Biography
New Mexico-based vocalist Jenny Bird has maintained a steady presence on the folk circuit since the 1970s, even though her profile has never reached mainstream proportions. Producer and drummer Jerry Marotta once characterized her folk-rock delivery as “quiet and loud,” a seeming paradox that fits her style precisely: she avoids both the delicate, wispy manner of a waif and the forceful projection of a belter. Often accompanying herself on acoustic guitar in the studio, Bird conveys emotional openness while projecting an understated resilience throughout much of her material. Positioned between the robust, full-throated approach exemplified by Sam Shaber and former October Project frontwoman Mary Fahl on one side and the more ethereal stance associated with Jewel and Suzanne Vega on the other, she occupies a distinctive middle ground. Her reflective and frequently spiritual take on folk-rock draws from the “three J’s”—Joan Baez, Judy Collins, and Joni Mitchell—whose influence shaped numerous women singer-songwriters of the 1960s and 1970s as well as many Gen-X artists who surfaced in the 1980s or 1990s. Over time her sound has shifted, prompting later listeners to draw parallels with Lilith Fair-affiliated acts such as Sarah McLachlan and the Indigo Girls; she appeared on the Lilith Fair bill in 1998. Although she rarely addresses political topics directly in song, Bird has remained engaged with liberal causes, lending support to environmental organizations and performing at benefits for the Green Party. Residing in Taos, she cut her first album, Open Your Heart, for the Dutch branch of Warner Bros. while still a teenager; the LP appeared only in the Netherlands and never reached American stores. After that project she never recorded for another major label, instead founding her own Earthlight Records imprint to issue subsequent work on her own terms. Mesa Sea, her initial independent effort, arrived in 1986, followed by Unity in 1990, Eternal Light in 1994, Angel’s Gift in 1996, and Into Stars in 1998. In 2002 Jerry Marotta, whose résumé includes sessions with Stevie Nicks, Peter Gabriel, Joan Armatrading, and the Indigo Girls, produced her seventh album, Joy of It.
Albums
