The Alchemist of Sound: Lisa Fischer on Healing, The Stones, and Discovering Her "Barefoot" Voice

This week (December 4–7), Lisa Fischer brings a deep connection to the SFJAZZ Center for a series of shows with the Orrin Evans Trio. Wednesday’s intimate "Listening Party" offered a rare look into the inner workings of a woman who has spent 40 years supporting icons like The Rolling Stones and Luther Vandross, only to come forward, boldly and unapologetically, as herself.

In a conversation at Miner Auditorium with SFJAZZ CEO Gabrielle Armand, just 24 hours before she begins her residency, Fischer treated the audience to an unseen side of herself, reacting to video clips from past performances. 

The Sanctuary of Sound

To grasp Lisa Fischer’s voice—an instrument with seemingly limitless range and emotional depth—one must understand her origin. It was not born from ambition, but from survival. Fischer reflected on her childhood, saying, "I needed something to save me—music was that thing." "I was like the kid my mom and dad begged to go outside and play because I just didn't want to go out... I didn't feel like fighting, stealing, or anything else; it just didn't feel good to me... I just wanted to, kind of like, peace out."  

For young Fischer, music served as a shield against a chaotic environment she couldn't control. "It created a cloak over the visuals that maybe you didn't want to see," she explained. "I would lay my head against the speakers, almost as if I were lying on my mother's lap or her chest, hearing her heartbeat. The speakers felt like a living, breathing womb," she told the hushed audience. "I could crawl inside it, nestle in, and it would speak to me."

This philosophy of sound as a protective, unifying force has carried her from childhood to the world’s largest stadiums. She sees music as a "thread that seems to connect people, teach them how to treat each other, and open hearts and minds." 

Lisa Fischer and Gail Armand. Photo: Steve Roby

Painting in the Air

Fischer’s career stands out in the world of modern music. She is a two-time Grammy winner who spent decades out of the limelight, using her voice to lift others. When asked about her years hustling for session work, Fischer redefined the role of a background singer not as a subordinate position, but as a lesson in empathy and tonal nuance.

“It was like painting in the air," Fischer said of interpreting a songwriter's vision. "I'm collecting colors. As we go through life every day, we're gathering colors from each other... The way my brain organizes experiences is almost like photographs stored in an index. When an emotion arises, one of those cards triggers.”

Naturally, the conversation shifted to her most famous employers: The Rolling Stones. Fischer toured with the rock legends for more than twenty years, beginning with Mick Jagger’s solo tour in 1988 before officially joining the reunited band in 1989. Her description of the "Bad Boys of Rock" sharply contrasts with their public mythology.

“I was shocked at how family-oriented they were,” Fischer laughed. She remembered telling her grandmother about the tour, pointing out the culture clash between the rock scene and her religious upbringing. "Imagine a church mother," Fischer said, illustrating the point. "She asked me, 'Aren't they those heathens!?'" 

Fischer was quick to correct the record. "Literally, they're really sweet and nice," she said. She recounted a surreal Thanksgiving on the road where the band and their children took over a hotel chef’s kitchen to cook dinner together. "It's not something that you think of when you see [Mick] out there doing 'Gimme Shelter,'" she mused. "They were like kids. It was just so sweet to see them be so loving and so normal."  

Photo: Steve Roby

Finding the "Barefoot" Voice

Perhaps the most potent part of the evening was when Fischer talked about the shift from being a "Stone" to being Lisa. This change involved letting go of the "psychological weight" of the rock star look—the high heels, the makeup, the hyper-sexualized persona—to feel more comfortable in her own skin.

"I'm not 20 anymore. I'm not 30 anymore. 'Stuff' be swinging differently now," she deadpanned, drawing laughter from the crowd.

She recalled a moment of friction with the late Tina Turner regarding stage attire. "Tina would hate it when I was barefoot on stage. She hated it," Fischer revealed. After nearly slipping on a treacherous wet stage in Dubai, Fischer had kicked off her heels to avoid breaking an ankle. "Tina was so upset that I took my shoes off... I didn't realize how triggering that was for her."

But as Fischer embraced her solo artistry, she realized she had to be authentic, even if it meant challenging the industry's obsession with youth. She spoke openly about performing while going through menopause, describing it as a "physical war going on in my body." 

“The fear of trying to be hot and sexy while being slightly overweight... it was freaky," she admitted. "I see so many people struggling with not being the 'anymores'... That is sexy to me. It's sexy when you are loving yourself at every stage.” 

Advice to the Future

One of the most moving moments of the night happened during the audience Q&A, when a 14-year-old aspiring artist stepped up to the microphone to seek advice. Fischer’s demeanor changed from storyteller to mentor, offering words that seemed to connect with the adults in the room just as much as with the teenager.

“What I wish for young artists is a sense of freedom and fearlessness," she said gently. "Sometimes you may witness things that you don't resonate with, and I'm here to tell you it's okay to let people know when you don't connect with something... You don't have to question why your body is trying to communicate with you.”

She urged the young girl to embrace failure rather than fear it. "Mistakes are such great teachers," Fischer insisted. "I watched Sting at a rehearsal... he made a mistake, and he didn't even flinch. He's just like, 'Okay, cool.' ... The energy we spend beating ourselves up is so unnecessary."

The Healer’s Vision

As the evening wound down, an audience member asked what remains on Fischer’s "dream board." Her answer revealed that her journey with music is far from over; in fact, she is looking toward a frontier where music meets medicine.

"I want to create an encyclopedia of tones and colors, focusing on how they physically impact the human body and how we can use them to heal illnesses," she stated with conviction. "I feel like hertz, frequencies, and sound vibrations aren't reaching their full potential... I believe it can be elevated to a much higher level."

It is a vision that perfectly aligns with Terrence Blanchard’s assessment, read aloud by Armand at the start of the conversation: "Lisa is deeply connected to her music. You can tell that she didn't get into this for any other reason than pure joy, pure expression, and pure healing."

TICKETS

Lisa Fischer performs with the Orrin Evans Trio at the SFJAZZ Center, Miner Auditorium, from December 4–7.

Read our 2019 interview with Lisa Fischer here.

Read our 2019 Lisa Fischer concert review here.