Brooke Waggoner (born May 30, 1984) is an American singer-songwriter from
, Louisiana, who resides in
Nashville, Tennessee.
Early life
Waggoner was born in
Houston
Houston (; ) is the most populous city in Texas, the most populous city in the Southern United States, the fourth-most populous city in the United States, and the sixth-most populous city in North America, with a population of 2,304,580 in ...
, Texas, to Lewis Earl and Kris Allyn (Kulcke) Waggoner. She comes from a classical music background with 17 years of formal training.
She graduated with a music composition and orchestration degree from
Louisiana State University
Louisiana State University (officially Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College, commonly referred to as LSU) is a public land-grant research university in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The university was founded in 1860 nea ...
in 2006.
After graduating, she left for Nashville and began developing her current music.
Career (2007–present)
Waggoner has released four albums independently, with all music being fully written, orchestrated, and arranged by herself. Her debut release was an EP titled ''Fresh Pair of Eyes'' (2007). After touring nationally through the spring of 2008, Waggoner released her second album, ''Heal for the Honey'', in the fall of that year. She continued touring nationally with such artists as
Copeland,
Bell X1
The Bell X-1 (Bell Model 44) is a rocket engine–powered aircraft, designated originally as the XS-1, and was a joint National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics– U.S. Army Air Forces–U.S. Air Force supersonic research project built by Be ...
,
Owen
Owen may refer to:
Origin: The name Owen is of Irish and Welsh origin.
Its meanings range from noble, youthful, and well-born.
Gender: Owen is historically the masculine form of the name. Popular feminine variations include Eowyn and Owena. ...
,
Paper Route, and
Unwed Sailor
Unwed Sailor is an American, mostly instrumental band, formed in 1998 by Johnathon Ford, with recordings that range from instrumental rock to ambient drones. The band's touring and recording lineups have largely been in rotation over the years, ...
. In 2009, she produced her third album, ''Go Easy Little Doves''. The album again debuted at #1 on the iTunes Singer/Songwriter charts. Waggoner spent fall of 2009 and spring of 2010 on tour with such artists as
Owl City
Owl City is an American electronic music project created in 2007 in Owatonna, Minnesota. It is one of several projects by singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Adam Young, who created the project while experimenting with music in his pa ...
,
Rocky Votolato
Rocky Votolato (born March 8, 1977 in Dallas, Texas, United States), is an American singer-songwriter.
Biography
He was raised in Frost, Texas, roughly 50 miles south of Dallas, until the age of 13. After his parents were divorced, his moth ...
, and
Denison Witmer
Denison Witmer is an American singer-songwriter from Lancaster, Pennsylvania, United States. His first release, in 1995, was a cassette titled ''My Luck, My Love''. He has since released six studio LPs; two live albums, a cover album (''Recover ...
.
Waggoner has been a part of the long-running and award-winning radio show "NPR's Mountain Stage", appearing multiple times with acts such as
Wilco
Wilco is an American alternative rock band based in Chicago, Illinois. The band was formed in 1994 by the remaining members of alternative country group Uncle Tupelo following singer Jay Farrar's departure. Wilco's lineup changed frequently d ...
, Au Pair,
The Hold Steady
The Hold Steady is an American rock band originally from Minneapolis, Minnesota, now based in Brooklyn, New York, formed in 2003. The band consists of Craig Finn (vocals, guitar), Tad Kubler (guitar), Galen Polivka (bass), Bobby Drake (drums), ...
,
Jerry Douglas
Gerald Calvin "Jerry" Douglas (born May 28, 1956) is an American Dobro and lap steel guitar player and record producer.
Career
In addition to his fourteen solo recordings, Douglas has played on more than 1,600 albums. As a sideman, he h ...
,
Crooked Still
Crooked Still is an American band consisting of vocalist Aoife O'Donovan, banjo player Gregory Liszt, bassist Corey DiMario, cellist Tristan Clarridge and fiddler Brittany Haas. They are known for their high energy, technical skill, unusual i ...
, and others.
Her music has appeared on numerous TV shows such as ABC Family's ''
Greek
Greek may refer to:
Greece
Anything of, from, or related to Greece, a country in Southern Europe:
*Greeks, an ethnic group.
*Greek language, a branch of the Indo-European language family.
**Proto-Greek language, the assumed last common ancestor ...
'', ''
Kyle XY
''Kyle XY'' is an American science fiction television series produced by ABC Family. The central character is a teenage boy (Matt Dallas) who awakens naked in a forest outside Seattle, Washington, with no more knowledge or abilities than a newbo ...
'', ''
Pretty Little Liars
''Pretty Little Liars'' is an American mystery teen drama television series based on the novel series of the same name written by Sara Shepard. Developed by I. Marlene King, the series was broadcast on Freeform between June 8, 2010, and June ...
'', and ''
Grey's Anatomy
''Grey's Anatomy'' is an American medical drama television series that premiered on March 27, 2005, on ABC as a mid-season replacement. The series focuses on the lives of surgical interns, residents, and attendings as they develop into s ...
'', as well as CBS's ''
Ghost Whisperer'', and Lifetime's ''
Army Wives
''Army Wives'' is an American drama television series that followed the lives of four army wives, one army husband, and their families. The series premiered on Lifetime on June 3, 2007, and ran for seven seasons, ending on June 9, 2013. The sh ...
''.
Waggoner released her first DVD, entitled ''And the World Opened Up'', in 2010. It contains a live performance recorded at Nashville's Art House America in late 2009. Her music from ''Go Easy Little Doves'' is presented for the first time with a complete live orchestra. The DVD also features biographical interviews with Waggoner, footage of her musical development, and animated sections. Production is credited to
Charlie Peacock
Charles William Ashworth (born August 10, 1956), known professionally as Charlie Peacock, is an American singer, songwriter, pianist, record producer, and author. His albums include ''Love Press Ex-Curio'', ''Arc of the Circle'' and ''No Man's L ...
.
Waggoner has also produced records for other artists, including the 2010 vinyl release of ''The Sower'' by The Champion & His Burning Flame and the 2012 EP ''The Family Album'' for Jessica Ripka.
In 2011, Waggoner recorded with
Jack White
John Anthony White (; born July 9, 1975), commonly known as Jack White, is an American musician, best known as the lead singer and guitarist of the duo the White Stripes. White has enjoyed consistent critical and popular success and is widely c ...
on his first solo album, ''
Blunderbuss''. She performed live with White in 2012, including a performance at the Grammys. Waggoner also appears on White's follow-up album "
Lazaretto
A lazaretto or lazaret (from it, lazzaretto a diminutive form of the Italian word for beggar cf. lazzaro) is a quarantine station for maritime travellers. Lazarets can be ships permanently at anchor, isolated islands, or mainland buildings ...
"
In September 2012, Waggoner was featured in the campaign "30 Songs / 30 Days" to support ''
Half the Sky: Turning Oppression into Opportunity for Women Worldwide'', a multi-platform media project inspired by
Nicholas Kristof
Nicholas Donabet Kristof (born April 27, 1959) is an American journalist and political commentator. A winner of two Pulitzer Prizes, he is a regular CNN contributor and an op-ed columnist for ''The New York Times''.
Born in Chicago, Kristof wa ...
and
Sheryl WuDunn
Sheryl WuDunn (born November 16, 1959) is an American business executive, writer, lecturer, and Pulitzer Prize winner.
A senior banker focusing on growth companies in technology, new media and the emerging markets, WuDunn also works with double ...
's book.
Waggoner followed this with the release of her album ''Originator'' on March 5, 2013. After touring with
Ron Sexsmith
Ronald Eldon Sexsmith (born January 8, 1964) is a Canadian singer-songwriter from St. Catharines, Ontario. He was the songwriter of the year at the 2005 Juno Awards. He began releasing recordings of his own material in 1985 at age 21, and has s ...
, playing the 2013
SXSW festival,
Lollapalooza festival, releasing two music videos and an additional single, she finished the year by playing the
Austin City Limits Music Festival
The Austin City Limits (ACL) Music Festival is an annual music festival held in Zilker Park in Austin, Texas on two consecutive three-day weekends. Inspired by the KLRU/PBS music series of the same name, the festival is produced by Austin-base ...
.
In 2014, Waggoner signed a deal with Beijing-based label Pocket Records, and toured the entire country of China in partnership with Pocket Records for distribution of her albums ''Heal for the Honey and ''Go Easy Little Doves''.
During 2015, the Nashville-based chamber music ensemble CHATTERBIRD commissioned Waggoner to compose a piece consisting of instrumentation for woodwinds, strings, and piano entitled "Minor-Born". The piece debuted at Abrasive Media in May 2015 and a second time as part of the Sideshow Fringe Festival in July 2015.
In January 2016, Waggoner's self-produced album ''Sweven'' released on her own label, Swoon Moon Music. Flood Magazine called it her "most ambitious work to date".
Awards
Waggoner was nominated for an Independent Music Award for "Best Folk/Singer-Songwriter Album" in 2009.
Also in 2009, she won the Nashville Music Award for "NBN Emerging Artist" of the year.
Discography
Studio albums
* ''Heal for the Honey'' (2008)
* ''Go Easy Little Doves'' (2009)
* ''Originator'' (2013)
* ''Sweven'' (2016)
* ''Sweven Remixes'' (2017)
EPs
* ''
Fresh Pair of Eyes'' (2007)
* '' B-Sides Collection'' (2015)
Live albums
* ''Sing to Me (Live in Boston)'' (2013)
DVDs
* ''And the World Opened Up'' (2010)
Singles
* "Red-Robin Hood" (2010)
* "Baby Shake-em" (2010)
* "I Am Mine (remix)" (2010)
* "So-So (original demo)" (2010)
* "Squint –
JT Daly
Justin Thomas "JT" Daly (born January 2, 1981) is an American musician, producer, songwriter, and visual artist, known also as the frontman for Nashville-based rock band Paper Route. His recent production and co-writing work include Pvris's ne ...
Remix" (2013)
* "The High Wind" (2014)
* "Christmas Moon" (2015)
* "Widow Maker" (2015)
Also appears on
* guest vocals on song "Get Mad" by
Kyle Andrews (2007)
* string orchestration for song "The Weight of Us" by
Sanders Bohlke
Sanders Bohlke (born February 28, 1984) is an American songwriter and recording artist born in Sardis, Mississippi. His music has been variously described as experimental folk and indie alternative. He released his self-titled debut album in 2006 ...
(2009)
* string orchestration for song "Closer (To Love)" by
Mat Kearney
Mathew William Kearney (; born December 1, 1978) is an American musician born in Eugene, Oregon, and based in Nashville, Tennessee. So far, he has a total of five top 20 hits on the Adult Top 40 Chart.
'' Just Kids'' was released on February 2 ...
(2009)
* guest vocals on "The Ol' College Try" by Nick Flora (2009)
* vocals & keyboards on song "Parker's Chapel" by
Hammock
A hammock (from Spanish , borrowed from Taíno and Arawak ) is a sling made of fabric, rope, or netting, suspended between two or more points, used for swinging, sleeping, or resting. It normally consists of one or more cloth panels, or a wo ...
& Brooke Waggoner (2011)
* guest vocals on 36-song project ''Yearbook'' by
Sleeping at Last
Sleeping at Last is a musical project led by singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Ryan O'Neal. The project initially began in Wheaton, Illinois as a three-piece band with Ryan O'Neal as the lead singer and guitarist, his brother Chad O'N ...
(2011)
* guest keyboards on ''Out of the Jar'' EP by Stephen Gordon (2012)
* guest Fender Rhodes, Hammond B3, piano, Wurlitzer piano on ''
Blunderbuss'' album by Jack White (2012)
* guest piano w/
Pokey LaFarge
Pokey LaFarge (born Andrew Heissler, June 26, 1983) is an American musician, writer, and actor.
Early life
LaFarge was born Andrew Heissler in Bloomington, Illinois. The nickname "Pokey" was coined by his mother, who would scold him to hurry ...
on Disney's film ''
The Lone Ranger
The Lone Ranger is a fictional masked former Texas Ranger who fought outlaws in the American Old West with his Native American friend Tonto. The character has been called an enduring icon of American culture.
He first appeared in 1933 in ...
'' - song "Red's Theater of the Absurd" (2013)
* guest clavinet, hammond, moog synthesizer, piano on ''
Lazaretto
A lazaretto or lazaret (from it, lazzaretto a diminutive form of the Italian word for beggar cf. lazzaro) is a quarantine station for maritime travellers. Lazarets can be ships permanently at anchor, isolated islands, or mainland buildings ...
'' album by
Jack White
John Anthony White (; born July 9, 1975), commonly known as Jack White, is an American musician, best known as the lead singer and guitarist of the duo the White Stripes. White has enjoyed consistent critical and popular success and is widely c ...
(2014)
* guest piano on ''
Fantasize'' album by
Kye Kye
Kye Kye (stylized KYE KYE) is an American indietronica band from Portland, Oregon, that formed in 2010. The band is made up of Estonian-born Yagolnikov siblings Olga and Timothy. They released their first studio album in 2011 entitled ''Young Lov ...
(2014)
* orchestration / copyist on song "Don't Put Dirt on My Grave" / Juliette (String & Horn Version) for ABC's
Nashville Episode 215 produced by
Buddy Miller
Steven Paul "Buddy" Miller (born September 6, 1952) is an American singer, songwriter, musician, recording artist and producer, currently living in Nashville, Tennessee. Miller is married to and has recorded with singer-songwriter Julie Miller ...
(2014)
* guest piano w/ Jack White on song "I'm Down" by
Beck, sheet music book ''Song Reader'' (2014)
* string orchestration / copyist on song "Impossible Winner" by
The Dead Weather
The Dead Weather is an American rock supergroup, formed in Nashville, Tennessee in 2009. Composed of Alison Mosshart (of The Kills and Discount), Jack White (of The White Stripes and The Raconteurs), Dean Fertita (of Queens of the Stone Ag ...
(2015)
* string orchestration / copyist on live video version of song "Overactor" by Preston Lovinggood (2016)
* guest vocals on song "Heart Needs Medicine" by Don Tigra (2016)
* guest piano on Pink Floyd cover "
Wish You Were Here Wish You Were Here may refer to:
Film, television, and theater Film
* ''Wish You Were Here'' (1987 film), a British comedy-drama film by David Leland
* ''Wish You Were Here'' (2012 film), an Australian drama/mystery film by Kieran Darcy-Smith ...
" by
Cody Jinks
Meredith Cody Jinks (born August 18, 1980) is an American outlaw country music singer and songwriter. His breakout 2016 album, '' I'm Not the Devil'', reached No. 4 on the ''Billboard'' Country Albums chart, while a number of other albums such a ...
(2017)
* guest piano, hammond B3, Wurlitzer on album ''Modern Plagues'' by
The Whistles & The Bells (2017)
* vocal harmonies on ''Himalayas'' album by Scott Mulvahill (2018)
* piano on "
Boarding House Reach" by Jack White (2018)
References
External links
*
Brooke Waggoner Daytrotter Session
{{DEFAULTSORT:Waggoner, Brooke
1984 births
Living people
American women pop singers
American women singer-songwriters
21st-century American women singers
21st-century American singers