Joanie Leeds facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Joanie Leeds
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|---|---|
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| Born |
Joan Leibowitz
October 1, 1978 |
| Occupation | Musician |
| Awards | Grammy |
Joanie Leeds (born Joan Leibowitz in October 1978) is a talented musician who won a Grammy Award! She is famous for making fun and inspiring music for children.
Contents
Early Life and Musical Beginnings
Joanie Leeds grew up in Miami, Florida. As a child, she took voice lessons. She also sang in school choirs and performed in musical theater shows. She taught herself to play the guitar. Joanie even led songs at her summer camp and youth group events.
College and First Album
Joanie studied musical theater and drama at Syracuse University. During college, she started writing her own songs. In her senior year, she recorded her first album. In 2000, she released her first full CD, My Job Application Knows More about Me Than You Do.
Music Career and Children's Albums
After college, Joanie moved to New York City. She worked at a music club called The Bitter End. She sang with her band as a rock musician. Joanie even started her own record label, Limbostar. She also created her own music publishing company.
From Rock to Kids' Music
For seven years, Joanie performed in many clubs. These included The Living Room and CBGB's Gallery. In 2003, she recorded Soul From My Footsteps. A friend suggested she try singing for kids. Joanie found she loved making music with children. She managed a Gymboree Play & Music location.
First Children's Album
In 2006, Joanie started writing songs for kids. She left Gymboree to start her own birthday party business. She sang her original songs at parties. With her musician friends, she released her first children's album, City Kid. This album won a Parents' Choice Award. It featured songs like "Sushi" and "Blast Off".
Touring and New Releases
By 2009, Joanie was performing all over the country. She visited cities like Los Angeles and Miami. She also appeared on radio and TV shows. In September 2009, she released Challah, Challah. This was a special album of Jewish Bluegrass music. She co-wrote it with Matthew Check.
In 2010, Joanie released a DVD called City Kid Live. It included music videos and a live concert. She also released her second children's album, I'm a Rock Star. This album had fun songs like "More Cowbell" and "I Wanna Be Green". The title song was a finalist in The John Lennon Songwriting Contest. She also won an Independent Music Award for it.
Award-Winning Music
Joanie's next album was What a Zoo. It was all about animals. Songs like "Happy As a Clam" and "Tofurky" became popular on radio. The Tofurky company even used "Tofurky" as their holiday theme song. What a Zoo won another Parent's Choice Award. It also received a NAPPA Gold Award. People and Parents magazines named it a top children's CD in 2011.
More Albums and Collaborations
In June 2013, Joanie released Bandwagon. Later that year, her band, Joanie Leeds & The Nightlights, won first place in a songwriting competition. She released Good Egg in 2014. In 2015, she released Meshugana, an album of Jewish-themed songs. She also released a live DVD. Her eighth children's album, Brooklyn Baby!, came out in 2017.
In 2018, Joanie started a new project with Matthew Check. Their duo, Joanie and Matt, released a Folksy-Americana album. It featured modern interpretations of ancient texts.
Grammy Win and Latest Works
Joanie's ninth children's album, All the Ladies, came out on April 3, 2020. This album was all about female empowerment. It included songs about Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg (RBG). The title track featured singer Lisa Loeb. All the Ladies won the Grammy Award for Best Children's Album in 2021.
In November 2022, Joanie released her tenth album, Oy Vey! Another Christmas Album. She co-wrote it with Fyütch. The album celebrates Jewish songwriters who wrote famous Christmas songs. It includes classic remakes and new originals.
Joanie's latest album, fREADom, came out in 2023. It talks about book bans in America. Each song is inspired by a banned children's picture book. The album features The Book Band and guest artists. Joanie also wrote an article for Billboard Magazine about this important topic.
Live Performances
Joanie Leeds performs at many national venues. These include Austin City Limits and Lollapalooza. She has also played at The Kennedy Center and Lincoln Center. Her music is often played on radio stations like Sirius XM.
Discography
Studio Albums
- 'My Job Application Knows More About Me Than You Do' (2000)
- 'Soul From My Footsteps' (2003)
- 'City Kid' (2008)
- 'Challah, Challah' (2009)
- 'I'm a Rock Star' (2010)
- 'What a Zoo' (2011)
- 'Bandwagon' (2013)
- 'Good Egg' (2014)
- 'Meshugana' (2015)
- 'Brooklyn Baby!' (2017)
- 'Sterling' (2019) - Leeds & Matt
- 'All the Ladies' (2020)
- 'Oy Vey! Another Christmas Album' (2022)
- 'fREADom' (2023)
Singles
- RBG (2020)
- Endless Summer (2021)
- Under the Same Stars (2021)
- Like A Maccabee (2021)
- Winter Wonderland (2021)
- Till Midnight (2021)
- A Snowflake's Lament (2023)
- Fauci Ouchie (2022)
- Every Day's a Holiday (2022)
- If Girls Ruled the World REMIX (2023)
- Broadway is My Favorite Sport (2023)
DVDs
- 'City Kid Live' (2010)
- 'Joanie Leeds & The Nightlights- Live from Madison Square Park' (2015)
