We speak to Natalie Merchant, renowned singer and songwriter -- (the leader of 10,000 Maniacs, and her own solo work, which includes albums Tigerlily, Motherland, and ). Merchant is a Hudson Valley resident, and coordinated the all-star concert “New Yorkers Against Fracking,” which took place at The Egg in Albany in May and brought together NY resident musicians including Pete Seeger, Meshell Ndgeocello, The Felice Brothers, Citizen Cope, Joan Osborune, Medeski, Martin & Wood, among others. In this conversation, Merchant discusses "Dear Governor Cuomo," the role of musicians and cultural figures in the anti-fracking movement, and her own relationship to the issue of hydro-fracking in NY state.