Tonight listening to her excellent DVD-CD boxset Retrospective: The Best of Suzanne Vega and recalling meeting her at the Arden in March 2010. She had finished her concert and I was first at the autograph table (as I often am and have been with many performers–call it Focus and Knowing What I Most Want to Do/Who I Most Want to meet Live, Close-up, and In-Person). She was a little older and taller than I expected, but still quite pretty and distinct-looking. She was surprised what I had brought for her to sign–this imported boxset (autographed above), her Solitude Standing LP, and her autobiography.
We chatted a bit and I mentioned I had used two her songs (“Luka” and “Small Blue Thing”–both which she sang that evening) in a couple of my high school texts. She seemed to appreciate that and I complimented her on a number of tunes and for doing a strong one-woman show. Nice lady. Very much her own person, but friendly. I never thought I would ever see or meet her, so this evening, with my daughter, was quite the treat.