Beth Hart: Layers of Truth

Faculty of Philology Belgrade
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Abstract
Introduction ....................................................................................................................1
I A disease is a character trait?........................................................................................2
II The weight of the roots................................................................................................5
III Love suffers it all............................. .........................................................................9
IV Into the abyss...........................................................................................................11
V Halfway to ordinary life............................................................................................15
VI From mothers reprimands to thousands of new fans..............................................19
VII On the way home....................................................................................................23
VIII No passionate admirers, no Beth Hart?..............................................................31
Conclusion.....................................................................................................................34
Appendix.......................................................................................................................35
Bibliography..................................................................................................................39
Illustrations....................................................................................................................46
Abstract
Contemporary popular culture is filled with stories about talented jazz, blues and rock
performers whose lives have been both successful and tragic. Beth Hart is one of those performers.
However, this may sound exaggerated because Beth was unknown to the general public for a long
time. In this paper we find reasons for her media absence and recent commercial success. The data
were obtained by consulting an extensive number of articles, the literature about bipolar disorder,
and long hours of video interviews. It was found that an early occurence of bipolar disorder and
difficult family circumstances led to various inappropriate actions and equally formidable
consequences, which resulted in years of media absence. This investigation has also revealed that
Beth has managed to survive and recieve public recognition due to her persistence, the love of her
husband, family and passionate admirers, as well as the improvement in her singing/songwriting.
Thus, these findings may be beneficial to all those who battle against similar problems and feel
lonely and isolated in their worlds. The author also hopes to offer a modest contribution to the field
of popular culture and music, as well as deeper knowledge about this gifted woman.
Keywords: Beth Hart, bipolar disorder
BETH HART: LAYERS OF TRUTH
Dragana Andjelic
Introduction
Beth Hart has caught the public eye in recent years due to her talent and honesty. Nowadays,
she is recognized as one of the best and most authentic rock-blues-soul singers, often compared to
Janis Joplin, Amy Winehouse, Etta James, Billie Holiday, etc. However, apart from Beth Hart, all of
the said artists enjoyed public recognition early on and at least one book dealt with their lives, too
often not until they passed away. Despite the fact there is a lot of material that deals with Harts life
and career, it is still impossible to find at least partially thorough account of her life with in-depth
explanations and reasons for her long media absence and lack of wider recognition equivalent to her
talent.
Therefore, this study focuses on all of the aspects of Beths life. The first part of the paper
deals with the disorder that has had a radical impact on her life; the second explores her childhood
and early teenage years; chapters four and five analyze the period of adulthood, up to her thirties;
parts six and seven reveal some of the most difficult struggles and temptations, as well as Harts first
steps towards freedom and healing; and, finally, the last two chapters tell the story of Beths recent
notable accomplishments and some of the most important people in her life her passionate
admirers.
In order to achieve that, the literature on bipolar disorder and a hundred various articles and
reviews, as well as hours and hours of recorded interviews have been consulted. A survey, which
will be presented in more detail at the end of the paper, has also been created and attempted. This
combination of sources has clearly shown that multiple factors led to Beths later commercial
success. Her parents divorced when she was only five, she dropped out of high school and started
using drugs at 11. At the same time, her older sister Sharon got AIDS and died ten years later. In
addition to that, Beth has been no stranger to self-harm and psychiatric wards and other similar
institutions. She stood face to face with death and truly had unbelievable ups and downs that she
poured into her music. By removing layers of truth, Beth has gradually started gaining an insight into
true love towards others and self, and at least partially succeeded in overcoming her worst ordeals.
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I A disease is a character trait?

It must have been both soothing and painful, after countless years of suffering caused by
bipolar disorder, to hear her therapist say, Its not who you are, its what you have. It must have
been a relief for Beth Hart, too. And although the purpose of this paper is not to romanticize, let
alone sensationalize any type of illness, it is impossible to put aside such an essential ingredient in
Beths life, career and personality. By shortly explaining the characteristics of bipolar disorder,
Beths actions and behavior, described in detail in the rest of the paper, will be far easier to grasp;
especially if one is familiar with the fact that she did exhibit some serious symptoms of mental
disorder at an early age. Therefore, we start the journey into Harts life by revealing the present
findings on bipolar disorder and its impact on an individuals life.
To begin with, bipolar disorder is not some sort of recent, au courant disorder although,
admittedly, it is being diagnosed more frequently nowadays. It was first mentioned in ancient times
and often called melancholy. Later, sometime in the 19th century, it was renamed to manic
depression. It is, therefore, unquestionably appropriate to think of the history of bipolar disorder as
remarkably changeable and still partly unpredictable, although there have certainly been some
significant advancements in the field in the past 20 years.
One of the reasons for its unpredictable nature lies in the fact that scientists are still far from
precisely determining the exact causes of bipolar disorder. Therefore, if one asked why, for instance,
Beth Hart got bipolar disorder, scientists would offer a multitude of different possibilites. For
example, it could have happened due to the family history of emotional disorders in first-degree
relatives, depression being the most frequent. They would also very often mention and insist on
unbalanced neurotransmitters, influenced by genetics and different legal/illegal substances in most
cases.1 This means that at some point in the bipolar persons life, he/she will start having more or
less intensive psychological problems, depending on, of course, the degree of the chemical
unbalance. Scientists believe that this imbalance would force the bipolar individual to treat his/her
psychological problems by using different types of narcotics. Accordingly, it is not surprising to
learn that more than a half of bipolar patients report a history of drugs and alcohol abuse, which
many doctors consider an attempt to self-medicate. On the other hand, it is quite startling to learn
that, due to undetermined causes, bipolar patients sometimes wait more than ten years from their first
symptoms to their first adequate medication and treatment. This may be the case with people who
suffer from substance abuse or thyroid gland, and are misdiagnosed as bipolar patients. In addition to
that, patients may be given a number of different diagnoses or they can, as Beth Hart did, simply
refuse to accept the fact that they undeniably suffer from manic depression.
Regardless of the fact the causes of bipolar disorder remain unknown, and for the sake of
understanding Beths actions and choices described later on, it is necessary to pay closer attention to
the established characteristics of bipolar disorder, now largely backed up by research. Generally
speaking, a bipolar person suffers from bouts of mania and depression with periods of normal
1
Neurotransmitters are brain substances whose function is to transmit electrical signals from one neuron to another.
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functioning between the episodes. Mania is a euphoric and/or irritable state which causes mental and
physical hyperactivity and leads to excesses of all kinds: sleeplessness, increased interest in sex, as
well as excessive impulsivity and irritability. This explains why manic persons often appear
excessively self-confident, which in turn leads to poor judgment and chaotic personal and
professional relationships. On the positive side, manic people show striking combinatory thinking
with increased abilities to rhyme and pun and connect sounds; in addition to that, many manic
patients instinctively start writing poetry when manic, even without any prior interest in it. They also
tend to use more colorful and powerful language (including swearwords and expletives), which may
attract a lot of people.2 Beth Hart, for instance, admits she tends to write more during her manic
phases, and she often uses, though now less in public than before, swearwords.
On the other hand, bipolar depression has its specific characteristics. Firstly, it may last two
weeks and, in some cases, even a few months. Research has shown that bipolar disorder first appears
as a depressive episode with very specific symptoms: energy deficit, feelings of despair,
worthlessness, excessive guilt, indecisiveness, suicidal thoughts, difficulties in concentrating,
dizziness, slowed mental and physical abilities, lack of interest in everyday activities, as well as
excessive weight loss/gain.3 On the positive side, depression may bring about a new perspective on
reality, the one that unmasks the transient nature of life and the finality of death. Accordingly, recent
research has shown that ideas and believes brought about during the depression episodes are actually
closer to reality than those found in normal states. It may partially explain and emphasize the
omnipresent denial in everyday life and underscore T. S. Eliots view that human kind cannot bear
much reality.4
Bearing the complexity of the disorder in mind, it is interesting and important to learn how it
is diagnosed. The diagnosis is a mixture of different systems of classification and manuals, together
with standard questionnaires and rating scales usually reflecting the controversial Diagnostic and
Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. Therefore, further classification of bipolar disorder has been
proposed, from types I and II, even V, based on the history of hospitalization during manic episodes
and/or significant loss of functioning during depression or mania.5 However, it is important to
mention that the diagnosis of bipolar disorder has, until recently, lacked firm validating criteria that
would prove the clinical diagnosis corresponds to the specific disorder. Fortunately, recent brain
imaging shows how the bipolar brain is conclusively different, and how bipolar people indeed have
different functioning in certain areas of the brain when compared to the population at large.6 It is a
significant and promising discovery that might finally lead to recognition of mental disorders as
equally serious as other brain disorders diagnosed at the physical level. As the director of the
National Institute of Mental Health, Steven Hyman, puts it:
Jamison, 1993
Kasper 2005, 13
4
Jamison 1993, 119
5
Kasper, 2005
6
More about bipolar brain imaging at http://www.bipolar-lives.com/bipolar-brain-imaging.html
3
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Mental illnesses are brain diseases. Based on biomedical research, there is absolutely no
justification for separating out mental disorders from other serious brain disorders. They
are brain diseases just as a stroke or a brain tumor is a brain disease.7
(SPECT image illustrating differences between healthy and disordered brains)
But there are other problems with the diagnosis of bipolar disorder. It is difficult to compare
bipolar patients to patients suffering from other illnessess, because it is probably somewhat easier to
accept that one suffers from, say, diabetes than a serious and often even more deadly mental
disorder. That is why bipolar persons refuse to take medication for a long time and/or follow a proper
treatment. However, experts often emphasize that the worst thing a bipolar person can do is refuse to
follow a treatment because bipolar disorder tends to get worse in time. That said, it is the healthiest
option to take appropriate medication, regularly attend individual and/or group therapy sessions, and
devote oneself to a healthy lifestyle. Beth Hart is the perfect example of the benefits of this option
and its effects on mental and physical well being, as well as dicrease in the episodes of mania and
depression.
Having shortly explained the characteristics of bipolar disorder, it should be pointed out that
the link between madness and genious has existed for centuries now, always causing controversy and
speculations of all kinds. Romantization of bipolar disorder, however, is to be avoided at all times.
The truth is that many artists have shown disproportionate rate of depressive disorders, including
manic depression. Some of them are Beethoven, Lord Byron, Edgar Allan Poe, Tolstoy, Gogol,
Schuman, Honore de Balzac, Charles Dickens, etc. There is also a great number of such artists in
popular music, for example: Nina Simone, Bessie Smith, Etta James, Frank Sinatra, Jimi Hendrix,
Janis Joplin, Axl Rose, Ozzy Ozbourn, Tom Waits, Emilie Autumn, Amy Winehouse, etc. But it is
even more fundamental to enphasize that neither a good artist has to go through all the mood changes
in order to achieve greatness, nor is good art guaranteed by these changes alone. Sudden ability for
complex thinking will not necessarily lead to worthwhile creative accomplishment in otherwise
Check out the details of the research at http://www.bipolar-lives.com/bipolar-brain-imaging.html
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unimaginative persons; but if these are combined with imagination and discipline, the possibility of
creating sustaining art is greatly enhanced.8
After going through all the difficulties that fine madness imposes, Beth Hart gradually and
fortunately came to the conclusion that she should not identify with it. Hopefully, it will become
evident in the following description of her early life that she is not to be blamed for the occurrence of
the disorder. Thus, the next chapter will offer an insight into her childhood and teenage years, until
she turned 21.
II The weight of the roots

Beth Hart was born on 24 January, 1972 in Pasadena, Los Angeles. She used to think Los
Angeles was a huge place brimmed not only with numerous dangers, but also with shallow people
obsessed with their careers and VIP acquaintances. And although Los Angeles has not changed
much, Beth Hart certainly has, now regarding Los Angeles as a city of breathtaking natural beauties,
as well as a place where various types of people are eager to show their talents and somehow express
themselves, especially in the entertainment industry.9 Thus, the formation of Beths personality was
influenced by LAs tough environment but the crucial influence came, of course, from her family
and friends; Beths parents are still alive and she has a brother and a sister. Unfortunately,
uncovering important information about Beths family and friends is a fairly difficult task at present,
but there is a bulk of valuable and revealing material in her numerous interviews. In all of them, it is
more than evident, she is eager to protect her family, which is why when she talks about them, she
often carefully picks words and phrases, sometimes sounding somewhat apologetic and not too
comfortable.
Beths mother was born in 1932 in Texas and, as with everyone else, her personality and
choices have made a tremendous impact on Beths entire life.10 She gave birth to Beths sister
Sharon when she was 30, while Beth was born 10 years later. Even though Beth has spent a big part
of her life blaming her mother for a lot of difficulties she had to go trough, she always talks about her
highly positively and respectfully, usually describing her as a fascinating person directly responsible
for her early music preferences and her wish to become a singer.11 Her mother is the one who filled
Beths early childhood years with the music of Frank Sinatra, Billie Holiday, Dinah Washington, and
Ella Fitzgerald. She is the one who inspired her to become a singer when she took her at the age of 5
or 6 to see famous musical Annie; very soon, little Beth learned all the songs by heart and regularly
performed for her excited and proud mother.12
In contrast to her frequent comments on her mother, Beth extremely rarely mentions her
father, which may signal the possibility there is something wrong, even embarrasing about him. On
8
Jamison, 1993
http://www.glidemagazine.com/23026/beth-hart/
10
More about her love for her mother at http://youtu.be/oeNMVtQ1974
11
More information at http://jammagazine.com/mf201305-Beth-Hart-Interview-The-Rockin-Rebirth-Writer-VinnyCecolini
9
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just a few occassions, she described him as a pretty hard-core, very secluded man who lacks any
brakes.13 Nevertheless, maturity has brought Beth new perspectives and opened up new horizons.
More matured Beth now looks like she has finally accepted her mother for who she is and, after
years of personal struggle and therapy, she has also forgiven her father for everything,
wholeheartedly laughing at his raw veracity and directness.14
When Beth was as young as five, her parents divorced. She took the separation really hard,
especially due to the fact she truly adored her father, his presence was inspirational and magical.15
Later in life, Beth would reflect on the the divorce as one of the most difficult and tragic blows in her
life, not just because of the separation itself. Her father had left them a year earlier because of an
affair with a mentally ill woman and he spent some time in prison, while Beth was looking forward
to his release and their new life together. Unfortunately, on the very day of his release, Beth was
struck by another shock with almost ineradicable consequences: her stepmother took her to a beach
and told her that his release did not in any way imply Beth could live with him again, adding that
from then on, she was not even allowed to write him, call him, or see him.16 Sadly, Beth would
indeed spend the rest of her childhood without any contact with her father, sometimes cycling for
miles and miles just to watch him hidden behind the bushes not far from his house. They would start
seeing each other again when Beth was in her twenties. According to all that, there are inevitable
and delicate questions to be answered: What was her father thinking about it all those years? How
hard was it for him? Did he try to contact his children? Why did he allow anyone else to direct his
life and his relationships with his children?
Be that as it may, not only did the children suffer because of his absence and unbearable
feelings of treason, but Beths mother also sank into a deep and serious depression right after he had
left, not even being able to get out of bed for nearly two months.17 Regrettably, that was not the first
nor the last time Beth would see her mother brokenhearted and disappointed with life, love and
men.18 On more than one occassion in her earlier life, Beths parents would give her bad examples
and misconceptions about love, and love itself, towards others and self, would become a source of
completely opposing feelings and tremendous confusion for Beth Hart. Consequently, later in life, all
the way until her late twenties, Beth tended to choose highly abusive, wild and disrespectful
boyfriends and friends. In addition to that, some time after she had started using drugs in her early
teens, doctors warned her mother that Beth probably had some sort of mental disorder, offering to
help by putting her on medication and following her through the treatment; for better or worse, her
mother was strongly opposed to that and believed it was highly inappropriate, even ridiculous, to put
children on medication.19 But her mothers reaction should not come as a surprise because she
belonged to older generations; even today, there is a stigma attached to medicating children.
However, since Beth did start using narcotics at 11, her sister had already become an addict and, in
13
Beth's comments on her father at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mqHOEuk0MDo

Beth's thoughts on her father at https://youtu.be/mqHOEuk0MDo
15
http://www.soulandjazzandfunk.com/interviews/1936-straight-from-the-hart-beth-hart-talks.html
16
More information at http://www.telegraaf.nl/filmenuitgaan/muziek/24008428/__Beth_Hart_verwerkt_verleden__.html
17
http://www.soulandjazzandfunk.com/interviews/1936-straight-from-the-hart-beth-hart-talks.html
18
More information at https://youtu.be/VTK9sOPGLYY
19
http://www.bluesandsoul.com/feature/841/beth_hart_hart_to_heart/
14
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Dragana Andjelic
Beths opinion, probably suffered from bipolar disorder the doctors suspicions were absolutely
justified and would be confirmed some 20 years later.20
Beths childhood was not difficult only due to her parents separation and highly probable
frictions before and after that. She was alone at home with her mother and sister Sharon when an
unexpected group of strangers broke into their house; with knives on their throats, mother and her
daughters stood terrified silently watching them ransack the house in search for money and other
valuables all day.21 After that, Beth was terrified of staying alone at home and this truely unfortunate
event might have triggered the later occurence of agorafobia.22 Even though all the traumatizing
events would be enough to leave permanent scars on a childs psych, there were even worse things in
Beths early life: she watched her sister Sharon slowly going through the hell of addiction. Hence, it
is no surprise to learn that Beth started using drugs and alcohol at 11 and suffering from bulimia,
while her sister, only 22 at the time, got AIDS by sharing a needle with another addict.2324 And
although Beth attended a meeting of Alcoholics Anonymys when she was very young and was
convinced she would never allow such a horrible thing to happen to her she became one of them
some 10 years later.25
In regard to Beths early social life, she did not have almost any friends until she was 11. The
reason for that, believe it or not, was music. On a few occassions, she brought some of her friends
home and played the piano the whole time, convinced they would love it; however, it turned out that
her potential friends found it pretty boring and told their parents they never wanted to visit Beth
again. Her first real friend came into her life when she was 11 and their friendship was marked by
breaking the rules and doing all kinds of strictly forbidden things: smoking pot, drinking alcohol,
smoking cigarettes and, on a more positive side, listening to a lot of Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath,
etc.26
Fortunately enough, Beths childhood was not all about drama and trauma, although it may be
argued that they have undeniably left permanent scars and damage. She was only four years old
when, in the middle of the night, she woke up and tried to play some parts of famous Moonlight
Sonata, bringing her parents together in tears of joy and excitement. Although the story about a
talented four-year-old pianist may sound as a clich, Beth has never really claimed that she was a
great pianist, not then and not now. Moreover, she has explained more than once that she was
actually truely mesmerized with the beauty of the sonata and, more than anything else, with her
parents attention, happiness and gratification.27 It could be argued then that Beth actually lacked her
parents attention from an early age, the attention she would later seek in bars and cafes, on the
streets and music halls. Perhaps Beth will comment on that one day, despite all her current efforts to
protect her family.
20
http://youtu.be/55NwC0_fk2U
http://youtu.be/Nt2qvRCS5T8
22
23
24
25
http://www.ink19.com/issues/december2003/interviews/bethHart.html
26
More about Beth's childhood at https://youtu.be/mzUpmFtUK7c
27
Beth's early memories at http://www.glidemagazine.com/23026/beth-hart/
21
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Be that as it may, after showing a lot of talent and genuine interest in music, Beths parents
provided her with private piano lessons and, very soon, she wrote a small piece without lyrics and
vocal with her piano teacher.28 Owing to her amazing ear, she managed to decieve her teacher for
some time that she had learnt to read notes, but it was not for too long when the teacher realized Beth
did not learn almost anything and, disappointed and angry, she refused to work with her any longer.29
Like many other successful and talented singers/songwriters (The Beatles, Janis Joplin, etc.), Beth
has never learnt to read music, which has never prevented her from creating lasting and authentic
songs.
She started playing cello in the fourth grade and, besides the piano and bass, the cello has
remained one of her greatest passions. Being very supportive when it came to music and sports, her
parents also paid for the guitar lessons and solo singing lessons.30 Her vocal coach was Rhonda
Dilon, an opera singer, and she made sure Beth practiced music scales and breathing techniques on a
regular basis, but after a while, she told Beth that she could not work with her anymore, because
Beth was basically undisciplined and wanted to do things her own way.31
Disappointed but not completely discouraged, Beth devoted more time to her own music after
the incident. She has always had major problems with writing good lyrics and she now believes it is
because of her mother who appreciated only the lyrics of the best singers such as Billie Holiday, Ella
Fitzgerald, etc. Therefore, being unable to write such memorable lyrics, Beth used lyrics from her
sister Susan who, after a fight, threatened to never give her a song again, so Beth decided to stop
depending on her.32 At the same time, she attended the high school of performing arts and, since she
showed no interest in formal education, someone tried to get her into real estate business in order to
help her do something more useful. But after a couple of months, Beth refused to work and dropped
out of school like many of her musical idols. Beth, now only 15, then started performing in different
clubs in Hollywood where she learned a lot about performing live. Four years later, she started
performing regularly in Louisiana bar as the only white person who had ever worked there .33
Until her first commercial success at 21, Beth indeed went through a series of traumas and
wrapped herself up in layers of untruth in order to survive. She suffered immensely because of her
sisters disease, she became an addict herself, and it appeared she found the only safe and harmless
world the world of music. It should be clear by now that Beth could neither choose nor control the
circumstances in her early life and, as it turned out later, she could not escape the behavioral patterns
picked up in those early days. And how did the patterns affect her life in the coming years? Could a
person with such a childhood really choose a diametrically opposed patterns? Were there any
moments of joy and happiness or just another set of unhappy and tragic circumastances? Was it a
surprise she chose to be in the music business, thus refusing to ever grow up?
28
http://youtu.be/mzUpmFtUK7c
30
31
32
33
http://www.goldminemag.com/article/for-beth-hart-is-better-the-second-time-around
29
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III Love suffers it all

Nowadays, TV programs are filled with unbelievably popular talent shows such as American
Idol and X Factor. The winners of the contests are able to earn a lot of money but, more importantly,
they really have the opportunity to make a career in the music business. But back in the 1990s, there
was only Star Search, which was everything but popular. In contrast to todays shows watched by
millions, it was not broadcast in prime time and musicians and producers thought it was not a good
starting point for someone who wanted to become a serious musician and artist. Nevertheless, the
candidates did have a chance to win 100 000$. Beth decided to apply for the competition because her
friend offered her 50$, she really needed the money, but she was also looking for adventure and
good time. Although Beth, forever victim of her own tremendously low self-esteem, did not think
she could win, she sure did and earned 100 000$. Watching her performances in Star Search reveals
some striking differences between young Beth and the one we know today. In 1993 she was very
thin, immature and sometimes appeared truely manic, and her vocal was also not fully developed; in
contrast to that, present day Beth is a true artist who captivates with her amazing vocal, her modesty
and charisma.34
(Performing in Star Search in 1993)
However, winning the competition had not opened the door to getting a record deal and Beth
grew even more disappoined. She did not know that, by insisting on being her main producer, her
then manager kept off all the potential music labels.35 Having spent all the money, Beth started
making her living by singing on the Third Street Promenade, and after a couple of months she found
a new manager, David Wolff, with whom she has been working ever since. This was also the year
when Beth made her debut album called Beth Hart & The Ocean of Souls. The album consists of 13
songs and, although her label was not convinced the album had serious potential, Beth had a hit song
34
35
Watch Beth performing in Star Search at https://youtu.be/twYo3V0Gzeo

More about it at http://www.goldminemag.com/article/for-beth-hart-is-better-the-second-time-around
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of lasting quality called ''Am I the One''. 36 Interestingly, the song is used today by many talented
singers who wish to impress the judges and audience, and show their vocal abilities in music shows
like American Idol, X Factor, etc.37 Apart from this hit song, there is a song that has gone completely
unoticed and underrated called Love Suffers All. Although Beth screams the word love with
such a heartbreaking and angry emotion that it may sound just a bit too raw for some, this song
definitely shows Beths early thoughts on love and her ability to grasp some of its most important
dimensions. Unfortunately, just like Love Suffers All, the whole album was not received well
neither by the wider audience nor labels, although it cannot be considered a complete failure; indeed,
it was somewhat insipid in terms of lyrics and music, but maybe the biggest weakness was the lack
of real authenticity, especially when compared to her later albums. However, this album marked the
beginning of Beths journey towards uncovering layers of truth and pouring her whole life and
misery into her lyrics and music. It should be noted that her voice on the album did attract some
attention due to its potential to sound both aggressive and raw on rock numbers, and profoundly
emotional in deeply moving ballads.
Sadly, the period between the first and second album brought another tragedy in Beths life.
Her sister Sharon died of AIDS, Beth was only 22. On rare occasions when she speaks about her
family, Beth describes almost all the members as loud and talky, but when it comes to Sharon, she
portrays her as completely different very kind, compassionate, quiet, and tender.38 Sharon,
however, did not pass away suddenly and unexpectedly, she had been suffering from AIDS for 10
years. Having AIDS in the 1980s was completely different than today due to the advancements in the
field. Back in those days, AIDS was still a new type of a very dangerous and contagious illness, thus
causing enormous burden and pain for both the diseased and his/her family members. Therefore, the
Harts were often discriminated and treated with contempt, so it is very dificult to even imagine how
Beth was feeling at the time, watching her sister's slow and painful death without being able to help.
Beth knew how addicted to drugs Sharon had been and she was surprised that she was able to
struggle for ten long years; on the other hand, she now believes that Sharon would have lived much
longer and better had there been today's medications and treatments.39 When she spoke about it in
2010, Beths eyes were filled with sorrow and pain; although she tried not to be too emotional and
anguished in front of cameras, her uneasiness and pain were more than evident in her eyes, but there
was also something more positive and really impressive Beth looked like she finally wanted to talk
about everything that had been the cause of her sorrow, she wanted to explain it to others and herself,
and stop hiding from her past. It seemed she definitely chose honesty as a way of life.
A few years after her debut album, in 1996, Beth recorded her second album called Immortal
for a major American record label Atlantic. The album consists of 12 songs and features some very
agressive rock numbers, as well as few ballads. In terms of lyrics, Beth did write something deeper
and more meaningful this time, but it looked like she still was not able to turn her stories into
universal poetry. The fact is that Beth has always loved different music genres and that was also
36
Listen to the song at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=swVNp0x9xMA

One of the covers at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w7VQD890Ip8
38
Listen to Beth describing her sister at https://youtu.be/ns5_eswCPsU
39
More about it at https://youtu.be/55NwC0_fk2U
37
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evident on this album, which was probably the reason why some critics labeled it as incoherent with
excessive screaming on Beths part. The whole album, indeed, is full of anger, pain and confusion
and it was a depiction, as with all other Beths albums, of her mental and emotional state at the time.
Some of the songs worth mentioning, besides Am I the One, are Immortal and powerful ballad
Blame the Moon. This album also had one of the first songs Beth had ever written for her late
sister, God Bless You. In contrast to other songs dedicated to Sharon, this one sounds pretty
cheerful and careless with memorable lyrics and a catchy melody.40
However, despite two albums in 6 years and a modest success, this period of Beths life was
actually the very beginning of a serious, challenging and abstruse struggle with addiction and mental
disorder. During the recording of the second album, she tried not to use drugs and alcohol, but it
turned out she was still too weak and powerless when it came to her illness. At this time of her life,
Beth did not suffer only due to her addiction and bipolar disorder, she also suffered from bulimia
and, seeing her photos from 1996, it was more than evident she was not doing well.41 Her clothes,
piercings and tattoos may not have appeared too alarming to some, but her weight and agressivenes
in her eyes and voice went beyond alarming they were scary. And although Beth, now 25, looked
like she had already touched the bottom, later events would prove to her and everyone else involved,
that the end of the abyss was yet to come.
(1996)
IV Into the abyss

In the next 6 years, despite occasional minor triumphs, Beth was about to experience the
worst moments of her life. There were some things which, although triumphant, led her directly to
the abyss. One of those was winning the audition for musical Love, Janis, written by Janiss sister
Laura.42 Contrary to public opinion, Beth has never been a huge fan of Janis Joplin, she did not even
know much about her back then, and she sincerely hoped she would not get the part because she was
40
Listen to the song at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FZbz-neVHKA

Check out her some of Beth's photographs at https://youtu.be/6Dr1vZ47qRU
42
More details at http://www.ink19.com/issues/december2003/interviews/bethHart.html
41
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aware how hard it was to perform every night for three hours. But there was something much deeper
and scarier than the exhausting performances: after some time, Beth realized that she did not even
have to act for she and Janis had some baffling similarities, not only in terms of energy and charisma,
but also on a more profound, psychological level. Night after night, Beth imitated Janis, drank her
favorite liquor, smoked pot, and grew more and more terrified with the resemblance. Moreover, she
became painfully aware of Janiss tragic death and the prospect of ending her life the same way.43
Unfortunately, Janiss example did not prevent Beth from sinking deeper into the abyss. She
completely lost control over her drinking.
Like most people suffering from alcoholism, Beth has never really liked the taste of alcohol;
she always used it for the purpose of intoxication and the initial feelings of easiness and comfort,
which would usually end with throwing up and passing out. The same was true when it came to all
other types of narcotics. She learned early in life that she could effectively and easily alleviate her
psychological pain and unrest by using drugs and alcohol, which was why she would later often
vanish for a couple of days, partying with a group of people nobody else knew. After that, she would
go back to her music and work and to deceiving herself and others that she had full control over her
problems and her life.44 But the only truth was that Beth had never been further from any sort of
control. It is well-known that a person cannot be successfully treated unless he/she is willing to
follow doctors advice and treatment regime, and the disease of addiction is one of the most difficult
diseases to treat due to its biopsychosocial properties. Beth was, thus, only partially aware what was
happenning to her and, like many other addicts, she often did not even want to acknowledge her
deepest fears. Nevertheless, the moment she became more popular with the album released in 1999,
was the moment started reaching the bottom of the abyss.
Screaming for My Supper was, both musically and lyrically, Beths best album until then. Not
only was she the lead vocal, but she also took a huge part in composing, arranging, concept design,
and production. She wrote most of the album in Alabama where she spent some time trying to get
away from Los Angeles, her broken band and broken life. LA Song, for instance, was completely
inspired by the events in Alabama and her relationship with a musician who promised a better life.
After a couple of months, however, Beth was forced to go back to Los Angeles, thinking that
geographical escape maybe was not the solution for all her problems.
Besides the most commercially successful LA Song, the album consists of 14 songs. The
album was #143 the Billboard albums chart in the US, while it only made #88 on the Billboard Hot
100.45 "LA Song (Out of This Town)", on the other hand, charted #1 in New Zealand and a Top 5 hit
on the US Adult Contemporary Singles. LA Song also aired during the final season of hugely
popular TV series Beverly Hills, 90210.
But what was so different and special about this album? More than anything else, it is the fact
that this album was, compared to the previous ones, significantly more coherent and authentic.
Besides LA Song, popular to this day, there are several deeply emotional songs with the capacity
43
Listen to the cover of ''Piece of My Heart'' at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rZuGz2pNc5s and ''Me and Bobby
McGee'' https://youtu.be/E8coV3h_qbo
44
More details at http://www.ink19.com/issues/december2003/interviews/bethHart.html
45
More detailed description of the album at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Screamin'_for_My_Supper
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to inspire introspection in listeners.46 One of those is a song which has never gained any popularity
although, considering the present day tastes in popular music, it is not of any importance nor does it
show its quality. It is the song Beth wrote from the perspective of her late sister Sharon called
Skin. It is a genuine and unique reflection of a life of an addict who considers herself a complete
failure, because she, in her own mind, betrayed her family, friends and her daughter, without ever
being able to change anything. Like the lyrics itself, the music is exceptionally dark and maybe not
pleasurable to everyones ears, but Beth definitely succeeded in transmitting and communicating the
emotions of hopelesness, uselessness and immense pain. As it is almost always the case with Beth
Hart, every live version of this song is better than the studio one.47 After all, Beth admits that she has
not been patient and concentrated enough to spend long and often tiresome days in the studio until
recently, so the best way to experience her talent and emotion is to listen to her live performances.
If Skin reflects Beth's pain and understanding of her sister Sharon, than Mama offers one
of many possible explanations of her complex relationship with her mother. The song was inspired
by Billie Holiday's song Dont explain. Mama may be interpreted as the story of ultimately
confusing and painful relationship between a mother and a daughter, constantly filled with both
tenderness and love and sorrow and guilt, especially due to the continuous repentant and mournful
line Mama, I'll get by.... 48 The rest of the album is, some critics have said, decent and acceptable
yet not authentic enough to become commercially successful. Beth is, however, vocally better than
before and the other songs on the album confirm that and, as before, deal with her understanding
pain, suffering and other life experiences. Song Get Your S* Together has a lot of attitude and
character, while G.O.P is just another predictable recitation of social conservatisms
shortcomings.49
Despite the fairly modest success and popularity of the album, the attention and pressure of it
all, fortunately, brought Beth down on her knees. Fortunately because in order to get up, Beth had to
crash down and spend some time at the bottom. Therefore, in order to survive the unexpected
attention and an unexpected worsening of her mental disorder, Beth had to be almost completely
under the influence of different substances. The exact names of the substances she used to selfmedicate her inner turmoil is now of less importance, but what was crucial about the combination of
drugs then was that all of them led Beth to a complete mental and physical breakdown.50 Not only
was she incapable for work, she could not even properly walk or talk. Her friends and associates
refused to talk let alone work with her, and Beth started losing even the slightest posibility of touring
and signing a deal in the USA. Her record company Atlantic eventually dropped her and she
completely vanished from the music scene.
Beth Hart, now critically 27, was forced to visit mental institutions and addiction centers
more than once in 1999. If it had not been the case, she would have probably ended her life like Janis
46
Listen to ''LA Song'' at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M3IFV1ywUoI

Listen to perhaps most authentic versions of ''Skin'' at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t99txTOl30A,
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oJlXEwhq21I
48
Listen to the song at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OcgMcO_3Rv4
49
http://articles.courant.com/1999-09-16/entertainment/9909280842_1_supper-screamin-beth-hart-band
50
See Beth in 1999 at https://youtu.be/5FoTOvG8bGo, https://youtu.be/uj_ujwPyQ-g
47
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Joplin, Kurt Cobain, Jim Morrison, and Amy Winehouse. Like many years before, doctors told her
that she had had bipolar disorder and that she finally needed to learn to live with it; but Beth refused
it, just like her mother more than a decade before. What did she do instead of accepting the disease?
She tried to convince both herself and her doctors that she was merely an alcoholic and a drug addict,
and that, as soon as she stopped using, everything would be fine in terms of her mental and physical
health.51
(1999)
And, surprisingly, it turned out she had been right, at least for a while. Fortunately, she married her
friend and road manager she had previously had a crush on Scott Getzkow in 2000 and he has
been one of the main reasons for her health, survival and success ever since. Getzkow accepted Beth
for who she had always been and he is probably the only person who has always given her
unconditional love and support. Beth explained in one of her interviews that Scott took her in, fed
her and loved her until she was able to love herself.52
As the result of the darkest period in her life and years of struggle with addiction, Beth
created her fourh album. The very title of the record Leave the Light On indicated hope and a
new sense of purpose. It was later critically acclaimed and went platinum in the USA, while song
Leave the Light On charted #1 in Denmark. In contrast to her previous albums, and after listening
to this one, it becomes quite clear that Beth Hart is a very special type of artist, the one who is not
afraid to change and improve her artistic potentials in accordance with her life turmoils.53 If,
previously, there were doubts that she was trying to hide her terrible suffering behind rage, bitterness
and anger this album peels another layer of truth and wrath. Some people may not find it
interesting or easy to listen to from the onset, because it is very cathatic and introspective for Beth.
There are several versions of this album, but the standard international edition consists of 12
songs, including the Rolling Stones' cover Wild Horses. A lot of effort and hard work was put in
the recording of the album; Beth recorded more than 30 songs, a lot of them more than once. Lifts
51
Beth's own thoughts about this period of her life at https://youtu.be/55NwC0_fk2U

http://www.billboard.com/articles/news/68972/beth-hart-looks-to-the-light
53
http://www.allmusic.com/album/leave-the-light-on-mw0000693109
52
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You Up is the first song on the record and, although the lyrics cannot be considered real poetry, it is
a good and memorable introduction to the life story of a person who finally accepts her demons and
is ready to speak about them. Fierce melodies and old hard-rock Beth emerge in their best in songs
like Broken & Ugly and Bottle of Jesus,54 while the other side of the same story is evident in the
most beautiful and profoundly personal ballads Lifetime and Leave the Light On.55 The emotion
just echoes on and on after every listening.
In contrast to her previous albums, this one received first serious and mostly positive reviews,
some of them stating: No matter what happens commercially or critically, this album will sound
necessary and vital a decade from now. Classic rock indeed.56 Beth was now compared to Melissa
Etheridge, Joan Armatrading, Mary J. Blige, Janis Joplin, etc. Owing to this album, Beth soon got
new opportunities for touring and doing the thing that had saved her life many times before singing
and songwriting. Unfortunately, she still was not critically acclaimed and her music did not find its
way to wider audience despite all its qualities.
V Halfway to ordinary life

Why was 2003 of such importance for Beth Hart? Because of her repeated escape from death
or her improved health, or love, hope, work? Because of everything, literally everything. Not only a
healthier state of mind and body, new sense of hope, love and purpose, but also the possibility of
improving her finances and a more decent life. There was also something equally, if not even more
valuable a possibility for redemtion and validation of her own strength and importance.
Fortunately, her recording company from New Zealand stayed behind her, and helped her do some
old-style promotion of Leave the Light On; for that reason, Beth went 4 times to New Zealand the
same year, and lived there for two months thanks to a friend.57 The benefits from going to New
Zealand were twofold: firstly, she finally got the opportunity to leave the country where she had her
worst downfalls and overwhelming feelings of guilt, shame and inadequacy; and secondly, she could
make a living with her music and take some time to heal without going back to the crime scene.
In the next couple of years, Beth found a new home, new fans and an unexpected
understanding, especially in Scandinavia and, some time later, in the rest of Europe. She felt more
than serendipitous to be able to perform without painful criticism and judgement of both her lyrics
and her past; and, quite unexpectedly, the invitations for gigs started coming more frequently, and
Beth had successful performances on festivals and in venues across Holland, Denmark, Netherlands,
etc. The audience felt her pure and honest emotion and nothing could prevent them from loving her.
Judging by the available videos, Beths overall improvement reflected on her physical appearance,
54
Listen to the songs at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WqmwT7Vksw4,

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OevFJPG_5xk
55
Watch the interview and promotion in 2003 at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fTQWmiZwTw4;
56
http://www.allmusic.com/album/leave-the-light-on-mw0000693109
57
http://www.ink19.com/issues/december2003/interviews/bethHart.html, http://13thfloor.co.nz/my-back-pages/beth-hartthe-13th-floor-interview/
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while her wild nature nature, which had often attracted a large number of fans, was still more than
evident.58
According to numerous Beths fans and come critics, the best representation of her talent,
energy and charisma was recorded in Paradiso, Amsterdam, in 2004.59 It is true that some people
may think of her honest and rather agressive performance, as well as her lyrics and raw voice
somewhat exaggerated, but it should be pointed out that many critics think that is precisely what sets
her apart from other rock-blues singers. Furthermore, in the todays world of zillions of meaningless
pop songs, it absolutely should be something to be respected and appreciated. And the faces in the
audience recorded that night in Paradiso reflected nothing but admiration, respect and appreciation.
(In Paradiso 2004)
When reviewing the concert, Jonathan Keefe, the reporter of the Slant Magazine, could not hide his
fascination with Beth Hart, the electrifying atmosphere and the overall performance:
But the bulk of Paradiso consists of harder-driving rock numbers that give Hart ample
opportunity to belt, growl, and snarl until there's not much room to doubt that she's the best
rock and blues singer alive. She reinvents Randy Newman's "Guilty," and when she wails, "I
just can't stand myself," she does so in a way that channels what sounds like a lifetime worth
of pain. That's the kind of singer Beth Hart is, and she's the only singer I've heard since
Janis Joplin who can lay bare such intimate emotion without making a person feel like an
eavesdropper for having heard it. And, whether it's the self-deprecation of "Broken And
Ugly" or the undiluted desperation of "Am I The One," there's at least one such moment on
every track on Paradiso, and the run of songs from "Lifts You Up" to "Mama" is essentially
one protracted gut-check.60
58
Watch some of Beth's performances in 2005 and 2006 at https://youtu.be/VPE0A2XipIg,

https://youtu.be/GTmn2dRqpAs, https://youtu.be/HgMhh4DpbdU, https://youtu.be/4d46CoqUpZ0
59
Watch the performance at
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rC7XlRWXVXM&list=PLCanuNH8wXh4uJIhmdCktV2LOl6CJpdzR
60
The whole review at http://www.slantmagazine.com/music/review/beth-hart-live-at-paradiso. Prevela D. Aneli
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Although there are not many available reviews about the concert at present, the ones found are full of
glorification of Beth and her band.61
But it was not just the audence who were evidently mesmerized by Beths performance at
Paradiso; it also impressed and introduced Beth to one of the greatest and most respectable bluesrock-soul guitar players Jeff Beck. He had learned about Beth some time prior to seeing the concert
when his friend, who had been managing famous Led Zeppelin, gave him a copy of Beths cover of
I've Got the Right to Sing the Blues, originally recorded by Billie Holiday. Enthralled by her
unique voice and talent, Beck invited her to England to write together.62 Beth was beside herself
because she got this unbelievable opportunity, and she spent some time in England working with
him. Some time after that, Beck got a copy of her Live at Paradiso and immediately invited her to be
his singer during his 2006 US tour.63 This is how the longstanding friendship began. Of course, Beck
would influence Beth on many levels, including artistic and musical. Beth heard from Beck for the
first time that an artist should be a changeable creature more than anyone else, especially when
he/she became too familiar with a form and too adored by the public; in addition to that, Beck was
responsible for Beths collaboration with Slash and, many years later, with one of the youngest and
most popular blues-rock guitarists, Joe Bonamassa. Besides Slash and Bonamassa, Beth was also
invited to sing on album Les Paul & Friends: American Made, World Played released in 2005 and
she recorded I Wanna Know You with the guitarist of Journey, Neil Schon.64
(Beth and Jeff Beck on tour in 2006)
After the unforgettable performance in Amsterdam, Beth continued touring Europe, gradually
spreading her existing fan base. Due to bipolar disorder, it was not easy for her to travel and go
through frequent time changes and other stressful situations imposed by being on the road, all of
61
Additional reviews at http://www.allmusic.com/album/live-at-paradiso-mw0000208289,

http://callinskylm.hubpages.com/hub/la-song---beth-hart,
http://www.rocktimes.de/gesamt/h/beth_hart/live_at_paradiso_dvd.html
62
More detail at http://ultimateclassicrock.com/beth-hart-2013-interview/
63
Watch the performance in 2006 at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MA0X7GHHYVY
64
Listen to the song at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FJeRMdqtOno
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which actually boosts bipolar; fortunately, her husband helped her deal with all the emotional
problems and, as always, offered unconditional support. She also got a huge support and recognition
on a music festival in Denmark in 2007, where she cried tears of joy after seeing how many people
had come and truly appreciated what she was doing; so, in a way, her childhood dream came true.65
In 2007 Beth also recorded her fifth solo album called 37 Days and released it in some parts
of Europe. It was the first album she recorded live and it was completely finished in 37 days. The
album is a collection of both soulful and angry rock songs, as well as piano-heavy ballads sung by a
voice which obviously visited both heaven and hell. There is also a very decent cover of Allman
Brothers song Soulshine. As with previous recordings, this album was not released in the US and
was released in the UK only a year later. It should be noted that song Good As It Gets charted #1
in Denmark.66 But it would also be fair to say that the album is full of even better songs, both
profoundly emotional and honest ballads that will make you cry, and energetic rock numbers such as
Face Forward, Waterfalls and Sick. Beth sounds very convincing and confident when she
shares her opinion about the Bush administration in the angry songs, but she is again better when
singing about dark themes of addiction, hopelessness and despair.67 Heartbreaking song Crashing
Down is probably one of the most authentic reflections of personal pain and suffering, and Beths
vocal and emotion take the listener to another dimension filled with the prospect of redemption.68 In
a beautifully played piano ballad At the Bottom, Beth talks about constant need for love and
understanding and death which has been her companion on a few ocassions. This number perfectly
showcases the emotional range in her vocal chords, pulling in the listener into her dark world.69 But
Beth was not the only one responsible for this well-balanced and impressive album. There was also
Danish producer Rune Westberg, as well as the musicians whose performance was perfect for the
songs and Beths vocal.
However, despite the new album, new fans and astonishing struggle to control her bipolar
disorder, sometime during the year, Beth received the final blow that got her to her knees at the age
of 35. She had been refusing to accept the fact she had a mental illness for 20 years, doing
everything she could except accepting an appropriate, long-term medical help. Never before had she
felt such a terrifying level of mania, paranoia and paralyzing fear. She could not stay home alone
anymore, while at the same time going through all the horrors of agorafobia. There was no place left
to hide and she stood face to face with the inevitable. She spent more than a month in the hospital
and finally accepted the suggesstion to go to a center for mental disorder where she started learning
how to cope with her illness. With the help from her therapists and medication, Beth realized, for the
first time in 35 years, that she had no other choice but to comply with doctors advice or eventually,
even soon enough, face death.70 By removing another layer of truth, Beths life started becoming
healthier and more auspicious, despite going back to hospital 3 years later.
65
Watch the intervew from 2007 at https://youtu.be/qAsUmGNN5No

http://www.bethhart.com/biography/
67
Listen to the songs at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UHD7XB0_FnE,
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7mbi_sFI2ic, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4C8U8yDPj4k
68
Listen to the songs at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JRSBhzPzCjU
69
Listen to the song at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9sK-1S633w0
70
More information at https://youtu.be/55NwC0_fk2U
66
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VI From mother's reprimands to thousands of new fans

To be able to tour in Europe without being judged or blamed or criticized is one of the
principal gifts of Beths new life. Beth had heard many times, both directly and indirectly, that her
family neither liked nor agreed with what she was singing about and doing; as if an artist is obligated
to use his/her creative potentials to satisfy the needs and wishes of their friends and family. It is
evident in Beths interviews that this criticism has always been hard for her to digest, although she is
doing her best to understand the people who deliver them. Fortunately for Beth and all those who
find her music healing and empowering, Beth has mostly remained true to herself. The most
challenging struggle that had been going on since 2007, generated her lightest-sounding yet most
coherent and commercially most successful album released in 2010. While she was writing this
album, Beth, once again, refused to comply with her mothers suggestions to write about issues that
she considered embarrassing or disturbing or shameful; to her fans joy, however, Beth did accept
the suggestion to write and talk about the good things she had done. And that was exactly what Beth
accomplished. By helping herself get over difficult things in her past, she also helped her producer,
and she is still helping her fans.
(2010)
Album My California was released in Europe in 2010 and a year later in the USA. With the
passage of time and the help and love from her husband, Beth stopped using her voice to scream out
her pain and hiding behind anger, frustration and toughness; this album, more than any other, marked
the beginning of Beth finally not being afraid to show her soft and mellow side. Moreover, listeners
just need to pay attention to the way she sang the word love in 1993 and 17 years later. It says it
all. However, the credit for this album does not go only to Beth, but also to her producer Rune
Westberg who had recognized her tremendous potential for storytelling. Initially, Beth was terrified
of showing her weak side, thinking she would lose her small fan base, and not yet being
comfortable with being honest to such an extent. Fortunately, she finally gave in and stopped using
her voice as a proof of her strength and toughness. Thus, the creation of the album was one of the
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most precious and valuable experiences in her life, while the album itself possesses both musical and
spiritual depth.71
If previous albums had only given hints of her vulnerability and hypersensibility, this one left
no room for doubts. It should be emphasized here that the vulnerable side of Beth does not arise
feelings of pity in listeners; quite the contrary, it usually inspires endless empathy and even gratitude
for her courage, maturity and persistence. With an emphasis on complete honesty, all of the songs
talk about bad relationships with others and self. She wrote ten out of eleven songs with Rune
Westberg, whereas the European limited edition features an additional acoustic bonus track,Oh Me
Oh My. The opening title track My California and the album closer Weight of the World
portray a person who profoundly misses her home and yearns to have one; interestingly, the former
song is not really about California but, like many other Beths songs, about her husband Scott; he is
the one Beth is calling, missing, and the only one for whom Beth will lay her monsters down.72 The
piano-based ballad with a great hook, Life Is Calling, is maybe too middle of the road and it was
probably created, like many other Beths songs, during those low-bottom depressions. In the song, it
looks like Beth is trying to convince herself that nature itself and each new day is enough for her to
fight and stay alive another day. And what is happiness for someone who suffers from bipolar
disorder is probably perfectly described in Happiness...Anyday Now. In this song, happiness is
described as something completely elusive due to the unrealistic episodes of mania and depression
with normal periods in between that provide only vague hints of true happiness.
The melancholy musical frameworks of Love Is the Hardest, Sister Heroine and Like
You (And Everyone Else) act as a perfect catalyst for Beths fragility and vulnerability. Love Is
the Hardest contains simplicity and depth that most of us can relate to and, again, it is precious for
those who struggle with mental disorders because they, probably more than other people, have to
constantly learn to love themselves with all their real and imagined and unforgivable faults and
weaknesses. That is why this underrated song deserves a special place.
Another song that sublimes everything Beth Hart represents is Like You (And Everyone
Else) . Although it is not vocally and musically challenging for Beth, it captures her essence:
running away from her true self all her life and constantly trying to be someone she was not, Beth
landed in psychiatric wards more than once, finally realizing she was as special as everyone else in
their own worlds.73 Sister Heroine is an ode to Beth's family, with Slash adding some of his magic.
It is another song Beth wrote for her sister Sharon but, unlike song Skin, written from Sharons
perspective, this one was written in her honor from the familys point of view. Sister Heroine is
filled with nothing but love and understanding, as well as deep pain because of her tragic death and
life. Beth said in an interview in 2010 that, compared to one of her darkest songs Skin, Sister
Heroine had not been painful to write, it was actually a relief.74
71
More information at https://youtu.be/Xi8oACXHIcI

Listen to the song at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aJUCr-7I-SI
73
Listen to the song at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4F64fLmc5VU
74
More information about the songs at https://youtu.be/ns5_eswCPsU
72
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(Beth Hart and Slash in 2010)
Beths collaboration with Slash did not end here; sometime in 2010, Slash asked her to sing a
song for his debut solo album and their collaboration, one more time, resulted in a wonderful song
called Mother Maria. Despite the fact this year was more commercially successful than ever
before, she was once again forced to turn to her doctors for help and spend some time in the hospital.
Beth, now almost 40, finally reached the level of maturity necessary to accept the painful and
agonizing fact that she would, as with most chronic illnesses, have to take medication for the rest of
her life, and that she could leave nothing to chance in her everyday life. This meant that she had to
dedicate herself completely to regular therapy sessions, appropriate diet, physical exercise, and
training her own mind to stay positive, not angry and resentful. Just like the album My California
reflected balance and a high degree of peace and forgiveness, Beths interviews also showed that she
was now more peaceful, balanced, healthier, and happier.75 And she could have stayed in the safe
place for the rest of her life but like a true artist, she decided to move on and get out of her comfort
zone, both musically and lyrically.
Since the album My California presented the end of a phase in Beths life, she felt completely
empty. She believed that there was no need to deal with her past anymore, neither musically nor
lyrically, and she really thought that it was the end of her songwriting. There was also the problem of
creativity due to the medication she was taking. It has been well-documented that the drugs for
bipolar disorder tend to take away creativity, and that was what inevitably happened to Beth. Her
doctor kept reassuring her creativity would come back if she let go of her ego and gave herself as
much time as she needed, but Beth was sceptical. However, like many years before, help would
appear when she did not expected it at all. It came disguised in another famous guitar player who
would help her to move forward and spread her fanbase even more.
75
Watch an interview from 2010 and 2009 at https://youtu.be/6__-jLsA4g8, https://youtu.be/PN4N4ZqyGb8
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Joe Bonamassa in one of the most popular younger blues-rock guitarists and a huge fan of
Beth Hart. He had been to a couple of Beths shows until 2011, and he loves her album 37 Days.
When her husband told her that Bonamassa wanted to collaborate, Beth, sometimes a real queen of
drama and distrust, did not want to believe that could be true. Nevertheless, she soon bumped into
him in a hotel and he suggessted they do a covers record with their favorite songs. That is how the
album Don't Explain came into being in 2011. On the first day of recording, Beth was so nervous and
tense that she completely broke in hives.76 But, no matter the excitment, Beth truly enjoyed making
this record and that is evident after listening to it.
Even before this record, as already noted, Beth tended to help people with her music and
honesty, but it seemed that now she started gaining sympathy and appreciation from some family
members who thought that Beth had been uncomfortably and painfully honest. Subsequently, is it
not surprising to learn that some of the most emotional and touching songs have never been heard by
her mother and her late sister Sharons daughter, and probably her father?77 It depends, of course, on
the perspective. If it is completely rational and logical to believe that creative accomplishments of a
family member are usually fully and passionately supported by other close family members, than the
previous information is quite startling and explains why Beth preferred touring in Europe for a long
time. On the other hand, knowing that Beth has spoken in her songs about not too positive and very
painful situations in her family, her family members behaviour and reactions are completely
reasonable. Maybe Beths point of view and memories are not completely rational and absolutely
close to the truth, compared to the memories and thoughts of other family members. Nevertheless,
the criticism would not stop even later; she would be criticized again by her sister Susan in 2015
because of the album title Better Than Home.78
Be that as it may, Beth opened a new chapter in 2011. She started struggling with new ways
of songwriting and singing, and her progress would be evident in 2012 on her eighth studio album.
Jazz, blues and soul were not new to Beth, she was exposed to those musical genres when she was a
litlle girl, but never before 2011 had she thought she could seriously explore and embrace these
musically, lyrically and vocally more demanding genres. Thus, it maybe said that the album with
Bonamassa was, in a way, a preparation and practice for her later musical accomplishments.
Don't Explain is a collection of 10 cover songs originally sang by Melody Gardot, Ray
Charles, Nillie Holiday, Aretha Franklin, Beth's idol Tom Waits, and her biggest influence, Etta
James. With the help from her favorite producer Kevin Shirley, Joe Bonamassa and the rest of the
musicians, Beth gradually started to get more attention and became more mainstream. The album is
exquisite in terms of both Beths matured vocal with improved phrasing, and Bonamassas playing
which, although absolutely authentic, never casts a shadow on Beths throne. Compared to her
previous records, this one has got a lot more reviews available and, auspiciously, no negative ones
have been found. All of them praise, glorify and respect everyone who contributed to the quality of
the album, especially Beth Hart.79
76
Watch the interview at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IyNRQPX6px0

https://youtu.be/ns5_eswCPsU
78
More detail at http://rawramp.me/2015/03/26/interview-with-l-a-singer-songwriter-bethhart/
79
One of the reviews at http://www.slantmagazine.com/music/review/beth-hart-and-joe-bonamassa-dont-explain
77
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(Beth Hart and Joe Bonamassa in 2011)
Sometime during 2011, Beths eagerness to perform in her home country started building up
and resulted in a number of shows around the USA, as well as her other home continent - Europe.
Together with Bonamassa, she gave one of her best performances at the Beacon Theater in New
York in 2011, and the concert was released on DVD.80 Another special performance was held in one
of the top five venues in LA and, this time, Bonamassa was her guest. Besides brilliant standard
numbers performed at her concerts, Beth gave a stunning rendition of Sam Cooks A Change Is
Gonna Come, and once again showed why she is often heiled as one of the best blues-rock
singers.81 Her concert in Southempton in Britain was described as the gig of the year,82 Beth was
recognized as very gifted singer/songwriter with an amazing energy of a child.83 At the end of the
year, she gave equally amazing performance in Holland84 and she would soon make another
fascinating duet song with Born called It Hurts. Unfortunately, both the song and the compelling
video went unoticed and highly underrated.85
VII On the way home

Having turned 40, Beth made a huge progress in all aspects of her life. Judging by the
available interviews during 2011 and 2012, she was indeed going through the best period of her life.
Healthy lifestyle, stable and secure relationship with her husband, countless hours of therapy,
appropriate medications, financial stability, and the daily practice of true empathy and forgivness
towards others and self, certainly contributed to kindness and generosity in her eyes and happiness
80
More information at http://www.allmusic.com/album/beacon-theatre-live-from-new-york-mw0002410802

Listen to Beth's version at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qv2GECkRWRg
82
See the atmosphere at the performance at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x_4G9o16QOI
83
More on the performance at http://www.dailyecho.co.uk/leisure/music/reviews/9388559.Beth_Hart__The_Brook/
84
Watch the performance at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ku_ibQEKp2s
85
Listen to the song at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m6XhcKh6DH8
81
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and contentment in her smile.86 Although she still felt insecure in terms of writing songs from a new
and unknown perspective of love, acceptance and understanding, she once again proved her strength
by creating more than half of the songs for her new 2012 album Bang Bang Boom Boom.
Since Beth had evidently almost always been inspired by pain and sorrow, rarely creating
from the position of happiness and joy, it was more than frustrating to force herself to write about
happiness. As with many other songwriters and musicians, it turned out highly challenging to write
and create when happy and satisfied. Insecure and apprehensive, Beth activated her memories of the
music she was listening in her early childhood and created 11 new songs, while the American edition
included her cover of I'd Rather Go Blind. People who had already helped her to grow artistically
were again with her, including brilliant Rune Westberg, Kevin Shirley, Joe Bonamassa, and other
fascinating and experienced musicians such as Lee Thornburg, Curt Bisquera, Herman Matthews,
Anton Fig, Randy Flowers, Michael Rhodes, etc. Rune Westberg coowrote Bang Bang Boom
Boom and Thru The Window of My Mind; Kevin Shirley was responsible for mixing and
production.87
As she had always done before, Beth first wrote music, while lyrics, usually the hardest part,
came afterwards. The lyrics reflect her life experiences, feelings, beliefs and spirituality. Musically,
the album is a successful mixture of blues, soft jazz and swing, even raggea, and it may sound like
something that has already been heard many times. Nevertheless, Beths vocal is at the center stage
in each number, at times exerting toughness and anger but with purpose and control. Definitely no
more screaming for Beth. Her phrasing is far better compared to her previous records, especially the
early ones.
A lot of critics, as well as ordinary listeners, consider Baddest Blues the best song on the
album. If one is familiar with Beths previous records, the emotion in this song is almost identical to
her earlier song Mama, which is not surprising, because both were inspired by Billie Holiday and
dedicated to her mother. Baddest Blues is a ballad filled with great saddness due to the loss of a
loved one. The loss is not related only to the unsuccessful love life of Beths mother and the
abandonment of her father when she was little, it also succeedes in communicating the universality
of the emotion in different life contexts.88 There is again a song dedicated to her husband called
Better Man with a very positive emotion, while Bang Bang Boom Boom and Swing My Thing
Back Around are also full of love for self and others, with wonderful and memorable melodies and
jazz-swing rhythm.89 Since Beth needs to attend to her spirituality regularly, she wrote a song for
God called Spirit Of God and described how her first meeting with God was actually through
music when she was very little. But the album is not all about happiness, positivity and good times.
Besides ''Baddest Blues'', there is another marvelous and very emotional ballad inspired by Beths
earlier works; it is the song Caught Out in the Rain, very similar to her first hit song Am I the
One. It shows her dark and depressive side, echoing with emotions of pain and abandonment.
86
See Beth in 2012 at https://youtu.be/M4OAU__bwR8

Watch the album recording at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5NFf6_ZtiIo
88
Listen to the song at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EDdVhbaPog0
89
Listen to the song at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K67Ew-ERxyA,
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oNj_JpWJqEg, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fO27_khBp_I
87
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(2012, 2013)
In regard to the available critical reviews, they are highly positive and she is often put side by
side with Adel, Chriss Cornell, Amy Winehouse, Joanne Shaw Taylor, Annie Lenox and, of course,
Etta James and Billie Holiday. It should be emphasized that Beth respects all of the said artists, but
her biggest influence is definitely Etta James, while she also holds in high regard late Amy
Winehouse, Ozzy Ozbourne and, recently, Florence and the Machine and Lady Gaga. There is a
small number of negative criticism, labelling the album as good but not spectacular,90 or showing
respect only for Baddest Blues, while considering all other songs a hazy, nebulous collection of
fairly pedestrian songs.91
The year of her fortieth birthday was, indeed, the year of her spectacular comeback in many
countries, including the one she was the most terrified of the USA. For instance, she gave a
brilliant performance in Shepherds Bush in London and, this time the audience did not consist only
of hard rockers and bikers, there were also the listeners of Radio 2 which often plays Beths songs, as
well as Amy Winehouses and others. One of the gig reviewers concluded by stating:
Beth Hart came, saw and conquered with a show as high on energy as it was fuelled with
channelled emotion. This was not so much a case of being in the right place at the right time
as a singer who is finally reaping her overdue rewards. Europe it seems has once again
nurtured an American star in the making.92
Another set of successful performances with enthusiastic and mesmerized audiences Beth held in
venues in Paris, Germany, Norway, Belgium, London, 93 and throughout the USA.94
90
Read the complete review at http://music.mxdwn.com/2013/04/11/reviews/beth-hart-bang-bang-boom-boom/

http://www.wonderingsound.com/spotlight/beth-harts-gritty-gutsy-take-on-the-blues/
92
http://www.getreadytorock.com/reviews2012/beth_hart_gig5.htm
93
https://londongigger.wordpress.com/2013/01/02/hot-rocking-beth-produces-a-performance-from-the-heart-live-reviewof-beth-hart-november-16th-2012-the-forum-kenitish-town-london/
91
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Dragana Andjelic
However, this year included an absolute highlight in Beths whole career. The Kennedy
Center of Honors was filled with highly respectable figures from the world of culture and politics
such as the President Obama and his wife, The Clintons, the members of Led Zeppelin, and of
course, Buddy Guy. When she talks about this concert in honor to Buddy Guy, Beth looks absolutely
overwhelmed. And although she is prone to self-sabotage and nervousness prior to every major event
(Performing at The Kennedy Center of Honors)
in her life, Beth decided for the first time not to allow it happen this time, putting all her strength into
positive thinking and directing her attention solely at Buddy Guy. And it paid off. Becks perfect yet
discrete playing was a splendid accompaniment to Beths performance, making Buddy Guy tearful.
Her sigh of relief at the end of the song witnessed an amazing amount of successfully overcome
excitement, whereas the standing ovations witnessed her true recognition, a great honor for every
artist. Afterwards, Beth became one of the main topics for conversation in the USA and the rest of
the world, while her family members were enormously proud of her. It was perhaps enough to
deserve redemption and forgivness from her family.95
The spectacular performance also attracted Rob Mathes, a brilliant music producer. He
offered to work with Beth on her next album, released three years later. In addition to that, Buddy
Guy was so mesmerized by the performance that he recorded a song with Beth some time later in
2013 called What You Gonna Do About Me.96 In 2013 she would also record another covers
record with Bonamassa called Seesaw, and get even closer to mainstream. 97 She recorded it
94
More on all Beth's shows at http://www.bandsintown.com/BethHart/past_events?page=1

Watch the performance at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fALdOkf_eCM
96
Listen to the song at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dZc30iQ0UAw
97
More detail on the recording process at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dZB6Sy4bOGM
95
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(At the Kennedy Center of Honors in 2012)
with almost identical group of fascinating musicians, this time choosing even more difficult songs
and timeless classics such as Billie Holidays Strange Fruit, voted the song of the millenium in
1999.98 They also covered the songs of Al Green, Al Cooper, Tina Turner and, once again, Melody
Gardot. Although Beth is usually at her best when she sings her own songs, and it is highly unlikely
she could make Gardots and Holidays songs her own, the critics were mostly positive, even
enthusiastic. Most of them praised Beths talent and impressive vocal, as well as dedication and work
of the top musicians and producers, claiming that the album offers an exquisite musical experience
worthy of accolades.99 However, due to the wider appeal of the album and Beths recent
recognition, negative criticism started appearing more often. Such criticism came from Nick
Coleman, reporter of The Independant, who said:
A second album of proxy blues'n'soul", by the LA belter and the Guitarist Who's Always
Available for Work. It's an attempt to pay respects to the R&B canon with as many stops
pulled out as poss, especially the diapason marked "drama". Thus, Etta, Billie and Ike &
Tina get the big-welly treatment, as do Melody Gardot and Lucinda Williams. To do so, the
duo often leave any sense of taste with their gumboots outside on the doorstep.100
But Coleman was not the only one who was not quite enthusiastic. The Guardian's critic was pretty
surprised to see Strange Fruit on the album, claiming the cover was too daring, and the whole
album was remarkable for its bravery.101 One of the critics of Classic Rock Magazine was also
intrigued by the said cover and said it was daring but respectfully done, adding it was quite
redundant - like the rest of the album. Nevertheless, the album received far more positive reviews
and Beth appeared in the USA, after 10 long years, in a very popular talk-show on Holmark TV
98
Voted in the Times

More detail at http://vivascene.com/beth-hart-joe-bonamassa-seesaw-album-review/
100
http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/reviews/beth-hart--joe-bonamassa-seesaw-provogue8622218.html
101
More information at http://www.theguardian.com/music/2013/may/16/beth-hart-joe-bonamassa-seesaw-review
99
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called Mary.102 In addition to that, the album was nominated for Grammy award in the category of
the best blues album in 2013.
This upward spiral in both her career and personal life continued even more intensively in
2013 and 2014. Beth toured extensively around the world and, although she still did not recieve the
media attention and coverage she deserved, she gave a lot of interviews for local TV and radio
stations. The interviews showed much helthier, happier, warmer, and more satisfied Beth Hart. In
addition to that, Beths wild nature started gradually transforming into kindness and sensibility. TV
and radio reporters, both professionals and amateurs, seemed quite fascinated with her talent and
sincere personality. One of the special and notable TV appearances happened in February 2013 in
Italy, when both the audience in the studio and the reporters were evidently mesmerized and excited
during and after Beths performance.103 But Italy was just one of many countries which showed
respect and admiration for Beth. Besides Scandinavian countries where she felt like home, Beth had
a set of successful and sold out performances in the next two years in France, Britain, Poland,
Sweden, Germany, Russia, Chetch Republic, Canada and the USA. In October 2014, Beth was voted
the best blues singer of the year in Bluesblast Magazine.
Despite the fact Beth had turned 43 this year, this has been the year of her wider recognition
and notable mainstream success that has guaranteed numerous future accomplishments and
accolades. Beth has recently released her fifth album in the last five years, another solo album which
was reviewed and evaluated by many prestigious newspapers such as The Guardian, The Times, The
Express, Classic Rock Magazine, Billboard, etc. It looks like there is absolutely no negative criticism
this time. The Times calls her the American Amy Winehouse, The Guardian considers her album
brave, introspective and angry, while The Express expresses absolute fascination with her latest
album. Why? Is there suddenly a new Beth Hart? What is so radically different and better about this
album that she has not done before? Who is to be credited for her success this time?
Album Better Than Home, which Beth dedicated to her father for the first time, is worth all
the accolades simply because it is her commercially best album in terms of coherence, brilliant
production and notably more focused, more stable and more positive emotion compared to her
previous albums. Of course, it is highy arguable what Beth's hardcore fans think about this and her
previous album, because to say that Better Than Home is courageous and angry, may sound a bit
confusing, even somewhat ridiculous, to those who respect and admire albums like Screaming for
My Supper, 37 Days, Leave the Light On, My California. They may ask if there are any other Beths
songs written and sang with more courage than Skin, Lifetime, Leave the Light On, At the
Bottom, ''Crashing Down, Love Is the Hardest, Sister Heroine, Like you? Which songs have
more anger and rage than Love Suffers All, Broken & Ugly, Face Forward, Waterfalls''? This
album actually, like her previous solo record, has far less anger, agression and despair, but there is a
lot of courage in a different, equally valuable sense. It should be noted here that the making of this
album was extremely difficult for Beth and that, although she got a lot more mature and has been
taking medication for bipolar for years now, it did not prevent her from being her own worst judge
and enemy again:
102
103
Watch the interview and the performance at https://youtu.be/HYd5bDFLKpA

Wathc the performance at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xm9ps2vmooY
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Dragana Andjelic
I tend to be extremely down on myself and I want to rip my own head off. So, for instance,
on this record Better than Home, the song Mechanical Heart, on the 6th day of recording
I snuck away from my husband and the band, and I got so drunk I ended up in the street
passed out and the ambulance had to come and take me to the hospital, because I just drank
myself into a terrible place and it was because I thought I was doing a sh* job. Then more
drama: a couple of months go by, Im at home and I receive the rough mixes, so the record
is not finished and I hated it so much that I cut my arms all up and I had to go back to the
hospital for three days. Its that kind of sh* that I do.104
Obviously, the album was not written by some other Beth Hart, a sudden tortured rising star
looking for approval and recognition. In general, she continued doing what she had started on some
previous records that were all about storytelling and confessional writing. Beth, in truth, was not
really happy to go back to that writing style. She was completely satisfied with the possibility to do
covers records and a little bit of jazz, blues and soul, which, of course, implied far less responsibility;
but she was challenged again by her manager, her label and her husband. Like 5 years before, Beth
was told she could not stay in the safe zone anymore and that she could do jazz, blues and soul stuff
and covers whenever she wanted, but she had to go back to storytelling, because that was what she
was all about and what her audience loved. It meant she had to dive into her past again and relive
some of the most painful experiences and events that she has been trying to overcome through
therapy for so many years. Nevertheless, owing to her presistence and courage, as well as the help
from her husband and the new producers, Beth wrote almost 50 songs for the album. Just like in
2010, Beths producers patiently forced her to stay focused and try to find the very essence of her
sorrow and pain, because they believed there had to be some joy and gratitude beneath it. But the
album does not consist of new songs only, there are those that Beth wrote a couple of years ago such
as Trouble and Mood That Im In.
It took an unbelievable amount of effort for Beth to write songs that uncover new truths about
her and her early and later life, which is the reason why the album consists of songs like Better
Than Home and Might As Well Smile - perfect examples of coming to terms with ones own past
and difficulties. Better Than Home talks about the awakening of new love and appreciation for life
with all its positive and negative sides; and the title of the song and the album is the reflection of her
current well-being. Might As Well Smile is an amusing reflection on Beths negativity and
pessimism, which she attempts to fight on a daily basis by accepting and embracing more positive
thoughts.
Of course, there are songs dedicated to her mother, father, and her husband Scott. Mama
This Ones for You was written in less than 10 minutes and, she had not even finished it, when she
called her mother to sing it for her and thank her for everything she had ever done for her, from
teaching her how to walk, to supporting her later on. Since Beth has always tended to blame her
mother for a lot of difficulties she had to go through, often without her help and support, it looks like
Beth has finally reached peace and understanding with her mother. However, it could be argued that
104
Listen to the whole interview at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JKQi-KGzQjY
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Dragana Andjelic
St. Teresa shows another, more painful side of her relationship with her mother, because it talks
about Beths gratitude to Saint Teresa (spirituality and devotion to God) who was there when her
own mother walked away because Beth broke the law. And Beth has broken many laws, both
literally and metaphorically, in her mothers eyes.
(2015)
It is, once again, surprising to learn that Beth has not been spared family criticism in 2015.
What is wrong with this album according to one of her family members? Her sister Susan thought
the album title was inappropriate, but Beth did not explain why Susan had such an opinion. It can be
argued that Susan took the title a bit too literally, maybe without even listening to it or thinking
twice, which would not be surprising considering the fact most family members have not heard a lot
of Beths previous songs. Consequently, the overall impression is that Beth, now 43, still has to
justify her creative impulses and songs to her family members, although Beth shows understanding
and compassion even for those kinds of incidents. Another important and sad fact is that, inspite of
the fact the album is dedicated to her father, he has not heard the record yet, not even the song about
him that took Beth a year and half to write, Tell Her You Belong to Me. The reason for that is
Beth's wish to protect her father from finding out how hurt Beth was when he left them for another
woman. So the song really talks about her enormous love for her father despite his absence and her
years of longing for father love and figure, as well as jealousy towards his second wife. Bearing all
that it mind, it is both unbelievably brave and heartbreaking when she says in the song nothing
scares me more than the silence of your heart. Thus, besides coming to terms with her mother, Beth
has also forgiven her father and she is spending more time with him nowadays.
Like many times before, this album contains more songs dedicated to her husband Scott
Getzcow Mechanical Heart and We're Still Living in the City. Mechanical Heart is a
profoundly touching song with the title as the metaphore for mental illness. She used the song to
promise her husband she would always try to be there for him, even though she was aware how
difficult it had to be to live with someone with bipolar disorder. Thus, the song is filled with an
unbelievable gratitude, love and compassion. When she has recently spoken about the song and her
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husband, Beth could not contain herself from crying out of sheer gratitude for his constant presence
and support in her life to which she owes her health, happines and success.105
Not only has this album put Beth on the musical throne she has always undoubtedly deserved,
but it also presents the end of her search for home and, metaphorically, the search for self. And
indeed, knowing the consequences and difficulties of bipolar disorder, which include a huge problem
with displaying stable love towards self and others, Beth has proved that it is possible to live a
relatively normal life, that even a mental illness can be overcome, and that home is where true love is
the unconditional love.
VIII No passionate admirers, no Beth Hart?

Beth Hart has not survived only due to the support from her husband and family, and her
persistence and courage. Her most passionate admirerers are equally important for they are the ones
who, through her music and meeting her, receive and give back Beths sincerity and profound
sensitivity. Besides the so called cultists, who follow Beth everywhere on her tours, she has a solid
fan base in Scandinavia, the USA and, recently, many other countries around the world, especially in
Italy. The people who are responsible for that are those who unselfishly spend their efforts in order to
share and promote Beth Hart whenever and wherever possible. Their dedication is most notable on
the Internet, especially on social networks, where people often hear Beth Hart for the first time and
have the opportunity to contact other fans.
For this reason, the paper included a questionnaire created for the purpose of investigating the
passionate fans origin, age, certain personal characteristics, and their opinion on Beth Hart. The
questionnaire was based on Beths experience with her fans and her claims that they often have the
same or similar problems that she has been singing about in her songs, and has almost always talked
in her interviews; besides, Beth has never hidden the fact that she often spends some time with her
fans talking about her own problems and pushing them to share their own, although never letting
them know her well enough from fear of seeing some of her bas sides she calls her true nature.106 She
also never forgets to emphasize how important the support really is to her, reassuring her that she is
not alone with her mental and emotional problems.107
Therefore, the questionnaire was intended to show, for instance, if Beths fans indeed share
the same fate and if it was one of the crucial reasons for their constant dedication to Beth and her
music. For that reason, the questionnaire had questions such as: Have you ever had problems with
alcohol and/or drugs? Have you ever been professionally diagnosed with some type of mental
disorder? Have you ever taken any medication for your (possible) mental disorder? What does Beth's
music and lyrics mean to you? Knowing that the most passionate fans tend to identify with the object
of their passion, there were questions: What does Beths music and lyrics mean to you? Do you write
poems or songs? Would you like to be a singer/songwriter? And, of course, there was a set of
105
Watch the interviews at https://youtu.be/iUKw1ziZr14, https://youtu.be/66j8HdYr5kA

More information at
http://www.telegraaf.nl/filmenuitgaan/muziek/24008428/__Beth_Hart_verwerkt_verleden__.html
107
One of Beth's meetings with her fans at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1UnFYYXQoSo
106
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Dragana Andjelic
questions intended to discover the fans opinion about Beth Hart in order to obtain more detailed
personal convictions about Beth, her authenticity, albums and songs that would lead to numerous
useful conclusions about the influence of Beth Harts life and work.
Since the present author had no financial means to visit Beths performances, not even those
given close to Serbia, the only acceptable solution was to spread the survey through the Internet,
especially on the most popular social network Facebook, which is filled with numerous fan groups
and pages, but it was also posted to Youtube. The link to the questionnaire was available for 5
months. Knowing that the Internet and social networks are a place of great suspicion and distrust, the
author had to ask for help from some of the most active members of various Beths fan groups and
pages. Due to the fact Beth succeeded in reviving her career thanks to her performances throughout
Scandinavia, members of the Dutch, Finish, Norwegian, and Danish groups were asked to participate
in the survey. The same was done in the case of Italian fan groups and a number of groups from the
USA.
The members who were interested in participating and helping with the research, filled in the
questionnaire immediately or in the next couple of days. Unfortunately, the majority of others simply
did not want to or could not participate, in spite of the fact the author showed respect to their privacy
and offered to explain any possible doubts via private messaging. And finally, shortly after the
survey had been published and shared, one person showed open discontent and disagreement with
the questionnaire, claiming it was absolutely irrelevant for the story of Beth Hart. Could the criticism
be considered relevant and plausible? Could the person, bearing in mind the whole research, be
absolutely right that Harts fans are not important when it comes to her life story? The present author
disagrees with such a statement, mostly because Beth has confirmed many times how much she cares
for her admirerers, how intimate their conversation can be, which has been confirmed in private
conversations on social networks by some of the hardcore fans. On the other hand, of course, Beth
could indeed think of her fans as a mass of people who are there only to buy her records and pay for
her shows, and/or pay extra to meet her before/after the shows. There is a possibility she considers
all that just another part of her job. Even if that is the case, it remains valuable to investigate how
Beths music and life story influences her fans who often spend their precious time and money to
spread the word about Beth, see her live shows and meet her.
Be that as it may, considering the Facebook pages and groups dedicated to Beth Hart, one of
the most active members, and very supportive in the case of this research, is the founder of the Italian
fan group, Alberto di Leone. This kind man is one of the most passionate Beths admirerers who
regularly posts rare recordings, photographs and other interesting thigs about Beth Hart to various
Facebook pages and to Soundcloud. In addition to that, Alberto often travels to Beths concerts in
other countries, just like a number of other fans. Besides Alberto di Leone, there were other devoted
fans from Norway, Holland and Germany who showed willingness to participate in the survey. Their
wonderful wish to help, as well as their kindness and trust made the author believe that, together with
the survey, this paper would be able to offer even more extensive and thorough account of Beth Hart
and her passionate admirerers.
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Dragana Andjelic
To the authors surprise and regret, the survey was not successful and its results could not be
considered relevant. Why? Because the number of participants was not enough to obtain valid and
relevant results and conclusions. One of the most rational explanations for that is the predicted
suspicion and distrust of potential participants, which the author attempted to compensate by offering
explanations in private communication. The second reason could be the fact that some of the
questions in the survey were indeed intimate, constraining the potential participants to answer them
even anonimously. The third possible explanation could be found in the number of questions in the
survey, which could have refrained people from participation and, last but not the least, there was
also the language obstacle.
Be that as it may, due to the authors constant interest in the same and similar topics, the
survey, with or without possible suggested modifications, can be useful for some future research,
which could lead to relevant and valid results and equally pertinent conclusions.
(With husband Scott Getzcow in May 2015)
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Dragana Andjelic
Conclusion
Beth Hart has not received wider recognition and media attention in recent years only due to
her unique voice and the gift for songwriting. As a matter of fact, she is still struggling with writing
above average lyrics, but her vocal technique is evidently far more sophisticated. She is,
unfortunately, a good example of untreated bipolar disorder, and she has exhibited its symptoms for
the most part of her life. She owes her wider appeal and still rather modest popularity to some other
things as well. For instance, it is no secret Beth has had a difficult life due to bipolar disorder but,
what is less well-known, is that her father left the family for a mentally ill woman when Beth was
only 5, and that her stepmother prevented any further contact between Beth and her father; she has
also gone through the addiction, AIDS and death of her sister Sharon; she has watched the
disappointing love affairs of her mother who refused to put Beth on medication when she was a
teenager; she has tried to commit suicide a couple of times and, last but not the least, she refused to
take medication for her illness until she was almost 40. In spite of that, Beth did get a lot of support
from her family when it came to music and sports, and sometimes when she was in very dangerous
and difficult situations. After many years of struggle and therapy, Beth has finally reached the point
when she can forgive herself and her mother and father, so today, Beth is spending more time with
her father and has a new record dedicated to him, which he, surprisingly, has not heard yet.
Beths music, consequently, has always reflected her mental state, and she has used it mostly
as a way to heal, writing from places of pain and sorrow. Only recently has she started to create
when happy and cheerful. That is why her early albums lack coherence, whereas her true potential is
evident on Leave the Light On, My California, Bang Bang Boom Boom, and the last one Better Than
Home. Due to her misbehavior in a few talk-shows, job loss, mental disorder, and feelings of shame
and guilt, Beth almost completely lost her career at the end of the 1990s. She has survived and made
a new career solely thanks to her husband, Scott Getzcow, who still loves her for who she truly is.
This research, however, presents only a modest beginning in investigating Harts life, music
and career. However, it is necessary to emphasize that both the primary and secondary sources
require further analysis and verification. For that purpose and in order to obtain more accurate and
complete insight in Harts story, it is important to investigate other family members, as well as her
friends. In addition to that and for the sake of exploring the influence of her music, it would be very
useful to have as many participants in the survey as possible, bearing in mind its possible
modifications.
Considering Beths immense talent, her accomplishments and amazing struggle with bipolar
disorder, she truly deserves even wider recognition and should be more present in the media. Thus,
more people around the world would have an opportunity to see a rare talent and a true star. It is
possible that many of them would start viewing bipolar disorder from another perspective and,
consequently, be able to maybe help themselves or those who need help. Beths recent wider
recognition is the proof that even a bipolar person can lead a relatively normal and happy life, and
that honesty is always more appreciated than hiding, which is of great importance for those who go
through the same or similar struggles.
~ 34 ~
Appendix
Questionnaire for Beth's fans
P1 * Age?
15-25
25-35
35-45
45-55
55-65
P2 * What country do you live in?
P3 * Your profession and/or current employment?

P4 * Gender?
Male
Female
P5 * Sexual orientation?
Heterosexual
Homosexual
Bisexual
Asexual
Don't want to answer
P6 * How would you describe yourself in two words?
Consistent and cautious
Easy-going and careless
Outgoing and energetic
Solitary and shy
Friendly and compassionate
Sensitive and anxious
Secure and confident
P7 * Have you ever had problems with alcohol and/or drugs?
No, never.
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Dragana Andjelic
Dragana Andjelic
Yes, but not anymore.

Yes, still struggling.
I'd rather not answer.
P8 * Have you ever been professionally diagnosed with some type of mental
disorder?
Yes.
No.
No, but I think I probably/maybe suffer from a mental disorder.
P9 * If you answered "yes" , what is the professional diagnosis?
Mood disorder (for example: depression, bipolar disorder, cyclothymic disorder)
Anxiety disorder (for example: generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder, social anxiety
disorder, and specific phobias)
Psychotic disorder (Schizophrenia)
Eating disorder (for example: Anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, binge eating)
Personality disorders (antisocial personality disorder, obsessive-compulsive personality
disorder, paranoid personality disorder).
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
I don't suffer from any mental disorder.
P10 * If you only suspect you have a mental disorder, what could it be?
Mood disorder
Anxiety disorder
Psychotic disorder
Eating disorder
Personality disorders
Post-traumatic stress disorder
No idea.
I don't suffer from any mental disorder.
P11 * Have you ever taken any medication for your (possible) mental disorder?
Yes, but now anymore.
Yes, every day.
No, I don't suffer from any mental disorder.
No, but I'm seriously thinking about it.
P12 * When did you first hear about Beth Hart?
In the 1990s
At the end of the 1990s
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Dragana Andjelic
In the 2000s
A couple of years ago
Just recently
P13 * How did you hear about Beth?
From a friend
On TV
On the Internet
On a radio station
I went to her concert
P14 * What was your first impression?
Wow! Amazing! I want all of her albums.
She's good!
She's OK, but too aggressive for me.
She's boring.
I dislike her voice.
I like her voice but dislike her lyrics.
She's great, but I can't listen to her often.
P15 * Do you think Beth is one of the most authentic and honest singer/songwriter
you've ever heard?
Yes, the one and only.
Yes, she is one of those artists.
No, I don't think she is more authentic than other popular musicians.
No, absolutely not.
P16 * What does Beth's music and lyrics mean to you?
It helps me make it through the day.
It always makes me feel good.
It can make me feel both sad and happy.
I enjoy it every now and then.
Not more than any other music and lyrics.
It has helped me tremendously.
P17 * What is your favorite Beth's album?
P18 * What type of Beth's songs do you like better?

The happy ones.
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Dragana Andjelic
The sad ones.

The angry ones.
The desperate ones.
All of them.
P19 * Can you name your favorite Beth's song/songs?
P20 * Would you say that Beth's music has helped and is still helping you heal your
wounds?
Yes, absolutely.
In a way, yes.
No, I don't feel it that way.
P21 * Do you write poems or songs?
Yes.
No.
P22 * Do you play any musical instrument?
Yes
No
A little bit.
P23 * Would you like to be a singer/songwriter?
Yes
No
P24 * Did you have a formal musical education?
Yes
No
P25 * Which Beth's albums do you prefer?
The older ones.
The new ones.
All of them.
P26 * Do you prefer Beth's original songs or her covers?
Her original songs mostly.
Only her covers.
I think she should always perform her own songs.
I like both.
P27 * How would you react if you met Beth in person?
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Dragana Andjelic
I'd start crying.

I'd be very excited and too shy to speak.
I'd just give her a big hug.
All of the above.
I already met her, she's wonderful.
I don't want to meet her.
P28 * Would you like to read a book about Beth's life, her carreer and her music?
Yes
No
Maybe
P29 * Does Beth strongly remind you of any other artist, which one/ones?
P30 * Your favorite type of music?

Rock/Hard Rock
Jazz/Blues
R&B/Soul
Heavy Metal
Classics
All of the above
P31 Are you tired? :)
Yeah.
Nope.
~ 39 ~
Dragana Andjelic
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Whalley, P. (2014, 03 06). Album review: JOE BONAMASSA & BETH HART Live In Amsterdam. Retrieved
08 16, 2014, from Get Ready to Rock: http://getreadytorock.me.uk/blog/2014/03/album-review-joebonamassa-beth-hart-live-in-amsterdam/
Whitaker, S. (2013, 04 02). Beth Hart On Working With Jeff Beck and Her Upcoming U.S. Tour. Retrieved 10
01, 2014, from Ultimate Classic Rock: http://ultimateclassicrock.com/beth-hart-2013-interview/
Yeoman, P. (2015, 03 15). Beth Hart: Sober and far wiser. Retrieved 04 05, 2015, from The New Zealand
Herald:
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/entertainment/news/article.cfm?c_id=1501119&objectid=11417342
Zimmerman, L. (2015, 04 15). Beth Hart: Better Than Home. Retrieved 04 20, 2015, from Pop Matters:
http://www.popmatters.com/review/191308-beth-hart-better-than-home/
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Beth Hart: Layers of Truth

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Beth Hart: Layers of Truth

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Faculty of Philology Belgrade

Keywords: Beth Hart, bipolar disorder

BETH HART: LAYERS OF TRUTH

BETH HART: LAYERS OF TRUTH

I A disease is a character trait?

BETH HART: LAYERS OF TRUTH

BETH HART: LAYERS OF TRUTH

(SPECT image illustrating differences between healthy and disordered brains)

Check out the details of the research at http://www.bipolar-lives.com/bipolar-brain-imaging.html

BETH HART: LAYERS OF TRUTH

II The weight of the roots

BETH HART: LAYERS OF TRUTH

Beth's comments on her father at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mqHOEuk0MDo

BETH HART: LAYERS OF TRUTH

BETH HART: LAYERS OF TRUTH

BETH HART: LAYERS OF TRUTH

III Love suffers it all

(Performing in Star Search in 1993)

Watch Beth performing in Star Search at https://youtu.be/twYo3V0Gzeo

BETH HART: LAYERS OF TRUTH

Listen to the song at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=swVNp0x9xMA

BETH HART: LAYERS OF TRUTH

IV Into the abyss

Listen to the song at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FZbz-neVHKA

BETH HART: LAYERS OF TRUTH

BETH HART: LAYERS OF TRUTH

Listen to ''LA Song'' at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M3IFV1ywUoI

BETH HART: LAYERS OF TRUTH

Beth's own thoughts about this period of her life at https://youtu.be/55NwC0_fk2U

BETH HART: LAYERS OF TRUTH

V Halfway to ordinary life

Listen to the songs at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WqmwT7Vksw4,

BETH HART: LAYERS OF TRUTH

(In Paradiso 2004)

Watch some of Beth's performances in 2005 and 2006 at https://youtu.be/VPE0A2XipIg,

BETH HART: LAYERS OF TRUTH

(Beth and Jeff Beck on tour in 2006)

Additional reviews at http://www.allmusic.com/album/live-at-paradiso-mw0000208289,

BETH HART: LAYERS OF TRUTH

Watch the intervew from 2007 at https://youtu.be/qAsUmGNN5No

BETH HART: LAYERS OF TRUTH

VI From mother's reprimands to thousands of new fans

BETH HART: LAYERS OF TRUTH

More information at https://youtu.be/Xi8oACXHIcI

BETH HART: LAYERS OF TRUTH

(Beth Hart and Slash in 2010)

Watch an interview from 2010 and 2009 at https://youtu.be/6__-jLsA4g8, https://youtu.be/PN4N4ZqyGb8

BETH HART: LAYERS OF TRUTH

Watch the interview at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IyNRQPX6px0

BETH HART: LAYERS OF TRUTH

(Beth Hart and Joe Bonamassa in 2011)

VII On the way home

More information at http://www.allmusic.com/album/beacon-theatre-live-from-new-york-mw0002410802

BETH HART: LAYERS OF TRUTH

See Beth in 2012 at https://youtu.be/M4OAU__bwR8

BETH HART: LAYERS OF TRUTH

Read the complete review at http://music.mxdwn.com/2013/04/11/reviews/beth-hart-bang-bang-boom-boom/

BETH HART: LAYERS OF TRUTH

(Performing at The Kennedy Center of Honors)

More on all Beth's shows at http://www.bandsintown.com/BethHart/past_events?page=1

BETH HART: LAYERS OF TRUTH

(At the Kennedy Center of Honors in 2012)

Voted in the Times

BETH HART: LAYERS OF TRUTH

Watch the interview and the performance at https://youtu.be/HYd5bDFLKpA

BETH HART: LAYERS OF TRUTH