Dorothy perform in The Current studio
by Jill Riley
February 14, 2019
Can you just phone a massively accomplished producer, songwriter and musician and ask to work together?
"Actually, you can!" says Dorothy frontperson Dorothy Martin. "That's what I did."
The producer Martin casually got in touch with? It was none other than Linda Perry — the songwriter and producer who cut her teeth as the frontperson of 4 Non Blondes and who since has been behind hits for artists like Pink and Christina Aguilera. Perry agreed to work with Martin and the rest of Dorothy on what would become their latest album, 28 Days in the Valley, released in 2018.
While working on the album, Perry naturally had wise advice for Martin. "She said I need to lighten up," Martin recalls, "and I agreed with her, because I was carrying around a lot of baggage, and as an artist, it's important to let that stuff go and channel it into your writing. So that's exactly what happened, and that's how this album was written."
Martin, along with Perry and the rest of the band Dorothy — drummer Jason Ganberg, guitarists Nick Perri and Eli Wulfmeier, and bassist Eliot Lorango — wrote 28 Days in the Valley together. The album has a decidedly rock sound. "Rock just felt natural to me," Martin explains, "so I'm very happy that I met these musicians that happen to love rock and roll as well. It just felt natural to us."
While in town for a show at the Varsity Theater in Minneapolis, Dorothy stopped at The Current to play songs from 28 Days in the Valley and to talk with host Jill Riley.
An added benefit to working with Linda Perry came in the form of another project Perry was producing: the soundtrack to the Netflix film, Dumplin'. Martin was asked to come into the studio to sing "Two Doors Down" with Dolly Parton. "It was scary at first because you're going into the studio with this country icon," Martin explains. "And we had just gotten off the road … I'm exhausted, I just want to go home and sleep for three days straight, but I was like, 'Absolutely, this is an honor; I would love to do this.' Then I found out later that Macy Gray was also on the song, so we have the three of us on this song.
"I love country music," Martin continues. "That's how I learned how to sing and to yodel when I was little. It just took me back to that, and I was just like, 'Wow, I can't believe this is happening.' So it was great."
Use the audio player above to listen to the complete session with Dorothy.
More Video
Songs Performed
"Pretty When You're High"
"Ain't Our Time to Die"
"Flawless"
All songs from Dorothy's 2018 album, 28 Days in the Valley, available on Roc Nation.
Hosted by Jill Riley
Produced by Anna Weggel
Engineered by Johnny Vince Evans
Web feature by Luke Taylor
Visuals by Minju Kim and Mary Mathis
External Links
Dorothy - official site
"Two Doors Down" from Dumplin' via Dolly Parton on YouTube
