Lisa Klotz

Short Bio

Lisa Klotz is a singer, songwriter, teacher, activist and performer with songs that touch upon themes that include social justice, environmental awareness, women’s rights, empowerment, family, conflict resolution and spirituality. Lisa has passion for songs that speak to humanity, kindness, what we have in common, and a strong belief in the power of music – to bring people together, raise spirit and energy, to heal, and create peace.

In college, Lisa was introduced to the music of Holly Near and the women’s and peace movements. She helped organize song circles at the Seneca Women's Encampment for a Future of Peace and Justice, Take Back the Night marches in Ithaca, NY, and at her home. In 1986, she joined the Great Peace March from New York to Washington, DC and hosted Dennis Banks (founder of the American Indian Movement) when he was in NYC on a speaking tour. In the early 1990’s she helped to start a monthly pasta songwriting and sharing circle for the NYC Friends of Clearwater.

After a long period of teaching, education advocacy, and raising two daughters, she returned to singing and songwriting with the help of vocal teacher and mentor Sloan Wainwright, David Roth, and the SummerSongs community. Her latest collection of songs are here on “Morning Sun.”

Long Bio

Lisa Klotz is a singer, songwriter, teacher, activist and performer. Her style is a combination of folk, gospel, and eclectic singer songwriter held together by a powerful and resonant voice. Both her original and cover songs touch upon themes that include social justice, environmental awareness, women’s rights, empowerment, family, conflict resolution and spirituality.  Lisa has passion for songs that speak to humanity, kindness, what we have in common, and a strong belief in the power of music – to bring people together, raise spirit and energy, to heal, and create peace.

Lisa came from a musical and political family. Her mother is a community organizer and medical social worker who played piano and guitar. Herand her father was a lawyer and aspiring politician who loved to sing spiritual and social justice songs and even wrote a few.  Lisa began playing piano at seven, and picked up guitar to play in the folk mass at a local church at twelve. She studied voice at the High School of Music and Art (now Laguardia) in NYC and then at Wells College and the Ithaca College School of Music where she doubled as an English Education major. Her loves have always been education and music, teaching English and Writing, and Math K-college, often assisting with choir work and/or musical projects at various schools.

In college (1981-85) she was introduced to the music of  the women’s and peace movements, and wound up attending a week long workshop with Holly  Near and John McCutcheon in West Virginia. Around this time she helped organize song circles at the Seneca Women's Encampment for a Future of Peace and Justice, Take Back the Night marches in Ithaca, NY, and at her home. In 1986, she joined the Great Peace March from New York to Washington, DC and hosted Dennis Banks (founder of the American Indian Movement) when he was in NYC on a speaking tour. In the early 1990’s she helped to start a monthly pasta potpourri song writing and sharing circle for the NYC Friends of Clearwater and often hosted jam sessions after concerts at the Riverdale Coffee house. Her first gigs were through these groups at the first EcoFest in NYC, street fairs, and occasionally busking in the subway or steps.

In 1992, she married her bass playing engineering husband, Mark Dann, and has hosted countless Speakeasy, Fast Folk and other musicians who have come to record at their studios in NYC, and then in Woodstock, NY after they moved there in 2002. After a long period of teaching, educational advocacy, and raising two daughters, she has returned to singing and songwriting with the help of vocal teacher and mentor Sloan Wainwright, David Roth, and the SummerSongs community, Ellis Paul, and longtime friend Rod Macdonald. These days Lisa is enjoying singing and playing at songwriting camps, women’s circles, local venues, music conferences, Folk Alliance International, NERFA, and SERFA music conferences and festivals. She lives in Woodstock, NY and continues to find inspiration to write songs from fellow songwriters, family and community gatherings, and personal and political experiences.