Maia Sharp is an American singer and songwriter. In addition to her solo career, she has written songs for and collaborated with several country and pop musicians including Cher, Trisha Yearwood, Terri Clark, Bonnie Raitt, Edwin McCain, and Art Garfunkel. Early life Sharp was born in the Central Valley in California, the only child of country songwriter Randy Sharp and anthropology professor Sharon Bays. When she was four, the family moved to Los Angeles, and at the age of five she recorded her first song. By the age of twelve she played piano, saxophone, oboe, and guitar, and by her twenties she was performing her jazz/folk songs in L.A. acoustic venues. Musically, she was inspired by Bonnie Raitt, Joni Mitchell, Jackson Browne and Sting. Sharp studied music theory at California State University, Northridge and began to focus on song-writing. She came out as a lesbian at the age of 23. Career Sharp played her first gig in 1993. Two years later, she met music executive Miles Copeland and recorded her debut album, Hardly Glamour (1997), on his record label Ark 21. Her next album Tinderbox failed to be released when Ark 21 was incorporated into PolyGram. Three of its songs featured on Sharp's 2002 album Maia Sharp on Concord. Her 2005 album Fine Upstanding Citizen was released by Koch. 2009's Echo, released by Crooked Crown, is, according to Sharp, her most personal album to date. During her career, Sharp has collaborated with other musicians including Lisa Loeb, Carole King, Jules Shear and Jonatha Brooke. As a songwriter, her songs have been recorded by musicians including Cher, Kim Richey, Amanda Marshall, Paul Carrack, Edwin McCain, The Dixie Chicks, Trisha Yearwood and Kathy Mattea. She collaborated with Art Garfunkel and Buddy Mondlock on the 2002 album Everything Waits to be Noticed, Garfunkel's debut as a songwriter. Sharp contributed the track "Castaway" to the album Music from the Aisle of Lesbos, an album featuring various lesbian artists from different genres. In 2009 Sharp opened for Bonnie Raitt on several dates. She started a national concert tour in October 2009. Discography Solo albums 1997: Hardly Glamour 2002: Maia Sharp 2005: Fine Upstanding Citizen 2006: Eve and the Red Delicious 2009: Echo 2012: Change the Ending 2015: The Dash Between the Dates 2021: Mercy Rising Collaborations 2002: Everything Waits to Be Noticed (with Art Garfunkel and Buddy Mondlock) References External links American women country singers