Jen Cloher

Jen Cloher
Occupation(s)	Singer-songwriter
Instruments	Guitar, vocals
Years active	2005-present
Labels	Milk! Records
Associated acts	Jen Cloher and the Endless Sea
Website	www.jencloher.com

Jen Cloher is an Australian singer-songwriter, who recorded and toured with her band Jen Cloher and the Endless Sea from 2006 to 2010.

Biography

Jen Cloher is an Australian singer-songwriter, currently based in Melbourne, Victoria. Originally from Adelaide, Cloher moved to Sydney to pursue a degree at NIDA. Following her graduation, Cloher instead decided to begin playing music as opposed to continuing with acting. Her first EP, Permanent Marker, was released via Shiny Records in 2005. Until 2012, this would be the only release bearing solely Cloher's name.

Her debut album, 2006's Dead Wood Falls, was released under the moniker Jen Cloher And The Endless Sea, a collective of musicians that originally included drummer Jen Sholakis, bassist "Lord" Geoffrey Dunbar, guitarist Michael Hubbard, pianist Ross Calia and violinist Andrea Summer. The album’s single, "Rain" found itself on high rotation on Triple J; while Cloher herself was nominated for Best Female Artist at the 2006 ARIA Music Awards. Its follow-up, 2009’s Hidden Hands, was inspired by Cloher’s loss of her mother through Alzheimer’s and garnered great critical acclaim. Calia and Sumner were replaced by Laura Jean and Biddy Connor, respectively; while also adding guitarist Tom Healy (Tiny Ruins) to the line-up.

Following a solo tour with Jordie Lane, Cloher once again took an extended hiatus from music. With the loss of both of her parents at the end of 2011 she re-emerged in 2012, releasing a duet with former Kid Sam frontman Kieran Ryan entitled "Call if You Need Me." It was released in May of that year. In October, Cloher released "Mount Beauty," the first single from her then-yet-to-be-titled third album. It was released as a limited-edition split seven-inch, with the flipside containing Courtney Barnett’s song "History Eraser." The month prior, Cloher had recorded a new album at Melbourne’s Headgap Studios. Her band consisted of Barnett, Sholakis and bassist Andrew "Bones" Sloane.

To support the album’s release, Cloher began a crowdfunding campaign. With a target of $15,000; the total amount on the closing date of 26 March 2013 was $16,546. The album, entitled In Blood Memory, was released in late May 2013 via Milk Records and was shortlisted for The Australian Music Prize.

In August 2013 Cloher collaborated with Mia Dyson and Liz Stringer as Dyson, Stringer & Cloher. Releasing a tour EP through Milk! Records, they completed a 35 date tour of Australia including Tennant Creek, Alice Springs, Hobart and Perth.

In January 2014, Cloher won a Victorian Music Management Award.

Personal

Cloher currently lives in Melbourne with her girlfriend Courtney Barnett. They have sung quite a few songs together but "Numbers" is a song about their relationship and their age difference.

Discography

• Permanent Marker EP (2005)
• Dead Wood Falls (with The Endless Sea) (2006)
• Hidden Hands (with The Endless Sea) (2009)
• Mount Beauty b/w History Eraser (with Courtney Barnett) (2012)
• In Blood Memory (2013)
• Dyson Stringer Cloher (with Mia Dyson and Liz Stringer) (2013)

External links

• Official website
• Jen Cloher on Twitter
• Jen Cloher on Facebook