About...
“Every word’s a chance to shine a little light.” (One on One, JuliAnne Wright)
JuliAnne Wright began her singer-songwriter career 30 years late - after a brush with brain surgery reawakened old dreams, and fostered a renewed sense of purpose.
Her first song (written at the tender age of 5) was a lively tune about her love of “soup,” and featured a single lyric, accompanied by open chords on her Daddy’s guitar. Now in her 40’s, JuliAnne has greatly expanded her lyrical library, weaving memories & hopes, crafted with heartstrings & piano strings; All told through the lens of her experiences & detours: living in 4 states, 16 years of teaching public school vocal/music, 25 years of marriage to “Mr. (W)right,” and 18 years of being a Mommy to two amazing & musical kids.
The Backstory...
Born in 1970, JuliAnne was one of three children raised in Troy, Ohio by two musical parents (Mom, Linda, sang the lead in her high school musical; Dad, Don, won the John Phillip Sousa award for his saxophone skills & played in a band).
Influenced by the records on Dad’s turntable (like Joan Baez, Elton John, Carole King, Billy Joel, Anne Murray, John Denver), a diverse list of artists from her young adult years in the 1980’s & 90’s (like Tori Amos, 10,000 Maniacs/Natalie Merchant, Jewel, U2, The Cure, REM), as well as current artists (like Florence & the Machine, Mumford & Sons, Christina Perri), JuliAnne’s songs reflect who she has grown into, after all these years... A cross-section of a journey she is still on…
THE NOW...
Since 2012, JuliAnne Wright has been bringing her ‘piano-based pop/rock from the heart’ to Pittsburgh communities & venues (including Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council’s “Art in the Airport” performing arts series), and was honored to be a finalist in WYEP’s Singer Songwriter Contest (2016). Outside of performing, JuliAnne is also a songwriter/producer, landing an international Dove ad with one of her original songs in 2021.
JuliAnne is excited for the October 21 release of her first full-length album: "The Ups and Downs," a collection of songs from 2019-2020, reflecting the good times and the bad. Unafraid to touch on heartbreak, and social justice topics, the songs also maintain an air of hope (many of which were written during a self-imposed ‘song a day’ writing retreat during Covid lockdowns in July, 2020). Local musicians featured on the album include: Eric George (of Lindsay Dragan & Her Band), Cecilia Caughman (of Cello Fury), and Jesse Prentiss (of [a billion things…]) All songs were tracked both in Wright’s basement studio, as well as Mr Smalls Recording, Pittsburgh. Songs were produced by JuliAnne Wright, with mixing/mastering by Brian Skeel (MadSkeel Productions, Columbus).