Trading one beat for another, this former Baltimore journalist now sings her stories with Janis-meets-Joni vocals.

BIO (150 words):

For two decades, Heather Aubrey Lloyd has travelled the country playing anywhere that might make a good story: bait shops, biker weeks … even clothing-optional resorts. A recovering reporter whose love of the journey evolved into equally adventurous songwriting. Pat Wictor hails her “sing-me-the-phone-book” voice. “Janis Joplin meets Joni Mitchell,” says the Montgomery Caller. Comfortable in any genre, Lloyd blends folky finger-picked guitar with lyrical rhythms/hand percussion influenced by Baltimore's diverse music scene. Best known as the co-front of ilyAIMY, Lloyd's recent solo efforts are gaining national recognition: Falcon Ridge Folk Fest Most-Wanted Artist, National Women’s Music Fest Emerging Artist, No Depression-FreshGrass Finalist and Top 4 Telluride Troubadour. She is also the 2019 Grand Prize Winner of the prestigious Bernard Ebb Songwriting Award. You’ll find her back on her beloved road, performing solo, with ilyAIMY, and alongside Grammy-nominated lute-rocker Ronn McFarlane as part of Ayreheart.

YOU WANNA KNOW EVEN MORE!?!

Lloyd has been a Lilith Fair Talent Search Finalist and ilyAIMY is a repeat Best Contemporary Folk Group/Duo in the Washington Area Music Awards, among other honors. Lloyd’s solo collection of stories turned lyrics became her first solo studio effort, “A Message in the Mess” in 2017.  “Mess” received the Director's Award for Album of the Year from the Mid-Atlantic Song Contest, and the awards haven't stopped since (along with spots as an opening act for the likes of Gretchen Peters and Gordon Lightfoot).

Lloyd plans to release new music in 2023, featuring songs about mental health, the plight of refugees, and aging gracefully.

In-Depth on the CD: Lloyd met Reno-based pop-rock band, The Novelists, teaming for arrangements and instrumentation that mark a polished departure from her alt-folk grit with ilyAIMY. The result: Traditionally folk/acoustic instruments used in unorthodox ways that court jazz, indie, classical and rock. The disc begins with the anthemic pop love song, “Ask For Me,” and passes through the funny glockenspiel/kazoo folk of “The Animal Crackers Song” to end up in the string arrangement of “Pollock” and grinding roots rock of “Phantom.” Through it all, Lloyd‘s dusky, sensual, intensely emotional voice tells her unusual stories. As her CD wrapped, The Novelists won a performance spot on Train’s Sail Across the Sun Cruise. LA-based David Peters of Oak House Recording (Amber Rubarth, Vienna Teng) also mixed/mastered the project.