Lucy Kaplansky
Encyclopedia
Lucy Kaplansky is an American folk
musician based in New York City. Kaplansky also has a Ph.D.
in clinical psychology
from Yeshiva University
.
, where she played with, among others, Suzanne Vega
, Shawn Colvin
and Richard Shindell
.
In 1983, she decided to become a psychologist, enrolling in Yeshiva University. She continued playing music while doing her PhD, and began to have some success as part of a duo with Colvin. When they began to attract record company interest, Kaplansky declined, choosing instead to set up a private practice and become a staff psychologist at a New York hospital. For several years, she concentrated largely on her work, and played little in the way of concerts. She still did some session work, such as singing backing vocals in the studio for Suzanne Vega.
By the early 1990s she found herself increasingly drawn back to music. Colvin, who by this time had experienced some commercial success, offered to produce an album for her. The result, The Tide, a mixture of her own songs and several covers, was released by Red House Records
in 1994. At this time, she decided to give up her psychology practice, and return to music full-time. She released four more albums before her latest, Over The Hills, was released in 2007.
In 1998 Kaplansky joined with Dar Williams
and Richard Shindell
to form the folk group Cry Cry Cry
, which made an album and toured at length before going their separate ways. Her Ten Year Night album in 1999 won rave reviews and boosted her popularity, leading to performances on CBS-TV. Her album, The Red Thread has a song about her experience of being a New Yorker on 9-11. Coincidentally, in August, 2001, Kaplansky sang harmony with John Gorka in a concert on the World Trade Center plaza.
She is a semi-regular collaborator with John Gorka
and Nanci Griffith
.
Her father was the noted mathematician
Irving Kaplansky
(1917-2006). Lucy Kaplansky would sometimes perform songs composed by her father (who was also an accomplished pianist) on mathematics-related themes.
Folk music
Folk music is an English term encompassing both traditional folk music and contemporary folk music. The term originated in the 19th century. Traditional folk music has been defined in several ways: as music transmitted by mouth, as music of the lower classes, and as music with unknown composers....
musician based in New York City. Kaplansky also has a Ph.D.
Ph.D.
A Ph.D. is a Doctor of Philosophy, an academic degree.Ph.D. may also refer to:* Ph.D. , a 1980s British group*Piled Higher and Deeper, a web comic strip*PhD: Phantasy Degree, a Korean comic series* PhD Docbook renderer, an XML renderer...
in clinical psychology
Clinical psychology
Clinical psychology is an integration of science, theory and clinical knowledge for the purpose of understanding, preventing, and relieving psychologically-based distress or dysfunction and to promote subjective well-being and personal development...
from Yeshiva University
Yeshiva University
Yeshiva University is a private university in New York City, with six campuses in New York and one in Israel. Founded in 1886, it is a research university ranked as 45th in the US among national universities by U.S. News & World Report in 2012...
.
Biography
Kaplansky was originally from Chicago, and at the age of 18, decided not to go to college, and moved to New York City. She became involved in the city's folk music scene, particularly around Greenwich VillageGreenwich Village
Greenwich Village, , , , .in New York often simply called "the Village", is a largely residential neighborhood on the west side of Lower Manhattan in New York City. A large majority of the district is home to upper middle class families...
, where she played with, among others, Suzanne Vega
Suzanne Vega
Suzanne Nadine Vega is an American songwriter and singer known for her eclectic folk-inspired music.Two of Vega's songs reached the top 10 of various international chart listings: "Luka" and "Tom's Diner"...
, Shawn Colvin
Shawn Colvin
Shawn Colvin is an American singer-songwriter and musician.-Childhood and early career:Colvin was born in Vermillion, South Dakota. Her formative years were spent in the town of Carbondale, Illinois, where she attended Southern Illinois University Carbondale. She learned to play guitar at the age...
and Richard Shindell
Richard Shindell
Richard Shindell is an American folk songwriter. Shindell grew up in Port Washington, New York. He currently lives in Buenos Aires, Argentina, with his wife, a university professor, and their children....
.
In 1983, she decided to become a psychologist, enrolling in Yeshiva University. She continued playing music while doing her PhD, and began to have some success as part of a duo with Colvin. When they began to attract record company interest, Kaplansky declined, choosing instead to set up a private practice and become a staff psychologist at a New York hospital. For several years, she concentrated largely on her work, and played little in the way of concerts. She still did some session work, such as singing backing vocals in the studio for Suzanne Vega.
By the early 1990s she found herself increasingly drawn back to music. Colvin, who by this time had experienced some commercial success, offered to produce an album for her. The result, The Tide, a mixture of her own songs and several covers, was released by Red House Records
Red House Records
Red House Records is an American independent record label specializing in folk music and is based in St. Paul, Minnesota.The label was originally created in 1981 by Greg Brown as a method to distribute his own music, and is named for a farmhouse in Iowa where he was living...
in 1994. At this time, she decided to give up her psychology practice, and return to music full-time. She released four more albums before her latest, Over The Hills, was released in 2007.
In 1998 Kaplansky joined with Dar Williams
Dar Williams
Dar Williams is an American singer-songwriter specializing in pop folk.She is a frequent performer at folk festivals and has toured with such artists as Mary Chapin Carpenter, Patty Griffin, Ani DiFranco, The Nields, Shawn Colvin, Girlyman, Joan Baez, and Catie Curtis.-Biography:Williams was born...
and Richard Shindell
Richard Shindell
Richard Shindell is an American folk songwriter. Shindell grew up in Port Washington, New York. He currently lives in Buenos Aires, Argentina, with his wife, a university professor, and their children....
to form the folk group Cry Cry Cry
Cry Cry Cry (band)
Cry Cry Cry was a folk supergroup, consisting of Richard Shindell, Lucy Kaplansky, and Dar Williams. The band released a single eponymous album of cover songs on October 13, 1998.- Tour :...
, which made an album and toured at length before going their separate ways. Her Ten Year Night album in 1999 won rave reviews and boosted her popularity, leading to performances on CBS-TV. Her album, The Red Thread has a song about her experience of being a New Yorker on 9-11. Coincidentally, in August, 2001, Kaplansky sang harmony with John Gorka in a concert on the World Trade Center plaza.
She is a semi-regular collaborator with John Gorka
John Gorka
John Gorka is a contemporary American folk musician. In 1991, Rolling Stone magazine called him "the preeminent male singer-songwriter of what has been dubbed the New Folk Movement."-Biography:...
and Nanci Griffith
Nanci Griffith
Nanci Griffith, is an American singer, guitarist and songwriter from Austin, Texas.-Biography:...
.
Her father was the noted mathematician
Mathematics
Mathematics is the study of quantity, space, structure, and change. Mathematicians seek out patterns and formulate new conjectures. Mathematicians resolve the truth or falsity of conjectures by mathematical proofs, which are arguments sufficient to convince other mathematicians of their validity...
Irving Kaplansky
Irving Kaplansky
Irving Kaplansky was a Canadian mathematician.-Biography:He was born in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, after his parents emigrated from Poland and attended the University of Toronto as an undergraduate. After receiving his Ph.D...
(1917-2006). Lucy Kaplansky would sometimes perform songs composed by her father (who was also an accomplished pianist) on mathematics-related themes.
Solo releases
- The TideThe Tide (Lucy Kaplansky album)The Tide is the debut album by American singer-songwriter Lucy Kaplansky, released in 1994.- Track listing :# "The Tide" – 4:15# "When I Get to the Border" – 2:57# "Texas Blues" – 2:47...
(1994, re-released 2005) - Flesh and BoneFlesh and Bone (Lucy Kaplansky album)Flesh and Bone is the second album by American singer-songwriter Lucy Kaplansky, released in 1996.- Track listing :All songs by Lucy Kaplansky and Richard Litvin unless otherwise noted.# "Scorpion" – 3:51...
(1996) - Ten Year NightTen Year NightTen Year Night is the third solo album by American singer-songwriter Lucy Kaplansky, released in 1999.- Track listing :All songs by Lucy Kaplansky and Richard Litvin unless otherwise noted.# "Written on the Back of His Hand" – 4:37...
(1999) - Every Single DayEvery Single Day (Lucy Kaplansky album)Every Single Day is the fourth solo album by American singer-songwriter Lucy Kaplansky, released in 2001.- Track listing :All songs by Lucy Kaplansky and Richard Litvin unless otherwise noted.# "Written on the Back of His Hand" – 4:37...
(2001) - The Red ThreadThe Red Thread (Lucy Kaplansky album)The Red Thread is the fifth solo album by New York singer-songwriter Lucy Kaplansky, released in 2004.- Track listing :Unless noted otherwise, lyrics by Lucy Kaplansky & Richard Litvin, music by Lucy Kaplansky# "I Had Something" – 4:16...
(2004) - Over the HillsOver the HillsOver the Hills is the sixth solo album by New York singer–songwriter Lucy Kaplansky, released in 2007. The album contains a mix of covers and original songs written with her husband, Rick Litvin....
(2007)
Collaborations
- The Song Project (1985) with Frank ChristianFrank Christian (singer-songwriter)Frank Christian is a Greenwich Village-based singer-songwriter and guitarist. His best known song, "Three Flights Up" was recorded by Nanci Griffith for her Grammy award-winning 1992 release Other Voices, Other Rooms....
, Tom IntondiTom IntondiTom Intondi was an American singer-songwriter first based in Greenwich Village and later in the Northwest. Intondi recorded three solo albums, and toured and recorded with a collaboration called The Song Project that also included Lucy Kaplansky, Frank Christian, and Martha Hogen.Intondi died of...
, and Martha Hogen - Cry Cry CryCry Cry Cry (band)Cry Cry Cry was a folk supergroup, consisting of Richard Shindell, Lucy Kaplansky, and Dar Williams. The band released a single eponymous album of cover songs on October 13, 1998.- Tour :...
(1998) with Dar WilliamsDar WilliamsDar Williams is an American singer-songwriter specializing in pop folk.She is a frequent performer at folk festivals and has toured with such artists as Mary Chapin Carpenter, Patty Griffin, Ani DiFranco, The Nields, Shawn Colvin, Girlyman, Joan Baez, and Catie Curtis.-Biography:Williams was born...
and Richard ShindellRichard ShindellRichard Shindell is an American folk songwriter. Shindell grew up in Port Washington, New York. He currently lives in Buenos Aires, Argentina, with his wife, a university professor, and their children.... - Red HorseRed Horse (collaboration)-Chart performance:Sales charts:Radio airplay charts:- Tour dates :- External links :* page at RedHouseRecords.com* page at MySpace.com* page at facebook.com...
(July 13, 2010) with John GorkaJohn GorkaJohn Gorka is a contemporary American folk musician. In 1991, Rolling Stone magazine called him "the preeminent male singer-songwriter of what has been dubbed the New Folk Movement."-Biography:...
and Eliza GilkysonEliza GilkysonEliza Gilkyson is an Austin, Texas-based folk musician. She is the daughter of songwriter and folk musician Terry Gilkyson and Jane Gilkyson. She is the sister of guitarist Tony Gilkyson, who played with the Los Angeles-based bands Lone Justice and X...
External links
- Official site
- Lucy Kaplansky collection at the Internet ArchiveInternet ArchiveThe Internet Archive is a non-profit digital library with the stated mission of "universal access to all knowledge". It offers permanent storage and access to collections of digitized materials, including websites, music, moving images, and nearly 3 million public domain books. The Internet Archive...
's live music archive