With family roots that include traveling gospel singers, a country songwriter for a father, and a singing nurse for a mother, Drake was bound to be musical. Her first instrument was a piano that she’d come home to after school and play by ear. When the piano fell off a moving truck, she took up the guitar, learned a few chords, and wrote her first song at 17. Songwriting became a therapeutic outlet for Drake. She grew up in an intense family environment that included moving around the country and constantly being uprooted. Drake discovered a certain kind of joy in musical theater, and attended The American Musical and Dramatic Academy in NYC after high school. Marrying at the age of 21 and a house wife for most of her 20’s, she worked as a stylist in music video productions with her director spouse. When the marriage split amicably, she found herself thrown into the life of an artist overnight and took on both the hope and the burden of pursuing musical truths needed to be created and told with the fervor of someone who had been given a second chance at life. Her 2010 debut, “When I Was Yours,” reflects on this loss with honesty and hope. Eventually her love of folk music and musical theater came together in her starring roles as folk heroes (Joan Baez, Judy Collins, Sis Cunningham) in the off Broadway folk musical, “Lonesome Traveler.” The New York Times said she quietly claimed the show’s best moment while embodying Judy Collins in a revelatory version of “Turn, Turn, Turn.” She has had a heavy and varied output of material since her debut, helping spearhead various projects and releases (Nobel, Dear Lemon Trees, The Bitter Branches) and looks forward to the release of the culmination of all her work this year in “Everything’s Fine,” co-produced with long-time collaborator, AJ Minette.
Jamie Drake
