STACI GRIESBACH - BIOGRAPHY
Staci Griesbach (pronounced "STAY-cee GREECE bahk" / "Greece" "Bach") is a Los Angeles-based vocalist bringing together her passion for jazz and country music with her debut album, "My Patsy Cline Songbook," coming August 2019. Throughout the album, Staci takes fans on a journey through songs Patsy Cline made famous by some of Nashville's most renown songwriters including Hank Cochran, Harlan Howard, Bob Wills, Willie Nelson and more.
These prolific American songwriters contributed greatly to the Nashville Sound - arguably in the same way Irving Berlin and Cole Porter contributed to the foundation of jazz standards that exist today. Similarly, Patsy Cline has arguably shaped and influenced nearly every female country singer today, much as Ella Fitzgerald or Billie Holiday had in the jazz landscape. Staci presents an opportunity to consider exploring more than one Great American Songbook, cross-polinating jazz styling with country music lyrics and melody. Featuring interpretations of “She’s Got You,” “I Fall To Pieces,” “Crazy,” "Walkin' After Midnight," "Sweet Dreams among others, "My Patsy Cline Songbook" marks the first full-length Patsy Cline tribute album presented in a jazz and contemporary style.
Raised on a working farm in rural Wisconsin, Staci grew up studying piano, alto saxophone and voice throughout her childhood and started swinging into jazz through performing groups in her formative years, of which included playing alto saxophone in the high school jazz band. Staci developed a love for musical theatre as well, taking on lead roles in her school’s musical theater program and performing as a singer/dancer in a broadway revue-style show for several years while enrolled at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Staci started honing in on jazz studies in 2012 with the Santa Monica College Vocal Jazz Ensemble and private studies with UCLA educator and arranger Michele Weir. Staci has also studied under vocal instructor Dave Stroud, jazz vocalist and multiple Grammy nominee Tierney Sutton. In 2015, Staci started gigging locally in Los Angeles with a trio, and quickly realized she wanted to create a unique project where she could connect with audiences in an authentic way. While thinking about a recording, Staci wanted something authentic that she could perform and share with audiences, so she went back to her roots in Classic Country music. While the Great American Songbook is a treasure trove for jazz artists, Staci wanted to connect her background and upbringing in rural America with her current musical interests. One morning after yoga, Staci dropped the needle on her Patsy Cline "Greatest Hits" vinyl record, and knew this is what she was being called to create.
In the fall of 2015, Staci started working on arrangements with Michele Weir, studying with Brazilian artist and arranger Celia Vaz in Rio De Janeiro in February of 2016.
In 2017, Staci took a break from the Patsy Cline tribute project to launch a You Tube series called "Staci Sings Ella," (#StaciSingsElla) celebrating the legacy of Ella Fitzgerald by singing 100 songs in 100 days for 100 years to commemorate the First Lady of Song's centennial in April of 2017. The three-month venture resulted in a benefit concert raising money for the Ella Fitzgerald Foundation.
Staci recorded the first six tracks in January of 2018, and through the Fall of 2018, Staci started collaborating with Tamir Hendelman, Jeremy Siskind and Josh Nelson to put the finishing touches on "My Patsy Cline Songbook" for final recording sessions in the Spring of 2019.
Staci holds a Bachelors of Science from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and is currently working towards her music performance certificate at Berklee Online. For nearly 15 years, Staci worked in marketing for the entertainment business at Sony Pictures Entertainment and still very much enjoys sitting back and watching a good movie -- especially with a good soundtrack.
Please follow along with Staci here, or on Facebook @StaciGriesbachMusic, Instagram @StaciGriesbach or Twitter @StaciGriesbach.
These prolific American songwriters contributed greatly to the Nashville Sound - arguably in the same way Irving Berlin and Cole Porter contributed to the foundation of jazz standards that exist today. Similarly, Patsy Cline has arguably shaped and influenced nearly every female country singer today, much as Ella Fitzgerald or Billie Holiday had in the jazz landscape. Staci presents an opportunity to consider exploring more than one Great American Songbook, cross-polinating jazz styling with country music lyrics and melody. Featuring interpretations of “She’s Got You,” “I Fall To Pieces,” “Crazy,” "Walkin' After Midnight," "Sweet Dreams among others, "My Patsy Cline Songbook" marks the first full-length Patsy Cline tribute album presented in a jazz and contemporary style.
Raised on a working farm in rural Wisconsin, Staci grew up studying piano, alto saxophone and voice throughout her childhood and started swinging into jazz through performing groups in her formative years, of which included playing alto saxophone in the high school jazz band. Staci developed a love for musical theatre as well, taking on lead roles in her school’s musical theater program and performing as a singer/dancer in a broadway revue-style show for several years while enrolled at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Staci started honing in on jazz studies in 2012 with the Santa Monica College Vocal Jazz Ensemble and private studies with UCLA educator and arranger Michele Weir. Staci has also studied under vocal instructor Dave Stroud, jazz vocalist and multiple Grammy nominee Tierney Sutton. In 2015, Staci started gigging locally in Los Angeles with a trio, and quickly realized she wanted to create a unique project where she could connect with audiences in an authentic way. While thinking about a recording, Staci wanted something authentic that she could perform and share with audiences, so she went back to her roots in Classic Country music. While the Great American Songbook is a treasure trove for jazz artists, Staci wanted to connect her background and upbringing in rural America with her current musical interests. One morning after yoga, Staci dropped the needle on her Patsy Cline "Greatest Hits" vinyl record, and knew this is what she was being called to create.
In the fall of 2015, Staci started working on arrangements with Michele Weir, studying with Brazilian artist and arranger Celia Vaz in Rio De Janeiro in February of 2016.
In 2017, Staci took a break from the Patsy Cline tribute project to launch a You Tube series called "Staci Sings Ella," (#StaciSingsElla) celebrating the legacy of Ella Fitzgerald by singing 100 songs in 100 days for 100 years to commemorate the First Lady of Song's centennial in April of 2017. The three-month venture resulted in a benefit concert raising money for the Ella Fitzgerald Foundation.
Staci recorded the first six tracks in January of 2018, and through the Fall of 2018, Staci started collaborating with Tamir Hendelman, Jeremy Siskind and Josh Nelson to put the finishing touches on "My Patsy Cline Songbook" for final recording sessions in the Spring of 2019.
Staci holds a Bachelors of Science from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and is currently working towards her music performance certificate at Berklee Online. For nearly 15 years, Staci worked in marketing for the entertainment business at Sony Pictures Entertainment and still very much enjoys sitting back and watching a good movie -- especially with a good soundtrack.
Please follow along with Staci here, or on Facebook @StaciGriesbachMusic, Instagram @StaciGriesbach or Twitter @StaciGriesbach.
