Lisa Loeb (Courtesy Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)

Lisa Anne Loeb (born March 11, 1968) is an American singer-songwriter and actress. She launched her career in 1994 with the song, "Stay (I Missed You)", which was included in the film Reality Bites. She was the first artist to have a number one single in the United States while not signed to a recording contract. Her five studio CDs include her major label debut, the gold-selling Tails and its follow-up, the Grammy-nominated, gold-selling Firecracker.

Loeb has also worked in film, television, voice-over work and children's recordings. Loeb has appeared in two television series, Dweezil & Lisa, a weekly culinary adventure for the Food Network and Number 1 Single, a reality show on the E! Network in 2006 focused on her quest for love, success, career, and family.

Her children's music includes the albums Catch the Moon (2003), and Camp Lisa (2008). Her first joint children's book and album Lisa Loeb's Silly Sing-Along: The Disappointing Pancake and Other Zany Songs was published in 2011. In 2010 she founded the Lisa Loeb Eyewear Collection, which is based on her own designs.

Early life

Lisa Loeb was born in Bethesda, Maryland on March 11, 1968. She was raised in Dallas, Texas with her three siblings, all of whom became involved with music: conductor Benjamin Loeb, musician Debbie Loeb, and mix engineer Philip Loeb. As of 2012, her parents continue to live in Dallas. Her mother Gail was the president of the Dallas County Medical Society Alliance and Foundation and her father, Dr. Peter Loeb, is a gastroenterologist. As a child she studied piano, but later switched to guitar. She attended The Hockaday School, an all-girls private school. For three years she had her own radio show on the St. Marks School's FM station, 88.5, KRSM.

Early music career

After graduating from high school in 1986, she went to Brown University, where she graduated in 1990 with a degree in comparative literature. At Brown, she and Elizabeth Mitchell formed a band named Liz and Lisa, with future singer/songwriter and classmate Duncan Sheik as a guitarist. The duo released the albums Liz and Lisa (1989) and Liz and Lisa - Days Were Different (1990) independently. After college, bassist Rick Lassiter and TV and drummer Chad Fisher joined the band. After developing a following together, Loeb and Mitchell parted ways a few years after college.

She attended Berklee School of Music in Boston for a session of summer school, and in 1990 formed a full band called Nine Stories. The band, which was named after the book by J.D. Salinger, included Tim Bright on guitar, Jonathan Feinberg on drums, and Joe Quigley on bass. Loeb began working with producer Juan Patiño to make the cassette Purple Tape in 1992. It included the earliest recordings of later popular tracks such as "Do You Sleep?," "Snow Day," "Train Songs," and "It's Over." Loeb sold the violet-colored cassette to fans at gigs and used it as a sonic calling card to industry gatekeepers. Loeb and her band also made a recording of her song "Stay (I Missed You)" during the same time.

Loeb also developed a following from her solo acoustic performances on the New York City coffeehouse circuit and the rock club circuit. She travelled to cities such as Philadelphia, Los Angeles, Dallas, but focused mainly on New York City. She played acoustically and with her band in folk and rock clubs, including CBGBs. Loeb also performed at music festivals such as the New Music Seminar and South by Southwest.

Music career

1990s

"Stay (I Missed You)" (1994)

Loeb's big break came through her friendship with actor Ethan Hawke, who lived in an apartment across the street from her in New York City. They met through mutual friends in the NYC theater community. Loeb gave Hawke the Juan Patiño-produced version of "Stay (I Missed You)", who in turn gave it to director Ben Stiller during the making of the 1994 film Reality Bites, with Stacy Sher. Stiller subsequently decided to use the song in the film's ending credits, and it was included by Ron Fair on the soundtrack on RCA records. Hawke also directed a rare one-take video on film, a continuous steadicam shot operated by Robin Buerki.

"Stay" ultimately went on to become a number one hit on the American charts. When her song hit number one, Loeb earned the distinction of being the first artist to top the Hot 100 before being signed to any record label. The single reached Gold status on July 12, 1994, just over three months after its official release date. Loeb and Nine Stories received a Grammy nomination for Best Pop Performance by a Group, and were named Best International Newcomer in the Brit Awards.

Tails (1995)

In September 1995, Loeb's debut album, Tails, was released on Geffen Records. The album was co-produced by Juan Patiño, her then longtime boyfriend. "Stay" was included on the album, and Loeb also managed a top 20 hit with "Do You Sleep?" and two moderately successful radio hits with "Taffy" and "Waiting for Wednesday." The album was certified Gold by the RIAA on December 1, 1995. Critics were also favorable to the album, with Ken Tucker of Entertainment Weekly, in particular, noting that "Loeb has an undeniable gift for creating an air of intimacy and vulnerability, which may well be enough for "Stay" fans looking for additional doses of contemplative melancholy."

Firecracker (1997)

In 1997, Loeb released a second major-label album on Geffen, Firecracker, and began experimenting even more with orchestrations done with Dan Coleman. At this point, Loeb started going under her own name for the albums instead of using the band name, although she still continued to tour worldwide with Nine Stories and acoustically as she had done from the start. Firecracker included hit singles such as "I Do," which received radio success, peaking at #17 on the Billboard Hot 100 and music television. The album was certified Gold on June 10, 2008. She subsequently toured with The Wallflowers and Chris Isaak, and also performed at Lilith Fair.

2000s

In 2000, Loeb participated in the Ozzy Osbourne tribute album Bat Head Soup performing "Goodbye to Romance" with Dweezil Zappa on guitar. She also contributed to An All Star Tribute To Cher with "Gypsies, Tramps and Thieves," and to An All Star Tribute To Shania Twain with "Don't Be Stupid," both of which were released in 2005. Other international work includes Loeb's guest performance on the song "Anti-Hero" for an all-female Japanese musical group Rin''s album Inland Sea. Loeb contributed vocals to New Found Glory's cover of "Stay," from their 2007 LP From the Screen to Your Stereo Part II, as well as performing the song live with the band.

Though Reality Bites was the first, Loeb's music has been featured in additional soundtracks. The popular single "How" was included on the soundtracks for films Twister and Jack Frost, and was heard in the Buffy the Vampire Slayer episode "Homecoming." "We Could Still Belong Together" earned a spot on the Legally Blonde soundtrack (2001), while "I Wish" can be heard on the soundtrack for Anywhere But Here (1999).

Cake and Pie (2002)

Cake and Pie, Loeb's third album and debut for A&M/Interscope, was released in 2002. She co-produced the album and collaborated with Glen Ballard, then boyfriend Dweezil Zappa, Randy Scruggs (Vince Gill, Sawyer Brown, Waylon Jennings), and Peter Collins (Rush, Bon Jovi, Indigo Girls). It peaked at 199 on the Billboard Charts.

In mid-2002, Loeb inked a deal with Artemis Records, a new boutique label run by record company veterans Danny Goldberg and Daniel Glass, after Interscope allowed her to buy the rights to her masters. Artemis had offered to re-release the record with more promotion. With new artwork, some songs added and some removed, Cake and Pie was re-launched as Hello Lisa, a play on Sanrio's signature Hello Kitty, who appears on the album cover wearing Lisa Loeb's trademark glasses.

In 2003, Loeb voiced the role of Mary Jane Watson in Spider-Man: The New Animated Series, which ran for one season on MTV.

She released an EP with just the new songs on it, as well as an alternate version of the song "Underdog" for fans who'd already purchased the Cake and Pie CD. She also co-directed a video with Dweezil for "Underdog" co-starring Hello Kitty playing guitar. Loeb toured the world again, making special stops in Sanrio stores for in-store autographs while appearing with Hello Kitty at the Japanese MTV Music Awards.

The Way It Really Is (2004)

In 2004, Loeb signed to the more experienced and established independent label Zoe/Rounder Records, home of Grammy Award winners Robert Plant and Alison Krauss. The Way It Really Is was released August 2004 as Loeb's fifth studio-recorded album, based on the song "The Way It Really Is." Although the album was not as commercially successful as its predecessors, critics who noted on the mature and strong writing by Loeb. Stephen Erlewine called it "the best, most cohesive record she's made, a clean, crisp collection of well-crafted, gentle tunes that slowly, surely work into the subconscious."

Her greatest hits compilation, The Very Best of Lisa Loeb, was released through Universal in January 2006 as well as a Japanese version of the album. Loeb was a judge for the 1st and 8th annual Independent Music Awards to support independent artists.

In 2008, she released her Purple Tape album remixed and remastered on a double CD. It included an interview by Andy Denemark, highlighting the creative process behind each song. There were also extensive liner notes and photos documenting her early history in NYC. Loeb tours with and without her band, recently touring with Daru Oda and Adam Levy. Other band members include: Mark Spencer, Matt Beck, Ronny Crawford, Joe Quigley, Joe Travers, Mark Meadows, Michael Eisenstein, Dave Gibbs, and Leland Sklar.

Her seventh studio album No Fairy Tale was released on January 29, 2013, by 429 Records, coproduced by Chad Gilbert and Loeb herself.

Children's material

In 2003, Loeb reunited with her college music partner Elizabeth Mitchell on children's CD and companion book Catch the Moon through Artemis Records. According to Allmusic, "The songs are rendered in a folk/country acoustic minimalism that is, in a word, enchanting." Videos from this album as well as the single "Jenny Jenkins" have been featured on the Noggin TV network for children.

In 2006, Loeb contributed to the album A World of Happiness, designed to disseminate messages of kindness, compassion, tolerance, and self-reliance to children of all ages. She performed as Lady Leonali the Ladybug singing "In the Details."

Camp Lisa (2008)

In 2008 she released Camp Lisa, also released by Loeb's own Furious Rose Productions with distribution through Redeye, and produced by Loeb with Michelle Lewis and Dan Petty. The disc includes a mix of 21 original and classic camp songs and guest performers including Kay Hanley, Dave Gibbs, Nina Gordon, Jill Sobule, Lee Sklar, Maia Sharp and funnyman/banjo player Steve Martin.

As Loeb spent many summers of her childhood at summer camp, Camp Lisa is inspired by her camp memories as well as '70s-style rock and pop. Camp Lisa garnered NAPPA Honors, 2008 Parents' Choice and NPR's year-end Top 10 list of the best kids music for 2008. In July 2010 she debuted her children's musical Camp Kappawanna, which is based on the songs from Camp Lisa.

In conjunction with Camp Lisa, she launched her own non-profit, The Camp Lisa Foundation, designed to help underprivileged kids attend summer camp through its partnership with SCOPE (Summer Camp Opportunities Promote Education, Inc.). In 2009, The Camp Lisa Foundation provided funding for many camp scholarships, enabling economically disadvantaged children to attend ACA accredited overnight camps.

Lisa Loeb's Silly Sing-Along (2011)

In September 2011, Loeb released Lisa Loeb's Silly Sing-Along: The Disappointing Pancake and Other Zany Songs, illustrated by Ryan O'Rourke. The book was published on Sterling Publishing, and also includes activities, choreography, and recipes. The book is published with an included CD, with four original songs and six classics.

Media appearances

On January 16, 2004, Loeb's reality show Dweezil & Lisa first aired on Food Network, in which she shared title billing with then-boyfriend, Dweezil Zappa. The series showed the two musicians touring the country together and sampling unique and diverse dishes. In the opening for each episode Loeb announced she was a vegetarian who enjoyed eating an occasional piece of bacon.

In the fall and winter of 2005, following her breakup with Zappa, Loeb taped a reality show, Number 1 Single, premiering in January 2006 on the E! Channel in New York City. The show focused on her quest for love, success, career, and family.

Loeb has made several guest appearances on television shows such as The Nanny in 1997, and Cupid, the following year. In September 1999, she made an appearance on the comedy show MADtv, singing the theme song for a WB drama sketch called "Pretty White Kids with Problems." In 2007, Loeb appeared on an episode of Jack's Big Music Show singing the song "Jenny Jenkins." In 2008, she made a guest appearance on Gossip Girl, followed by a cameo on an episode of The Sarah Silverman Program"?where the cast formed a mock band called the "Loeb Trotters." On the final episode of [(Gossip Girl)] on Monday, 17 Dec 2012, Lisa ended up with the character Rufus Humphrey in the five years after glimpse.

In addition to television shows, Loeb has also appeared in the horror films House on Haunted Hill (1999) in a bit-part, Serial Killing 101 (2004), and Fright Night (2011). She has done voice work including the voice of Mary Jane Watson for the animated show Spider-Man: The New Animated Series, broadcast on MTV. Loeb also voiced the character of Lutina in the video game Grandia Xtreme and characters for The Rugrats Movie and Shorty McShorts' Shorts. As of 2012, Loeb provides the voice of Princess Winger on the Disney Junior animated series Jake and the Never Land Pirates.

In 2008, Loeb was one of the contributors to Carrie Borzillo-Vrenna's book Cherry Bomb; she gave advice on how to be the perfect hostess.

In 2012, Lisa Loeb provided voice over talent for BonTon industries in their spring TV spots.

In December 2012, Loeb made a brief cameo as Matthew Settle's (Rufus Humphrey) love interest on the final episode of Gossip Girl.

In February 2013, Loeb also made a cameo in an episode of Workaholics where her song "Stay (I missed you)" is referenced multiple times.

Lisa Loeb Eyewear Collection

According to People, "Though Lisa Loeb rose to fame as a singer, she's probably just as well known for her eyeglasses." In November 2010, Loeb launched the Lisa Loeb Eyewear Collection, which features her eyewear designs. Each type of frame is named after one of her song titles, and while most models are for women, there are models for young girls and men.

Personal life

Loeb dated Dweezil Zappa from 1998 to 2004. She married Roey Hershkovitz, the Music Production Supervisor for Late Night with Conan O'Brien, now Conan, on January 31, 2009. Loeb has given birth to two children with Hershkovitz, a daughter (Lyla Rose Loeb Hershkovitz, born November 29, 2009), and a son (Emet Kuli Loeb Hershkovitz, born June 15, 2012).

Discography

Studio albums

• 1992: Purple Tape (re-released in 2008)
• 1995: Tails
• 1997: Firecracker
• 2002: Cake and Pie
• 2002: Hello Lisa
• 2003: Catch the Moon
• 2004: The Way It Really Is
• 2008: Camp Lisa
• 2012: Lisa Loeb's Silly Silly Sing-Along: 'The Disappointing Pancake' and Other Zany Songs
• 2013: No Fairy Tale

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