JULIE has been playing the guitar and singing since she was teenager. She was lead vocalist for the DFW band SoundZ - back in the early 1980’s. After high school, Julie entered the professional “real” world and didn’t get back to songwriting for about 10 years– when she did some studio work and started making demo tapes of her original tunes to shop around.

Although she has never been signed by a recording label, she has continued playing her original songs and covers of what she calls “Acoustic Rock” in Coffee Houses (that include Jefferson Freedom Café) outdoor festivals, and private parties around Arlington and Fort Worth, Texas.

In 1999, Julie entered the Lilith Fair Talent Contest for a chance to play on the small stage at that year’s Lilith Fair. She was chosen as one of the top 20 finalists in the DFW area (and got a nice review in the Ft Worth Star Telegram!).

The family tells me I sang a lot as a kid. My favorite movie musicals were "Finian's Rainbow" and Walt Disney's "The One and Only Genuine Original Family Band". I learned the words to every song and entertained my mother, mostly. I remember my father had a reel-to-reel tape of a San Diego radio station that he played all the time. It was the only American music we had and it included a lot of the easy sounds of the early seventies' (especially The Carpenters). I LOVED Karen Carpenter's voice! Then I heard Olivia Newton-John's "Let Me Be There" and I couldn't stop singing. I fell desperately in love with the Bay City Rollers who were HUGE in Australia in the mid-seventies and immediately began playing AIR-guitar with my tennis racket (didn't you?)
 

When I was thirteen (we had since moved back to the U.S. and settled in Bedford, Texas) Daddy bought me a student sized 'Harmony' guitar at a garage sale and I sat down to teach myself how to play. The first song that I tortured my family with was "Feelings …nothing more than feelings…." I still hate that song today! (And they probably do, as well!). I started with The Eagles and Fleetwood Mac - just playing along with the records (remember those?) and recording myself on cassette tapes (LOL).
 

When I was 15 my drama teacher made us sing a showtune for a class grade. I chose "How are Things in Glocca Morra?" from "Finian's Rainbow". When I was finished, she told me in no uncertain terms that I was going to sing in the next talent show. I did and I was terrified! I sang Janis Ian's "At Seventeen" and apparently I did well, because an old friend of mine who had shown up at the Talent Show asked me to sing in his newly forming rock band, SOUNDZ (see pictures - you just have to love the hair!) We only played one dive lesbian bar in Dallas, a pool hall in Hurst and a short lived teen club in Euless. The truth is we were terrible, but I knew then that I loved to sing! I also discovered Ann & Nancy Wilson of Heart and my life was changed forever!

After the garage band disintegrated, I concentrated on high school theatre (I was a nun in "The Sound of Music" - don't laugh!). After graduation I moved to San Antonio with my parents and attended University of Texas at San Antonio for a couple of years. Those were the best times! I was involved in speech and drama in school and on evenings and weekends I immersed myself in the local music scene. I formed a band of my own called PHYSICAL (yes, it was named after Olivia's song & album). I sat in a lot with a great cover band called RENEGADE, singing great 80's rock 'n' roll like Joan Jett and Loverboy tunes.
 

I moved back to Dallas and got a "real" job in the financial services industry where I was trapped for the next 15 years. During that time I kept writing songs. I did some home recording, some studio work, just to keep the faith alive. I sent a lot of demo tapes to record companies - got my official rejections, etc. Then in 1998, a friend of mine who had heard me sing and play at a party asked me to open for him at THE FOUR STAR COFFEE BAR in Fort Worth. I got a great response and started getting my own coffee house gigs. In May of 1999 I sent in a demo tape to the "Lilith Fair Local Talent Search". The winner in each city would get to open the local Lilith Fair concert. I had no expectations, I honestly sent the tape on a whim. Well, lo and behold, I was one of the Top 20 finalists! The showcase was at TREES in Deep Ellum! The sound system broke on me three times before I could even get started. I didn't win, but I was mentioned on the website (local talent contest review) - the sites not up anymore and in the Fort Worth Weekly review.

So I guess that was the jumpstart I needed. I started booking more coffeehouses. I really like that type of venue so much better than bars. You can see your audience, they're (usually) much more attentive & polite and there's no smoke! People listen to your lyrics. There's nothing I love more than when someone says one of my songs touched them.

Come on out and listen. I know you'll hear a song or two that you know and perhaps you'll take home a new one that you'll be humming in your head for few days. And maybe make a new friend, too!

JH