Heather Eatman

Heather Eatman grew up in a theatrical household — her father directed plays at colleges in Texas, Michigan, and Pennsylvania, and she developed a strong affinity for the tragic, weary, memorable female characters of Tennessee Williams. She credits the theater with helping her overcome her shyness by demonstrating to her that she could create her own world through her songs and that once she was onstage, she could manipulate the way she came across. She moved to Manhattan at 17 years of age to attend the Parsons School of Design and was soon performing at bars and clubs around the city. The theatrical influence comes across in Eatman's spare acoustic songs, many of which concern Williams-esque female characters beaten down and scarred by life. Her album roster includes Mascara Falls which was released by John Prine's label Oh Boy in (1995), her critically acclaimed self-produced album, Candy and Dirt in (1999), and Real, which was issued by Eminent Records in (2001).