Nine Questions

Janet K. Miller is a painter (and occasional Tucson Weekly contributor) who has lived, bicycled, gardened and cooked in downtown for 24 years. Her work is inspired by travels to West Africa, Syria, Yemen and Mexico. When she can't travel, music and perfume serve as substitutions; they're both powerful ephemeral evocations of memory and place, she says.

What was the first concert you ever saw?

Elton John at the Oakland Coliseum in 1974.

What CDs are in your changer right now?

You mean on the pile? A great compilation CD that Vicki Brown made; Santana, Abraxas; Trio Garufa (a San Francisco tango trio), La Segunda Tradición; a compilation of Bollywood blockbusters; Leonard Cohen, Ten New Songs; Lhasa de Sela, La Llorona.

How many total albums do you own (CDs, vinyl, cassettes, 8-tracks)?

A little more than 100 CDs.

Do you download music, and if so, legally or illegally?

Huh? I have no idea how to do that! I have a little boom box in the studio that plays one CD at a time.

What was the first album you owned?

Cat Stevens, Tea for the Tillerman. I was in eighth grade.

What song would you like to have played at your funeral?

Daniel Lanois, "The Maker."

Musically speaking, what do you love that your friends don't know about? What's your favorite guilty pleasure?

Shakira, before the Pepsi days, and, um ... (smaller font here please; this is so embarrassing!) ... neil diamond.

What band or artist changed your life, and how?

Sam Phillips. I listened to her music over and over in my studio as I grew into becoming an artist. I love her voice, and her songwriting has such a fierce integrity.

Figurative gun to your head, what is your favorite album of all time?

Bob Marley, Legend. I know, it's a compilation, so that might be a lame choice, but I'm not allowed to choose his entire discography. Bob Marley didn't just change my little world; he changed the whole world. Thank you, Bob; bless your heart.