Austin, Texas musician Heather Bishop, not to be confused with the Canadian artist of the same name, is a poet, singer-songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist.
Heather was born in New York to West Indian parents and raised in Austin, Texas.
Growing up in rural Travis County, she began her performance career at age 5 straddling a fence and serenading cows grazing in the pasture behind her parent's house. She attended college on scholarship for classical viola performance and provided backing vocals for a local blues band, only to later form an offshoot project with guitarist Lasse Savola. After a brief break to enjoy the punk and jazz scenes in Atlanta, Georgia, Heather returned to college filled with lyric inspiration and the duo, called 2am Blue, released "Attic Rooms" in 1995. Lasse can currently be seen with the New York band, Apocalypstik.
After graduation, Heather began to slowly build her reputation as a strong backing vocalist by jumping on stage as often as possible in the Austin scene, performing as a guest with bands too numerous to mention in then-popular venues such as The Black Cat, Babe's, and Steamboat. In 1996, she formed a folk-rock band called Killing Ophelia with Rae Goldring (Echoset) on bass, Lynn Raridon (10" Maria, Jasmine Reign) on drums, Molly Rogers on guitar and trumpet, and Larry Cordle (Misha Ben David) on lead guitar. Though the band parted company after a year and half, several members went on to work together on new projects. A reunion band called Bootie and the Ho Fish, with Stacey Hoobler (Karate Cowgirl, 1/5 Griffith) on drums was formed to play one show at Steamboat.
Heather continued to hone her songwriting skills while then companion to esteemed drummer and percussionist Barry "Frosty" Smith. She received additional guidance and mentorship from Bassist/Producer/Composer Yoggie Musgrove (Stephen Bruton, Blaze, et al).
Also building her reputation as a solid studio session musician, since 1995 Heather has contributed vocals, strings, and light percussion to studio projects for bands in a wide variety of styles- reggae, hip-hop, pop, hippie jam, bluegrass, punk, and metal. Guest appearances have included Echoset, Flipside Den, 7 Stones, Jumbo Shrimp, Lonely Child, Cadillac Voodoo Choir, Daheebeegeebees, Voltage, and Pocket Fishrmen to name a few. She has played festivals such as Austin's now defunct AquaFest, Bob Marley and other Reggae Fests, Blue Grass Jams and Festivals, and the 2001 GoGirls Music Fest. She was most recently one of the featured artists on the Peace From The Porch stage at Houston's International Fest in April 2006.
Additionally, 2001 found Heather as a featured performer on Austin radio stations KOOP and KLBJ radio as well as local Fox affiliate KTBC's morning program. In honor of her activities and contributions to the local music scene, February 7, 2002 was declared "Heather Bishop Day" by Austin Mayor Gus Garcia. In 1996 and 2001 respectively, her music was selected for use in class assignments for students in women's literature and creative writing classes at Southwestern University and the University of Ohio.
Despite her singer-songwriter style, Heather has always had a proclivity for punk rock and heavy metal. She began a solo residency at Room 710 in Austin, Texas in January, 2001, opening primarily for rock and metal bands. A Live CD, Graceful Riot at the 710, was released in April 2001, and delivered poignant and biting lyrics with raw vocal power and delicacy. The release illustrated why her fans range from hard rock to folk music lovers alike. She remained a weekly fixture at Room 710 until June 2002, when she took a break to rest and begin pre-production for her next CD.
Since June 2002 Heather has had limited public performances. These have included an ALLGO performance of a piece by writer Sharon Bridgforth, SXSW-timed showcases at Lovejoy's Taproom and Brewery with Spot and Charlie's Holy Happy Hour, a Lovejoy's fundraiser for supplies for Texas troops in Iraq, and a benefit for the American Cancer Society. She was featured October 7, 2003 at Sharon Bridgforth's "Bringing Light" series at Resistencia Bookstore in Austin and performed "The First Noel" with the band Echoset for a holiday commercial in rotation on the local WB affiliate.
Currently in the studio recording the next release tentatively titled "Other Side of the Riot", Heather is experimenting with a fusion of folk and hip hop with radio-friendly rock and a sensuous vocal styling.
In 2004 she appeared on Mark MacMinn's release "Hot World" via harmony vocals and viola. She also appeared as a backing vocalist on the March 2005 release "Here" from the Houston-based band, Pale.
Limited quantities of "Graceful Riot At The 710" are currently available online. Look for "Other Side of The Riot" online and at live shows in 2006.
Check out the artist's website:
http://heather.fm
Track List:
1. Intro: Maury Bradley
2. What Beulah Said To Earl
3. Common
4. Tallahassee
5. Gin of Eve
6. Next
7. Fascinatin'
8. Stone Mountain Lover
9. Sundays With Waldo
10. Theory
11. Waltz Around
12. Patriarchy
13. Division
14. New Orleans
15. Outro: Ken Romero
16. Fine Line Between
17. Ocean
Suggested CDs:Other Genres:
Heather was born in New York to West Indian parents and raised in Austin, Texas.
Growing up in rural Travis County, she began her performance career at age 5 straddling a fence and serenading cows grazing in the pasture behind her parent's house. She attended college on scholarship for classical viola performance and provided backing vocals for a local blues band, only to later form an offshoot project with guitarist Lasse Savola. After a brief break to enjoy the punk and jazz scenes in Atlanta, Georgia, Heather returned to college filled with lyric inspiration and the duo, called 2am Blue, released "Attic Rooms" in 1995. Lasse can currently be seen with the New York band, Apocalypstik.
After graduation, Heather began to slowly build her reputation as a strong backing vocalist by jumping on stage as often as possible in the Austin scene, performing as a guest with bands too numerous to mention in then-popular venues such as The Black Cat, Babe's, and Steamboat. In 1996, she formed a folk-rock band called Killing Ophelia with Rae Goldring (Echoset) on bass, Lynn Raridon (10" Maria, Jasmine Reign) on drums, Molly Rogers on guitar and trumpet, and Larry Cordle (Misha Ben David) on lead guitar. Though the band parted company after a year and half, several members went on to work together on new projects. A reunion band called Bootie and the Ho Fish, with Stacey Hoobler (Karate Cowgirl, 1/5 Griffith) on drums was formed to play one show at Steamboat.
Heather continued to hone her songwriting skills while then companion to esteemed drummer and percussionist Barry "Frosty" Smith. She received additional guidance and mentorship from Bassist/Producer/Composer Yoggie Musgrove (Stephen Bruton, Blaze, et al).
Also building her reputation as a solid studio session musician, since 1995 Heather has contributed vocals, strings, and light percussion to studio projects for bands in a wide variety of styles- reggae, hip-hop, pop, hippie jam, bluegrass, punk, and metal. Guest appearances have included Echoset, Flipside Den, 7 Stones, Jumbo Shrimp, Lonely Child, Cadillac Voodoo Choir, Daheebeegeebees, Voltage, and Pocket Fishrmen to name a few. She has played festivals such as Austin's now defunct AquaFest, Bob Marley and other Reggae Fests, Blue Grass Jams and Festivals, and the 2001 GoGirls Music Fest. She was most recently one of the featured artists on the Peace From The Porch stage at Houston's International Fest in April 2006.
Additionally, 2001 found Heather as a featured performer on Austin radio stations KOOP and KLBJ radio as well as local Fox affiliate KTBC's morning program. In honor of her activities and contributions to the local music scene, February 7, 2002 was declared "Heather Bishop Day" by Austin Mayor Gus Garcia. In 1996 and 2001 respectively, her music was selected for use in class assignments for students in women's literature and creative writing classes at Southwestern University and the University of Ohio.
Despite her singer-songwriter style, Heather has always had a proclivity for punk rock and heavy metal. She began a solo residency at Room 710 in Austin, Texas in January, 2001, opening primarily for rock and metal bands. A Live CD, Graceful Riot at the 710, was released in April 2001, and delivered poignant and biting lyrics with raw vocal power and delicacy. The release illustrated why her fans range from hard rock to folk music lovers alike. She remained a weekly fixture at Room 710 until June 2002, when she took a break to rest and begin pre-production for her next CD.
Since June 2002 Heather has had limited public performances. These have included an ALLGO performance of a piece by writer Sharon Bridgforth, SXSW-timed showcases at Lovejoy's Taproom and Brewery with Spot and Charlie's Holy Happy Hour, a Lovejoy's fundraiser for supplies for Texas troops in Iraq, and a benefit for the American Cancer Society. She was featured October 7, 2003 at Sharon Bridgforth's "Bringing Light" series at Resistencia Bookstore in Austin and performed "The First Noel" with the band Echoset for a holiday commercial in rotation on the local WB affiliate.
Currently in the studio recording the next release tentatively titled "Other Side of the Riot", Heather is experimenting with a fusion of folk and hip hop with radio-friendly rock and a sensuous vocal styling.
In 2004 she appeared on Mark MacMinn's release "Hot World" via harmony vocals and viola. She also appeared as a backing vocalist on the March 2005 release "Here" from the Houston-based band, Pale.
Limited quantities of "Graceful Riot At The 710" are currently available online. Look for "Other Side of The Riot" online and at live shows in 2006.
Check out the artist's website:
http://heather.fm
Track List:
1. Intro: Maury Bradley
2. What Beulah Said To Earl
3. Common
4. Tallahassee
5. Gin of Eve
6. Next
7. Fascinatin'
8. Stone Mountain Lover
9. Sundays With Waldo
10. Theory
11. Waltz Around
12. Patriarchy
13. Division
14. New Orleans
15. Outro: Ken Romero
16. Fine Line Between
17. Ocean
Suggested CDs:Other Genres:
- COUNTRY: Country Folk
- ROCK: Folk Rock
- SOLO FEMALE ARTIST