by Tish Ciravolo.

The sun was just beginning to set as I pulled into the Starbucks lot in Burbank, California. While the rest of the world stood guard ready for winter to strike at any moment, I quickly donned a light sweater to complete my simple skirt and t-shirt look and hurried into the coffee shop. Usually, I rush in and out, ordering my latte before heading for a meeting or occasional concert, but today was different. I searched for a free table, spotted one in the corner and settled in. This would be no drink-and-run. This afternoon, I was meeting with E.G. Daily.

Moments later, E.G. appeared. Smiling in recognition when she saw me, I couldn’t help but grin back. Her Blackberry in one hand, designer Hobo bag in the other, she had that look of the typical L.A. woman, constantly on the go and stretched just a little too thin. But, E.G. is not your typical L.A. woman. Performing musician (she recently appeared with Heart and is releasing a new album), long-time actress (over 20 movies and constantly in demand for her voiceover talent), I was there to find out what it was like to be E.G. Daily, to live her life and walk in her shoes. We ordered our drinks and I got right to the heart of the matter.

Tish Ciravolo: You’ve been in the music industry for many years. What inspired you to start playing?

E.G. Daily: I received a guitar when I was 9 years old along with a chord book. I learned to play the basic chords and started writing songs soon after. It all just came very naturally to me. I had a hard time with books and reading in school, but music, well, music was just my thing.

Tish: Who are your role models?

E.G.: Led Zeppelin (laughs). No… I mean, they are great but I would say it has to be the real singer-songwriters. You know, Carol King, James Taylor, Cat Stevens. More recently I love Lifehouse, Five for Fighting, U2, Frou Frou, Goo Goo Dolls, the list could really go on for a while.

Tish: What about in the real world?

E.G.: My mom. Absolutely. And, honestly, I consider my role models to be the people that go for their dreams no matter what other people tell them. Those are the examples we should all follow.

Tish: As a musician and entertainer, you are extremely creative and extremely busy. What do you do to keep yourself grounded?

E.G.: I have an amazing group of friends and family. Between my friends and the pure joy, fun, and support we have for each other, my family and how close and safe they are for me, my ex-husband, my children, our pet pig, Mimim, and two tiny dogs, it’s hard to be anything but real in my big fat world.

Tish: What do you do with them for fun?

E.G.: We do a lot of dinner outings, or else dinner at home with the clan. I like to go bowling with my kids… You know, it’s never really about where I am that makes it fun for me at this point in my life. Some days we just rent a movie, pop up the popcorn, and kick it. It doesn’t get more fun than that.

Tish: What aspect of making music most excites you?

E.G.: Finishing writing a song always amazes me. I am simply in awe every time how it somehow comes together. Making something beautiful from nothing is so exciting. Then, of course, the live shows are fun for me as well.

Tish: What do you consider your greatest challenges?

E.G.: Getting up everyday at 6 a.m.! That hurts! It feels all wrong to force my body up when it just wants to sleep in so badly. But hey, that’s part of being a mom. I also try really hard to keep myself focused on loving what I do and not thinking about the results. The minute I worry too much about the outcome, everything just goes wacky. When I focus on what I love, the rest plays itself out so nicely.

Tish: How have your fans inspired you over the years?

E.G.: My fans! Honestly, my fans have blown me away at times. They constantly believe in me… for years… no matter what. I love my fans.

Tish: You just got done touring. What’s next on your itinerary?

E.G.: My new single, “Changing Faces,” was actually released just last week. We’re working on a new video shoot for that. My one-woman autobiographical musical was also released on the Internet. I’ve got a couple of new films in the can. I’m just finishing remodeling our home. What can I say? I’m going to continue to have fun and do what I love.

Tish: Tell me a little bit about what inspired you to create your album Changing Faces.

E.G.: It actually came together because of a Scooby Doo episode. I met Rich and Gigi (the producers), and the songs came one at a time. Some they wrote, some I wrote, and some we wrote together. We weren’t trying to make an album; we were just making music. The next thing we knew, we had a CD! It was too cool!

Tish: What’s the most unusual place you’ve ever played?

E.G.: Wow. I played in a tranny bar a while back. I had such a blast. There was not one actual female in the audience yet everyone was a woman! Oh, I have another one. I played at an outdoor fair and some beautiful large woman ran up to the stage and flashed me her boob! It was so funny and very… random. If I can mention an amazing experience as well, I opened up for Heart recently. That was awesome.

Tish: OK, I have to ask. What turns you on about your own Daisy Rock guitar?

E.G.: I love my Daisy Rock guitar, and everyone who sees it loves it. It’s like magic. And I do love that it is set up just right for my little hands to play (wiggles her fingers). It’s just so sweet.

Tish: Final question: Our Daisy Rock message is, of course, to empower women everywhere to play music. How has that played a role in your own music?

E.G.: That’s what it’s all about! Empowerment. What more can I say?

There was nothing more to say. While I expressed my gratitude for her taking time out of her busy schedule (OK, so busy is an understatement), she shrugged it off, reiterating her commitment to doing what she loves. While we made our way from the secluded table to the door, I caught various people glancing at her. It struck me how she didn’t even notice. Several movies in the can, a new CD, and there she was chatting about her plans to return home and make dinner for her kids. E.G. Daily had more than just insight into the music world, she had insight into life. Her thoughtful words and clear vision can be an inspiration to all of us in the industry. Love your life, love your music, and follow your heart.

To learn more about E.G. Daily, log on to egdaily.com.
To view all of Daisy Rock’s latest rockin’ guitars, visit daisyrock.com.