Natalie Merchant

Natalie Anne O'Shea Merchant (born October 26, 1963 in Jamestown, New York, USA) is a professional musician. She joined the alternative rock band 10,000 Maniacs in 1981 and began her solo career in 1993.  Merchant was the lead singer of the band 10,000 Maniacs, joining in its infancy in 1981 while she was a student at Jamestown Community College. She left the band in 1993 to pursue a successful solo career. Her debut solo album Tigerlily (1995) had three Top 40 singles in the U.S.: "Carnival", "Jealousy", and "Wonder". In 1997, she first performed "Planctus", a song for voice and piano written for her by Philip Glass. In 1998, Merchant released Ophelia, supported by co-headlining the concert tour Lilith Fair. The following year she released Live in Concert.

In 2001, Merchant released her album Motherland and went on an extensive tour of North America and Europe. She parted ways with Elektra Records in 2003 and released a folk album of traditional songs called The House Carpenter's Daughter in September of that year on Myth America Records, her own label. Merchant plays the piano, has produced and has written almost all of her songs.  Merchant has sung alongside Michael Stipe, Susan McKeown, David Byrne, Tracy Chapman, Peter Gabriel, amongst many other well known artists. She has also collaborated with Billy Bragg (and Wilco) a number of times, including the 1998 album Mermaid Avenue. Like Bragg, her work touches on social and political themes; and has been active in raising a number of campaigning issues in both her songs and through the causes to which she lends her name.  See Natalie Merchant LIVE!  Purchase your Natalie Merchant tickets today!