Since her debut album Tiger Mountain 20 years ago, singer-songwriter Sara Petite has gradually risen to the fore of San Diego music. Her most recent albums, 2021’s Rare Bird and 2023’s The Empress, both won Best Country or Americana Album at the San Diego Music Awards.
She’s also become a linchpin of the local roots-music community through her “Americana Roundup” series, which brings together like-minded artists for collaborative theme-oriented shows such as “Sara Petite’s Honky Tonk Angels” at venues such as The Ken and Grand Ole BBQ.
Now she’s gearing up for a new album, tentatively titled Snakes, Jealous Hearts and Honky Tonk Angels after three of the record’s most prominent songs. Working with producer Josquin Des Pres at La Mesa’s Track Star Studios, Petite recorded with ace studio players including longtime John Mellencamp drummer Kenny Aronoff and Desert Rose Band multi-instrumentalist John Jorgenson.
An early single, “Jealous Heart,” came out last summer; the full album is due in the spring. She has multiple local shows coming up in March, including a March 8 slot at the Belly Up.
We talked with Petite by Zoom for the latest installment of our “Five Questions” series.
1. What can you tell us about the new album?
I’ve had it done for a little while; I just haven’t put it out yet. We put out “JealousHeart” in the summer, and we’re going to put “Honky Tonk Angels” out next, andthen the album in June. It’s nine songs, and it’s all over the map writing-wise.
“Jealous Heart” is a pop song about jealousy. I rescue dogs, and my dog bites —he’s jealous, so I kind of did that song for him, but it’s really a song about jealousy.“Honky Tonk Angels” is about me and a lot of my girlfriends who are singers. Andthen I have a song called “I Hate Snakes” — it’s about the story about Eve, but myversion. I have a protest song called “Wasted” — it’s love and alcohol and politicsall rolled into one. “Cold Heart” is probably about my father, but it’s a relationshipsong.
So it’s a pretty big range of everything. One of my favorite songs is called “SheRuns With the Wolves.” I write about women a lot. One of the things I study iswomen’s stories. I really enjoy stories about women, because I like to beempowered and to empower people. “She Runs With the Wolves” is basically abouthow feminine energy has a lot more high intuition.
2. Can you tell me a little more about Josquin des Pres, who produced the album?
He’s done a bunch of different stuff. I know he’s worked with Jason Mraz, and heand Bernie Taupin used to write together. One of the songs on the album is a coverof a Bernie Taupin/Josquin Des Pres song called “In the Name of Dark Angels.”Josquin asked me if I wanted to do it. It’s really beautiful.
He’s had a bunch of different TV and film cuts. He’s just a great producer. I didn’twant to make another album, but my friend Bobby Furgo, who played piano andfiddle for me said, ‘I think you should meet this guy.’ And I did, and somehow Iended up making another album. And I just love it. I loved working with him. Thealbum came out really, really great. Kenny Aronoff from John Mellencamp’s bandplayed some of the drum tracks, and it was amazing. John Jorgensen did a lot ofthe instrumental stuff, like the guitar and mandolin. It was amazing that I got to bein the studio with him. He was a very kind, humble guy.
3. I know you’ve been in San Diego a pretty long time, but I understand you’re originally from Washington State. When did you move down here?
About 30 years ago. I had an aunt down here, and she let me stay with her. I’mfrom a very woodsy type area in Washington; we grew up in the in the forest. Igrew up kind of earthy and humble. I worked a lot, and I put myself throughschool (Petite went to San Diego’s former United States International University),and I started working corporate, and it drove me nuts. I was doing music, and oneday, I just became a musician. I didn’t start until I was 30. Had I done this reallyyoung, it would have been different; I probably would’ve had more confidence. ButI see myself as a writer, a a singer, storyteller and a performer.
4. How did you get started doing these Americana Roundup shows a fewyears ago?
I had this band called Bad News Bears with Shawn Rohlf, and we would just playcovers. It was a night to drink some beers and play music with friends at a bar andget paid. And I kind of wanted to do this ‘Americana Roundup’ — a little bit of avariety show, where I host it and I do a few songs. But I love singing with otherpeople and I love working with other musicians. It was kind of just to bringcommunity together. I think it’s really important, and I think musicians reallythrive in that way. We did a Bruce Springsteen one at Christmas time (in 2025),and it was just beautiful. It was really wonderful.
It’s a lot of work. We have one in April for the San Diego Music Awards, althoughI’m not going to be at the awards this year because I’m going to be touring inScotland. We’ve had “Honky Tonk Angels” shows at Grand Ole BBQ with Chloe Louand Lauren Lee and Ash Easton. The next one (set for March 21), I’m not sure whoit’s going to be, but it’s really fun, We sing on each other’s songs and stuff like that.So it’s just kind of a way for everybody to come together.
5. The Mojo Nixon documentary The Mojo Manifesto came out just a couple of years before Mojo died on the 2024 Outlaw Country Cruise. At the San Diego Music Awards that year, you dedicated an award to Mojo, who apparently helped to jumpstart your career by playing your 2010 song “Bootleggers” on his SiriusXM Outlaw Country radio show. How did that come about?
I think Joey Harris had heard “Bootleggers” and told Mojo about it. We ran intoMojo at Americanafest (in Nashville) and Mojo was like, “Hey, I heard you gotsome song, send it to me when you’re done.” I was like, OK, and I did. And heplayed me. Basically, if Outlaw Country played you, it gave people permission toopen your envelope. When I would have an album come out, he would play it. Thathelped get it out there, and basically gave other people reason to listen to it, to seeif they liked it. It really helped.
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