Born to unusually hip parents in the suburbs of Detroit, Michigan, singer-songwriter Jen Cass was raised on a healthy mix of live music, homegrown vegetables, spontaneous dancing, black licorice and Motown. When asked about her childhood Jen muses, "I remember my mom doing pirouettes around the living room with Joan Baez and Simon & Garfunkel blasting in the background. Then dad would pull out his guitar and we'd all sing Kris Kristofferson songs. "My sister and I weren't allowed to watch TV, so we sang, danced and read every book we could get our hands on. By the age of five, I was a miniature troubadour in bad seventies clothing, quoting Jack London and belting out Jim Croce tunes. I love my parents for that."
While her fashion sense has evolved over time, Jen has always remained true to her roots, writing beautifully crafted songs that draw comparisons to songwriting legends Bob Dylan, Mary Chapin Carpenter, Joni Mitchell, and Lucinda Williams, as well as playwright Eugene O'Neill. In the words of Suzanne Glass of Indie-Music.com, "Cass' songs are lyrical gems. She weaves fables with her words that would make Aesop jealous."
In November 1996, Jen released her first CD, Brave Enough To Say, and quickly sold over 2000 copies. Jen recorded Brave Enough To Say with the help of the world famous Russian surf-rock band Red Elvises. "We mixed contemporary folk, new country, oatmeal raisin cookies and extreme sleep deprivation to create a totally unique sound," quips Jen. Rick Nelson of the Tacoma News Tribune agrees, calling Brave Enough To Say an "excellent debut" and Jen a "gifted storyteller with a great voice." Agenda's Alan Goldsmith raves, "Jen Cass has a gift for using her voice to capture pictures of broken American souls, and she paints these heartbreaking snapshots of lives gone wrong like nobody else."
Since the release of Brave Enough To Say, Jen has played hundreds of gigs throughout the country, impressing fans and critics alike with her powerful performances. In addition to shows at The Bluebird Café (Nashville), The Ark (Ann Arbor, MI), Arlene Grocery (NYC), Northwest Folklife and Bumbershoot (Seattle), NXNW (Portland), Great Blue Heron Festival (Sherman, NY), Hamtramck Blowout, The Music Menu and The Magic Bag (Detroit), and Uncommon Ground (Chicago), Jen was a proud member of the first national Indiegrrl tour. Over time, Jen's live shows have become increasingly popular, causing one critic to lament, "I attempted to pop into the Jen Cass show last month, but by ten o'clock the club was jammed to the roof and even standing room was not an option."
After years of tireless touring, Jen caught the attention of producer John Jennings, who has co-produced eight albums and four #1 singles by Mary Chapin Carpenter, as well as discs by John Gorka, Janis Ian, Beausoleil, and many others; played on recordings by the Indigo Girls, George Jones, Tony Rice, and Iris DeMent; and garnered five Grammy Awards (13 nominations) and five CMA Awards (19 nominations). Recorded by Bob Dawson (Mary Chapin Carpenter, Danny Gatton, Dave Matthews Band, John McCutcheon, Cheryl Wheeler) and featuring several members of Mary Chapin Carpenter's band, Skies Burning Red is already receiving national attention. In the words of Doug Mackey, "Skies Burning Red surges with the pain of heartbreak, brims with 'I told you so's sung with precious little solace, arcs with the flight of angels, and follows inexorably the steady amble of time along Main Street, through bedrooms, across fields and to the shore. We are within earshot of a major new talent!"
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