Born in Bar Harbor, Maine, Jude Johnstone began writing songs at about age 8. At 18, she was “discovered” by E-Street Band saxophonist, Clarence Clemons. After spending some time in New York and New Jersey under his wing, attending the famous No Nukes Concerts at Madison Square Garden while also being a fly on the wall as Springsteen made his ground breaking album “The River” in 1979, she moved to Los Angeles, where her songs quickly became sought after by other artists. She has been covered by Bonnie Raitt, Emmylou Harris, Bette Midler, Johnny Cash, Stevie Nicks, Mary Black, Jennifer Warnes, Trisha Yearwood and more, including a #1 song for Yearwood’s debut album called “The Woman Before Me” which earned her a BMI award. Her songs then appeared on eight more Yearwood albums. She also penned the title track to Johnny Cash’s 1997 Grammy winning album “Unchained.”
In 2002 Johnstone released her debut CD “Coming of Age” on BoJak Records launched by long time manager Bob Burton. The album received critical acclaim leading to an interview on NPR’s Morning Edition and reached #6 on Amazon’s Best Seller’s List. It also featured guest vocals by Jackson Browne, Bonnie Raitt, Yearwood, and others. Her sophomore cd “On A Good Day” generated more favorable press which led to a performance on CBS’s “The Early Show.” It, too, featured memorable guest vocals from Browne and Raitt as well as Rodney Crowell & Julie Miller. Her third and fourth cds “Blue Light” and “Mr. Sun” were both jazz/blues inspired projects recorded LIVE in the studio with some of LA’s top session musicians and string orchestra on several cuts. On “Quiet Girl”, her fifth release, she returned to the Americana flavor of her earlier work. The album featured collaborations with Emmylou Harris, Jimmy LaFave, J.D. Souther, and her late mentor, Clarence Clemons. Jude’s 6th album “Shatter” combined elements of Gospel, Jazz, Celtic, R&B and even Big Band influences. Her 7th album, “A Woman’s Work” is a raw and unapologetic study of love, loss and sacrifice as seen through a female lens. For her latest cd, “Living Room” she elected to record mostly Live in her living room in Nashville, Tennessee. It is again a very personal collection with several guest male vocalists taking the lead on 3 songs and one dueting with Johnstone on another.
Jude’s songs have also appeared on several TV shows including “Nurse Jackie”, “Lie To Me” and “Army Wives”.
She has opened shows for Bonnie Raitt, Jackson Browne, Emmylou Harris, Richard Thompson, Chris Hillman, Shawn Colvin, Al Stewart, 10,000 Maniacs, Joe Cocker, David Crosby and others and toured Europe under her own name numerous times.
“If Jude Johnstone is not yet a musical household name, she sure as hell should be.”
Henry Carrigan, No Depression
“Turning emotional pain into art is a tricky business.
Sometimes I wonder if the end result is worth it.
Jude Johnstone makes a good case that it is.”
Rodney Crowell
“There are certain artists whose songs go so deep it’s
like they’re heart surgeons…Jude Johnstone has been
able to do all that, and more, for so many years, it’s
almost like she has a patent on it.”
Bill Bentley
The Morton Report
“Jude Johnstone’s ability to fashion the stuff of life seasoned
emotions into handsomely crafted, lyrically
attractive song fare is as remarkable as it is reliable”
Duane Verh
Roots Music
“Jude’s fertility, in regards to songwriting, is truly awe inspiring.” Bonnie Raitt