I was shy. Bookish. The kind of 13-year-old girl who,
instead of having a boyfriend, would have a crush
on a dead, 19th-century author!
Natalie Anne Merchant (born October 26, 1963) is an American alternative rock singer-songwriter. She joined the band 10,000 Maniacs in 1981 and was lead vocalist and primary lyricist for the group. She remained with the group for their first seven albums before leaving to begin her solo career in 1993. She has since released nine studio albums as a solo artist.
Early Life:
Natalie was born on 10/26/63 in Jamestown, New York, the third of four children of Anthony and Anne Merchant. Her paternal grandfather emigrated to the United States from Sicily; his surname was “Mercante” before it was anglicized.
Musical Beginnings:
Her paternal grandfather played the accordion, mandolin and guitar. When Merchant was a child, her mother listened to music (primarily Petula Clark but also the Beatles, Al Green, Aretha Franklin) and encouraged her children to study music… “I was taken to the symphony a lot because my mother loved classical music. But I was dragged to see Styx when I was 12. We had to drive 100 miles to Buffalo, New York. Someone threw up next to me and people were smoking pot. It was terrifying. I remember Styx had a white piano which rose out of the stage. It was awe-inspiring and inspirational.” “She [her mother] had show tunes, she had the soundtrack from West Side Story and South Pacific. And then eventually… she’d always liked classical music and then she married a jazz musician, so that’s the kind of music I was into. I never really had friends who sat around and listened to the stereo and said ‘hey, listen to this one’, so I’d never even heard of who Bob Dylan was until I was 18.”
Discography:
with 10,000 Maniacs = 9 albums
solo = 9 albums; 2 compilation albums; 11 singles
Filmography:
films = 10
television = 28
talk shows = 7
Some things to share: Merchant enjoys gardening and painting. Some of her paintings can be seen on her website. She has been a vegetarian since 1980, except for the duration of her pregnancy, when she temporarily resumed eating meat.
Official website: here
Sources: wikipedia
Tao Talk 
I love her music, she’s a great artist!
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Same here, Carol Anne.
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Thanks for Natalie Merchant in a nutshell!
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You’re welcome!
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I enjoyed the second song, Carnival.
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It’s a good’n and a good video to go with.
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I saw her and the Maniacs in the late 80s. She had a voice like Neil Young, Van Morrison, and others who were unique. She didn’t sound like them of course but had her own style. When you hear her songs…there is no doubt who is singing them…no one sounds like her….thats what I’ve been trying to say! lol.
One of my favorite female lead singers of the 80s and ever.
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Nothing to add to your take on her, Max.
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I need to find my one and only 10,000 Maniacs CD (In My Tribe). I’ve not listened to it in yonks!
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Yes you should, Glyn! It’s a good’n! I love My Sister Rose. It’s so jaunty.
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It’s definitely fair to say I’m much more familiar with the name Natalie Merchant than her music. I’ve always liked her vocals. I mostly know her because of her connection with 10,000 Maniacs and songs like “These Are the Days” and their great rendition of “Because the Night”. Last year, I also wrote about one of her solo songs (“Wonder”) as part my Song Musings feature. Thanks for reminding me of an artist I should further explore. :-)
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The way of music is to learn little bits at a time.
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Definitely, there’s way more music than we will ever be able to listen to. At the end of the day, that’s a nice problem to have!
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Thanks for the reminder that there’s some great music in her catalogue.
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My pleasure, Randy!
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Hard to pick a favorite album (or song) of hers… She’s a wonderful interpreter of songs too as well as an excellent songwriter. I saw her once (when? where?–my memory is toast)–she’s very theatrical. (K)
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:) How cool is that.
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She has such a unique voice. I’ve enjoyed her without knowing much about her. Thanks for the reminder.
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Yes, she does, Dale, and you’re welcome. She strikes me as someone with gentle strength.
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Yes. She does give off that vibe.
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She is amazing and was one of my favorites in the 80s and 90s. I’ve lost touch with her music over the years. This is a great reminder to reconnect.
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Cool!
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