Biography
Sloan Wainwright, younger sister of the witty singer-songwriter Loudon Wainwright III, has carved an independent route through the music world. Equipped with a multi-octave voice, she merges introspective original material with distinctive interpretations of pieces by Sly and the Family Stone, the Grateful Dead, and the Beatles, establishing herself among the most promising voices in contemporary folk. Dirty Linen observed that her "voice carries the forthright, husky self-assertion of Joan Armatrading's early recordings; her unorthodox phrasing and poetic enunciation would please the young Tim Buckley; and her melodies are the tantalizing equivalent of smoky, tantalizing aromas emanating from a soul kitchen."
Music filled her childhood home. At age 11 her parents installed a piano in the family TV room, where she soon paired screen viewing with songwriting at the keyboard. Early performances in New York coffeehouses and clubs during the 1970s gave way to a long absence prompted by shyness. While she concentrated on raising two sons and running Baker's Cafe in Katonah, NY with a sister, she continued writing for children's theater and local dance productions. Appearances at open mics in the late 1980s earned her notice for sincere songcraft and expressive delivery. In 1990 she won first place in an open-mic contest at the Town Crier Cafe in Pawling, NY.
Mid-decade she joined guitarist Steven Murphy to form the Sloan Wainwright Band. The lineup, which featured harmony vocalist Liadain Clancy (formerly of the Clancy Tradition), ex-Skatalites and Ska Jazz keyboardist Cary Brown, percussionist Greg Burrows, and former Greg Greenway bassist Doug Wray, began its first national tour in January 1997. Initial emphasis on original songs shifted after critical feedback prompted a turn toward traditional repertoire and study of the five-string banjo, yet she eventually regained confidence performing her own work. Since resuming, her career has steadily expanded.
Music filled her childhood home. At age 11 her parents installed a piano in the family TV room, where she soon paired screen viewing with songwriting at the keyboard. Early performances in New York coffeehouses and clubs during the 1970s gave way to a long absence prompted by shyness. While she concentrated on raising two sons and running Baker's Cafe in Katonah, NY with a sister, she continued writing for children's theater and local dance productions. Appearances at open mics in the late 1980s earned her notice for sincere songcraft and expressive delivery. In 1990 she won first place in an open-mic contest at the Town Crier Cafe in Pawling, NY.
Mid-decade she joined guitarist Steven Murphy to form the Sloan Wainwright Band. The lineup, which featured harmony vocalist Liadain Clancy (formerly of the Clancy Tradition), ex-Skatalites and Ska Jazz keyboardist Cary Brown, percussionist Greg Burrows, and former Greg Greenway bassist Doug Wray, began its first national tour in January 1997. Initial emphasis on original songs shifted after critical feedback prompted a turn toward traditional repertoire and study of the five-string banjo, yet she eventually regained confidence performing her own work. Since resuming, her career has steadily expanded.
Albums
