User:Wmmarc/Julianna Raye

Julianna Raye is an American born Singer-songwriter.

Biography
New York born and east coast raised, Raye grew up with a creative talent that sought every opportunity for expression. Her early years included singing lessons and theater, but for a daughter of two family therapists, an arts career was simply not considered a viable option.

Raye attended Duke University as a psych major because, she recalls, "it seemed like the responsible thing to do." But when she attended a summer theater workshop, "I felt like I was breathing again," continues Raye. "It was then I realized where my passion lay and I wanted to pursue it at all cost."

Julianna relocated to Los Angeles and it wasn’t long before she got a break guest-starring on an ABC series. Just a few short months later, she signed on as a solo artist with Warner Brothers. To hear her tell it, "I thought I would be an actress. That was my original goal, although my dad said I should be a singer right from the start. I remember thinking he was nuts." Julianna’s debut album, Something Peculiar, was produced by Jeff Lynne (Travelling Wilburys, ELO), who met Raye through her cousin, composer, Michael Kamen. Lynne was so taken by her voice and songs, he offered to produce Julianna’s album. Signed to Warner Brothers by Lenny Waronker, Something Peculiar met with great critical acclaim. It was described by Spin magazine as "a pop rock diamond in the rough… Raye’s luminous voice and cinematic tales of love, dreams and life carry the day." Something Peculiar was also voted one of NPR’s top ten records of the year.

After Waronker’s departure from Warner Brothers, Raye was left without a label home and with a very uncertain professional future; it took over eight years for her to release her next album. In one of those rare, defining moments in an artist’s career, she re-emerged from a process of self-discovery and a string of dissatisfying major label flirtations with the brilliant independent release, Restless Night. Working for the first time with Ethan Johns as producer, she crafted an enticing foray into the wearisome search for love amidst the creeping vapors of Los Angeles nightlife.

In true indie fashion, Raye and Johns put together a website, pressed up cds and sent out some packages. Before long, Billboard, NPR and Entertainment Weekly had picked up on the cd with glowing reviews, the latter describing it as "languidly gorgeous." Next came the official thumbs up from harbinger of cool, KCRW’s Morning Becomes Eclectic and a full-page article in defining alternative paper, the L.A. Weekly.

Then Johns ran into the legendary Don Henley at a party. When Henley requested a copy of his latest Ryan Adams project, Johns took the opportunity to slip him Restless Night. Henley was so impressed by what he heard he invited Julianna to open for him on his solo shows for the next couple of years, which included dates with another icon, Stevie Nicks. Raye also toured Europe as a member of Rufus Wainwright’s band (she has also opened his shows), and sang on Wainwright’s Release the Stars. Her most recent release, Dominoes (2009) was nominated for an Independent Music Award for Best Concept Album and was hand selected by Peter Gabriel for inclusion in his elite Bowers & Wilkins Music Club. Julianna’s songwriting credits include collaborations with Rufus Wainwright, Ryan Adams, Ross Godfrey (Morcheeba), composers Michael Kamen and Paul Haslinger and writer/director Rod Lurie. In addition to singing on Wainwright’s releases she can be heard on Ryan Adams’ cds, Gold, Demolition and 48 Hours (all produced by Johns) and is featured on Van Dyke Parks’ tribute to Haruomi Hosono, Yellow Magic, Robin Danar’s Altered States, and singer/songwriter AM’s Side by Side. Her wide range of collaborators proves that her talent transcends terms like independent or mainstream.

It’s not just musicians who have fallen for Julianna’s voice and songs. Raye’s music has been featured in numerous films and television shows. Dewberry Wine from her Dominoes release, was placed in the Charlize Theron film The Burning Plain, directed by Guillermo Arriaga, the writer of Babel and 21 Grams. Director Rod Lurie asked her to co-write two songs, Land of Quiet Poems and Every Eden for his 2007 release, Resurrecting the Champ, starring Josh Hartnett and Samuel L Jackson (which she performed at the Sundance Film Festival). Holding All My Love for You, a song she co-wrote with composer Michael Kamen, can be heard over the end credits to the Kevin Costner directed film, Open Range, starring Costner, Robert Duvall and Annette Bening.

Says Raye, "I’ve spent a lot of my time in the music business searching and experimenting. I feel fortunate to have had that opportunity because of all the wondrous places I’ve been led. I've been exposed to an incredible diversity of experience and opportunities and I look forward to wherever my musical journey takes me next."

Discography
 Something Peculiar Restless Night Dominoes Robin Danar: Altered States AM: Side By Side, Duets Vol 1 The Best is Yet to Come: The Songs of Cy Coleman Open Range Soundtrack 

Guest Vocals
<li>Ryan Adams: Gold, Demolition, 48 Hours</li> <li>Rufus Wainwright: Release the Stars, Poses</li> <li>Van Dyke Parks: Tribute to Haruomi Hosono</li> <li>Joe Cocker: Hymn For My Soul</li> <li>Tift Merrit: Bramble Rose</li> <li>Scott Thomas: Lovers and Thieves</li>

Multimedia
Julianna Raye and Chris Stills perform Every Eden I'll Get You Back from Something Peculiar Julianna Raye and Ethan Johns interview for Dominoes Bowers and Wilkins online press kit for Dominoes YouTube