Janet Batch

One part Stevie Nicks, two parts Johnny Cash, singer-songwriter Janet Batch hails from New York’s Finger Lakes region, writing and recording songs inspired by working-class life. Some anthemic, some heartbreaking, many songs harken back to the hardscrabble stories of her youth in the Rust Belt. She fronts a 4-piece band whose sound is reminiscent of the seventies and eighties country radio she was raised on. Her lyrics point to an affinity for poetry and prose and are a sweet surprise to those lucky enough to catch them; her style has been described as “country with an art degree”.

Janet will welcome her second album, You Be The Wolf, in the fall of 2021. A slow and simmering project, it captures everything from classic country waltzes to boot stomping two-steps, tempering true stories with bits of embellishment.
Favorites include “Radio”, a spaghetti western style tune that laments the struggles of loving an artist, “If I Had A Nickel”, a waltz about getting hit on at the bar, and “Waiting On Horses”, an anthem describing a horse-buying scheme.

Drawing from an early life growing up on a dairy farm in upstate New York, Janet also weaves larger-than-life tales of memorable characters in rural settings. “The voice in my head sometimes sounds like an old man’s. Words I have never once uttered in real life show up in my lyrics. And some of the stories in these songs are just stories I told myself as a kid. No one told me otherwise.”

Janet’s band is a one-of-a-kind blend of talented, collaborative musicians, each with different musical influences. Sid Green (Jayne County and The Electric Chairs, The Splendors) lends a classic country bent to lead guitar. Mike Brando (Harry Nichols Band) and Chris Ploss (River Diver, Laila Belle, Lady D and The Shadow Spirits) hold down the rhythm section on bass and percussion, respectively.

Janet’s first album, A Good Woman is Hard to Find, was an instant regional favorite. Backed by a full band and featuring three-part harmonies, the 2017 release is a record of story songs and train beats. An official music video was later released to accompany the album for fan favorite track, “Nobody Loves Me”. Janet also earned the moniker “The Voice of the Hills” in upstate country circles following the release of Good Woman.

Janet has performed on Bound for Glory, at The Great Blue Heron Music Festival, Downtown Ithaca’s Summer Concert Series, and The Ithaca Festival. She has also had the pleasure of opening for Marty Stuart and Sean Rowe.