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MUSIC - Natalie York - Singer, songwriter

ARTICLES   -   REVIEW   -   VIDEOS

Natalie is originally from Vienna, Virginia. She says she developed an interest in songwriting early in life. She remembers writing lyrics in the 5th grade.

In the summer following the 8th grade, she attended a UVA Young Writers Workshop, and her path was found. She says she returned to the program each year until graduating from high school.

In college, she studied jazz at the University of Miami and in December 2010, released her first album of songs, "Threads" as senior project for her Hornsby program at the University of Miami.  "Threads" received good reviews, and was recognized as being "one of the best local releases of 2010 by the Washington Post. Natalie's style has been compared to several female vocalists, like "Grace Potter, Corinne Bailey Rae, Norah Jones, Bonnie Raitt and even Janis Joplin," but "she credits a Washington artist for inspiration: I grew up listening to Eva Cassidy and am just in awe of her.”

On December 16, 2010, Natalie was the first graduate from the UM Bruce Hornsby Creative American Music Program. In an interview, she was asked about being the first graduate of the program, and she replied, “I am profoundly grateful to Bruce Hornsby and the University of Miami’s music school for giving me the opportunity to grow into songwriting, and for creating the unbelievable environment that allowed me to progress to the point where I can actually do this as a career.”

Armed with her degree and a will to sing and write, Natalie returned to the DC area to launch her music career. Locally, she might be heard singing at the Rock & Roll Hotel, Jammin Java, IOTA Club & Cafe, Madam's Organ and at the Birchmere Music Hall, to name a few.

ARTICLES:

Natalie York kicks off Jonny Lang's blues with a bang

"Don't arrive late to the Jonny Lang show.

Not only do you not want to miss a note of Lang's blues, but you'll want to catch the opening set by local up-and-comer Natalie York. You may know the Vienna native from her various East Coast gigs and her recent debut album "Threads." As both a headliner and supporting act for Bruce Hornsby, Jim Lauderdale, Shawn Colvin and other much-lauded musicians, York's own alt-country sound has won her plenty of buzz."    ~ Nancy Dunham - Washington Examiner

Natalie York Finds Her Voice

Photograph by Joni Fatora
Not many aspiring singer/songwriters get to perform with Bruce Hornsby and Shawn Colvin while still in college. But 22-year-old Vienna native Natalie York had an early start: She’s been writing songs since age 13, when she attended a summer workshop with singer/songwriter Tom Prasada-Rao at the University of Virginia. “I was the youngest student there, so I was really in over my head,” York says. “But I fell in love with it."    ~ Sophie Gilbert - Washingtonian Magazine


Profile: Singer/Songwriter Natalie York

"This Vienna Native has got the voice, songwriting ability and know-how to make it big. With the release of her first album at the age of only 21, she is quickly crooning her way toward a bright future in the music industry.  On her first album “I hope people will see it as a really good first album. I call it ‘Threads’ because it’s a good representation of my songwriting so far. It also ties together several different styles that I love—blues, rock, soulful ballads and a little country."    ~ Shannon McNeely - Northern Virginia Magazine

REVIEW:

Talking to Natalie York about Her Music and Her New Album “Promises”

Natalie York - Promises (2014)  "It’s hard to categorize an artist like Natalie York. The Vienna native’s 2010 album “Threads” is a collection of bluesy, Motown-esque modern jazz ballads and smooth vocals. But York says her new album is full of grit and guitar solos made to express her other musical side. York’s new album, “Promises” is derived from her rock and folk influences, seemingly contradictory of her first album, which strikes a chord with Norah Jones, but with richness and warmth in Natalie’s vocals where Norah’s are cool. She compared both works as Venn-diagrams of style and genre, saying the 2014 album, "Promises", has entirely different labels and thus a different vibe, but still keeps her signature vocals. In both albums her bluesy tonality and instrumental use of her voice is indicative of her experience as a saxophonist and shows her jazz, soul, and rhythm and blues influences." ".  ~ Shelby Robinson - northernvirginiamag.com

VIDEOS:

Natalie York "Alvaro" at Rockwood Music Hall
Natalie York - "Life By Numbers" Jim Lauderdale cover
Natalie York - "Sugar Lump" Jammin Java