When did you begin singing?

I always sang. They held me back from kindergarten a year because I would only sing my ABCs. Really, I started singing with my mom, who taught me Christmas carols. I mostly grew as a singer and musician through choral singing, starting when I was 11 with the Nebraska Children’s Choir, and later in college ensembles. Also voice lessons, high school musicals, college operas, you name it.

Why live in Vermont?

I am completely done with city life. Not that I don’t go back and have a great time, but it’s just the quality of life, the air, water, space, vegetables. At least until the day that Manhattan or some European city is all green-roofs and no exhaust fumes. After a year and a half in San Francisco, I moved to Brooklyn, N.Y., in February 2002. Then after forming the band and several years of building performance “chops,” I was ready to leave New York and get out to Vermont in July 2008. When I first visited Vermont, I was drawn to the sense of space and time here. People across Vermont relate as they always have, as neighbors. I love that. I love the sense of shared environment and community. I love no billboards. And very few corporate chains. I love how unbelievably beautiful and untouched it is.

Where do you play?

I’m starting to play Burlington more, coming up at Half Lounge, I semi-regularly play Parima, Bluebird Tavern, New Moon Cafe, the Radiobean, but you can usually find me at Tosca’s, The Bees Knees in Morrisville, and random spots up north, like a gig I have coming up at the Three Mountain Lodge in Jeffersonville. Or Montpelier, I love Langdon Street and Positive Pie and will probably play the Black Door soon.