Liz Phair facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Liz Phair
Phair performing live in 2018
Background information
Birth name	Elizabeth Clark Phair
Also known as	Girly-Sound
Born	(1967-04-17) April 17, 1967 (age 58) New Haven, Connecticut, U.S.
Origin	Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
Genres	Indie rock lo-fi alternative rock pop rock
Occupation(s)	Singer-songwriter
Instruments	Vocals guitar piano
Years active	1990–present
Labels	Warner Chappell Chrysalis Matador Rocket Science ATO Capitol PAX AM

Elizabeth Clark Phair (born April 17, 1967) is an American singer, songwriter, and musician. She is known for her unique rock and alternative music style. Liz Phair grew up in the Chicago area. After college, she started making her own music tapes. These tapes helped her get a record deal with Matador Records.

Her first album, Exile in Guyville, came out in 1993. It was very popular and is considered one of the greatest albums ever by Rolling Stone magazine. Liz Phair continued to release successful albums like Whip-Smart (1994) and Whitechocolatespaceegg (1998). Her song "Why Can't I?" became a big hit in 2003. She has sold over three million records around the world.

Early Life and Education

Liz Phair was born in New Haven, Connecticut, on April 17, 1967. She was adopted at birth by Nancy and John Phair. Her mother was a historian, and her father was a doctor who studied infectious diseases. Liz has an older brother, who was also adopted. She has said that her parents were very good about telling her she was adopted.

Phair lived in Cincinnati until she was nine years old. Then, her family moved to Winnetka, Illinois, near Chicago. She went to New Trier High School. After high school, she attended Oberlin College in Oberlin, Ohio. She graduated in 1990 with a degree in art history.

Music Career Beginnings

1990–1992: Creating Girly Sound Tapes

Liz Phair started her music journey after college. She met guitarist Chris Brokaw and later moved back to Chicago. In her bedroom, she began writing songs and recording them. She used a special four-track tape recorder for these early songs. She called these recordings "Girly Sound."

She became friends with other musicians in the Chicago alternative music scene. She also met Brad Wood, who would later help produce her albums.

1992–2003: Exile in Guyville and Success

Liz Phair contacted Matador Records, an independent music label. She sent them a tape with six of her Girly Sound songs. The co-president of Matador Records, Gerard Cosloy, was very impressed. He said the songs were "amazing" and "really smart." He offered her a contract, which was unusual since they hadn't met her or seen her perform live.

Her first album, Exile in Guyville, was released in 1993. Liz Phair and Brad Wood produced it together. The album received excellent reviews from music critics. It became known for its unique sound and honest lyrics.

Her second album, Whip-Smart, came out in 1994. It was also very popular and reached number 27 on the music charts. The song "Supernova" became a Top 10 modern rock hit. Its music video was often played on MTV. Liz Phair even appeared on the cover of Rolling Stone magazine. The album sold over 500,000 copies. After Whip-Smart, she released Juvenilia, which included some of her early Girly Sound songs.

In 1994, Liz Phair performed on popular TV shows like Late Night With David Letterman and The Tonight Show with Jay Leno. She also appeared on MTV's 120 Minutes.

In 1995, Liz Phair married film editor Jim Staskauskas. They had a son named James Nicholas Staskauskas in 1996. They later divorced in 2001.

Phair's third album, Whitechocolatespaceegg, was released in 1998. It showed a more grown-up side of her music, reflecting her experiences with marriage and motherhood. She joined the Lilith Fair tour to promote the album. She performed alongside famous artists like Sarah McLachlan and Sheryl Crow.

2003–2007: New Sound and Albums

Phair in concert, October 26, 2005

In 2003, Liz Phair released her fourth album, Liz Phair, with a new record label, Capitol Records. This album had a more polished pop sound, different from her earlier music. She worked with producers known for pop songs. The single "Why Can't I?" became a big hit. Its music video was played a lot on VH1.

Her fifth album, Somebody's Miracle, came out in 2005. This album went back to a more rock sound. After this album, Liz Phair left Capitol Records.

2008–2009: Music for Television

In 2008, Liz Phair re-released Exile in Guyville. This special edition included extra songs and a documentary.

In 2009, Liz Phair started writing music for TV shows. Her childhood friend Mike Kelley asked her to score his show, Swingtown. She also created the theme song for NBC's The Weber Show. She worked on other shows like The 100 and 90210. For her work on 90210, she won an ASCAP award in 2009.

2010–Present: Independent Releases and Tours

In 2010, Liz Phair surprised fans by releasing her new album, Funstyle, independently. This meant she released it herself, without a major record label. She explained that she left her previous label because they didn't know what to do with her new music.

She went on tour to promote Funstyle, playing many songs from her earlier albums. In 2012, she co-wrote a song called "Dotted Line" for the film People Like Us. In 2014, she released a holiday song called "Ho Ho Ho." Capitol Records also released a collection of her greatest hits called Icon.

In 2018, Liz Phair's old label, Matador Records, released a special 25th-anniversary collection for Exile in Guyville. This set, called Girly Sound to Guyville, included remastered versions of her original demo tapes. To celebrate, Liz Phair went on two tours across North America.

In 2019, Liz Phair announced she was working on new music with Brad Wood, who produced her first albums. Her seventh album, Soberish, was released in 2021. Critics praised the album, saying it reminded them of her early successful work.

In 2023, Liz Phair toured to celebrate the 30th anniversary of Exile in Guyville. She performed the entire album live. In 2024, she signed a new publishing deal with Warner Chappell Music.

Personal Life and Books

In 1995, Liz Phair married Jim Staskauskas, and they had a son in 1996. They divorced in 2001. After her divorce, Liz Phair moved from Chicago to Los Angeles, California. She now lives in Manhattan Beach, California.

Liz Phair believes in equal rights for women.

In 2018, Liz Phair signed a deal to publish two books. Her first memoir, Horror Stories, was released in 2019. Reviewers liked her writing and honesty in the book. Her second memoir will be called Fairy Tales.

Discography

• Exile in Guyville (1993)
• Whip-Smart (1994)
• Whitechocolatespaceegg (1998)
• Liz Phair (2003)
• Somebody's Miracle (2005)
• Funstyle (2010)
• Soberish (2021)

Awards

See also

In Spanish: Liz Phair para niños

• List of Oberlin College and Conservatory people