Joan Osborne facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Joan Osborne
Osborne performing in 2009
Background information
Birth name	Joan Elisabeth Osborne
Born	(1962-07-08) July 8, 1962 (age 63) Anchorage, Kentucky, U.S.
Genres	Rock folk country rock blues R&B
Occupation(s)	Musician songwriter
Instruments	Vocals guitar
Years active	1989–present
Labels	Polydor Mercury Interscope PolyGram Universal Music

Joan Elizabeth Osborne (born July 8, 1962) is an American singer and songwriter. She is famous for her powerful voice and her ability to sing many different styles of music, including rock, pop, soul, blues, and country.

Many people know her for her 1995 hit song "One of Us". The song was written by Eric Bazilian and appeared on her album Relish. The song and the album were popular all over the world. They earned her seven Grammy Award nominations. Osborne also toured with the famous Motown band the Funk Brothers. She was even in a movie about them called Standing in the Shadows of Motown.

Music Career

Starting Out in New York City

Joan Osborne grew up in Anchorage, Kentucky, which is a suburb of Louisville. In the late 1980s, she moved to New York City to study filmmaking at New York University. To pay for college, she took time off from her studies to work.

One night, she went to a club and sang at an "open mic" night just for fun. The other musicians there were so impressed that they encouraged her to come back. Soon, she was singing every week at different clubs in New York. She started her own band and became part of a lively music scene.

Rise to Fame

In 1991, Osborne started her own record label called Womanly Hips. She released her first album, Soul Show: Live at Delta 88, and began touring in the Northeastern United States. This helped her build a strong group of fans.

Her big break came when she signed with Mercury Records. In 1995, she released her first major album, Relish. The album became a huge success because of the single "One of Us". Other songs from the album, like "Right Hand Man" and "St. Teresa", also became popular. In 1997, she was one of the main performers at the Lilith Fair music festival.

Working with Other Artists

Phil Lesh, Osborne, and Bob Weir playing together in 2003.

Throughout her career, Osborne has worked with many other famous musicians. In 2002, she was in the movie Standing in the Shadows of Motown and toured with the legendary Motown band, the Funk Brothers.

In 2003, she toured with the country group the Dixie Chicks. During that time, she also became a singer for the rock band The Dead. She has also performed many times with the band Phil Lesh and Friends.

Osborne has also recorded songs for tribute albums, honoring artists like Dolly Parton and Bob Dylan. She sang on albums by other artists, including the Chieftains and Vivian Campbell of Def Leppard.

Later Albums and Projects

Osborne has continued to release new music. In 2007, she released a soul music album called Breakfast in Bed. Her 2012 album, Bring It On Home, was a collection of classic blues and soul songs. It was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Blues Album.

She was also a member of the band Trigger Hippy with Steve Gorman from The Black Crowes. They released their first album in 2014. Osborne left the group in 2018 to focus on her solo work.

Her more recent albums include Love and Hate (2014), Songs of Bob Dylan (2017), Trouble and Strife (2020), and Nobody Owns You (2023).

Personal Life

Osborne in 2018

Osborne grew up in Kentucky but has lived in New York City for many years. She feels a strong connection to the city, especially the borough of Brooklyn. She has said that her neighborhood has influenced her music. She is also a big fan of American poetry, especially the work of Walt Whitman.

She was raised in a Roman Catholic family. As a child, she wanted to become a priest but was told that women were not allowed to be priests in the Catholic Church. Today, she thinks of herself as a spiritual person who is influenced by both Buddhism and Christianity.

Osborne has a daughter who was born in December 2004. She is also known for her activism and supports causes she believes in, such as organizations that help with women's health.

Awards and Nominations

Grammy Awards

• "One of Us" was also nominated for the Grammy Award for Song of the Year. This award is given to the songwriter, Eric Bazilian.

Other Awards and Nominations

Discography

• Relish (1995)
• Early Recordings (1996)
• Righteous Love (2000)
• How Sweet It Is (2002)
• Christmas Means Love (2005)
• Pretty Little Stranger (2006)
• Breakfast in Bed (2007)
• Little Wild One (2008)
• Bring It On Home (2012)
• Love and Hate (2014)
• Songs of Bob Dylan (2017)
• Trouble and Strife (2020)
• Nobody Owns You (2023)

See also

In Spanish: Joan Osborne para niños

• List of 1990s one-hit wonders in the United States