Guitarist, singer Ana Popovic always has time for her fans

After every concert, Ana Popovic meets her fans listens to what they have to say.

She says they sometimes provide a different perspective on the show. She formed her own band 20 years ago and travels the world as a blues guitarist and singer. Her music has taken her to faraway places but the constant is meeting fans each evening.

“I love to exchange their experience. I love to talk to them,” she said.

As a child in Belgrade, Serbia, she said American blues influenced her from an early age. At 3 or 4 years old, she started listening to blues. Mostly her father’s albums. She enjoyed songs by Stevie Ray Vaughan, Etta James and Nina Simone.

“We didn’t listen to any of the Serbian stuff. I grew up on American blues and soul,” she said.

Popovic performs at 8 p.m. Friday, Feb. 21 at the Don Gibson Theatre in Shelby.

Here’s a Q-and-A with Popovic about her career and traveling to share music:

Question: What can the audience in Shelby expect when you perform?

Answer: “Well it’s a very energetic show with a lot of influences. There will be some blues, old-school funk… guitars, slide guitars. We’ve got a really tight horn section. It’s a really powerful show. We’re playing songs off the latest few records.”

Q: Do fans want to hear older or newer songs?

A: “I think usually my audience wants to hear both. I have people who have been following me since my very first American tour back in 2001. This year is the 20th anniversary since I formed by band in my name… I’ve been always a touring musician and I still get people at each show who’ve seen me back in the day.”

Q: What would surprise people about you?

A: “I mean, I think that you need to keep things new. And I think you need to find inspiration for stories in every record. I kind of don’t repeat myself with the subject. This latest album is about female empowerment… things are shifting and it’s OK for females and males to change their roles in the family. It’s OK for a woman to go out there and make a living and it’s OK for a man to stay at home and support his wife, his sister…”

Q: How has your career changed in the past few years?

A: “I always try to play different sides of the world and make my career in different territories. That was my goal when I started and I specifically make myself available on any side of the continent or ocean… in the states, obviously, this is the birthplace of the blues, but I’m still European and have a different sound to it.”

Q: Is life on the road difficult or enjoyable?

A: “It’s my passion. I love it. I have a family. I have two kids at home. We try to limit the number of shows in one tour to about two weeks and then I have some time off. Traveling with a family hasn’t always been easy… you need a lot of support from your family and your partner if you want to do that for a living. When I’m on the road, I enjoy every minute of it. I never find it difficult to travel… the exchange of the energy with the audience is really what you live for. But even the hard part of the profession, which is traveling and waking up early and delayed flights, never really bothers me that much that I would reconsider doing what I do.”

You can reach Wade Allen at 704-669-3331 and follow him on Twitter @wadeallenstar.

When: 8 p.m. Friday, Feb. 21

Venue: Don Gibson Theatre, 318 S. Washington St., Shelby.

Tickets: $30.50. To select seats from the online seating chart, visit DonGibsonTheater.com. Tickets are also available by calling 704-487-8114 or visiting the box office.

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