
| Jennie Knaggs is best known as a singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist based in Detroit, Michigan. She has performed extensively on the streets and stages of Europe and The United States performing a wide range of musical styles. Former projects include the Swedish political street theatre troop, Skramselhika; pop Americana with a cappella quartet Invisible Hands; New Wave operas with The Atlantian Initiative based in Berlin, and The Burning Man Opera based in San Fransisco, California, and several traditional country groups based in the US and abroad. She earned her BA in Performing Arts and Community Development from Antioch College in 2001, a degree |
| focused on the use of art, music and theatre as a tool for social change. Within this program she spent three months in central and southern Appalachia studying the culture and traditional music of the region. From 2007 – 2008 Jennie held residence at The Bohemian National Home, a music performance co-operative in Detroit, Michigan. There she assisted in hosting musicians from around the world who specialize in free jazz, experimental music, and rock and roll. Current music projects include Lac La Belle, a duo performing various styles of Americana, including old-time, cowboy yodeling, and western swing, alongside original tunes influenced by the traditional American song cannon. Lac La Belle released their first full length record in 2010 and has completed six US tours in support, and will be releasing a new record later this year. Jennie is also guitarist, vocalist, and songwriter for the original rock band, I, Crime. The four piece have been touring the USA in support of their self-released EP, “Get The Knife” (2005), their 7 inch single, “Dove Skin Gloves” (2009), and their full length record "Spread Like Water/Block the Sun" (2010), recorded by Grammy nominated Collin Dupuis and released by Woodbridge Records. Jennie also performs as a back up vocalist and percussionist in the ten piece Nigerian pop group, Odu Afrobeat Orchestra. Based in Detroit, the group is led by Adeboye Adegbenro of Nigeria, former bandmate to Fela Kuti, the father of Afrobeat. Last summer she completed a month long artist in residency program at The Art Monastery in Labro, Italy, performing and teaching traditional American folk music, and in 2010 she performed as a principal vocalist in Matthew Barney's upcoming film "Khu." She is the 2000 Hollerin' Champion of Wise County, Virginia and Letcher County, Kentucky, and one day she will hitch back south to claim her prize. |