Joan Enguita Gets Back on the Road

After nearly two decades since the release of Beautiful, Joan Enguita returns with her long-awaited new album, Get On The Road. Rooted in memory, heartache, faith, family, and the freedom of the open highway, the album finds the California singer-songwriter turning life’s unexpected turns into intimate, beautifully observed songs. OohYeah caught up with Joan to talk about the stories behind the album, the experiences that shaped it, and the road that brought her back to the music.

Nearly 20 years separate “Beautiful” from “Get On The Road.” Why did it take so long for another Joan Enguita album to emerge, and what finally made this one impossible to postpone?

Time is not my friend.

In some ways. I just keep writing and singing into my phone. I realized that getting the music out to share was overdue.

Your 2007 album, “Beautiful,” featured 14 women based in Los Angeles. How did that project come about?

What's interesting is that I was looking for songs for a CD that I was going to put out, a solo album. But I kept hearing songs by these amazing women singer-songwriters, so I figured they could record their own songs, and it ended up being an album with 17 songs by 14 Los Angeles artists. It was really fun to do. We got great reviews from CD Baby, and I think it's because every song was produced by Nashville Tracks and had great consistency.

The new album’s title track is “Get On The Road.” What does the song, and that title, mean to you?

Well, I love that song. It's so upbeat and fun. I've had some younger singers ask to cover it, which is pretty cool. Living in California, one does spend a lot of time On The Road. It can be my happy place, especially when I am traveling with my husband on vacation. I relax and take in the sights, ocean, mountains, and lakes. What's not to love?

You record song ideas while driving, sometimes so absorbed that you miss people waving at you. What does the road give you creatively that a quiet room doesn’t?

Well. There are no real distractions. If the phone rings, I can ignore it, or just turn it off. I still have to focus on driving. I'm not sure I can actually explain how driving just frees my creative juices. I love it. And I don't plan it.

“Hands Off The Phone” began with your mother’s relationship with Jim. What did writing that story reveal to you about your mother, and about the little girls who were watching everything?

After my parents divorced, she did start dating, even for years after this story. I believe this is one she wanted to work out. She never did remarry. It stuck in my mind, apparently, and I think seeing my mom in agony over this relationship certainly had an effect on us.

When you first heard Tracy Newman perform “Now,” what made you want to cut the song?

When I first heard Tracy Newman perform this song, I just knew I had to record it. It sounded like a Roy Orbison song. With that final rising build. It's an amazing song, and I'm glad I got to record it.

“Get On The Road” moves between grief, memory, California landscapes, and the simple pleasures of being alive. What stories or experiences shaped the album?

There is a very sad song about my brother called "The Day You Couldn't See." It was really hard to record. Life sometimes gets very difficult for those left behind. CALIFORNIA COUNTRY TIME is based on all the years I have lived in California and all the fun things there are to do here. It really just came to me one day. I love driving up the coast, stopping at fun places along the way and simply sitting under the trees in the mountains. We have Big Bear Lake, and even Lake Tahoe. They are not mentioned, but I suppose they could have been!

You said you would never marry again, then met Mike. Did “Life Goes On” change the way you understood your own story?

Absolutely. I actually had to decide if I could let another person into my heart. "Life Goes On" is based on determination. I'm not saying it was easy.

After your accident, you didn’t know whether you would ever sing again. Did losing your voice temporarily change what music meant to you?

I'm not sure. You can love music whether you are a performer or not. Projecting into the future and knowing I would not give up kept me on the recovery road.

You have taught a Bible-based songwriting class at a California men’s prison for many years. What has that work taught you about music, faith, and redemption?

I have taught a Bible-based songwriting class at a CA men's prison for many years. One thing that's interesting about that is that some inmates are not that familiar with the Bible. Some are familiar and come ready with songs they have already written. Bringing in a wonderful Christian singer like Bob Bennett made a huge impression on the inmates. They sat as close to him as they could to see his guitar fingerings. We were able to get a photo too...a big deal for them and him. He loved performing there and was very appreciated by the inmates. One has to be prepared for lockdowns too. Your performance might be canceled or rescheduled. That has never stopped me, though. I believe in redemption and have seen major changes in character and behavior through Bible studies and songs.

“Sweet Dreams” was written for your grandson. What inspired that song?

"SWEET DREAMS" was written for my grandson. I was holding him on the swing in the backyard when he was a baby. We all want our babies and children to have sweet dreams. I dream a LOT! Every night I feel I'm on some journey. Wishing for sweet dreams is a normal and loving wish. In my childhood, our family would gather for breakfast, and we'd all tell our dreams for that night. Some of those have come true. And one of my adult dreams is to have my music heard and enjoyed. I hope a song on this trip really speaks to you.

After everything you have experienced and created, where does the road lead next?

I am very grateful that my husband supports my endeavors and always encourages me. This journey that we are on together is a wonder, and I'm sure that after visiting the Normandy Beaches in France this year, the site where my father arrived on the beach 3 days after D-Day will bring more introspection. I spent 4 years in France as a child, and 3 years in Madrid as a young teenager. So travel is in my blood. My husband is a military brat too, so travel is in his blood too. I think the road could lead anywhere, and I'm sure there will be lyrics just waiting to be written!