Julie Gold
Encyclopedia
Julie Gold is a New York singer-songwriter
. She is best known for Bette Midler
's version of her song "From a Distance
" which won the Grammy
for Song of the Year
in 1991.
That song has since received close to four million airplays. It has been recited into the Congressional Record
(by Senator Barbara Boxer
). It has been recorded internationally and translated into many languages. It has been illustrated as a children’s book and mass-produced in music boxes. It has been quoted in books, calendars, and greeting cards. It was used as the wake-up call for astronauts in the Mir
space station the first time Americans worked with Russians in space. A wide range of recording artists has covered it, including Jewel
, Elaine Paige
, Cliff Richard
, the African Children's Choir
, Judy Collins
, the Byrds
, Fairport Convention
and Donna Summer
.
Nanci Griffith
, the first to record "From a Distance", has also recorded Gold’s songs "Heaven", "Southbound Train", "Good Night New York", and "Mountain of Sorrow". Other artists who have covered Julie Gold songs include Patti LaBelle
, Patti LuPone
, Lea Salonga
, and Andrea Marcovicci
. Her song "Thanks to You" was featured in the 1993 film Andre
, and her song "Dream Loud" was featured in the 2002 film Unfaithful.
Julie Gold is originally from Havertown, PA and later moved to Philadelphia, PA; she graduated from the Philadelphia High School for Girls
in 1974. She graduated from Temple University in 1978 and appeared as a featured live performer in many of the premier legendary Philadelphia area coffee houses and entertainment venues including the Main Point, Bijou Cafe and others. From 1990 to 1994, she was a member of Four Bitchin' Babes
, along with Christine Lavin
, Megon McDonough
, and Sally Fingerett
.
Her Jewish paternal grandparents were immigrants from Romania
.
Singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriters are musicians who write, compose and sing their own musical material including lyrics and melodies. As opposed to contemporary popular music singers who write their own songs, the term singer-songwriter describes a distinct form of artistry, closely associated with the...
. She is best known for Bette Midler
Bette Midler
Bette Midler is an American singer, actress, and comedian, also known by her informal stage name, The Divine Miss M. She became famous as a cabaret and concert headliner, and went on to star in successful and acclaimed films such as The Rose, Ruthless People, Beaches, and For The Boys...
's version of her song "From a Distance
From a Distance
"From a Distance" is a song written in 1985 by American singer-songwriter Julie Gold. Some think this song was inspired by a PF Sloan song of the same name. Gold was working as a secretary at the time for Home Box Office and writing songs in her free time...
" which won the Grammy
Grammy Award
A Grammy Award — or Grammy — is an accolade by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry...
for Song of the Year
Grammy Award for Song of the Year
The Song of the Year is one of the four most prestigious awards in the Grammy Awards ceremony, if not in all of the American music industry. It has been awarded since 1959 and unlike the Record of the Year award, which goes to the performer and production team of a single song, Song of the Year...
in 1991.
Congressional Record
The Congressional Record is the official record of the proceedings and debates of the United States Congress. It is published by the United States Government Printing Office, and is issued daily when the United States Congress is in session. Indexes are issued approximately every two weeks...
(by Senator Barbara Boxer
Barbara Boxer
Barbara Levy Boxer is the junior United States Senator from California . A member of the Democratic Party, she previously served in the U.S. House of Representatives ....
). It has been recorded internationally and translated into many languages. It has been illustrated as a children’s book and mass-produced in music boxes. It has been quoted in books, calendars, and greeting cards. It was used as the wake-up call for astronauts in the Mir
Mir
Mir was a space station operated in low Earth orbit from 1986 to 2001, at first by the Soviet Union and then by Russia. Assembled in orbit from 1986 to 1996, Mir was the first modular space station and had a greater mass than that of any previous spacecraft, holding the record for the...
space station the first time Americans worked with Russians in space. A wide range of recording artists has covered it, including Jewel
Jewel (singer)
Jewel Kilcher , professionally known as Jewel, is an American singer-songwriter, guitarist, producer, actress and poet...
, Elaine Paige
Elaine Paige
Elaine Paige OBE is an English singer and actress best known for her work in musical theatre. Raised in Barnet, North London, Paige attended the Aida Foster stage school, making her first professional appearance on stage in 1964, at the age of 16...
, Cliff Richard
Cliff Richard
Sir Cliff Richard, OBE is a British pop singer, musician, performer, actor, and philanthropist who has sold over an estimated 250 million records worldwide....
, the African Children's Choir
African Children's Choir
The African Children's Choir is a large choir made up of children ages 7 to 12 from several African nations. Since its inception, the choir has included children from Uganda, Kenya, Rwanda, South Africa, Nigeria, and Ghana...
, Judy Collins
Judy Collins
Judith Marjorie "Judy" Collins is an American singer and songwriter, known for her eclectic tastes in the material she records ; and for her social activism. She is an alumna of the University of Colorado.-Musical career:Collins was born and raised in Seattle, Washington...
, the Byrds
The Byrds
The Byrds were an American rock band, formed in Los Angeles, California in 1964. The band underwent multiple line-up changes throughout its existence, with frontman Roger McGuinn remaining the sole consistent member until the group disbanded in 1973...
, Fairport Convention
Fairport Convention
Fairport Convention are an English folk rock and later electric folk band, formed in 1967 who are still recording and touring today. They are widely regarded as the most important single group in the English folk rock movement...
and Donna Summer
Donna Summer
LaDonna Adrian Gaines , known by her stage name, Donna Summer, is an American singer/songwriter who gained prominence during the disco era of the 1970s. She has a mezzo-soprano vocal range. Summer is a five-time Grammy winner and was the first artist to have three consecutive double albums reach...
.
Nanci Griffith
Nanci Griffith
Nanci Griffith, is an American singer, guitarist and songwriter from Austin, Texas.-Biography:...
, the first to record "From a Distance", has also recorded Gold’s songs "Heaven", "Southbound Train", "Good Night New York", and "Mountain of Sorrow". Other artists who have covered Julie Gold songs include Patti LaBelle
Patti LaBelle
Patricia Louise Holte-Edwards , better known under the stage name, Patti LaBelle, is a Grammy Award winning American singer, author and actress who has spent over 50 years in the music industry...
, Patti LuPone
Patti LuPone
Patti Ann LuPone is an American singer and actress, known for her Tony Award-winning performances as Eva Perón in the 1979 stage musical Evita and as Madame Rose in the 2008 Broadway revival of Gypsy, and for her Olivier Award-winning performance as Fantine in the original London cast of Les...
, Lea Salonga
Lea Salonga
Lea Salonga-Chien is a mezzo-soprano singer and actress from the Philippines well known for originating the lead role of Kim in the musical Miss Saigon, for which she won the Olivier, Tony, Drama Desk, Outer Critics and Theatre World awards.She was the first Asian to play the roles of Éponine and...
, and Andrea Marcovicci
Andrea Marcovicci
Andrea Louisa Marcovicci is an American actress and singer.- Biography :Marcovicci was born in Manhattan, New York City, the daughter of Helen , a singer, and Eugen Marcovicci, a physician and internist of Romanian descent. In her teens, she decided that she wanted to be a singer, but instead...
. Her song "Thanks to You" was featured in the 1993 film Andre
Andre (film)
Andre is a 1994 feature film starring Tina Majorino about a child's encounter with a seal. The film is an adaptation of the book A Seal Called Andre, which in turn was based on a true story.-Plot:...
, and her song "Dream Loud" was featured in the 2002 film Unfaithful.
Julie Gold is originally from Havertown, PA and later moved to Philadelphia, PA; she graduated from the Philadelphia High School for Girls
Philadelphia High School for Girls
The Philadelphia High School for Girls, also known as Girls' High, is a public university-preparatory magnet high school for girls in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. As its name suggests, the school's enrollment is all female....
in 1974. She graduated from Temple University in 1978 and appeared as a featured live performer in many of the premier legendary Philadelphia area coffee houses and entertainment venues including the Main Point, Bijou Cafe and others. From 1990 to 1994, she was a member of Four Bitchin' Babes
Four Bitchin' Babes
The Four Bitchin' Babes is a group of female singer-songwriters with rotating membership, performing mainly humorous, satirical or light-hearted songs in the folk genre. The group was described as "slyly outre" writing songs about the "humorous satire of everyday life" with an "inherent charm"...
, along with Christine Lavin
Christine Lavin
Christine Lavin is a New York City-based singer-songwriter and promoter of contemporary folk music. She has recorded numerous solo albums, and has also recorded with other female folk artists under the name Four Bitchin' Babes...
, Megon McDonough
Megon McDonough
Megon McDonough is an American folk/cabaret singer-songwriter and actress, from Chicago, Illinois. After her early solo recording career brought national attention, she became a founding member of Four Bitchin' Babes, performing and recording with them from 1990 to 2001 and then resuming her solo...
, and Sally Fingerett
Sally Fingerett
Sally Fingerett is an American folk singer/songwriter. She was a founding member of Four Bitchin' Babes and continues to record with the band....
.
Her Jewish paternal grandparents were immigrants from Romania
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
.