Joan Elizabeth Osborne (born July 8, 1962) is an American singer-songwriter. She is best known for her song "One of Us", and for her work with members of The Grateful Dead.
Biography
Originally from the Louisville, Kentucky suburb of Anchorage, Osborne moved to New York City in the late 1980s, where she formed her own record label, Womanly Hips, to release a few independent recordings before signing to Mercury Records; Soul Show: Live at Delta 88 (1991) was her first album. Her second (and first major label) album was Relish (1995), which became a hit on the strength of the single "One of Us". The song was much more pop-oriented than the rest of the album, which was steeped in country, blues and folk music. "Right Hand Man" and "St. Teresa" were minor hits following the success of "One of Us".
She was featured in the 2002 documentary film, Standing in the Shadows of Motown, and toured with Motown sidemen the Funk Brothers. She and her band accompanied the Dixie Chicks for a national tour in the summer of 2003, during which time she also joined veteran San Francisco jam-rockers The Dead as a vocalist, and released her fourth album, titled How Sweet It Is, a collection of classic rock and soul covers.
During 2005 and 2006, Osborne performed on numerous occasions with Phil Lesh and Friends. In February 2007, she appeared on the Grand Ole Opry.
In May 2007, she issued Breakfast in Bed, a return to the soul music that she had covered on How Sweet It Is. Breakfast in Bed also featured the two songs ("Heatwave" and "What Becomes of the Brokenhearted") that she had covered for the film Standing in the Shadows of Motown.
She sang lead vocals on the cover of "Spoonful" on Vivian Campbell's solo album Two Sides Of If. She also provided some vocals for "Wayfaring Stranger" on Spearhead's 1997 album Chocolate Supa Highway. She covered Dolly Parton's "Do I Ever Cross Your Mind" on the 2003 tribute album Just Because I'm a Woman: Songs of Dolly Parton. She is featured on the Holmes Brothers 2007 collection State of Grace performing "Those Memories of You", an old Allan O'Bryant and Bill Monroe bluegrass tune.
Osborne's latest album, Little Wild One, was released in September 2008. Osborne performs as a guest vocalist on Sgt. Pepper Live, the 2009 album and DVD by Cheap Trick.
Personal life
In December 2004 she gave birth to her first child, a daughter.
Discography
Albums
Singles
| Year |
Single |
Peak chart positions1 |
Album |
| US |
US AC |
US Adult |
US Main |
US Mod |
CAN |
CAN AC |
UK |
AUS |
| 1995 |
"One of Us" |
4 |
20 |
16 |
26 |
7 |
1 |
5 |
6 |
1 |
Relish |
| 1996 |
"St. Teresa" |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
69 |
42 |
33 |
— |
| "Right Hand Man" |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
| "—" denotes releases that did not chart |
References
- ^ a b Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 410. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
External links
![Best Of Joan Osborne - The Millennium Collection [Eco-Friendly Packaging]](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51n3COmJWFL._SL160_.jpg)
