Angela Maria “Ani” DiFranco (b. 9/23/70) is an American-Canadian singer-songwriter. DiFranco’s music has been classified as folk rock and alternative rock, although it has additional influences from punk, funk, hip hop and jazz. She has released all her albums on her own record label, Righteous Babe.
Early Life: She was born in Buffalo, New York, the daughter of Elizabeth (Ross) and Dante Americo DiFranco, who had met while attending the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Her father was of Italian descent, and her mother was from Montreal. DiFranco graduated from the Buffalo Academy for Visual and Performing Arts high school at 16 and began attending classes at Buffalo State College. She was living by herself, having moved out of her mother’s apartment after she became an emancipated minor when she was 15.
Musical Beginnings: DiFranco started playing Beatles covers at local bars and busking with her guitar teacher, Michael Meldrum, at the age of nine. By 14 she was writing her own songs. She played them at bars and coffee houses throughout her teens. DiFranco started her own record company, Righteous Babe Records, in 1989 at age 19. She released her self-titled debut album in the winter of 1990, shortly after relocating to New York City.
Discography:
Studio: 20
with Utah Phillips: 2
Live: 4
Compilation: 3
EPs: 3
As producer: 4
Other contributions: 12
Bibliography:
Poetry books: 2
Some things to share: DiFranco supports many social and political movements by performing benefit concerts, appearing on benefit albums and speaking at rallies. Through the Righteous Babe Foundation, DiFranco has backed grassroots cultural and political organizations supporting causes including abortion rights and LGBTIA+ visibility. She counts American folk singer and songwriter Pete Seeger among her mentors.
DiFranco released a memoir, No Walls and the Recurring Dream, on May 7, 2019, via Viking Books and made The New York Times Best Seller list.
Official website: here
Bonus Video:
Tao Talk 
Another one I am being introduced to! You are rocking this, Lisa.
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I’m happy to introduce ani to you. Love her sass.
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🙂 So much music (and books and, and and), so little time!
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I like her straight forward approach, she doesn’t hold back.
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Good way of putting it, Randy.
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You’re introducing me to many new artists, which is great! Ani DiFranco sounds like she’s worthwhile exploring. Do you know any of her albums you could recommend?
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Christian, I don’t know her music that well. I usually look at YouTube or Spotify and see which tunes have the most listens.
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Gotcha. I’ve done that as well (checking Spotify!), especially when it comes to artists I don’t know well! 🙂
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Christian, you’re gonna get ma a lot through these WMM’es as many of them are new to me. That’s half the fun in doing the research for them. I had heard of ani defranco a long time ago but didn’t know much about her. I know a lot more now but still a lot to learn.
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another excellent choice (K)
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Thank you, Kerfe, I really like what I’ve heard of her so far.
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I like the interview she did…that was great. I like the Bob Dylan story…Uncle Mumbles lol.
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I know! I laughed at that also. She is so comfortable in her skin, I love that about her.
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I have heard of her before….the first thing I thought of was stupidly the Defranco family lol…yea she is NOT part of them!
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lol! Are you sure???? Maybe she’s the “Marie Osmond” of the family?
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lol…no… curious me actually looked! Nope
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