We have heard about the wandering minstrels of the world and many times it conjures up an image of a man with guitar – have axe will travel, if you will! Well, Diane Ponzio can be considered the female version of the traveling troubadour. I have known Diane, what feels like, all my life. For many years she played the folk club scene of New York City’s Greenwich Village, home to many wandering minstrels. She did that until lightning struck and landed her lucky pick on Martin Guitars.
Diane became a true “ambassador” of folk music and American guitars when she aligned herself with Martin 20 years ago. The renowned guitar company has released two special “Ponzio” edition guitars and Diane now travels the globe at least four months of every year, on Martin’s behalf, conducting clinics for fellow songwwriters, from Milan to Auckland, and all points in between.
Singer-songwriter Diane Ponzio, a true woman with wanderlust
It was during a brief visit home that I caught up with my old friend and rabid Yankee fan and decided to pick her brain about life on the road:
1. You travel through so many countries, different time zones and different climates, before ever returning home, so how do you pack?
As lightly as possible. You wind up wearing the same things anyway.
2. What’s your best packing tip?
Pack the case half full and use those tacky shower caps to put on the shoes that you pack so you don’t get your clothes full of “shoe dirt.”
3. Do you check your guitar or carry it on?
I never carry it on post 9/11. So I have the ultimate guitar flight case made by Calton, Canada. it’s fiberglass…very heavy.
4. What’s your favorite city and why?
Always New York because of the energy and availability of everything.
5. What’s your favorite country and why?
New Zealand because of its beautiful landscape and its people.
6. What is the one thing, besides your guitar, that you cannot leave home without.
Dental floss.
7. How do audiences differ from country to country?
Germany is the best – most attentive – USA is the worst..least attentive.
8. How do you stay in touch with loved ones while on the road? Phone and email.
9. How do you take care of business and your life while on the road? Ditto
10. What’s your best/funniest road story?
Listening to am elderly lady on a train in Germany talking about her life in German. I don’t understand a word of German. All I said was “Yah” every few minutes. When she got off the train, she hugged me like I was her best friend.
11. What was your worst travel experience?
After 9/11, arriving in Europe on an empty plane and seeing Bin Laden call for death to Americans everywhere…very scary.
12. In these times of heightened security, do you ever feel threatened on the road as an American woman?
I am threatened at times being a woman regardless of nationality.
13. What are you going to do with all those frequent flyer miles?
Try to go back to New Zealand.
You can keep track of Diane’s upcoming clinics for Martin Guitars and her own concert dates at the sites linked above.
