Joanie Leeds and The Nightlights

Artist Information

Biography

People Magazine says about Joanie Leeds & The Nightlights' What A Zoo!: "Animal-Crazed kids will dig these new tunes, including "Mosquitoes", "Tofurky Song" and "Froggie Went a Courtin'," a swingy spin on the classic children's ballad."

*NAPPA GOLD Winner for 'What A Zoo!' Album

*Recommended Parents' Choice Award for 'What A Zoo!'

*IMA Winner (Independent Music Award) for song 'More Cowbell'

*GOLD Parents Choice Award Winner for 'I'm A Rock Star'

*NAPPA Honors Award for 'I'm A Rock Star'

*John Lennon Songwriting Award finalist for 'I'm A Rock Star'

*Recommended Parents' Choice Award for 'City Kid'

*USA Songwriting Competition Finalist for 'I'm A Rock Star'

*3 Telly Awards for DVD, 'City Kid Live'

What Makes Joanie Rock?
Gifted with a soulful, “rock solid” voice and an instinctive knack for capturing the essence of any style she goes for, Joanie Leeds has delivered, with each new release, music that speaks to kids in a friendly, non-patronizing way and is imbued with artistic values that thrill admiring adults. Her presentation is notable for its child-appropriate clarity, yet vocally Joanie soars easily through a remarkable array of styles with such an enviable power and dexterity that it’s easy to forget her intended audience is under age 10. Joanie truly rocks! Time Out New York Kids enthused about I’m a Rock Star, “The title track – with its hint of mid-career Alanis Morissette – is a terrific jam, while the rocking-chair anthem ‘Give Me a Hug’ is a tender, parent-pleasing tune … if she can win over my discerning kid, then Joanie Leeds is indeed a rock star.”

The Washington Post named Joanie Leeds’ 2010 release, I’m a Rock Star, one of the best kids’ CDs of the year. In addition to winning a Parents’ Choice® Gold Award, the album was honored with a NAPPA Award, its title track was a finalist in both the John Lennon Songwriting Contest and the USA Songwriting Competition, and the song “More Cowbell” reached #1 on WXPN’s Kids Corner. Joanie’s songs have been spinning regularly on dozens of “kindie rock” radio programs and podcasts, including Sirius/XM’s Kids Place Live.

Joanie has played many venues all around the country with her band: California, Tennessee, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, New Jersey, New York... but her favorite venues she rocked out were: World Cafe Live, Longwood Gardens, Manhattan and Brooklyn Children's Museum, Bronx Zoo, Tribeca Film Festival, 92 Y Tribeca, Housing Works, XPoNential Fest.

Previous to I’m a Rock Star, Joanie released two albums for adult listeners: My Job Application Knows More About Me Than You Do (2000) and Soul From My Footsteps (2004), a Parent’s Choice® Recommended children’s album, City Kid! (2008), and a children’s holiday CD, Challah, Challah (2009). Joanie’s City Kid Live! DVD, released in 2010, won three Telly Awards.

Her destiny became obvious to Joanie Leeds parents when, at the tender age of two, Joanie grabbed a band mic at a party and belted out the entire song 'Tomorrow' from Annie. Jaws dropped! No one could remember ever hearing a big voice like that coming from one so tiny.

As a musical theatre major at Syracuse University, Joanie began composing her own songs. After graduation, she did the New York City thing, bartending at The Bitter End when not onstage performing. While making the rounds as a singer/songwriter in New York clubs (her favorites were The Bitter End, The Living Room, Arlene's Grocery and CBGBs), Joanie tried her hand at about ten different day gigs until a friend suggested that she get a job where she could sing with kids during the day and perhaps sleep at night. You could say that Joanie found (as in discovered) herself, managing one of the Manhattan Gymboree locations and singing with and for kids all day long. The nocturnal club scene was fun, but making music with children was real fun.

Instrumentation

Dan Barman - Percussion; Drums
Thomas Bryan Eaton - Elec guitar
Joanie Leeds - Guitar, Piano, Lead Vocals
Scott Stein - keys
Matt Aronoff - Bass

Discography

'What A Zoo'
Released April 12th, 2011

'I'M A ROCK STAR'
Released March 23rd 2010

'CHALLAH, CHALLAH'
Released Sept 2009

'CITY KID!'
Released January 2008
2008 Parents' Choice Winner

'SOUL FROM MY FOOTSTEPS'
(Grown up Album)
Released in 2004

'MY JOB APPLICATION KNOWS MORE ABOUT ME THAN YOU DO'
(Grown up Album)
Released in 2000

Links

• Facebook
• Twitter
• Joanie Leeds Website
• Joanie Leeds YouTube Page

Audio

• Happy As a Clam
  Listen  
• I'm A Rock Star
  Listen  
• I Wanna Be Green
  Listen  
• Mosquitoes
  Listen  
• More Cowbell
  Listen  
• Froggie Went A Courtin’ (Featuring Secret Agent 23 Skidoo)
  Listen  
• All The Animals
  Listen  
• Blast Off
  Listen  
• Sushi
  Listen  
• Hummingbird
  Listen  
• My Butterfly
  Listen  

Lyrics

• Im A Rock Star
• Sunglasses
• More Cowbell
• I Wanna Be Green
• Give Me a Hug
• I Like Jazz
• En Espanol
• Put a Little Smile on Your Face
• Sushi
• Blast Off
• Happy As A Clam
• Mosquitoes
• Hummingbird
• My Butterfly

Video

Hey Little Sun

Photo Gallery

Press

• Animal-Crazed kids will dig these new tunes! [+ Show ]
  

  Joanie Leeds & The Nightlights What A Zoo! "Animal-Crazed kids will dig these new tunes, including ...Joanie Leeds & The Nightlights What A Zoo!
  "Animal-Crazed kids will dig these new tunes, including "Mosquitoes", "Tofurky Song" and "Froggie Went a Courtin'," a swingy spin on the classic children's ballad." -Michelle Tauber

• Top Children's CDs of 2011 [+ Show ]
  

  "Kids -- and parents -- will definitely learn a thing or two about animals with this indie rock CD t..."Kids -- and parents -- will definitely learn a thing or two about animals with this indie rock CD that's fun from start to finish."

• Joanie Leeds & the Nightlights What a Zoo! [+ Show ]
  

  "Local chanteuse Joanie Leeds's latest will be a hit with young zoologists in the making—every song ..."Local chanteuse Joanie Leeds's latest will be a hit with young zoologists in the making—every song on the CD features a different animal friend. Listen up for a take on the traditional "Froggie Went a Courtin'" with an appearance from rapper Secret Agent 23 Skidoo, a cover of the Phish song "Possum" and the sweet original "My Butterfly."

• She's likely to completely ROCK THE ROOF OFF YOUR HOUSE! [+ Show ]
  

  “Joanie Leeds is that cool babysitter who would let you try on her lip gloss once your mom left the ...“Joanie Leeds is that cool babysitter who would let you try on her lip gloss once your mom left the house. You idolized her, and your mom knew she could trust her. That’s Joanie. Only she’s also likely to completely ROCK THE ROOF OFF YOUR HOUSE! And a ticket to her show just might run you a few clams less than an hour of babysitting in 2011.”

• I'm A Rock Star picked as one of Washington Post's Top CDs of the Year! [+ Show ]
  

  "Electric guitars and Leeds's belting vocals make this rock-and-roll. You won't be able to resist th..."Electric guitars and Leeds's belting vocals make this rock-and-roll. You won't be able to resist the urge to sing along pretending your hairbrush is a microphone. Most of the tunes provide you with a great way to free your inner rock star".

• Joanie Leeds and the Nightlights
  

  "Her band may be called the Nightlights, but there’s nothing soporific about the music."

• Shine the Light [+ Show ]
  

  "There’s nothing better than a rock band for kids that can make grown-ups laugh, and with tunes like..."There’s nothing better than a rock band for kids that can make grown-ups laugh, and with tunes like “The Tofurky Song” and “Mosquitoes,” Joanie Leeds and the Nightlights pull it off."

• Here’s our guide to today’s top albums [+ Show ]
  

  "With her rich, powerful soprano, Leeds belts out these original and traditional songs about crocodi..."With her rich, powerful soprano, Leeds belts out these original and traditional songs about crocodiles, hummingbirds, whales, and even mosquitoes. The especially appealing tune “Happy As a Clam” features playful animal idioms and phrases, such as “cat’s got your tongue” and “snug as a bug in a rug.” Other albums: I’m a Rock Star and City Kid."

• Music to our Ears [+ Show ]
  

  "Joanie Leeds and the Nightlights' latest CD, What a Zoo!, is one of those albums that you can liste..."Joanie Leeds and the Nightlights' latest CD, What a Zoo!, is one of those albums that you can listen to over and over again and find something new to appreciate each time."

Setlist

Joanie Leeds' interactive, movement infused and story song filled shows last typically 45 minutes.

Tunes are appropriate for ages 0-9 and the parents they bring along.

Joanie will be rockin' mostly originals from her CDs (Mosquitoes, Hello Everyone, Sunglasses, Sushi, Popcorn, Pretend, Blast Off, I Like Jazz, Put A Little Smile on your Face...) and will also play some well known cover tunes; 'Our House', 'Car Car Song' and the most requested by the adults... 'Joanie's Top 10 Rock and Roll Songs' in which sings the chorus' of 10 her top 10 favorite Rock and Roll songs.

Twisted Sister- We're not Gonna Take It
Rolling Stones- Satisfaction
Kiss- I Wanna Rock and Roll all Nite
G&R- Paradise City
Joan Jett- I Love Rock & Roll
Kingsman- Louie Louie
Pat Benatar- Hit Me With Your Best Shot
Journey- Don't stop believing
Bob Dylan- Like a Rolling Stone
Beatles- Hey Jude

Oh Yeah!

Basic Requirements

Calendar