The most captivating songs allow listeners to truly connect with their vulnerable lyrics, and make them feel as though the musician truly understands their triumphs and tribulations. New York City-based queer Americana-grunge singer Tammy Hart has done just that with the tracks she has written and performed over the course of her quarter century career.

Don Giovanni Records is celebrating Hart’s first two albums by reissuing both projects, and releasing them for the first time on streaming services later this year. The artist initially released ‘No Light in August’ in 2000 and ‘What Passed Between Us’ in 2002 on Mr. Lady Records as a teenager. She used her tunes as a way to find her place in the queer music scene, as well as to escape from the trappings of a very conservative upbringing in South Carolina.

The reissue campaign coincides with the distribution of Hart’s upcoming full-length album for Don Giovanni Records. The LP was produced by Ted Leo and features several guests, including Marissa Paternoster of Screaming Females and Neil Gust of Heatmiser with Elliott Smith.

Hart recently shared her relatable life story in her music when she performed at The 13th Floor in Austin during last month’s SXSW. The show, which was held on Thursday, March 13 at the iconic Texan bar/music venue, was featured as part of the official Don Giovanni Showcase at the festival.

The week before the performance, Hart generously took the time to talk about her experience penning and recording her music. She also shared it means to her that she was invited to perform as part of the Don Giovanni Showcase at the Austin-based festival during an exclusive interview over Zoom.

Film Factual (FF): You (played) at the official Don Giovanni Showcase at this year’s SXSW. What does it mean to you that you were chosen to be a part of the showcase?

Tammy Hart (TH): Well, first off, thank you for meeting with me. So I started playing music in 1999. Last year was the first time I actually ever played SXSW. I’ve played in Austin many times, including other music festivals.

But I don’t know why I never played at SXSW before. I think I had an avoidance of it. There was a magic about the event that I grew up seeing on MTV. But I’d always heard mixed reviews about it after that, to be honest.  

I think it was in 1994 when MTV did a big expose on SXSW. Veruca Salt and The Presidents of the United States of America were featured as a couple of the big breakthrough artists.

I was a huge Veruca Salt fan, so SXSW just seemed like this magical thing when I was a kid. But over the course of my career, I just always heard mixed reviews about it.

But then I went last year, and I had the time of my life. It’s wild; the streets are just packed with musicians and people who are excited about music.

So our show was great last year. But it was a little awkward in that I don’t know if I’ve ever played a show where it’s really just a lot of specifically industry people. But luckily, we had a cool crowd of just music fans. So I (couldn’t) wait to go back.

FF: How would you describe your overall performance style when you’re playing for fans? What’s the vibe like during your live performances?

TH: I tend to play faster live because I really love it to be as high energy as possible. I like it to be a little wild and reckless, with a couple shots of whiskey before we play. The vibe for me is always just trying to have a good time.

FF: You started playing music when you were in high school. What was it about music that convinced you to initially pursue it as a teenager, and continue playing it now, as well?

TH: I started writing songs when I was 16. I grew up in South Carolina, in a small working-class town and a working-class family.

I was gay and very much aware that I was not going to thrive, or even survive, in my hometown. I was a terrible student, so I’m surprised I graduated high school.

So I had this idea in my head that I was going to get signed to a label. It was this grandiose idea.

So I would research independent record labels and get their addresses, and I would send out demo tapes. I did that tirelessly, like it was my job.

It somehow worked. In my senior year of high school, I got signed to a small independent feminist record label called Mr. Lady Records. It was run by Kaia Wilson from Team Dresch and her partner at the time, Tammy Rae Carland.

So in my senior year of high school, I had to beg my dad to let me go to Chapel Hill, Durham, North Carolina, where they were located so I could do a photo shoot for my record. My dad was a pretty strict southern guy, and I was still a teenager in high school. So I had to convince him that this was a really good opportunity for me. The rest is history.

FF: You released your first two albums at the time, and are now re-releasing them What was the experience like of not only putting them together, but also deciding to re-distribute them now, 25 years later?

TH: I actually stopped playing music for nearly a decade. I started at 18, after I graduated high school literally; that fall, I went on tour with The Butchies and Le Tigre. That was kind of my college experience. I did that until my early 30s.

Then I was just really burnt out on music and wanted all the things I thought you’re supposed to have in life. I put myself through college in my 30s, and I got married and had a baby.

I didn’t think I mattered. I always have struggled with thinking that anybody cares, even though I would say I’m pretty lucky and did have a pretty good career in my youth.

Anyway, fast forward, and I’m 40 years old. Someone approached me and he was like, “I want to reissue your albums.”

I think it was the wake-up call that I needed because I was really depressed. So I’ve been playing music again ever since. It’s been so rewarding.

I just recorded another album that I think is the best work I’ve ever done. I’m really proud of it. I’m excited for these reissues to happen.

Tammy Rae Carland, who ran Mr. Lady, is an incredible artist in her own right. She also did a lot of the photography for Julie Ruin, Le Tigre and Bikini Kill.

She said to me recently, “It’s really hard to be formative.” That struck me back and really shocked me because I was a kid when I was doing all that music. So I was like, “How was I formative? I was just a kid.”

But now when I’m seeing all these other queer alternative musicians really being successful and making a name for themselves, it does feel like a good time to come back.

FF: With your new record, how did you approach writing the songs you included on it? What was your inspiration in putting this set of tracks together?

TH: It was a blast. We recorded at Lakehouse Studios, which is a big Don Giovanni Records mainstay. It’s their go-to studio for a lot of the bands, particularly Screaming Females. It was one of the nicest studios I’ve ever gotten to work in.

Ted Leo, who’s a pretty established songwriter and musician – and is actually in Gang of Four right now on their farewell tour, which is pretty cool – produced the record. When I started playing music again a few years ago, he and I struck up a friendship, and we toured together a couple times. I couldn’t think of anyone else I’d rather have make this record with me.

It was hard, and in some ways, grueling and intense. I hadn’t been in the studio in years.

But the songs are different in that my influences have always been very eclectic. There’s something for everyone.

I’ve always been very a staunch advocate of being able to be eclectic. There’s pop and Americana. There’s also more straightforward punk and grunge. There’s a little bit of everything on this record.

FF: What was the overall process of collaborating with other musicians to write and record the tunes for this album?

TH: I had a couple of dream come true moments getting to make this record. One in particular was with a musician by the name of Neil Gust, and he was in a band called Heatmiser with Elliot Smith. Anybody who knows me knows that I’m a huge Elliot Smith fan.

The Heatmiser album ‘Mic City Suns’ was their last full-length record. It really showcased Elliot Smith’s supremacy as a songwriter. It was some of his finest work, in my opinion.

But Neil’s songs on that album were actually my favorite. I was just a huge fan of his.

I met him years ago at an Elliot Smith concert. A musician who was a friend of his knew I was a huge fan. I was drunk that night at the show, and in an effort to embarrass me, pulled me by the arm and threw me into him. That was our first interaction.

Then years later when I moved to New York, I was working at this hipster butcher shop in Williamsburg. He came in as a customer, and I was just starstruck. I was like, “Oh my God, it’s him.” I didn’t say anything at the time.

But years later, fast forward to present day, I was opening for Ted Leo at this big show. I said, I’m just going to write him and invite him to the show. Surprisingly, he responded and came to the show.

He came up to me after and was really nice. I was like, “It would be a dream to work with you.” He was like, “I haven’t played music in a while. I’d love to.”

So I sent him a bunch of demos I was working on. He really locked in on a song on the new album called ‘Song You Sing the Loudest.’

He was like, “I love this song,” but it was unfinished. He was like, “You know, there’s a really cool loneliness to this song.” He then started working out some guitar parts. Then we got together and he helped me write the second part of the song. It was a dream come true; my teenage self was screaming inside.

Then, of course, Marissa (Paternoster) from Screaming Females was hanging out in the studio almost every day, and I couldn’t believe it. I was like, “What are you doing here?”

Then she was like, “I’m going to put solos all over this album,” and she did! (Hart laughs.) They’re incredible. So I definitely had a couple of pinch me moments.

FF: How has your career helped shape the way you approach writing your songs now?

TH: It feels a little cringy to say this, but I think the way I write is still the same, in that I’m into playing and seeing if anything comes. I don’t like to force anything.

But with that in mind, I did a project in 2011 called ‘Making Friends.’ That album was way more electronic, R&B and punk.

That record got a lot of licensing and placements. I never imagined I would get a Dick’s Sporting Goods campaign, as well as TV shows and movies. I actually paid off a lot of my college debt because of that record.

So unfortunately, I do now think more about if a song is licenseable. Musicians don’t really make money touring anymore. (Singer) Kate Nash recently said she would make more money if she started an OnlyFans rather than going on tour.

But when I was growing up, touring was the way to make money. So now it’s kind of like, well, what else is there, and it’s licensing. So I do think about that a little bit more than I used to.

FF: Besides releasing your new record and playing at SXSW, what else is coming up next for you?

TH: Well, after touring up and down the East Coast and doing some local shows here in New York City, I’ll finish mixing the record. Then it’s just the promotion of it, including making the videos and selecting the singles, and then hopefully planning some really fun tours!

For more information on Hart, visit her Spotify, Pandora and Instagram pages.