Joy Zimmerman

Joy Zimmerman is a touring folk & acoustic roots singer/songwriter who cultivates joy and community with a stunningly clear and rich voice. A multi-instrumentalist and former social worker, she brings audiences hope, humor, and connection. Joy's new album, "Where the Light Lives," illuminates light within the cracks of these challenging times and debuted at #6 on the Folk Alliance International (FAI) Folk Chart Top Albums August 2023.

Joy's music is "vivid and alive, tender and poignant, and altogether a gift for the listener" (Caryn Mirriam-Goldberg, Kansas Poet Laureate Emeritus). Joy has recorded nine albums of original music. Her previous album, "The Canvas Before Us," reached #8 on the Folk Alliance International Folk Chart in August 2021, and her single, "Women Who Walked on Water," was #4 in March 2022.

At home on guitar and violin, Joy loves adding fiddle tunes along the way. Her voice of honey and ginger leaves you wishing you'd heard her sooner. Joy performs as a solo artist and with a variety of other musicians. Her "Cultivate Joy" logo adorns her merchandise.

It's no wonder Joy is a natural writer since she shares Shakespeare's birthday. Her songwriting has been recognized nationally with an American Songwriter Lyric Contest Honorable Mention and ten Walnut Valley Music Festival NewSong Showcase wins. Joy was awarded Heartland Song Network's Artist of the Month.

Steeped in social justice since childhood, Joy has always found her authentic voice in music. Her songs have been featured on Northern Spirit Radio's Song of the Soul, (Re)Learning Leadership podcast, Hootenanny Cafe Radio Show, KKFI FM Local Showcase, Kansas NASW Advocacy Day, Together Women Rise International Women's Day Celebration, and Folk Alliance Region Midwest DJ Showcase.

 Joy believes in the power of music and collaboration. As the recipient of an Artist as Activist grant from the Mid-America Arts Alliance, she curated a portrait exhibit at the InterUrban ArtHouse based on her song, "Women Who Walked on Water." She performs annual benefit concerts for Together Women Rise, Safe Families for Children, and Harvesters - The Community Food Network. Joy is a board member of the Transformative Language Arts Network, an ArtistINC alumnus, co-chair of the Power of Words conference, and a former Artist of Note with the Humanities Community Outreach Series.

Prior venues include Lakeside Music Concert Series (KS), Louisville Arts Center (CO), Green Guitar Folk House (KS), Labyrinth Concert Series (MO), Knuckleheads (MO), Headwaters Music and Arts (MN), Stone Room Concerts (DC), InterUrban ArtHouse (KS), The Warming House (MN), InterContinental Hotel (MO), Open Range Concerts (MN), Stories & Songs Series (OR), Taos Inn (NM), and Granary Concert Series (MN)