Joan Osborne

In 1995, it was difficult to escape the jangly ballad "One of Us," with its insanely catchy chorus, quasi-mystical lyrics, and soulful delivery. The song briefly made Joan Osborne an international star, if not exactly an overnight sensation. The Kentucky-born singer had been honing her chops in New York bars for years, singing the kind of bluesy, folky pop that would make her major label debut, RELISH, a huge US hit. Osborne toured with Lilith Faire in '97 and '98, and finally released a follow-up album in 2000. Although the album enjoyed some critical acclaim, it lacked an identifiable single and tanked on the charts. Osborne continued to release albums on indies thereafter, as well as joining the post-Jerry Garcia Grateful Dead for their wildly popular live shows.

• pop
• singer songwriter
• 1990s
• 2000s