?

Angie: The openness and diversity of the people, my job at Parasol, the Thai Y Eatery in the YMCA on campus. There’s so much to love here!