They Paid Us in Tub Time

An e-book of travel stories, life in Haight-Asbury in the '60s and short interludes of the life of a modern troubadour with 20 songs embedded throughout the text.

Kristina Olsen has not led a typical life. This memoir and travelogue is packed with laughter, sex, sadness, adventure and a true glimpse of a woman who never took the well trodden path in following her musical call. Laurel Cohn, her editor writes, "It's like I'd hitched a long-distance ride with you. You told stories along the way about your time on the road and of your childhood, you shared a little about your family and friends, you played some of your songs, and there were times where we just cruised along comfortably enjoying the landscape – those beautiful short interludes (like moon face) that help pace the narrative as a whole and create space for the reader. You were open, offering laughter, intimacy, reflection and honesty. And by the end, when it was time to go our separate ways, I felt like I'd made a friend."

Kristina Olsen is one of the most entertaining and compelling performers on the international acoustic circuit. A superb multi-instrumentalist (acoustic guitar, steelbody slide guitar, saxophone, concertina, mandolin and piano) as well as an awardwinning songwriter with a big bluesy voice, Kristina has audiences around the world coming back for more. Her mix of powerful songs ranging from sassy bottleneck blues to lilting ballads to swing jazz to raunch and roll (as well as her hilarious storytelling) makes for a diverse and satisfying musical experience, on stage and on disc. Born in San Francisco and raised in Haight-Asbury during the 1960's, Kristina's approach to music and life was formed by that environment of vital cultural expression, social activism and diverse musical influences. She now calls Venice Beach, Los Angeles home but rarely sees it from touring ten months a year. Such respected artists as Eric Bibb, Fairport Convention, Maddy Prior, Mary Coughlan and Mollie O’Brien have covered and recorded songs by Olsen. Olsen has also worked as a session musician on numerous artist’s albums including playing the hammered dulcimer on Michelle Shocked’s album 'Short Sharp Shocked' on PolyGram and touring as Mary Coughlan’s guitarist in 2005. Her song “In Your Darkened Room” was used in the film “We’ll Always Have Dingle”, a documentary about an Irish Film Festival. Olsen has performed as a multi-instrumentalist in plays for the Mark Taper Forum in Los Angeles’ Music Center. Olsen won the Kerrville Song writing award her song for battered women, 'I'm Keeping This Life of Mine' In 2002 alone, Olsen toured in Australia, Scotland (for the Celtic Connections Festival), England, Bangladesh (for a benefit concert), New Zealand, Canada and the USA. Kristina has been part of a songwriters' group for over two decades and has taught songwriting, slide guitar and dance for musicians at adult music camps from Alaska to NYC to the UK to Australia for over a dozen years. Olsen is a frequent contributor to Acoustic Guitar magazine, writing articles on guitar and performance technique.