MUSIC

Once upon a time, there was a little girl growing up in the woods of central Jersey. OK, "the woods" were a two acre plot left behind by the developers. That was enough for Lucy. She'd run up and down the gently sloped pine-needled hills, structure initiation rituals for the neighborhood, and christen "luv" trees with tomatoes. Trees that were good for climbing became her special friends. Especially the oak in the northeast corner of her backyard.

At first, it was impossible to reach the bottom branches. So she got a log or a chair, and she pulled herself up. It was easy going for a while, until she reached the middle section of the oak. Thick with branches, she almost lost her footing a few times and was close to giving up. But going back didn't look any easier at that point. She pushed on. Finally the tree trunk opened up, and Lucy saw the top of the tree. Three branches intersected there and this seat welcomed her.

Wow, imagine what it was like, getting higher than your house, higher than the telephone poles, with your own two hands, legs, and scraped up body. Phew. Time to give thanks and praise. Lucy starting singing. She sang some of the hymns she was learning at church, she sang some pop tunes, she sang at the top of her lungs, she got dramatic. Soon she had that feeling she wasn't alone. Her oak was right next to the woods, and the formerly quiet wind kicked up. The whole forest seemed to be joining in. She happily led the charge, getting personal with the lyrics to the lord, and varying dynamics to properly accompany the tree dancing. Her mom yelled some joke from the kitchen window. She'd have to come down now, but she'd be back.

This was the true beginning of Denise Barnes' music career. She sang with church groups as she got older, and was singing and playing guitar in her college's pub by her twenties. Later that decade she was part of a duet, a folk rock trio, then a rock band the Nude Ants. She continued to play on her own as she finished graduate school and began work as a therapist. In the 90s she provided acoustic guitar and song for the theater troupe Vox Feminista, and in 2000 she sang with the classic rock band Third Wheel. During Third Wheel's term, Denise's rock folk 'altar' ego, Lucy Diamond arrived.

Today Lucy writes and sings acoustic folk blues tunes. Her new song, Da Vinci Code Blues was featured in her 2006 one woman show, The Unlikely Enlightenment (TUE), along with the old favorite, Dreamtyme. (See Products, Comedy for the TUE dvd that features these two songs.) 

Lucy's performances are not only vocally beautiful, but wonderfully dynamic, humorous and poignant. Please contact Denise for more information on Lucy's whereabouts, and keep an eye on the calendar for upcoming gigs. You can also join the performance email list through the contact page.

This lady is Gilda Radner, Jane Curtain and Kuan Yin all rolled into one. Tina – that was as funny as anything I’d ever seen on Saturday Night Live.

Both Tina, and Lucy Diamond . . .  so wonderful!

I’m really picky with my musical tastes and Lucy just  . . . you floored me. You're so good in your singing, your presentation, your compositions – Whoo! Wow!

- R. Shane, Boulder