BIO
Award-winning singer/ songwriter/ guitarist/ multi-instrumentalist Heather Lev writes original, whimsical, philosophical, inspiring, and political songs, in styles ranging from folk-rock sing-a-longs, to traditional-sounding bluegrass tunes, to acapella rounds. She has performed at festivals such as the New England Folk Festival (NEFFA), the Northeast Music and Dance Festival (NOMAD), and the Folk Project of New Jersey. Her two releases, "On the Train to Babylon" (2004) and "Reason of Rain" (2000) have received strong reviews and radio play worldwide.
Heather has received many accolades from radio hosts, other performers, critics, and venues. She has won two Great American Song Contest Honor Awards (for "Lost Love & Bad Weather" and "The Village is Haunted"), an Honorable Mention in the 2003 John Lennon Songwriting Contest for "Harlan County" and a Puffin Foundation Award for her Songwriting. Her single, “What Have you Done,” was among the top 20 songs of October 2004 on the FOLKDJ-L radio playlists, based on 11963 airplays from 146 different DJs worldwide. Raves include:
"Heather Lev has found the heart of the political folk music of the sixties and brought it up to date, with engaging singing and catchy arrangements, and lyrics perhaps even more forceful and direct than her forbearers would have even considered. This is very evident in "What Have You Done," from her new album. I loved the song immediately." - JD Doyle, Producer of Queer Music Heritage, on KPFT FM, Houston, and Co-Producer of Audiofile, the CD review segment on This Way Out, heard on 150 stations around the world.
"Heather's positive presence and engaging songs were a joy to feature."--Cathedral Arts Festival, Jersey City, NJ;
"These songs are very, very good and need to be heard in the world."--NY Pinewoods Folk Music Club Newsletter CD review.
"Thanks for some very fine politically relevant music." --WRFG
"Bravo!"--Odetta
“Great political songs.” --CITR radio show Vancouver, BC/Vancouver Critical Mass.
Heather's songs have been published and quoted in the New York Times, several compilation albums, various publications, and as a soundtrack on a documentary film. Originally from Michigan, Heather Lev has lived in New York City for the last 9 years. Heather sings, and plays guitar, flute, lap dulcimer, ukulele, ukelin (a turn-of-the century bowed psaltry), pennywhistle, and many other odd instruments.
Call 212-465-7415 for bookings or email.
CD Review in the May 2000 NY Pinewoods Folk Music Club Newsletter said, "Reason for Rain is a wonderful recording filled with such comfortable original melodies. It reminds me of just how important and special those ringing, heartfelt and singable tunes can be in our lives. This is an exceptional recording in the great folk tradition-it's really a keeper! These songs are very, very good and need to be heard in the world. Heather sings her songs well and presents them with enchanting harmonies and skillful arrangements. Some tell compelling stories in the folk ballad tradition, some ponder poetically the big mysteries of life, other songs are a call to action. This is a big entertaining collection of fourteen songs that hold up with regular listening."
Quotes:
"HEATHER LEV performs a delightful assortment of her own songs, traditional songs, and songs gleaned from the best of her contemporaries in the folk world. Her confident, yet unassuming stage manner is charming and engaging . Her songs are often characterized by humor and touch on social issues."--The Folk Project's Minstrel Coffeehouse
"Heather Lev has found the heart of the political folk music of the sixties and brought it up to date, with engaging singing and catchy arrangements, and lyrics perhaps even more forceful and direct than her forbearers would have even considered. This is very evident in "What Have You Done," from her new album. I loved the song immediately." - JD Doyle, Producer of Queer Music Heritage, on KPFT FM, Houston, and Co-Producer of Audiofile, the CD review segment on This Way Out, heard on 150 stations around the world.
"Heather's positive presence and engaging songs were a joy to feature."--Cathedral Arts Festival, Jersey City, NJ
“It's amazing that Heather can express herself with as much vulnerability and honesty as she does.”
--Radio Station WUWG, Carrollton, Georgia
"These songs are very, very good and need to be heard in the world."--NY Pinewoods Folk Music Club Newsletter
"Bravo!"--Odetta
"Lovely!"--Jean Ritchie
"Thanks for all your great work"--Pete Seeger
"Beautiful voice, great performance."
--Vance Gilbert
"That's a great song"
--Fred Small
"She is one great songwriter" --Matt Jones, Freedom Singer
"Heather infuses fresh creative energy into acoustic music!" --Ray Korona
"Heather Lev is a performer and songwriter who is making honest contributions to the social justice and political folk music repertoire in the US. Her songs speak of things that simply must be spoken. Her use of songwriting as a form of progressive journalism is much needed in this time. She is a true ally to the working people of our great nation."
-Joe Jencks
Awards:
Great American Song Contest Honor Awards (2005): "Lost Love & Bad Weather" and "The Village is Haunted"
John Lennon Songwriting Contest (2003) Honorable Mention for "Harlan County"
Puffin Foundation Award for Songwriting.
and my personal favorite:
Fourth Place, Two Boots Saint Patrick's Day Limerick-writing contest, March 2005!
Radio stations playing Heather Lev's music include: UNITED STATES—EAST
•
WBAI, Moorish Orthodox Radio Crusade (New York,
WBAI, Moorish Orthodox Radio Crusade (New York, NY)•WBAI, Wake up Call (New York, NY)
WBAI, Wake up Call (New York, NY)•WBAI, Radio Unnameable (New York, NY)
WBAI, Radio Unnameable (New York, NY)•WFDU-FM, 89.1, Traditions & the Sunday Session
WFDU-FM, 89.1, Traditions & the Sunday Session (Teaneck, NJ)•WFUV-90.7 FM Woody's Children (Ossining, NY)
WFUV-90.7 FM Woody's Children (Ossining, NY)•WNYC AM 820 (New York, NY)
WNYC AM 820 (New York, NY)•WXXE—Radio Liberation Front (Syracuse, NY)
WXXE—Radio Liberation Front (Syracuse, NY)•WBNY-- It's For Folks (Fredonia/Buffalo, NY)
WBNY-- It's For Folks (Fredonia/Buffalo, NY)•WJFF Radio Catskills (JEFFERSONVILLE, NY)
WJFF Radio Catskills (JEFFERSONVILLE, NY)•WAMC-FM 90.3 Hudson River Sampler (Albany, NY)
WAMC-FM 90.3 Hudson River Sampler (Albany, NY)•WRPI --Face the Music & Mostly Folk (Middleburgh,
WRPI --Face the Music & Mostly Folk (Middleburgh, NY)•WTSR-FM 91.3 (Ewing, NJ)
WTSR-FM 91.3 (Ewing, NJ)•WPKN Radio (Bridgeport, CT)
WPKN Radio (Bridgeport, CT)•WPKN 89.5 --Amazon Radio! (Bridgeport, CT)
WPKN 89.5 --Amazon Radio! (Bridgeport, CT)•WHUS--The Sunday Night Folk Festival (Storrs CT)
WHUS--The Sunday Night Folk Festival (Storrs CT)•WPSU (Belleville PA)
WPSU (Belleville PA)•WXPN-FM 88.5 The Folk Show (Philadelphia PA)
WXPN-FM 88.5 The Folk Show (Philadelphia PA)•WYEP-FM 91.3 (Pittsburgh PA)
WYEP-FM 91.3 (Pittsburgh PA)•WFCR --Valley Folk (Amherst MA)
WFCR --Valley Folk (Amherst MA)•WBRS--Watch City Arts (Orleans/Waltham, MA)
WBRS--Watch City Arts (Orleans/Waltham, MA)•WUMB Radio (Boston, MA)
WUMB Radio (Boston, MA)•WJDA (Quincy, MA)
WJDA (Quincy, MA)UNITED STATES--SOUTH
•WTMD Radio (Towson MD)
WTMD Radio (Towson MD)•WRFG-- Fox's Minstrel Show (Atlanta, GA)
WRFG-- Fox's Minstrel Show (Atlanta, GA)•WUWG (Carrollton, GA)
WUWG (Carrollton, GA)•WFSS --The Good-Tyme Bluegrass Show (Fayetteville,
WFSS --The Good-Tyme Bluegrass Show (Fayetteville, NC)•WLRN Radio (Miami FL)
WLRN Radio (Miami FL)•WRKF-FM 89.3 (Baton Rouge, LA)
WRKF-FM 89.3 (Baton Rouge, LA)UNITED STATES--MIDWEST
•WIUM (Macomb, IL)
WIUM (Macomb, IL)•WFHB—Womenspace (Bloomington, IN)
WFHB—Womenspace (Bloomington, IN)•WIUS-AM --The Kitchen Party (Bloomington, IN)
WIUS-AM --The Kitchen Party (Bloomington, IN)•WJCU-FM --Visiting The Folks (Sagamore Hills, OH)
WJCU-FM --Visiting The Folks (Sagamore Hills, OH)•WBGU-FM (Bowling Green, OH)
WBGU-FM (Bowling Green, OH)•WKSU-FM 89.7 FM (Kent, OH)
WKSU-FM 89.7 FM (Kent, OH)•WOAS-FM (Ontonagon, MI)
WOAS-FM (Ontonagon, MI)•Midnight Special (Mahomet IL)
Midnight Special (Mahomet IL)•Wisconsin Public Radio-Simply Folk (Madison, WI)
Wisconsin Public Radio-Simply Folk (Madison, WI)•WKAR-FM 90.5 / The Folk Tradition (Haslett, MI)
WKAR-FM 90.5 / The Folk Tradition (Haslett, MI)•KAXE (Grand Rapids, MN)
KAXE (Grand Rapids, MN)•WELY--End of the Road Radio (Ely, MN)
WELY--End of the Road Radio (Ely, MN)•KOPN-- Sunday Morning Coffeehouse (Columbia, MO)
KOPN-- Sunday Morning Coffeehouse (Columbia, MO)UNITED STATES—WEST, MOUNTAIN & SOUTHWEST
•KALW (Berkeley, CA)
KALW (Berkeley, CA)•KPFA (Berkeley, CA)
KPFA (Berkeley, CA)•KZFR (Berkeley, CA)
KZFR (Berkeley, CA)•KVMR (Nevada City, CA)
KVMR (Nevada City, CA)•KBCS 91.3 FM (Bellevue, WA)
KBCS 91.3 FM (Bellevue, WA)•KBOO-FM (PORTLAND, OR)
KBOO-FM (PORTLAND, OR)•KLCC 89.7fm--THE SATURDAY CAFÉ (Eugene, OR)
KLCC 89.7fm--THE SATURDAY CAFÉ (Eugene, OR)•A Prairie Home Companion
A Prairie Home Companion•BOISE STATE—KBSU (Boise, ID)
BOISE STATE—KBSU (Boise, ID)•KGLT-FM 91.9 Americana Backroads (Bozeman, MT)
KGLT-FM 91.9 Americana Backroads (Bozeman, MT)•KUNV-FM "Women's Voices" (Las Vegas NV)
KUNV-FM "Women's Voices" (Las Vegas NV)•KPFT –OutRadio (Houston, TX)
KPFT –OutRadio (Houston, TX)•KXCI (Tucson AZ)
KXCI (Tucson AZ)INTERNET / NATIONWIDE / SATELLITE
•Whole Wheat Radio (Talkeetna, AK)
Whole Wheat Radio (Talkeetna, AK)•Sirius Sattelite Radio (Folk)
Sirius Sattelite Radio (Folk)•Transitions Radio Magazine www.transradio.com
Transitions Radio Magazine www.transradio.com•Online Folk Festival
Online Folk Festival•Folk Alley
Folk AlleyCANADA:
•CKUT (Montreal, Quebec)
CKUT (Montreal, Quebec)•CKZP 102.7 FM Radio (Zenon Park, Saskatchewan )
CKZP 102.7 FM Radio (Zenon Park, Saskatchewan )•CKCU 93.1 FM--Window of Opportunity (Kanata, ON)
CKCU 93.1 FM--Window of Opportunity (Kanata, ON)•CITR (Vancouver)
CITR (Vancouver)AUSTRALIA
•Sunday Folk 103.1fm (Kempsey, North Eastern Coast
Sunday Folk 103.1fm (Kempsey, North Eastern Coast of NSW, Australia) •Northside Folk broadcasting to Sydney's north, Triple
Northside Folk broadcasting to Sydney's north, Triple H 100.1 FM, (St. Ives, NSW, Australia)•Sidestream, Brisbane, Australia Radio 99.7FM
Sidestream, Brisbane, Australia Radio 99.7FM (Narangba, Queensland, Australia)BELGIUM
•Radio Golden Flash (LEOPOLDSBURG, BELGIUM)
Radio Golden Flash (LEOPOLDSBURG, BELGIUM)GERMANY
•Radio ZuSa (Lueneburg, Germany)
Radio ZuSa (Lueneburg, Germany)Feel free to call your local station to request Heather's music, or if you know a DJ that might like the music, let Heather know.
Fun Facts:
Heather plays the following instruments (in order of proficiency):
Guitar
Flute (including silver concert fulte, nose flute,
bamboo flute, Tibetan flute, etc.)
Pennywhistle
Ukelele
Mountain dulcimer
Mandolin
Ukelin (turn of the century chorded bowed psaltry)
Marxophone (don't even ask)
Bowed psaltry
Zither
Hohner Harmonium
Harmonica
Kazoo
Banjo
... and a little tiny bit of musical saw.
