I really like her stuff too, and likewise wonder why she's not more famous (but then, my ears are European too). I posted about her here last year: it turns out Miko went to the same school as her!

Heh, I did check on metafilter whether she had been mentioned to see how well known she is. (not one mention) But I did not check on metachat.
Interesting that the person to post it is based in Europe as well. (Sweden right? I had to look you up on metafilter)

That's such a coincidence that two metachat people would know her. The US is such a village!

I'm thinking I saw her open for the Richard Thompson band in 2007, if that's possible. She was quite good, if not a bit dark. She looks and sounds familiar, but she wasn't with a band then, just with her guitar.

So where are you based eekacat? In the interest of researching her relative unknowness in the US.

Oh wow, I get to sorta name drop. I know Dayna Kurtz, like in the real world. She and I were both in the Unitarian youth world when we were teenagers. Now we're reduced to being FB and MySpace friends. But I don't know about why/why not popular. I do love her music.

I really liked this! Never heard of her until now. She's got a lot of Tracy Chapman sound in her, in a good way. I would definitely buy her music.

Nice post.

I'm in Colorado, jouke, and if it was her, I saw her perform at the Chautauqua theater in Boulder. After she played we all went out for an intermission, and she was sitting outside. So I asked her if she had a good seat for the R.T. show, and she said no, she was driving to L.A. immediately. The R.T. band was flying, and she was driving. Paying her dues she said. Like I said, I don't remember if it was her, but it sure sounds like it.

Heh, from her Wikipedia entry:

"Outside of her new hometown, Richard Thompson invited Dayna to open up for a coast-to-coast nationwide tour."

Now that you mention Tracy Chapman I can hear the resemblance.
But Kurtz has more sustain and force in her singing at times I think.

Yeah, eekacat, I remember from Dutch interviews that she was living on a shoestring, continuously touring.

Apparently touring in Europe is easier than in the US: pop podia are subsidised and the record industry doesn't bet as much on a few template-fitting artists. That's what she said if I remember correctly.

She and I were both in the Unitarian youth world when we were teenagers.

Did we talk about in the other old thread? That's how I knew her too.

The US is big, but the folkie contingent of the US is pretty villagey.

Glad you like it Thespian. Here are some more yt links.

NOLA
Another black feather
Postcards from downtown
Amsterdam crown

Misteraitches previous post links to Venezuela which is also a great song. Very entertaining story as well.

jouke, if nothing else, everything's closer in Europe, and transportation is much easier. Boulder, CO is a 1000 miles from L.A. I think Europeans also tend to be a bit more open-minded to something new. I know all the Jazz guys from the 60's and 70's loved Europe, and more of the avant garde jazz does better there.

BTW I'm an old dutch boy indirectly. My parents were born, raised, and married in the Netherlands, and moved to California in the 50's, where I was born in the 60's.

And, searching some more, that definitely was Dayna Kurtz, and it looks like it was 2004 instead of 2007. Getting old sucks, time compresses.

'Everything's closer' That's certainly true within the Netherlands. It's a 3 hour drive between the 2 farthest points...

That's great eekacat. What's your surname? (I'm curious but I do understand if you'd rather not say to keep you online and real world presence separate)

I don't mind telling you in email, but you and I both don't list ours, and I killed my MeFi account. So you can email me at my username at gmail dawt com

That's how I knew her too.

Oh, what geography / time frame? We have an LRY reunion Facebook -- are you on that? (Do I know *you* in real life? I don't know if I know your IRL name ... )

Holmdel, NJ, mid-80s.