'Halo' I wrote with my grandpa in his nursing home. When I went to visit him, he'd often comment on my halo. But of course, I couldn't see. And he always - he had pictures of Jesus with these beautiful halos. And so I asked him if he'd write a song with me about Jesus' halo.

Abigail Washburn

Categorized in : Me Beautiful Song Home

I believe in the old, because it shows us where we come from - where our souls have risen from. And I believe in the new, because it gives us the opportunity to create who we are becoming.

Abigail Washburn

opportunity giving believe

I've noticed that the more I open up, the more I learn.

Abigail Washburn

Outside your door, the world is waiting. Inside your heart, a voice is calling. The four corners of the world are watching. So travel, daughter, travel. Go get it, girl.

Abigail Washburn

daughter girl heart

I would still describe China as a vast, invigorating puzzle that will never make sense to my western upbringing.

Abigail Washburn

western china make-sense

I really believe in the power of music.

Abigail Washburn

power-of-music believe

Hogslop is the real deal groovilicious honkin old-time string band. Guaranteed old-time awesomeness with these fellas around!

Abigail Washburn

awesomeness band real

Is it an original idea? Or is it something where you're literally a creative collagist? You're taking pieces of the world that you see around you and that are inside of you and put them together in a way that you see fit.

Abigail Washburn

creative together ideas

I'm, I guess you could say, the Chinese-speaking, banjo-picking girl.

Abigail Washburn

banjos chinese girl

I reside in a new colony for the Chinese-singing banjo player, with a population of one. At least I have something I have to do with my life.

Abigail Washburn

chinese singing player

For most Americans, my Chinese music feels like a novelty and it's not what it is for me.

Abigail Washburn

novelty chinese-music chinese

I tried to play flute because all the pretty girls played flute.

Abigail Washburn

pretty-girl girl play

U.S.-China relations doesn't need another lawyer.

Abigail Washburn

china lawyer needs

I feel like my kind of music is a big pot of different spices. It's a soup with all kinds of ingredients in it.

Abigail Washburn

i-feel-like feel music soup

When I first started playing the banjo and miraculously fell into a record deal in Nashville, TN, there was a period when I didn't go to China. It hurt. Like a pain in my gut... that pain you feel when you know it's time to connect with your parents or your God or your child or your past or your future... and you don't do it.

Abigail Washburn

you future god time

In China, I realized that if you visit often enough and learn the language, you will be assimilated, but you'll still be kept at arm's length; you'll always be looked on as a foreigner.

Abigail Washburn

will you language enough

You can enjoy many different types of music. I think that's something more Americans should think about.

Abigail Washburn

think you enjoy music

I sang in a reggae band. And then there was a soul band where I sang back-up vocals and some lead. And I was also in a women's a capella group. And I was in the gospel choir at school. Actually, I've always been in choirs. Or some kind of group. Just because I love singing so much. But I truthfully never thought of it as a career.

Abigail Washburn

women singing soul love

One thing I carried my whole life, especially from my grandparents in Chicago, was a huge idealism for the world.

Abigail Washburn

grandparents one-thing life world

As a child, I went to peace and ERA marches on the back of my mom and grandmother. Through them I learned that I wanted to find a way to make the world a more kind, compassionate place.

Abigail Washburn

child mom peace world

Whenever I visited China in the past, the relationships always felt superficial; there was no time where I felt those moments of conflict and delight that make you feel close to another person. But since I started touring there in 2004, I would always collaborate with local musicians, and that opened up a new level of intimacy.

Abigail Washburn

feel you time past