Terry Radigan – The Breakdown of a Breakup

The Anti-Valentines Day Album?

Dubbed the Anti-Valentines day album, Terry Radigan beats a path down the road to reclamation from betrayal and emotional pain in her latest album The Breakdown of a Breakup. Better known for writing music for artists like Faith Hill, Trisha Yearwood and Pam Tillis, this one is personal. A collection of songs that is an unabashed roadmap along a passionate trail of heartbreak – disbelief, anger, pain and acceptance.

The pain of a broken heart is visibly drawn in this raw emotional arrangement…music and vocals carry the listener from despair to hope. No holds barred in this album – Terry Radigan is unabashedly truthful and straight-up. Her lyrics range from the sweetness of a poignant memory in Beautiful Lie:

Lie to me
It was so easy
Cause I believed in you
Should I have known it was
To (sic) good to be true

…to the visceral, gutsy Mistake. Vocals by Radigan range from rich and sultry to a wonderfully cool, unguarded voice. A lyrical canvas of love, loss, fear and anger – and the perfect anti-Valentines Day gift!

We recently had the opportunity to ask Terry about the new album:

Q. Your new album is an honest, raw, emotional journey through heartbreak: how did you get to the place where you could write about this?

A. It took quite a bit of time to process it all and after about 6 months I was able to write about it. Each of the songs helped me to really put it all into place and get a bit of perspective. It was as though each song was a rung on a ladder & helped to lift me out of a very dark place.

Q. In “The Truth”, you share your fear about where you are at this time in your life; what would you say to other women in the same place?
A I’d try & reassure them that just about everyone who goes through a breakup in mid life might be left questioning / doubting themselves and that it’s okay. It’s also okay to “lie” to yourself a bit & fake it until you make it to the other side.

Q. How the writing and release of this album help you move on after your breakup?

A Every song felt like a letter to myself & really helped me to understand why I was feeling so incredibly sad. When I wrote “Beautiful Lie” I had spent the better part of that day roaming around my house & being really angry with myself for not being able to pull it together. It was only after a very late night of writing B.L & listening to it that I was able to process the feelings and put them away.

Q. I’m guessing you hit a chord with this album – have you heard from a lot of women?

A The music hasn’t been officially released but I have heard from woman at live performances and they’ve told me that my story reflected their own. I have also been told that the music really brings a sense of community at a time when it’s easy to feel very isolated.

Q. Are you really “Anti-Valentines Day”?

A Absolutely not! Being in a wonderful relationship is something to celebrate though I think showing it in little ways everyday means more to me than a dozen roses once a year.

Q. What would you say to another women going through the same experience during midlife?

A It can be a magical time. Getting older certainly has it’s physical & cosmetic drawbacks but the wisdom & confidence & depth that come with it are pretty damn wonderful.

Q. What is next for you? Hopefully not another breakup cd !

A I’m always hard at work as a songwriter & producer so that’ll keep on and I look forward to where the very winding road leads.

Want to learn more about Terry Radigan? Visit her website at TerryRadigan.com