When you think of America, you may think of the untamed pioneer spirit; the beautiful and disparate landscape; and the brave, irrepressible pursuit of freedom. Jennifer Lind captures the diversity that defines this great country in her show “A Journey through American Music,” which features the best in American classics and folk music. Her captivating presence, rare contralto vocal range, and charismatic style capture the essence of this timeless musical tapestry. Jennifer remarks, “American music encompasses numerous genres. I sing songs that adapt to the ever-changing world of a variety of American music including Blues, Western, Country, Folk, and Pop. My goal as an artist is to share music that will resonate deeply in the memories of each member of the audience. Every song is like sharing a piece of our life’s history together.”

Jennifer loves to speak about her talented family. Her mother was an opera singer at a young age and released records in her teens. Lind’s grandfather, Pasquale, was another source of her musical inspiration as he taught accordion for many years and owned the Blue Note Music Store in downtown Stockton, California. Jennifer recalls spending hours of her childhood in her grandfather’s bright and sunny home studio where she would draw musical staffs across the chalkboard and he would instruct her where to fill in the notes. At age 12, her mother bought her a 12-string guitar and Lind asked her neighbor (a Rock and Roll guitarist) if he would teach her a few chords. Who would have known that these few chords would serve as the catalyst of Lind’s successful musical career? The same guitar still hangs in Lind’s house today.

At age 17, Jennifer put her guitar down, as life took a different turn. When she was 23, she met her husband, Andrew (best friend, now Sound Man). They were married in six months and had three children together. Taking care of her family was the most important thing to Lind; however, her husband stated that “even though she stopped playing her guitar, she never stopped singing around the house.” In 2001, a dear friend introduced Lind to Randy Sparks, founder of the world-famous New Christy Minstrels, who became her music mentor. Shortly after, Lind’s husband purchased for her a new Martin guitar and she began honing her craft and resumed following her dream.

Lind crossed paths with what she calls her “Trail Boss” producer, engineer, and friend, Jason Barney. Barney owns Talmage Studio in Gilbert, Arizona. Together, with friends and talented musicians, they produced her CD . . . Cowboy State of Mind. This debut CD earned Jennifer the award of Western Music Female Vocalist of the Year from the Academy of Western Artists (AWA) in 2010. In 2012, the AWA announced Lind as one of the top five finalists for Western Music Female Vocalist. During this time, Sparks invited her to join The New Christy Minstrels and she greatly enjoyed touring with the group and making lifelong friends. Today, Jennifer is a proud alumnus of the New Christy Minstrels.

Jennifer is continuing to perform her acclaimed show, “A Journey through American Music,” and sharing it with audiences of all ages in towns across this land. To Lind, “Playing music is more than getting up on stage and performing. For a short period of time, the audience and I become one.”