Recordings

Song descriptions and lyrics are available by clicking INFO for each song. 

Where the Light Lives

Joy Zimmerman

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Joy Zimmerman’s superpower is her ability to find light within the cracks. This brilliance is illuminated on her lush new album, WHERE THE LIGHT LIVES. Joy’s honeyed vocals invite the listener into complex stories of immigration, divorce, identity, and perseverance. Her uplifting album embodies community with its seventeen musicians, including

Joy Zimmerman’s superpower is her ability to find light within the cracks. This brilliance is illuminated on her lush new album, WHERE THE LIGHT LIVES. Joy’s honeyed vocals invite the listener into complex stories of immigration, divorce, identity, and perseverance. Her uplifting album embodies community with its seventeen musicians, including Katie Dahl, Jeff Freling and Erin McGrane (Victor & Penny), and Danielle Anderson (Danielle Ate the Sandwich).

Each new song was born of challenge, and the results are empowering. Joy shares her great grandmother’s immigrant story (“How Shall We Sing”) and her hopes for her sons following divorce (“Bend Not Break”). She makes peace with her mistakes (“I Stand Corrected”), celebrates her identity (“Say What I Need to Say”), and emphasizes kindness and intention (“Nobel Prize”). Esteemed singer/songwriter Katie Dahl joins Joy for a unique duet of a Bruce Springsteen love song (“If I Should Fall Behind”), while multiple vocalists sing of hope (“We Are a Bell”) and (“Keeping Vigil”). Joy’s sense of humor is clear as she faces down social media (“Hoping for a Click”). Two previously released singles, “We’ll Hold the Light” showing our gratitude and acknowledgement of the trauma and service among medical professionals and first responders and “Hear Our Voices” with its diverse voices singing about their need for reproductive choice, have been redone for this record.

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  1. 1
    How Shall We Sing 3:30
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    We Are a Bell 2:51
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    Nobel Prize 3:51
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    Say What I Need to Say 2:30
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    Keeping Vigil 3:32
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    Hoping for a Click 1:24
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    I Stand Corrected 2:55
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  8. 8
    Hear Our Voices 4:02
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  9. 9
    If I Should Fall Behind 3:23
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    Bend Not Break 3:00
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    We'll Hold the Light 3:48
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The Canvas Before Us

Joy Zimmerman

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Joy Zimmerman's new acoustic/Americana studio album is available now.

Joy Zimmerman’s soulful vocals and thought-provoking lyrics light up her new acoustic roots album, The Canvas Before Us. Listeners will hear echoes of their own journeys in Joy’s songs of hope, heartache and resilience. With splashes of social commentary and humor, Joy’s new

Joy Zimmerman's new acoustic/Americana studio album is available now.

Joy Zimmerman’s soulful vocals and thought-provoking lyrics light up her new acoustic roots album, The Canvas Before Us. Listeners will hear echoes of their own journeys in Joy’s songs of hope, heartache and resilience. With splashes of social commentary and humor, Joy’s new album invites the question: What story will the canvas of our lives tell?

Rich acoustic instrumentation and lyrical songwriting coalesce in all fourteen songs. Joy finds courage for choices she makes in “Courage Walks Alongside”; honors creative resilience in “Light the Stage”; contemplates the future in “Let Us Not Close Our Hearts”; sings of conditional love in the tongue-in-cheek “I Love You So (So)”; critiques contemporary life in “Beware the Short Story”, and celebrates bold women in “Women Who Walked on Water”. Joy’s songs help light the way in this challenging world.

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    Prairie Wind 3:16
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    Measure My Heart 2:21
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    Mosaic 2:41
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    If Your Life Were A Movie 3:07
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    Where Will You Stand 2:59
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    I Love You So (So) 2:20
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  7. 7
    Dear John or Jane 2:40
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  8. 8
    Beware the Short Story 2:50
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  9. 9
    Not Enough Time 3:15
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  10. 10
    Women Who Walked on Water 3:23
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  11. 11
    One Precious Life 2:31
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    Courage Walks Alongside 3:13
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    Light the Stage 2:31
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    Light Us Not Close Our Hearts 2:32
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We'll Hold the Light

Joy Zimmerman

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We’ll Hold the Light is a song of gratitude for brave, selfless health care workers and first responders every day and especially during this pandemic. Facing unprecedented and life-threatening conditions, they have provided steadfast care for us all.

We’ll Hold the Light | Music & Lyrics by Joy Zimmerman | 2021 Joy Zimmerman Music (BMI) |

We’ll Hold the Light is a song of gratitude for brave, selfless health care workers and first responders every day and especially during this pandemic. Facing unprecedented and life-threatening conditions, they have provided steadfast care for us all.

We’ll Hold the Light | Music & Lyrics by Joy Zimmerman | ©2021 Joy Zimmerman Music (BMI) | Cultivate Joy Records

Recorded, Mixed & Mastered: Duane Trower, Weights and Measures Soundlab, Kansas City, MO | Consulting & Radio Promotion: Kari Estrin Management

Joy Zimmerman: Vocals, Guitar, Violin | Ryan Dugan: Guitar, Bass, Harmony Vocals | Beau Bledsoe: Dobro | Christine Broxterman: Cello

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    We'll Hold the Light 3:49
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To the Girl

Joy Zimmerman

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To the Girl is the latest eclectic album written and sung by Joy Zimmerman, indie singer|songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. These songs celebrate love, taking chances, the wisdom of time, and finding your passion.

Co-produced by Joy Zimmerman and Jimmy Dykes, To the Girl was recorded, mixed and mastered by Duane Trower of Weights and Measures

To the Girl is the latest eclectic album written and sung by Joy Zimmerman, indie singer|songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. These songs celebrate love, taking chances, the wisdom of time, and finding your passion.

Co-produced by Joy Zimmerman and Jimmy Dykes, To the Girl was recorded, mixed and mastered by Duane Trower of Weights and Measures Soundlab in Kansas City. The musicians on the album are Joy Zimmerman, Jimmy Dykes, Ryan Dugan, Nicholas Sloan and Cindy Egger. A 23-voice Choir of Light sang on Shed a Little Light, arranged by Ryan Dugan and Joy Zimmerman.

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    Pretty Sure 2:28
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    Why Be Normal 3:08
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    If You're Late to the Party 2:45
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    To the Girl 4:07
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    What Next 3:14
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    A Better Raisin 3:04
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    Roach on a Hot Griddle 1:42
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  8. 8
    Bob & Me 3:06
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  9. 9
    Big and Wide as the Sky 3:02
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  10. 10
    Shed a Little Light 2:43
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    My'Rish Blessing 1:30
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Say My Name

Joy Zimmerman

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Say My Name, the latest album by indie singer~songwriter Joy Zimmerman, weaves compelling vocals, rich instrumentation, and inventive songwriting. Its songs tell of gratitude, regret, hope and survival. The title track is a tribute to Camille Claudel, a 19th century French sculptor whose genius was silenced when she was committed to a mental

Say My Name, the latest album by indie singer~songwriter Joy Zimmerman, weaves compelling vocals, rich instrumentation, and inventive songwriting. Its songs tell of gratitude, regret, hope and survival. The title track is a tribute to Camille Claudel, a 19th century French sculptor whose genius was silenced when she was committed to a mental institution. In other chapters, a typewriter delivers a break-up letter, jazz emboldens a profession of love, and a sweet bird assures the waking world. Lose—or find—yourself within these diverse tales.

Co-produced by Joy Zimmerman and guitar wizard Jimmy Dykes, Say My Name was skillfully recorded, mixed, and mastered by Duane Trower at Weights and Measures Soundlab in Kansas City. James Albright, Rod Lincoln, Gary Helm, Everett Freeman, Jr., Christine Broxterman, Ray DeMarchi, Ryan Dugan, Cindy Egger, and Joe Miquelon also contributed stellar tracks.

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    Say My Name 2:59
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    The Fall 4:18
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    Dear John or Jane 2:52
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    Messy Girl 4:39
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    Higher Place 3:38
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    No Shortcut to Love 3:15
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    Your Memory 3:34
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    Jump On In 2:42
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    Evensong 4:18
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    Sweet Bird 3:43
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Until The Dawn

Joy Zimmerman

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Until The Dawn is an adventurous, bold recording by singer|songwriter Joy Zimmerman. Its songs travel from rock to blues to folk to bluegrass and even klezmer and disco. Joy’s musical depth is revealed in humor, longing, survival and re-invention

Until the Dawn was the first of Joy’s albums produced, recorded, mixed and mastered by Fett at Azalea

Until The Dawn is an adventurous, bold recording by singer|songwriter Joy Zimmerman. Its songs travel from rock to blues to folk to bluegrass and even klezmer and disco. Joy’s musical depth is revealed in humor, longing, survival and re-invention

Until the Dawn was the first of Joy’s albums produced, recorded, mixed and mastered by Fett at Azalea Studios in Nashville. Exceptional musicians Ron Krasinski, Chas Williams, Dave Hoffner, Ron Krasinski, Dave Webb, Tim Lorsch, Jim Hoke, and Nancy Moran helped bring these compelling songs to life.

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    Until the Dawn 4:01
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    River Between 3:36
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    Life as Laundromat 2:46
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    Set it Down 3:16
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    I Used to Know 3:50
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    Minute and a Half 1:56
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    Treat You Right 2:32
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    I Wish You'd Met Me When My Stomach Was Flat 3:18
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    First Stone 3:53
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    Shakespeare Texting 2:40
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    When You Are Gone to Me 4:11
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Mosaic

Joy Zimmerman

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Mosaic is the first spiritual collection by Joy Zimmerman, singer/songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. The album speaks of struggle and celebration. Grace in the midst of hardship. Tragedy and triumph. A mosaic. This diverse array of songs was produced, recorded, mixed and mastered by Fett at Azalea Studios in Nashville. The stellar musicians

Mosaic is the first spiritual collection by Joy Zimmerman, singer/songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. The album speaks of struggle and celebration. Grace in the midst of hardship. Tragedy and triumph. A mosaic. This diverse array of songs was produced, recorded, mixed and mastered by Fett at Azalea Studios in Nashville. The stellar musicians include Chas Williams, Dave Hoffner, Ron Krasinski, Dave Webb, Joel Atkins, Nancy Moran, Jim Hoke, Jelly Roll Johnson, and Tim Lorsch. Vocal arrangements by Mark Kibble of Take 6 and vocal performances by Mark Kibble and his choir elevate Be With Me, The Gift of Light, and A New Day.

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    Be With Me 4:04
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    Night Is Not Yet Dawn 2:54
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    Plant Me a Tree 3:27
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    A New Day 3:13
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    Mosaic 3:07
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    O Sorrow 3:54
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    The Gift of Light 3:33
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    When You Are Gone To Me 4:07
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    River Between 3:36
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    I Believe 4:08
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    You Don't Know Grace 'Til You Really Need It 2:46
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    A New Day (choir excerpt) 1:13
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grey matter

Joy Zimmerman

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Grey Matter, an eclectic album by singer/songwriter Joy Zimmerman, travels from a life-changing choice to a profession of love to a firefly escaping a jar and a lamppost keeping our secrets….and much more in between.

Eight of the songs were produced, recorded, mixed and mastered by Fett at Azalea Studios in Nashville, along with one song produced

Grey Matter, an eclectic album by singer/songwriter Joy Zimmerman, travels from a life-changing choice to a profession of love to a firefly escaping a jar and a lamppost keeping our secrets….and much more in between.

Eight of the songs were produced, recorded, mixed and mastered by Fett at Azalea Studios in Nashville, along with one song produced and recorded at Marty Rifkin Productions in Los Angeles. Numerous gifted musicians in Nashville, Los Angeles and Kansas City contributed to this record.

Grey matter: 1. the greyish tissue of brain and spinal cord 2. the stuff of life that does not fit into distinct boxes

Welcome to an album recorded after my brain hemorrhage, after my hair had started to turn grey, and after I had lived long enough to know many grey layers. Lots of Grey Matter indeed.

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    Pandora's Box 3:31
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    Crazy In Need 3:21
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    The Firefly 2:44
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    Lamppost 3:08
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    Steal My Heart 2:47
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    Mosaic 3:11
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    You Took The Bait 3:46
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    Most of the Time 2:42
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    O Sorrow 3:56
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    Warranty 2:38
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