Liz Sharp is a force to be reckoned with…she’s multi-talented very gifted and has been singing professionally in South Florida for the past 20 years in local clubs, festivals, corporate events and voice overs.
Having grown up with musician parents and a talented rock star song writer brother, music was always abundant in her life. Being influenced at an early age from her parents by Bessie Smith, Billy Holiday and Django Reinheardt, to her brother by Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton and Howlin Wolf. Liz Has a broad approach to her vocal stylings obviously and has been making a living at it for 3 decades. With some early vocal coaching encouraged by her mom –herself a professional jazz singer who sang with her Father on guitar, Liz has been able to sustain a singing career for 35 years. A career which continues to grow as she approaches every song in her own unique way, delivering a multitude of styles from scatting jazz, R&B, pop and dance music.
Having grown up in Cleveland in an exceptionally musical and artistic family, Liz’s mother Iris, a jazz singer and artist and father Fred a Cleveland guitar institution and jazz historian in musicians union in the 1930’s at age 16 they traveled and played together in New York for many years in trios and big bands through out the years.
Among her other talented siblings Her brother Todd closely followed in their parents footsteps and he picked up the guitar at age 10 and was touring with Hall and Oats at 19.
Later achieving legendary status, touring, and writing with and for notables like Rod Stuart, Delbert Mclinton, Fleetwood mac and many more.
In high school Liz was singing and acting in school performances and bands and drawn to modern dance, musical theater, playing guitar, and art. Liz began singing her original songs on guitar in local clubs and coffee houses at age 20, in addition to earning a Bachelor’s in Fashion Illustration in 1980 from the Cooper school of art.
Gradually Liz sought out local jazz musicians to sing with and continued to book her own groups in premier clubs and restaurants. She opened for such notables as Henny Youngman when she was 22, and sang on voice-overs, jingles and demos in the Cleveland area through the 80’s.
At age 24, knowing she had talent, experience, good looks and guts, Liz left for New York and for the next two years performed at various clubs and showcases while paying the rent with various fashion design oriented jobs. Liz tried her luck as an opening act at the New York Comedy Club “Catch a Rising Star” where she landed a steady engagement there as well as in various clubs in the village.
After careful consideration, though, Liz decided that Los Angeles was more suited to her lifestyle and her dual career aspirations. For the next four years, she acquired club work, performed in showcases and worked on her acting abilities in the Los Angeles area.
Liz’s design career led her into the animation industry when she became employed at Marvel Productions as a model designer and storyboard artist in the mid-80s. She received two Emmy awards for her contributions to the show “Muppet Babies”.
As fate would have it, Liz has been residing in South Florida and enjoying a busy career singing for the past 20 years. Her bookings are handled through several agency sources, but she’s always looking for new opportunities to perform in clubs, corporate events and recording sessions.
Her design work also continues to flourish (see www.sweetflowerstudios.com)