Namoli Brennet at Keystone Conference in Harrisburg, PA 2012

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Published Feb 5, 2014

Tucson-based songwriter Namoli Brennet has been touring the country with her own brand of moody and inspiring folk since releasing her first CD in 2002. Since then she's played over 900 shows and logged over 250,000 miles on her still-running 87 Volvo station wagon. ("I have a great mechanic", she says.) Touching on often poignant themes, her music and lyrics ultimately paint a vivid and redemptive portrait. She's a breathtaking and moving performer, and her sweet, road-weary voice is as quick to deliver her wit and humor as it is a turn of phrase. She's been described as a cross between Lucinda Williams, Patty Griffin and Sheryl Crow, and Zocalo magazine called her music, "Gorgeous and introspective."

Brennet was given her first guitar at age 8, and after picking it up quickly the ADD songstress started playing drums, piano and saxophone. By the time she graduated from college with a degree in music composition she was waiting tables while writing songs on the side and playing in bar bands. She didn't start singing until her 20s, because, as she says, "I was surrounded by golden-throated sisters and wasn't really considered the singer in my family. My voice was always...different."

Although she's a little shy and reluctant to talk about it, Brennet also carries another secret: she was not born female. "I transitioned in my late 20s because I had just reached this state of unhappiness that was pretty unbearable." And athough the themes of identity and freedom weave their way subtly through her songs, being transgender is not the focus of her music: "I know it's kind of a quirky and interesting part of my story, but as a human being I'm interested in life, spirituality, meaning, social issues, justice, compassion...and these are the things I write about."

Namoli is currently working on her 9th self-released CD, Rise, which is scheduled for an October release on Flaming Dame records.You'll often find this prodigious musician in the studio dividing her time between engineering, producing and playing most if not all of the instruments on her recordings. She's also recorded and produced CDs for other artists, most notably Eric Himan's 2011 release, Supposed Unknown, which is currently being featured on Sirius XM radio.

A 4-time Outmusic award nominee, Namoli has also won the Tucson Folk Festival Songwriting Award and was a finalist in the ISC songwriting competition. Her recent release 'Black Crow' garnered critical acclaim and was named one of KXCI FM's top albums of 2010. Her music has been featured on NPR, PBS and in films including the Emmy-award winning documentary "Out in the Silence", which details the struggle of a gay teen growing up in rural Pennsylvania.

Contact Namoli Brennet at www.namolibrennet.com