Jenny Goodspeed

Artist Information

Biography

"...Just folk enough to sound authentic and just pop enough to keep the attention of the ever-shuffling iPod crowd."
--Fairfield County Weekly (CT)

It's not often an artist emerges with a debut record completely formed and beautifully produced, full of tender and concise language, all executed in a gorgeous, mature voice. Jenny Goodspeed has achieved just that rare feat on her debut CD "Under the Ash Tree" - a sparkling fusion of folk, pop, and Americana drawing on influences from 70's era singer-songwriters like Joni Mitchell and Bruce Cockburn. Well-crafted lyrics, exquisite vocals, and heart-breaking melodies abound as Jenny explores the intricacies of love and longing, all definitively steeped in her beloved New England landscape.

~~~2009 HIGHLIGHTS ~~~
-- Mountain Stage NewSong Contest Northeast Regional Finalist
-- Falcon Ridge/Grassy Hill Emerging Artist Showcase
-- Winner, Ourstage.com Folk Channel out of 478 entries and 3rd place overall competing against 33 different genres
-- Showcase Artist, Boston Area Coffeehouse Association (BACHA) Meeting
-- American Songwriter Lyric Contest Honorable Mention
-- Winner, Ourstage.com Americana/Alt-Country Channel out of 410 entries and 3rd place overall competing against 40 different genres

~~~2008 HIGHLIGHTS ~~~
-- Winner, Portland (OR) Songwriters Association Songwriting Contest - Folk/Acoustic Category
-- Finalist, Boston Folk Festival Songwriting Contest
-- Finalist, Rose Garden Coffeehouse Performing Songwriter Competition
-- Showcase Finalist, Plowshares Songwriting Competition
-- Finalist, Susquehanna Music & Arts Songwriting Contest
-- Finalist, Solarfest Songwriting Showcase
-- Featured Artist on eFolkMusic.org roster
-- #12 debut on the Roots Music Report Folk Top 50
-- Added to over 100 folk and AAA radio stations in 31 states
-- Recommended new release by John Schoenberger, Radio and Records AAA/Americana Editor
-- CDBaby Editor’s pick
-- New Music Weekly College Top 30

~~~ BIOGRAPHY ~~~
Jenny Goodspeed bloomed as a young singer-songwriter in the rich Boulder/Denver music scene of the mid-90s. She played local venues and festivals including the renowned Swallow Hill Music Association. In 1997, she recorded her first demo with respected producer/engineer Patrick Brickel (Greg Brown). After moving to Massachusetts, she rediscovered her love for theater and spent the next decade in the Massachusetts theater scene. All the while, she continued to write songs and quietly hone her craft.

In 2007, a concert presenter heard Jenny singing at a festival and knew there was a wider audience for her music, and offered to finance a CD. The end result was the release of her debut CD, "Under the Ash Tree" and soon after, a stint opening for singer-songwriter Beth Amsel (Voices on the Verge) on a tour of the Midwest. In August 2008, Under the Ash Tree debuted at #12 on the Roots Music Report Folk Top 50. Songs from the record have been added to over 100 folk and AAA radio stations in 31 states and have earned Goodspeed finalist slots in numerous songwriting contests including the 2009 Falcon Ridge Emerging Artist Showcase and the 2009 Mountain Stage NewSong Contest.

"We are fortunate to live in an area that is rich with talented singer-songwriters and we can now add Goodspeed to this esteemed group."
- Sheryl Hunter, The Recorder (Greenfield, MA)

~~~ ABOUT “UNDER THE ASH TREE” ~~~
Engineered and co-produced by Mark Thayer at Signature Sounds Studio in Pomfret, CT, Jenny is backed by an impressive group of musicians including Jim Henry (Tracy Grammer, Mark Erelli) on acoustic guitar, Richard Gates (Patty Larkin, Suzanne Vega) on electric bass, Eric Platz on drums, Duke Levine (Mary Chapin-Carpenter, Jonatha Brooke) on electric guitar, and Seth Glier on keyboards.

"Ye gawdz, I'm just LOVING this album! It's just SO perfect for my show, and totally appropriate for these slightly-crisp almost-fall evenings! This is a truly special album."
- Johnny Black, Music Director High Plains Public Radio

~~~ SELECTED OPENERS AND VENUES ~~~
--Red Molly, opener, Driftwood Folk Cafe (Plymoth, MA)
--Brooks Williams, opener, Panzer House Concerts (Columbia, MD)
--Northern Lights, opener, St. James Coffeehouse (Greenfield, MA)
--Beth Amsel, support, Midwest Tour
--Tupelo Music Hall (Londonderry, NH)
--Swallow Hill Music Association and Folk Festival (Denver, CO)
--The Nameless Coffeehouse (Cambridge, MA)
--The Vanilla Bean Cafe (Pomfret, CT)
--Cafe Carpe (Fort Atkinson, WI)
--Palmetto Acoustic Series (Charleston, SC)
--P.A.C.E. Theater (Easthampton, MA)
--The Songwriter's Den (Greenwich, CT)
--Kick Off Your Shoes Concerts (Topsfied, MA)
--Ritual Cafe (Des Moines, IA)
--The Center for Arts at Natick (Natick, MA)
--Mocha Maya's Coffee House & Espresso Bar (Shelburne Falls, MA)

~~~SELECTED AIRPLAY~~~
Jenny has been added to over 100 stations in 31 states including:
--WUMB (Boston, MA)
--Acoustic Accents (AK), Syndicated
--KUNC (Greeley, CO)
--WPKN (New Haven, CT)
--KUNI (Eastern IA)
--KPR (Kansas Public Radio)
--WMPG (Portland, ME)
--KOPN (Columbia, MO)
--New Hampshire Public Radio
--WFDU (Teaneck, NJ)
--WSKG (Binghamton, NY)
--WFUV (New York, NY)
--WRUW (Cleveland, OH)
--WVIA (Scranton, PA)
--WYEP (Pittsburgh, PA)
--WUSC (Columbia, SC)
--High Plains Public Radio (TX)
--KBCS (Bellevue, WA)
--WMUA (Amherst, MA)

~~~TELEVISION APPEARANCES~~~
--Low Country Live, ABC Channel 4 (Charlston, SC)
--Over the Falls, Falls Cable (Shelburne, MA)

Instrumentation

Jenny Goodspeed -
Acoustic Guitar and Vocals

Discography

Under The Ash Tree - LP
©2008 Shearwater Music

Jenny Goodspeed - EP
©1997

Links

• Last.fm
• Twitter
• Facebook
• MySpace
• Reverbnation

Audio

• The Good Daughter - JGoodspeed
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• Broken - JGoodspeed
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• S-Curve Roads
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• Ease Into This Love - JGoodspeed
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• Mainesong - JGoodspeed
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• Under the Ash Tree - JGoodspeed
  Listen  
• Compass - JGoodspeed
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• More Than Friends - JGoodspeed
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• Every Third Day
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• The Ghost Tree
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Lyrics

• The Good Daughter
• Broken
• S-Curve Roads
• Ease Into This Love
• Mainesong
• Under the Ash Tree
• Compass
• More Than Friends
• Lookout Ledge
• The Ghost Tree

Video

Jenny_Goodspeed_Driftwood_Folk_Cafe

Photo Gallery

Press

• A voice as soft as velvet [+ Show ]
  

  They Call Her Cello Mellow Jenny Goodspeed is just folk enough to sound authentic and just pop enou...They Call Her Cello Mellow
  Jenny Goodspeed is just folk enough to sound authentic and just pop enough to keep the attention of the ever-shuffling iPod crowd. With a voice as soft as velvet (and almost as rich), Goodspeed sings slow-paced songs where soft vocals, lulling guitars and harrowing cellos are laid out gently, like jewels, each getting a chance to glimmer. She spent a decade in the Massachusetts theater scene before a concert presenter heard her sing at a festival and offered to finance a CD in 2007. The end result was a career in a little over a year with the release of her debut Under the Ash Tree, a stint opening for Beth Amsel and finalist slots in several songwriter contests—all in the last 16 months.

• A sparkling folk-pop album [+ Show ]
  

  This is a sparkling folk-pop album guaranteed to brighten your day and sure, there's a few sad balla...This is a sparkling folk-pop album guaranteed to brighten your day and sure, there's a few sad ballads but nothing so maudlin it'll drag you down. With a style reminiscent of Catie Curtis but with an airier soprano, her wry comments about relationships seem personal but universal enough that you'll find yourself nodding your head and thinking, "How did she slip into my life?" Her creative melodies often go where you don't expect but without sounding incongruous. Standout cuts include "Compass," with its rolling finger picked guitar over a bed of cello and "The Good Daughter," about casting off expectations. The latter features a cool banjo played by Duke Levine (Mary Chapin Carpenter, Jonatha Brooke) who also offers electric guitar and mandolin. At the end is "S-Curve Roads," an upbeat piece about going home.
  ©Jamie Anderson
  
  
  

• Jenny Goodspeed Back on Track [+ Show ]
  

  Excerpts from a feature article by music Columnist Sheryl Hunter. "Under the Ash Tree is a collec...Excerpts from a feature article by music Columnist Sheryl Hunter.
  
  "Under the Ash Tree is a collection of folk-pop tunes with personal lyrics that deal with love and heartbreak. Goodspeed sings in a voice vaguely reminiscent of Joni Mitchell (she covers the Mitchell tune "The Arrangement" on the album), but the comparisons end there as her striking melodies and honest, insightful lyrics are every bit her own."
  
  "The disc opens with the sweeping melody of the title track but then goes to a number of different styles, high-lighted by the country influenced "The Good Daughter," the lovely, wistful "With June Comes the Memory" and the rollicking "S-Curve Roads" with Duke Levine's subtle mandolin work in the background."
  
  "We are fortunate to live in an area that is rich with talented singer-songwriters and we can now add Goodspeed to this esteemed group. Don't miss this chance to see her live"

• Perfectly shaped, passionate vocals [+ Show ]
  

  "Once I looked at the credits on the CD liner, I was no longer surprised at the aural excellence sur..."Once I looked at the credits on the CD liner, I was no longer surprised at the aural excellence surrounding
  Jenny Goodspeed's perfectly shaped, passionate vocals. Signature Records -- Always quality. There's Jim Henry
  and Duke Levine on guitars. Beth Amsel on backup vocal, Seth Glier on keyboards. There's a solidity to
  Goodspeed's lyrical poetry and more than a little bit of Joni Mitchell in her voice as she sings: "And the tide rolls in /
  Whether or not I see you again / And the salt green gray / Comes right to my doorstep then / follows the moon
  back to the sea / With or without me." What a pleasure. What a great find."

• The best melodies you'll hear [+ Show ]
  

  "Jenny Goodspeed has an angelic voice and writes, hands down, the best melodies you'll hear. I think..."Jenny Goodspeed has an angelic voice and writes, hands down, the best melodies you'll hear. I think you're going to love her."

• A truly special album [+ Show ]
  

  "Ye gawdz, I'm just LOVING this album! It's just SO perfect for my show, and totally appropriate for..."Ye gawdz, I'm just LOVING this album! It's just SO perfect for my show, and totally appropriate for these slightly-crisp almost-fall evenings! This is a truly special album."
  

• Great set! [+ Show ]
  

  "Thank you so much for doing such a great job for us at the Nameless last night. I just love your vo..."Thank you so much for doing such a great job for us at the Nameless last night. I just love your voice and your material. Great set!"

• This CD needs to be in your collection. [+ Show ]
  

  "This is her first CD, but hopefully not her last. It’s amazing how easily this music will become ..."This is her first CD, but hopefully not her last. It’s amazing how easily this music will become a part of you. This CD needs to be in your collection."
  

• I'm glad she's back. [+ Show ]
  

  "My first impression was that her voice reminded me of early Dar Williams. She has that deep alto vo..."My first impression was that her voice reminded me of early Dar Williams. She has that deep alto voice that has a teensy but of a trill to it…some times more apparent than at others. Mostly when she hits the higher notes. "The Good Daughter" is very catchy and has a great banjo part. I can easily imagine this one on the radio. "Compass" is another one I Like. It's got some great guitar finger picking. I know Jenny was out of the biz for a while, but I'm glad she's back."

• What fans are saying about ... [+ Show ]
  

  "This is a superb piece of work - beautiful melodies, excellent instrumentation and a lovely, lovely..."This is a superb piece of work - beautiful melodies, excellent instrumentation and a lovely, lovely sound. And I think it will stand the test of time sounding as good ten and twenty years hence as it does now."
  
  
  “Reworked my 6-CD changer yesterday and Under the Ash Tree stayed. Make of that what you will, I think it's a fantastic record. I'm not kidding when I say that it's one of my favorite releases of 2008.”
  
  
  “This is a wonderful CD. It's great to finally have her songs recorded so I can listen to them over and over, it's tops in my CD player. I had the pleasure of seeing her live in concert in Wisconsin recently and a great time was had by all”
  
  
  “I continue to listen this record without tiring of it, and when one of the songs pops up in shuffle mode between Suzanne Vega and Joni and the Indigo Girls and Eva Cassidy, Jenny fits right in.”
  
  
  “She makes it seem so easy, it's almost spooky. How many other songwriters can do that? I mean, not counting Loudon Wainwright III, Richard Thompson, and Joni Mitchell. "
  
  
  “Jenny's gorgeous voice punctuates her perceptive lyrics. The layered harmonies that are created intertwine with excellent session guitar. S-Curve Roads has become a personal favorite, with the catchy chorus cajoling the listener, daring you to try and NOT sing along with this lovely tune. The Good Daughter highlights a wonderful duet with the equally talented Beth Amsel. The song I have known the longest, Under the Ash Tree, remains one of my all time favorites. This anthem to being alone is one of the best break-up songs ever. Beautifully arranged harmonies, again a theme on this CD, anchor these excellent lyrics. Do you sense a theme here? Well, yes! This CD is a wonderful listen, from the first strains of Under the Ash Tree to the last breath of S-Curve Roads. I dare you to not sing along!”
  
  
  “I want to hear Under the Ash Tree and Compass and the Arrangement (nicely edgy!) and Mainesong and Ease Into this Love, and Jonah on my local radio outlet soon!”
  
  
  “Her new CD is just wonderful. Jenny is my new Joni [Mitchell] these days. I listen to her more than anyone else. “
  
  
  “I really enjoy this blend of both soothing and rockin’ songs! Like a female Johnny Cash, Jenny’s sultry, sexy stories with an attitude pull you right in. The harmonies are beautiful. “

Setlist

Two 45-60 minute sets (with or without covers)

Original songs include:
Under the Ash Tree
Compass
More Than Friends
Mainesong
With June Comes the Memory
The Good Daughter
Jonah
Ease Into This Love
Broken
S-Curve Roads
Ten Past Four
Leaving You Was Like Quitting My Day Job
Lookout Ledge
Feels Like Home

Covers include songs like:
The Arrangement, Joni Mitchell
Ladies of the Canyon, Joni Mitchell
Feet Fall on the Road, Bruce Cockburn
Way Out West, Mary McCaslin
Circle Around the Sun, James Taylor
There's a Light Beyond These Woods, Nanci Griffith

Basic Requirements

Calendar