Maia Sharp

{{Infobox musical artist

| name = Maia Sharp

| image =Maia Sharp at Monday Monday 10 07 2013 -4 (10162855353).jpg

| caption =

| image_size =

| background = solo_singer

| origin =

| instrument = multi instrumentalist

| genre = Country, Rock

| occupation = Singer-songwriter

| years_active =

| label =Ark 21
Concord
Koch
Crooked Crown

| associated_acts =

| website = [http://maiasharp.com/ maiasharp.com]

}}

Maia Sharp is an American singer and songwriter. In addition to her solo career, she has written songs for and collaborated with several country and pop musicians including Cher, Trisha Yearwood, Terri Clark, Bonnie Raitt, Edwin McCain, and Art Garfunkel.

Early life

Sharp was born in the Central Valley in California, the only child of country songwriter Randy Sharp and anthropology professor Sharon Bays.{{Citation

| last = Kort

| first = Michele

| author-link =

| title = Sharp climb

| newspaper = The Advocate

| pages =

| date = April 2, 2005| url = https://books.google.com/books?id=8GMEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA60

| accessdate =December 29, 2009

}}

When she was four, the family moved to Los Angeles, and at the age of five she recorded her first song. By the age of twelve she played piano, saxophone, oboe, and guitar, and by her twenties she was performing her jazz/folk songs in L.A. acoustic venues.{{Cite web

| last = McCartney

| first = Kelly

| authorlink =

| title = Maia Sharp

| website =

| publisher = AllMusic

| date =

| url = {{AllMusic|class=artist|id=p124175|pure_url=yes}}

| format =

| doi =

| accessdate =December 29, 2009 }}

Musically, she was inspired by Bonnie Raitt, Joni Mitchell, Jackson Browne and Sting. Sharp studied music theory at California State University, Northridge and began to focus on song-writing. She came out as a lesbian at the age of 23.

Career

Sharp played her first gig in 1993. Two years later, she met music executive Miles Copeland and recorded her debut album, Hardly Glamour (1997), on his record label Ark 21. Her next album Tinderbox failed to be released when Ark 21 was incorporated into PolyGram.{{cite web |url=http://www.popentertainment.com/maiasharp.htm |title=Maia Sharp |accessdate=February 17, 2009 |last=Jacobs |first=Jay S. |work=PopEntertainment.com }} Three of its songs were featured on Sharp's 2002 album Maia Sharp on Concord.{{Cite web

| last = Lankford

| first = Ronnie D.

| authorlink =

| title = Maia Sharp > Review

| publisher = AllMusic

| date =

| url = {{AllMusic|class=album|id=r591263|pure_url=yes}}

| format =

| doi =

| accessdate =December 29, 2009 }}

Her 2005 album Fine Upstanding Citizen was released by Koch. 2009's Echo, released by Crooked Crown, is, according to Sharp, her most personal album to date.{{Citation

| last =

| first =

| author-link =

| last2 =

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| title = Maia Sharp opens up on her newest release, Echo

| newspaper = Straus News

| pages =

| date = October 8, 2009

| url =

}}

During her career, Sharp has collaborated with other musicians including Lisa Loeb, Carole King, Jules Shear and Jonatha Brooke. As a songwriter, her songs have been recorded by musicians including Cher, Kim Richey, Amanda Marshall, Paul Carrack, Edwin McCain, The Dixie Chicks, Trisha Yearwood and Kathy Mattea. She collaborated with Art Garfunkel and Buddy Mondlock on the 2002 album Everything Waits to be Noticed, Garfunkel's debut as a songwriter.{{Citation

| last = Davis

| first = Alisha

| author-link =

| title = Garfunkel debuts as songwriter in trio

| newspaper = CNN

| pages =

| date = October 1, 2002

| url = http://archives.cnn.com/2002/SHOWBIZ/Music/10/16/hln.scoop.garfunkel.trio/

| accessdate = December 29, 2009

| archive-date = January 19, 2013

| archive-url = https://archive.today/20130119131802/http://archives.cnn.com/2002/SHOWBIZ/Music/10/16/hln.scoop.garfunkel.trio/

| url-status = dead

}}

Sharp contributed the track "Castaway" to the album Music from the Aisle of Lesbos, an album featuring various lesbian artists from different genres.{{Cite web

| title = Music from the Aisle of Lesbos

| website = Amazon

| url = https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001AD1P5U/

| accessdate =December 29, 2009 }} In 2009 Sharp opened for Bonnie Raitt on several dates. She started a national concert tour in October 2009.{{Citation

| last =

| first =

| author-link =

| title = Gallery: Maia Sharp performs at Ohio University Southern

| newspaper = The Herald-Dispatch

| pages =

| date = October 7, 2009

| url = http://www.herald-dispatch.com/multimedia/galleries/news/x1650441519/Gallery-Maia-Sharp-performs-at-Ohio-University-Southern

| accessdate =December 29, 2009

}}