“On my way driving across the country to move to Joshua Tree from Philadelphia, my Toyota Dolphin RV broke down in a heap of smoke with most of my earthly possessions inside,” recalls AC Sapphire. That led to a new car, which turned out to be symbolic of her new Western life. “Within the first three days of being in the desert, I bought my 1992 Buick Roadmaster Station Wagon from someone named Rocky off of Craigslist. That car became iconic in my own life – I knew it was marking a transformative time and it just felt song worthy.”
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It may seem odd, at first, that Sapphire wrote a song inspired by a secondhand station wagon.
But, as Sapphire reasons, “I thought about how there are a lot of songs written about pickup trucks, but I had never heard the one about a Buick Roadmaster Station Wagon!” The result is “Desert Car,” with Sapphire singing (alongside Victoria Williams) over reverb-heavy guitar riffs that shimmer like heat waves rising off sunbaked sand. The single debuts on March 12. “Desert Car” is the title track from Sapphire’s full-length album, which will be released on May 8 (pre-order if you like what you hear).
Even though Sapphire recognized the humor in this song idea, it quickly turned more serious as soon as she realized she had actually hit upon a way to convey the joy of her California life to others – and keep it sacred within herself. “I wrote “Desert Car” to bring the listener into my real world, and yet also have a sense of the wonder that desert brought to me and allow me to live in my imagination and fantasy world.”
Besides her own real-life experiences, Sapphire also looked for inspiration from one of the most iconic songwriters of all: “I wrote “Desert Car” while I was on a big Tom Petty bender. I felt inspired by how Tom Petty is so well-spoken and yet eloquently cool at the same time. Stone cold cool.”
California desert heat and stone cold cool swirl together to create the mix of Americana, pop, and folk that infuse the tracks on Desert Car. “It moves around freely,” Sapphire says of the styles on display in the album. “The whole experience, from writing to recording and releasing, has been a creative quest. There was a lot of pushing forward and determination to make it happen.”
To support Desert Car, Sapphire also has tour dates across the U.S. She will share the bill at many shows with Lauren Ruth Ward. Now, when she’s not on the road, Sapphire calls Portland, Oregon home – but thanks to “Desert Car” and her other songs, her Joshua Tree life will always remain vibrant.
AC Sapphire Tour Dates:
03.04 – Troutdale, OR @ Edgefield Winery
03.05 – Forrest Grove, OR @ Grand Lodge
03.07 – San Francisco, CA @ The Make Out Room
03.12 – Pioneertown, CA @ Pappy and Harriets +
03.13 – San Diego CA @ Casbah *
03.23 – Vancouver, WA @ Biltmore *
03.24 – Portland OR @ Doug Fir Lounge *
03.27 – Salt Lake City, UT @ Kilby Court *
03.29 – Denver, CO @ Larimer Lounge *
03.31 – Kansas City. MO @ The Riot Room *
04.01 – Minneapolis, MN @ 7th Street Entry *
04.02 – Milwaukee, WI @ Back Room Collectiveo *
04.03 – Chicago, IL @ Beat Kitchen *
04.10 – Philadelphia, PA @ Ardmore Music Hall, Philadelphia PA #
04.17 – Houston, TX @ The Rustic *
04.18 – Austin, TX @ Mohawk *
04.19 – Dallas, TX @ Three Links *
04.22 – Albuquerque NM @, Launchpad *
04.23 – Phoenix, AZ @ Rebel *
04.24 – Las Vegas, NV @ Bunkhouse Saloon *
05.06 – Eugene, OR @ Sams Garage
* with Lauren Ruth Ward & Valley Queen Solo
