Heather Kropf

Artist Information

Biography

"Heather's music speaks intimately, like a note passed in secret across a crowded room. What she does is at once open-hearted and indirect, with plenty of spaces for the listener to slip inside." - Barry Alfonso

Heather Kropf’s music is a blend of piano-driven folk and radio-friendly pop. A native of the Pacific Northwest, Heather first began performing her songs while earning a degree in Fine Art at Goshen College, Goshen, Indiana. She continued her avid interest in music as a performer and radio DJ after a move to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania where she now resides. Inspired by the early work of Suzanne Vega, Sting, Kate Bush and Edie Brickell, Heather Kropf's 2000 debut release was selected as a runner up to the top 50 albums of the year by WYEP-FM, Pittsburgh. She collaborated with Scott Hull (John Mayer, Steely Dan) to mix and master her 2005 release, and it was named a top Pittsburgh album of the year by WYEP.

Heather Kropf recently released Hestia, an acoustic collection of old and new songs, with instrumentation reminiscent of Joni Mitchell’s For the Roses.

Heather Kropf has shared the stage with a variety of artists, including: Mason Jennings, The Weepies, Betty LaVette, Chris Smither, Carrie Newcomer, Amy Corriea, and Cheryl Wheeler.

Performances:
Heather primarily performs in Western Pennsylvania with scattered shows in the Midwest, Northeast, and occasionally the Southeast. Venues include The Purple Fiddle, Club Cafe, Three Rivers Arts Festival, Carnegie Lecture Hall, Philadelphia Music Conference, and numerous colleges, universities and private events. She is a regular performer at Pittsburgh Cultural Trust's Backstage Bar on Theater Square and a guest host of the AcoustiCafe Open Stage.

Instrumentation

Heather Kropf - Vocals, Piano, Songwriter
Randall Venturini - Bass, Producer/Arranger
Keith Hershberger - Vocals, Acoustic Guitar

Discography

Heather Kropf - Sky
Heather Kropf - What Else is Love
Too Tall Americanos (Heather Kropf and Keith Hershberger) - EP
Heather Kropf - Hestia

Compilations and Singles:
"Cholera" on WYEP, Live & Direct, Vol. 2
"River" on WQED, Live from Studio A - Holiday All-Star Jam
"7 Times" - MKL vs. Soy Sos, Featuring Heather Kropf
"7 Times" - Suits & Dashikis

Links

• Facebook
• MySpace
• Twitter

Audio

• Kite
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• Devolving
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• Wish
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• Shine
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• Poison for Water
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Video

Photo Gallery

Press

• by John Hayes [+ Show ]
  

  Heather Kropf's second independent, self-produced CD plays like the work of a seasoned pro, and she'...Heather Kropf's second independent, self-produced CD plays like the work of a seasoned pro, and she's beginning to realize that people get it. "What Else is Love" crackles with contemporary folk, pop and jazz elements -- bright ideas framed in solid pop sensibilities performed by Kropf on a 1920s Steinway surrounded by electric instruments. Her songs are turning heads in the local singer-songwriter circle, and she scored a rare coup, landing rotation-level airplay on WYEP.

• Year in Review [+ Show ]
  

  Local folk singer and songwriter Heather Kropf pens beautifully detailed songs, teaming them up with...Local folk singer and songwriter Heather Kropf pens beautifully detailed songs, teaming them up with the area's best acoustic players. Kropf represents a new wave of young singers on the edge of representing the region to a wider audience.
  

• Album Review [+ Show ]
  

  The long-awaited second album from the fresh-voiced Kropf, What Else is Love is a multi-faceted aura...The long-awaited second album from the fresh-voiced Kropf, What Else is Love is a multi-faceted aural digest of styles ranging from jazz to folk, to radio friendly pop. Poignant lyrics and enduring melodies carry each song, showcasing Kropf's maturity as a songsmith...After five years, Kropf hits her mark. Definitely worth the wait.
  

• Album Review [+ Show ]
  

  Heather's voice is truly refreshing. A beautiful and standout element is that she is one of the few ...Heather's voice is truly refreshing. A beautiful and standout element is that she is one of the few natural singers that I've heard in recent years. Her melodies are rich and memorable, and she sings them with such strength and yet has a sense of space and openness that is impressive. Phrasing is not a learned thing - it is a truly magical gift that Heather possesses as well.

Setlist

Songs from both of her albums, plus unrecorded/unreleased songs:

Our Lady of Constant Motion
My Clarion
The Letter Song
Out of Our Atmosphere
Poison for Water
Old House Show
Come Spring
Valentine


Cover Tunes (at venues that pay fees to BMI, etc.):
Mindy Smith
Beatles
Nanci Griffith
The Weepies
Allison Kraus
Gillian Welch
Corrine Bailey Rae
Patty Griffin

Basic Requirements

Calendar