For nearly twenty years, Joan Osborne has surprised and delighted fans with the diversity of her talent. Her hit "One of Us" catapulted her to international fame in 1995, and though she was mostly writing country, folk and blues at that point, she soon expanded her style beyond alt country. In 2003, she released "How Sweet It Is," her third studio album and first album of covers. "How Sweet It Is" was mostly comprised of classic rock and soul songs, and showcased Osborne's ability to reinvent major hits. Over the years, Osborne toured with The Funk Brothers, The Dixie Chicks and sang with The Dead. She covered Dolly Parton, Motown and Willie Dixon. In each stage of her career, she proved that there was some other genre, some new project that she could make her own.

On her latest album, Bring It on Home, Joan Osborne returns to the craft of covering hits. In a collaborative process that involved her band, her blues aficionado friends, her label and her own ideas of what she wanted to sing, Osborne came up with a list of 12 blues and soul classics to cover. On some tracks, she tried to accentuate the mood that was already captured. On others, she let her breathy, feminine voice alter the tune completely. The result is due out March 27th, and includes songs originally performed by Betty Wright, Al Green, Nina Simone and others. The album itself features a star-studded cast including Allen Toussaint and The Holmes Brothers.

Joan Osborne kicks off her national tour this month and is stopping by World Cafe Life for a Free At Noon performance on April 6. Make sure to sign up for her show. This Grammy nominated songstress is a guest you won't want to miss!

She plays a full show at The Rams Head in Annapolis, MD on April 5, World Cafe Live on Friday night, April 6, before heading up to Tarrytown, NY, then south to Raleigh and Charlotte. More info on her tour can be found here.

Website: joanosborne.com/
Facebook facebook.com/joanosborne
Myspace: myspace.com/joanosbornemusic
Recent Release: Bring It on Home
Release Date: March 27, 2012
Label: Saguaro Road Records
Hometown: Anchorage, Ky