Lisa Loeb facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Lisa Loeb
Loeb in 2013
Background information
Birth name	Lisa Anne Loeb
Born	(1968-03-11) March 11, 1968 (age 57) Bethesda, Maryland, U.S.
Origin	Dallas, Texas, U.S.
Genres	Pop rock folk children's music
Occupation(s)	Singer songwriter musician author actress
Instruments	Guitar vocals
Years active	1989–present
Labels	429 Records, Geffen, A&M, Artemis, Zoë
Associated acts	Liz and Lisa, Duncan Sheik

Lisa Anne Loeb (born March 11, 1968) is an American singer, songwriter, musician, author, and actress. She became famous with her song "Stay (I Missed You)" from the movie Reality Bites. This song was special because it was the first time an artist had a number-one hit on the Billboard Hot 100 chart without having a record deal.

Lisa Loeb also had two other songs that made it into the top 20: "Do You Sleep?" in 1996 and "I Do" in 1998. Her albums Tails and Firecracker both sold enough copies to be "certified gold".

Besides music, Lisa Loeb has appeared in movies and TV shows. She was in the final episode of Gossip Girl and two episodes of Netflix's Fuller House. She also had her own TV shows like Dweezil & Lisa on the Food Network and #1 Single on E! Entertainment Television.

Lisa Loeb has created music and books for children. Her children's album Feel What U Feel won a Grammy Award for Best Children's Music Album in 2018. Her most recent album for adults, A Simple Trick to Happiness, was released in February 2020.

Early Life and Education

Lisa Loeb was born in Bethesda, Maryland, and grew up in Dallas, Texas. Her family is Jewish. Her mother, Gail, was involved with medical societies, and her father, Peter, was a doctor who specialized in digestion. Lisa has a younger sister, Debbie Loeb, who is also a songwriter.

When Lisa was a child, she first learned to play the piano, but later switched to the guitar. She went to The Hockaday School, which is a private school for girls. For two years, she even had her own radio show on a local station. After finishing high school in 1986, she went to Brown University and graduated in 1990 with a degree in comparative literature.

Music Career Journey

Starting Out: Early Bands (1980s–1993)

While at Brown University in the mid-1980s, Lisa Loeb and her friend Elizabeth Mitchell formed a band called Liz and Lisa. Another future singer, Duncan Sheik, played guitar with them. This duo released two independent albums: Liz and Lisa (1989) and Liz and Lisa - Days Were Different (1990).

After college, the band grew to include bassist Rick Lassiter and drummer Chad Fischer. Lisa and Elizabeth eventually went their separate ways. In 1990, Lisa formed a new band called Nine Stories, named after a book by J.D. Salinger. This band included Tim Bright on guitar, Jonathan Feinberg on drums, and Joe Quigley on bass.

In 1992, Lisa worked with producer Juan Patiño to create a cassette tape called Purple Tape. This tape had early versions of songs that would later become popular, like "Do You Sleep?" and "Stay (I Missed You)". Lisa sold these purple tapes at her shows and used them to get attention from music companies. She also performed solo acoustic shows in coffeehouses and rock clubs, building a fan base in cities like New York City, Philadelphia, and Dallas.

Big Break: "Stay (I Missed You)" (1994)

Lisa Loeb's big moment came thanks to her friend, actor Ethan Hawke. They lived across the street from each other in New York City. Lisa gave Ethan a recording of her song "Stay (I Missed You)". Ethan then shared it with director Ben Stiller while they were making the 1994 movie Reality Bites. Stiller loved the song and decided to use it in the film's ending credits.

The song was included on the movie's soundtrack by RCA Records. Ethan Hawke even directed the music video for "Stay (I Missed You)", which was filmed in one continuous shot.

"Stay (I Missed You)" quickly became a number-one hit on the Billboard Hot 100 in the U.S. This was a huge achievement because Lisa Loeb was the first artist to reach number one on that chart without having a record deal yet! The song sold very well, earning "Gold" status. Lisa and her band, Nine Stories, were nominated for a Grammy Award and won "Best International Newcomer" at the Brit Awards.

In 2019, to celebrate 25 years of the song, Lisa released a special red vinyl record of "Stay (I Missed You)". It included some unreleased versions of her songs. Lisa also performed the song at a special screening of Reality Bites with the movie's original cast.

First Albums: Tails and Firecracker (1995–1999)

In September 1995, Lisa Loeb released her first major album, Tails, with her band Nine Stories on Geffen Records. The album included "Stay" and also featured another top 20 hit, "Do You Sleep?". Other popular songs from the album were "Taffy" and "Waiting for Wednesday". Tails was certified Gold in December 1995, meaning it sold over 500,000 copies. Critics liked the album, praising Lisa's ability to create a feeling of closeness and emotion in her music.

In 1997, Lisa released her second album, Firecracker, also on Geffen. For this album, she started using her own name instead of the band name, though she still toured with Nine Stories. Firecracker had the hit single "I Do", which reached #17 on the Billboard Hot 100. This album also went Gold in 2008. After its release, Lisa toured with popular bands like The Wallflowers and Chris Isaak, and performed at the Lilith Fair music festival.

Guest Appearances and Soundtracks (2000–2001)

Lisa Loeb has appeared on many other artists' albums and movie soundtracks. In 2000, she sang "Goodbye to Romance" for an Ozzy Osbourne tribute album. She also contributed to tribute albums for Cher and Shania Twain.

Her music has been featured in several movies and TV shows. The song "How" was in the movies Twister and Jack Frost, and an episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. "We Could Still Belong Together" was on the Legally Blonde soundtrack in 2001, and "I Wish" was in Anywhere But Here (1999).

New Albums: Cake and Pie and Hello Lisa (2002)

In 2002, Lisa Loeb released her third album, Cake and Pie, with A&M/Interscope records. She helped produce the album and worked with famous musicians and producers like Glen Ballard and Dweezil Zappa.

Later in 2002, Lisa signed with a new record label, Artemis Records. They re-released Cake and Pie with new artwork and some changes to the songs, calling it Hello Lisa. The album cover even featured Hello Kitty wearing Lisa's famous glasses! Lisa toured worldwide, making special stops at Sanrio stores and appearing with Hello Kitty at the Japanese MTV Music Awards.

Children's Music: Catch the Moon (2003)

In 2003, Lisa Loeb teamed up again with her college music partner Elizabeth Mitchell to release a children's CD and book called Catch the Moon. The songs on this album are described as "enchanting" and have a gentle, acoustic folk style. Videos from this album, including the song "Jenny Jenkins", were shown on the Noggin TV channel for kids.

The Way It Really Is (2004)

In 2003, Lisa Loeb also lent her voice to the animated TV show Spider-Man: The New Animated Series on MTV, playing the role of Mary Jane Watson.

In 2004, Lisa signed with Zoë/Rounder Records and released her fifth studio album, The Way It Really Is. While this album wasn't as big a commercial success as her earlier ones, critics praised Lisa's strong and mature songwriting. One critic called it "the best, most cohesive record she's made."

Compilations and Purple Tape Re-release (2006–2008)

Performing in Chicago, 2011

A collection of her greatest hits, The Very Best Of Lisa Loeb, was released in January 2006. Lisa also served as a judge for the Independent Music Awards, helping new artists.

In 2008, she re-released her early Purple Tape album as a double CD. This new version included interviews and photos that shared stories about her early music days in New York City.

Camp Lisa Album and Foundation (2008)

In 2008, Lisa released Camp Lisa, an album inspired by her own childhood memories of summer camp. The album features a mix of 21 original and classic camp songs, with guest artists like Steve Martin playing the banjo. The songs have a 1970s rock and pop style. Camp Lisa won several awards and was named one of NPR's top 10 best kids' music albums of 2008.

In July 2010, a children's musical called Camp Kappawanna, based on the songs from Camp Lisa, debuted. Along with the album, Lisa started her own non-profit organization, The Camp Lisa Foundation. This foundation helps kids from less fortunate backgrounds go to summer camp by partnering with SCOPE (Summer Camp Opportunities Promote Education, Inc.).

Children's Books (2011-2013)

In September 2011, Lisa Loeb released her first children's book, Lisa Loeb's Silly Sing-Along: The Disappointing Pancake and Other Zany Songs. The book, illustrated by Ryan O'Rourke, includes activities, dance moves, and recipes, along with a CD of four new songs and six classic ones.

In April 2013, she released a follow-up book, Lisa Loeb's Songs for Movin' and Shakin': The Air Band Song and Other Toe-Tapping Tunes, which she co-wrote with Ryan O'Rourke. This book also came with a CD of both cover songs and original tunes.

No Fairy Tale and Touring (2013–2014)

Lisa's seventh studio album for adults, No Fairy Tale, was released on January 29, 2013. She co-produced this album herself. She also released original singles like "A Holiday Song" and "Light". "Light" is a Hanukkah song that shares a "story of hope in the darkness."

Lisa toured with and without her band, performing in places like Tokyo and Osaka.

Camp Kappawanna Musical (2015)

Lisa co-wrote the songs for Camp Kappawanna, a family musical that premiered in New York on March 21, 2015. The musical tells the story of Jennifer Jenkins, a 12-year-old girl, and was inspired by Lisa's own summer camp memories. The New York Times praised the show as "fresh and funny."

Her song "3, 2, 1, Let Go" was released as a single in April 2015 and was also used in the movie Helicopter Mom, in which Lisa also acted as a high school English teacher. In November 2015, she released the single "Champagne (I'm Ready)", a dance-club style song for New Year's.

Nursery Rhyme Parade! Album (2015)

Loeb performing in 2015

Lisa Loeb's third children's album, Nursery Rhyme Parade!, was released in October 2015. It features 35 classic nursery rhymes and songs, including "The Muffin Man" and "The Farmer in the Dell". The album was praised for its simple melodies and traditional lyrics, appealing to both children and adults. Nursery Rhyme Parade! won a 2016 NAPPA Award (National Parenting Product Awards). In December 2016, Lisa released a long video featuring all the songs from the album.

Feel What U Feel Album and Soundtracks (2016)

In November 2016, Lisa released her fourth children's album, Feel What U Feel. She wrote the songs to share important messages with her own children and other kids. The title track, "Feel What U Feel", featured Craig Robinson from The Office and became a #1 song on SiriusXM's Kids Place Live. This album won the 2018 Grammy Award for Best Children's Music Album.

Lisa also recorded the song "Christmas Cookie Song" for an Amazon holiday special and wrote original songs, including the theme song, for the If You Give A Mouse A Cookie Amazon series.

Lullaby Girl Album and Singles (2017-2019)

In October 2017, Lisa Loeb released the album Lullaby Girl. This album features her versions of classic songs like Dionne Warwick's "What the World Needs Now Is Love" and Fleetwood Mac's "Don't Stop", along with two new original songs. Lullaby Girl won a 2017 National Parenting Product Award.

In 2018, Lisa released a special version of the David Bowie song "All the Young Dudes". In May 2019, Rolling Stone magazine shared Lisa's studio cover of the Bright Eyes song "First Day Of My Life." In July of the same year, Billboard premiered her new song "Love Never Dies", which she wrote as the theme song for author James Patterson's novel, Sophia, Princess Among Beasts.

Recent Works: A Simple Trick to Happiness and Together Apart (2020-2021)

A Simple Trick to Happiness was released on February 28, 2020. This album is very personal to Lisa and features positive, uplifting songs. She was inspired to write this kind of music after creating several children's albums and seeing the challenges of modern life. Before the album's release, she premiered her single "Sing Out" in October 2019, and the music video for "Skeleton" in December 2019. The album received good reviews.

In March 2020, Lisa started #StayAtHomeTogether, a series of live online concerts during the COVID-19 pandemic. She also performed a special virtual show for hospital workers.

In August 2021, a musical called Together Apart premiered. This musical is made up of 10 short mini-musicals about connecting on Zoom during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic. Lisa Loeb came up with the idea for the musical and was an executive producer. She also starred in it, along with other alumni from her college, Brown University, like Julie Bowen and Josh Hamilton. The musical was created to show how theater could still exist during the pandemic, using Zoom as its platform.

That's What It's All About Album (2024)

On August 23, 2024, Lisa Loeb released the children's album That's What It's All About. This album was a collaboration with the band The Hollow Trees and includes both cover songs and original songs.

Film and Television Appearances

Lisa Loeb has appeared in many films and TV shows. In 1989, she was in a low-budget comedy horror film called Tabloid.

She starred with her then-boyfriend Dweezil Zappa in the reality show Dweezil & Lisa, which started in January 2004 on the Food Network. The show followed them as they traveled and tried different foods. Lisa, who is a vegetarian, often joked that she enjoyed eating bacon sometimes.

After her breakup with Dweezil Zappa, Lisa filmed another reality show called #1 Single, which aired in January 2006 on the E! Channel. This show was about her search for love, success, and family.

Lisa has made guest appearances on TV shows like The Nanny (1997) and Cupid (1998). In 1999, she appeared on MADtv. In 2007, she sang "Jenny Jenkins" on Jack's Big Music Show. She also had a guest role on Gossip Girl in 2008 and a cameo on The Sarah Silverman Program. In the final episode of Gossip Girl in 2012, Lisa's character ended up with Rufus Humphrey.

She has also acted in horror films like House on Haunted Hill (1999), Serial ... 4 Dummys (1999), and Fright Night (2011). Lisa has done a lot of voice acting, including the voice of Mary Jane Watson for Spider-Man: The New Animated Series on MTV. She also voiced characters in the video game Grandia Xtreme and for shows like The Rugrats Movie and Shorty McShorts' Shorts. Since 2012, Lisa has been the voice of Princess Winger on the Disney Junior animated series Jake and the Never Land Pirates.

In 2013, Lisa made a cameo in an episode of Workaholics, where her song "Stay (I Missed You)" was mentioned. In 2014, she appeared in the first episode of Last Week Tonight with John Oliver in a short musical sketch.

In 2015, Lisa appeared as Julie, the lead singer of a fake band, in an episode of Community. She also played herself in Hot Tub Time Machine 2. Other shows she has been involved in include Orange Is the New Black, About a Boy, King of the Nerds, Sunny Side Up Show, and Fuller House.

In 2021, Lisa Loeb appeared in a GEICO commercial, singing her hit song "Stay" as if she were auditioning. In 2024, she made a special appearance in That 90s Show, playing herself in a music video for "Stay".

Businesses and Other Work

Lisa Loeb is well-known for her eyeglasses. In November 2010, she launched the Lisa Loeb Eyewear Collection. Each frame style is named after one of her songs, and there are designs for women, young girls, and men.

She also sells her own brand of organic and fair trade coffee called "Wake Up! Brew", named after her song "Everybody Wake Up" from her Camp Lisa album. All the profits from the coffee go to the Camp Lisa Foundation.

In 2017, Lisa created a crossword puzzle with Doug Peterson for The New York Times.

Personal Life

Lisa Loeb dated Dweezil Zappa from 1998 to 2004. She married Roey Hershkovitz in 2009; they met in 2006 during a business meeting for a food TV show. The couple has two children. Her cousin is the New York City drag queen Alexis Michelle, who was a contestant on the ninth season of RuPaul's Drag Race.

In 2023, Lisa Loeb shared on a podcast that she has misophonia, which means certain sounds can bother her a lot.

Awards and Recognition

Discography

Studio Albums

• 1990: Liz and Lisa – Days Were Different (with Elizabeth Mitchell)
• 1992: Purple Tape (re-released in 2008)
• 1995: Tails
• 1997: Firecracker
• 2002: Cake and Pie
• 2002: Hello Lisa (re-release of Cake and Pie)
• 2004: The Way It Really Is
• 2012: No Fairy Tale
• 2017: Lullaby Girl
• 2020: A Simple Trick to Happiness

Children's Albums

• 2003: Catch the Moon (with Elizabeth Mitchell)
• 2008: Camp Lisa
• 2011: Lisa Loeb's Silly Sing-Along: The Disappointing Pancake and Other Zany Songs (songbook featuring a recording)
• 2013: Movin' and Shakin (songbook featuring a recording)
• 2015: Nursery Rhyme Parade!
• 2016: Feel What U Feel
• 2024: That's What It's All About (with The Hollow Trees)

Publishing History

Books

• 2011: Lisa Loeb's Silly Sing-Along: 'The Disappointing Pancake' and Other Zany Songs
• 2013: Lisa Loeb's Songs for Movin' and Shakin'

Plays

• 2021: Together Apart – co-wrote lyrics, co-composed music, stars in, and executive produced
• 2015: Camp Kappawanna – co-wrote lyrics and co-composed music

Filmography

See also

In Spanish: Lisa Loeb para niños