Judee Sill facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Judee Sill
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Sill in 1971
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Judith Lynne Sill |
| Born | October 7, 1944 Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
| Died | November 23, 1979 (aged 35) Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
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| Years active | 1960s–1970s |
| Labels | Asylum |
Judith Lynne Sill (born October 7, 1944 – died November 23, 1979) was an American singer and songwriter. She was inspired by classical music, especially Johann Sebastian Bach. Her songs often included ideas from Christian stories about hope and new beginnings.
Judee Sill was the first artist to sign with David Geffen's new music company, Asylum Records. She released her first album, Judee Sill, in 1971. Her second album, Heart Food, came out in 1973. In 1974, she recorded some songs for a third album, but it was never finished.
Judee Sill passed away in 1979. Her music was not very popular during her lifetime. However, many musicians today say she has influenced their work. Her unfinished songs and other rare recordings were released in 2005 as the album Dreams Come True.
Contents
Judee Sill's Life Story
Early Years
Judith Lynne Sill was born in Studio City, Los Angeles, California, on October 7, 1944. She spent her early childhood in Oakland, California. Her father, Milford "Bud" Sill, imported animals for movies. He also owned a bar where Judee learned to play the piano.
When her father passed away in 1952, Judee's mother, Oneta, moved with Judee and her brother to Los Angeles. There, Oneta married Kenneth Muse, an animator who worked on Tom and Jerry cartoons.
Judee described her home life after her mother remarried as unhappy. She moved from a public high school to a private school. There, she met other teenagers who were also rebellious. Judee faced some difficulties and spent time in a special school. While there, she played the church organ and learned a lot of gospel music.
After leaving the school, Judee briefly studied art at a junior college. She also played piano in the school orchestra and worked in a piano bar. In 1964, her mother passed away. Judee then left college and moved out of her stepfather's home. She later faced more difficulties and spent time in custody. After being released, she started working as a songwriter.
Music Career
Judee Sill met famous musicians like Graham Nash and David Crosby. She even toured with them as their opening act, performing before their main show. After some interest from another record company, David Geffen offered her a contract with his new company, Asylum Records.
She sold one of her songs, "Lady-O," to the band the Turtles. Judee was also featured on the cover of Rolling Stone magazine, which was a big deal for musicians.
Graham Nash helped produce her first single, "Jesus Was a Cross Maker." It was released to radio stations on October 1, 1971. Her first album, Judee Sill, came out on September 15, 1971. On this album, Judee used her voice in many layers, sometimes like a four-part choir or a fugue (a complex musical style). She worked with engineer Henry Lewy, who was known for his work with Joni Mitchell.
Judee performed live to promote her album, opening for Jimmy Webb. Even though her live shows were well-liked, the album did not sell many copies. In early 1973, she was the support act for Roy Harper on a tour in the UK.
Judee Sill took charge of the music arrangements for her second album, Heart Food. This album included the song "The Donor." Heart Food was released in March 1973. Critics praised it, but it still did not sell well. This led to the end of her work with David Geffen and Asylum Records.
Friends of Judee said she found it hard to deal with low album sales and negative reviews. She also disliked performing as an opening act. Judee and David Geffen's working relationship became difficult. She continued to write songs. In 1974, she began recording new music for a third album. However, her music was not seen as popular enough at the time.
Judee also started to focus on other interests, like theosophy (a spiritual philosophy) and animals. In the mid-1970s, she worked as a cartoonist for a short time. Her 1974 recordings were never finished. Many years after her passing, these unfinished songs were mixed by Jim O'Rourke. They were released in 2005, along with other rare recordings, as the album Dreams Come True.
Later Life and Passing
Judee Sill's life had many challenges. She was affected by the early deaths of her father, mother, and brother. She had a close friendship with David Geffen, and even wrote "David Geffen, I love you" in the notes for her first album. However, their friendship became difficult after she made some comments about not getting enough support for her second UK tour.
After some health issues, Judee left the music scene. She passed away on November 23, 1979, in her apartment in North Hollywood. Her ashes were scattered into the Pacific Ocean. At the time of her passing, she was not well-known, so no obituary was published. Many of her friends did not even know she had passed away for a long time. In 2020, The New York Times finally published an obituary for her.
Musical Style
Judee Sill had classical music training. She blended her love for classical composers like Bach with the music style popular in California in the 1970s. She called her style "country-cult-baroque." This means it mixed country music, folk music, and the grand, detailed style of baroque classical music.
Judee believed that music's purpose was to honor God. While her music is not Christian rock, it often talks about Christian beliefs. It uses Christ as a symbol for a longed-for love. Her songs often used Christian symbols, showing a deep spiritual side. The Washington Post described her music as "intensely devotional."
Influence and Legacy
Even though Judee Sill's music was not a big commercial success, many songwriters today admire her work. Some of these artists include Andy Partridge, Liz Phair, Warren Zevon, Shawn Colvin, Steven Wilson, Robin Pecknold, Daniel Rossen, Bill Callahan, and Terra Spencer.
Nick Lowe said that Judee's song "Jesus Was a Crossmaker" influenced his own song, "(What's So Funny 'Bout) Peace, Love, and Understanding". In 2004, music critic Barney Hoskyns wrote that Judee's songs like "The Pearl" and "The Phoenix" were "as beautiful" as those by Nick Drake. He noted that her songs were even more complex and well-trained.
In 2016, the music group case/lang/veirs released an album with a song about Judee Sill called "Song for Judee." This song, written by Laura Veirs, talks about the challenges Judee faced in her life. It also mentions Judee's song "The Kiss" from her album Heart Food.
Music Released After Her Passing
In 2005, Judee Sill's unfinished recordings were released. These were mixed by Jim O'Rourke and came out as Dreams Come True, a two-CD set. Also in 2005, her two original albums, Judee Sill and Heart Food, were re-released as CDs with extra songs.
In 2006, a collection of her songs called Abracadabra: The Asylum Years was released. The Guardian newspaper gave it a perfect rating. They wrote that "in death [Sill] is slowly finding the audience she always wanted." In 2007, an album of Judee's live performances for the BBC was released. It was called Live in London: The BBC Recordings 1972–1973.
In 2022, a documentary film about Judee Sill called Lost Angel: The Genius of Judee Sill was finished. It is expected to be released more widely in 2024. This film took nine years to make and includes all known information about Judee, including new interviews and her personal journals.
Discography
Studio albums
- Judee Sill (1971)
- Heart Food (1973)
Other albums
- Dreams Come True (2005)
- Abracadabra: The Asylum Years (2006)
- Live in London: The BBC Recordings 1972–1973 (2007)
- Songs of Rapture and Redemption: Rarities & Live (2018)
See also
In Spanish: Judee Sill para niños
