Patti Witten

So far, New York singer-songwriter Patti Witten has 30 songwriting awards in categories from folk to rock to pop to AC. Her songs of love, loss and redemption are delivered in melodic, poetic folk-pop like Joni Mitchell, with a rockin' twang like Lucinda Williams, the unhurried vocal style of Sarah McLachlan and luscious acoustic guitar like nobody's business.

Witten started out on air guitar, classical violin and flute, but learned her guitar and songwriting craft by listening to folk-rock songwriters of the 70s like CSNY, Joni Mitchell, Jackson Browne. "The strongest influence on me was Joni Mitchell," Patti says. "As a guitar player, Mitchell and Paul Simon made huge impressions, and as a singer, Mitchell and Bonnie Raitt were influential. And I am a big fan of Aimee Mann."

She played in several bands in the 1970's and 80's but in 1990 she abandoned the world of bands and bars after illness and calamity took the lives of an alarming number of friends and family, among them her first husband. She worked as a graphic artist and illustrator for the next several years, but even clean and sober hard times dogged her. In self-defense Patti began writing again and in 1997 she was invited to attend a workshop with songwriting icon Rosanne Cash. It would change her life.

"I had no idea how intense and intimate it would be," Patti says. "I only knew that she was Johnny Cash's daughter. But she instantly earned my respect and admiration for her commitment to personal honesty in songwriting."

Now, with 3 independent CDs and an impressive collection of songwriting awards to her credit, Patti is attracting the attention of fans and critics with a growing presence in the US and Europe. Her new CD is "Sycamore Tryst," produced by Rich DePaolo and featuring 13 tracks of acoustic rock, with guest artist Robby Aceto (Tom Tom Club) and liner notes by Cash.

But, at 46, Patti is no starry-eyed girl rushing belly button first into the music business. "I like playing solo and I love playing with my band, but I have no illusions about being a star. If I can reach you with just one razor-sharp line, I'm happy."

Patti is a member of indie record label coop I-Town Records, whose eclectic roster includes reggae's John Brown's Body, cellist Hank Roberts and over 30 titles from indie rock, jazz, and roots-zydeco bands based in Ithaca, NY. This spring she signed a deal with Heavy Hitters Publishing and showcased with the Invasion of the GoGirls at SXSW in Austin, TX. Past performances at special events include the ROCKRGRL music conference in Seattle, NE Regional Folk Alliance conferences and the Georgia Music Industry Association song contest finals in Atlanta. Patti is member of JPF, Folk Alliance, Americana Music Assoc., Women in Music, and a Performing Member of Indiegrrl.

Find Patti's CDs at pattiwitten.com, itownrecords.com, CD Baby and Amazon.

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