-
0:00/3:27
-
Pick Yourself Up 4:240:00/4:24
“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.
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…
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).