Get To Know: Joan Osborne

Joan Osborne was born on July 8, 1962 in a suburb of Lousville, Kentucky. She developed in art as a young child, especially film, leading her to enroll at NYU Tisch to study filmmaking in her mid 20s. Paying through film school on her own, Collins took a semester off in order earn more money for her tuition. Completely by whim, Collins performed at an open-mic night at Abilene’s Night Café, and the other musicians encouraged her to come back. From that point, Collins became deeply immersed in the New York live music scene, performing with bands such as Blues Traveler and artists such as Jeff Buckley.

In 1991, Osborne founded her record label, Womanly Hips, and released a live full-length album, “Soul Show: Live at Delta 88,” touring extensively in the Northeast. She built a strong regional following, and she was known for performing with other New York-based groups on tour.

Osborne remained active in the 2000s, but took a purposeful step back from the limelight that she felt was overwhelming in the mid 1990s. She performed with Phil Lesh and Friends, appearing on the Grand Ole Opry, and releasing albums like “Breakfast in Bed” (2007) and “How Sweet It Is” (2003). Known for her soulful voice, she ventured into diverse musical territories, covering songs by artists like Willie Dixon, Dolly Parton, and contributing to tribute albums. Most notably, Osborne started touring with prolific touring group “The Dead,” formed out of members of the cult-like jam band “The Grateful Dead.” Osborne traveled with “The Dead” as a vocalist for years, earning a status as an honorary member of the band.

Beyond music, Osborne has a long history of political activism, particularly with Planned Parenthood. During her first years in New York City, she volunteered as a clinic escort for her local branch, and she has since organized benefit concerts, mostly based out of New York City.

In recent years, she continued to release new material, including the original albums “Bring it On Home” (2013), “Love and Hate” (2014), the cover album “Songs of Bob Dylan” (2017), and the live compilation “Radio Waves” (2022). “Bring it on Home” earned Osborne a Grammy nomination for Best Blues Album, her first nomination since Relish.