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Liz Janes

Liz Janes grew up in a Virginia suburb of Washington D.C., listened religiously to Casey Casem's Top 40 on the radio Sunday after church, then spent her formative high school years sneaking into Philadelphia jazz clubs. She came of age musically in Olympia, Washington, as a horn-squanking member of the Northwest punk-improv scene, but sang only for herself, recording her own songs on lo-fi cassette tapes. Those secret lullabies and gospel tunes remained unheard until, without her permission, Liz's future husband played them for the acclaimed singer-songwriter-producer Sufjan Stevens (Michigan, Seven Swans). Several months later, a full-length album emerged, produced and arranged by Stevens for his Asthmatic Kitty label. Done Gone Fire, Liz Janes' debut album, paired her smoky, mellifluous voice with Stevens' distinctive production, arrangements and accompaniment, drawing on blues, gospel, country, jazz and avant-garde influences.