Jill Sobule

Like her mentor Billy Bragg, Jill Sobule is able to mix pop, politics, and humor without coming across as a dour folkie or goofy throwaway, and like her sisterly forebear, Cyndi Lauper, she survived a brief status as a one-hit wonder (1995’s “I Kissed A Girl”) to become accepted in respected songwriter circles. It’s easy to see why. Sobule is versatile enough to pen semi-serious sides addressing eating disorders (“Lucy At The Gym”) and global warming (“Manhattan In January”) next to whimsical ruminations on attracting love through jetpack ownership (“Jetpack”) and speculations on the whereabouts of faded musical stars (“Bobbie Gentry”). She made headlines in 2009 when she released California Years via funding from fans. She’s now touring behind 2011’s A Day At The Pass, her fan-funded collaboration with singer-bassist John Doe of early ’80s punk band X.

Updated 01/31/2012