Album Notes

Ever since Deb Tiemens first found her voice, singing has been a part of her life. She began performing at the age of four with her family and at the age of twelve she taught herself to play guitar, began writing her own music and formed her first band. She quickly became a local celebrity in her midwestern hometown and the surrounding area, playing frequently at local clubs, benefits and civic events.

In 1981, Deb graduated from a small liberal arts college with a degree in vocal music and went on to teach music in public schools. Over the next ten years, she continued to be a popular acoustic folk performer in the Midwest.

Deb earned a Masters Degree in Educational Psychology and Counseling in 1989. Seeking new opportunities, she moved to Washington, DC. While putting her counseling degree to work providing support services to people with AIDS, she moonlighted as a singer. She successfully auditioned for the Oratorio Society of Washington, a nationally recognized choral group which frequently performs with the National Symphony Orchestra. During her hiatus in DC, Deb also appeared as a solo, acoustic performer in area clubs such as Hill Haven, Food for Thought, and Friends Piano Bar. She regularly appeared at the Old Post Office Pavilion and was a featured artist in Lammas Bookstore's Women's Music Concert Series.

In September of 1991, Deb was one of 50 metro-area performers chosen for the seventh annual Kennedy Center Open House and played to a packed house and standing ovations in the Terrace Theater. She returned to Iowa City in 1992 after accepting a position as the Executive Director of the Iowa Center for AIDS Resources and Education and has been working at the University of Iowa since 1993. Since returning to Iowa, Deb has made appearances at Prairie Voices' annual Women's Music Festival and a 2001 appearance at SisterSpace Weekend in Darlington, MD. She continues to be a favorite performer for local benefits, fund raising events and political gatherings and is a member of the Chamber Singers of Iowa City.

Deb's performances feature a combination of original songs and favorite covers in her trademark acoustic ballad style. Ladyslipper Inc. writes, "'Heart-warming' is the word which comes to mind when listening to Deb's angelic voice and emotionally-rich lyrics. This...singer/songwriter has a way of cutting straight to the emotional essence of a song and composes her work with a spiritually balanced approach...soothing and cathartic!" Patrick Brickel, The Petting Zoo Recording Studio in Iowa City, Iowa has this to add: "What a voice! Highly recommended if you appreciate honesty, integrity and talent."

Deb currently resides in Iowa City.