Prick Magazine - Hot Ink - Heather Luttrell Feature

HEATHER LUTTRELL
of Heather Grrl and the Hungover

by Bill Bigballer
Photos by Kelly Sanford
From the May 2003 issue of Prick Magazine.

Heather Luttrell, Hot Ink Cover Girl.

Not many people are able to say they are truly happy with what they do for a living. Regardless of how cool your job may be, it is still a job and you probably wouldn't be doing it if it wasn't paying the bills.

That's not so for Heather Luttrell. Unlike most struggling artists, this Atlanta native is able to make a comfortable living doing what she enjoys the most - singing and playing guitar. Although she recently started a band called Heather Grrrl and the Hungover, she has been taking her "Ani DiFranco meats Aretha Franklin" solo act to stages ranging from hole-in-the-wall bars to live music venues around the Southeast for the past three years.

"Music is really the focus of my life," says the fiery-haired performer of her career. "I don't have a job [because] I don't do well working for other people. I've found a way to make a living at painting and writing music."

Since her father, who also performs with Heather on occasion, owns Luttrell Guitars in Decatur, GA, where he makes custom guitars, Heather has always been around music in one way or another. Perhaps that's why it has become such an integral part of her life.

"My dad is currently making me [a guitar], but I've been waiting for five years," she says. "If someone else wants one, he can have it done in, like, a month."

To make up for the delay, Heather says her father gave her the money to buy a Gibson guitar, which was used to record her live CD Drive It Like You Stole It last year.

Because she has been lucky enough to make her hobbies her source of income, Heather has plenty of time to indulge in other hobbies.

"I paint and I drive a flaming station wagon and that's about it," she jokes, referring to her sticker-covered, black station wagon with flames painted on the front.

"I play domestic housewife during the day because we have a lot of animals, too," she continues. "We have a lizard - a Mali Uromastyx - a 60-gallon fish tank, five frogs, four cats, and two beta fish."

Heather says that in addition to her pets, you can also find the inspiration for many of her tattoos in her home.

"My house is completely covered with different kinds of bugs on the walls in glass frames," she says. "I've always loved bugs. When I was a little girl on my grandparents' farm I'd chase bugs down and put them in jars and let them go. I can't stand to kill anything."

Heather says most of her tattoos are butterflies or other such winged creatures because she's "always wanted to be able to fly."

"I used to jump off stuff when I was a kid and break various bones and stuff," she says of her flying fascination. "I've been waiting to get my bird tattoo - the angel was the closest I've gotten."

I guess even if you've achieved that seemingly impossible task of enjoying your work, you're allowed to wish for something a little more. Even if that wish calls for superhuman abilities such as flying.

Heather performs at the Royal Oak Pub in Dunwoody, GA every Saturday night. You can also catch her at the following dates in May:

May 8, 12, and 15th - The Boom Boom Room (solo) - Atlanta, GA
May 6 - Vinyl (with the Hungovers) - Atlanta, GA

To see Heather's artwork or to find out when she is performing, go to www.heathergrrrl.com.

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