Soundbyte focus on Lucy Kaplansky

Hailing from Chicago, Lucy Kaplansky was singing in bars before she was even of legal age, which led to performing country songs in Norway when she was just out of high school. Kaplansky ended up back in New York City, just in time for the renaissance of the Greenwich Village folk scene, which helped bring to fame the likes of Suzanne Vega, the Roches, Steve Forbert and John Gorka as well as her frequent duo partner Shawn Colvin. According to the New York Times, it was “easy to predict stardom for her,” but instead, Kaplansky got a doctorate in psychology and started a private practice, abandoning music for the time being.

It was Colvin who eventually led Kaplansky back to the stage and recording music in 1994, releasing an album called “The Tide” which led to Red House Records founder Bob Feldman being so blown away by the release that he reportedly signed her immediately.

Since then, Kaplansky has released six solo albums for the label. Kaplansky has been called “a truly gifted performer...full of enchanting songs” by the New York Times, blending country, folk and pop styles. Kaplansky has the ability to make every song sound fresh, whether singing her own sweet originals, covering country classics by June Carter Cash and Gram Parsons or singing classics by Lennon and McCartney. Kaplansky’s voice has been featured in film and on television and she’s currently one of the top-selling artists on Red House Records.

Now on tour in support of her new album “Reunion,” Kaplansky continues to perform all over the world.

When not performing, she lives in New York City, where she enjoys spending time with her husband and 9-year-old daughter. Lucy Kaplasky performs at 8 p.m. on Sunday, Jan. 17, 8 p.m. at HopMonk Tavern, 691 Broadway.