Singer and songwriter Lizz Wright is one of the great American voices of this century. Raised in a small town in Georgia, she began singing in her church’s gospel choir, where her father was pastor. At 22, she caught national attention on a tour celebrating Billie Holiday and signed her first record deal the following year. Today, as head of her own label, Blues & Greens Records, Wright asserts her artistic independence more than ever. Her discography, spanning eight studio albums, brilliantly explores every facet of American music, from jazz and gospel to folk and soul. A three-time guest of the Montreux Jazz Festival, she notably paid tribute to Nina Simone in 2009, alongside Angélique Kidjo, Dianne Reeves, and Lisa Simone.